Nice video, Joe. I’ve had my Co-Ax for 12 yrs. now and I love it! I de-cap, re-size and prime on the press. I load about 300 rounds per year on it, 60 rounds per batch. Once you get into a rhythm, priming on the press is easy. I do seat my bullets with an arbor press, though. You just can’t beat an L.E. Wilson In-Line die.
I prime with an RCBS universal hand priming tool and decap with a lee handheld press or the co-ax. Then seat and factory crimp with the co-ax using lee dies. The runout is checked and adjusted with a hornaday concentricity tool. On 223's this is a 5 step process. The accuracy using lee dies to seat and crimp is very good. Someday I may add a lee clasic cast and lee safety primer loader so I can deprime on the upstroke and prime on the downstroke then seat and crimp on the co-ax saving a step. Powder is measured with a lee powder scale, rcbs check weights and a hornaday powder trickler. I use the lee perfect powder measure to drop cfe 223 and tight group checking random loads for accuracy. 223 Lapua cases and hornaday and nosler boat tail bullets. I deprime the Lapua cases with a lee neck sizing die. Bullets are sized to max length of the magazine.
My 30+ yr old Bonanza(pre-Forster) press is like the old Timex watch commercial. It's as study and rugged as an AK-47 or a Russian T-72 tank. Seriously, I have been amazed with this device and wouldn't consider moving to something else. No need to. For progressive-reloading, I have another machine. This one is for one-hole reloads.
michael craig my Bonanza press is almost 48 years old. Along with my first set of dies, Bonanza CoAx 222 Benchrest. The press was 72.00 and the dies 25.00 but if I bought the press they’d throw in the BR dies for 15.00. Also picked up a set of Harris bipods for 15.00. Those were the days. Still have that 222 Rem, press & dies along with several other Bonanza CoAx dies from 17 Rem to 7x57
@@johnpaulyates1655 , the Rebel is a great press and a better value than the Co-ax because it cost less. However, there are some features on the Co-Ax I really like the the jaws so it was worth it to spend more money to get a press that I will have for at least 20 years.
@@carbonunit57 Well, I believe that the Rebel is a slightly better value, but not by much. Not when you’re looking at the value of the press over decades. If I had to buy a Rebel, I’d have to get a bushing kit for it and bushings for all of my dies ($$$). I’d have to buy an RCBS Universal Hand Primer ($73). Then there’s the worry about getting spent carbon and glass in my ram during decapping. And over time, as with all ram based presses, you have to worry about “slop” appearing in the ram. The Co-Ax puts no lateral stress on your bench like other presses do. You can literally hold the press down with a C clamp, but mine is bolted down. If you really think about it, it’s WELL worth the money. Whoever created the press in the 60’s is a damn genius.
Forster Co-Ax is a great press, however do I find it a little tight when reloading my .300 Win Mag. because of the length of the cartridge. For those I use my Redding Big Boss II. But it's the Forster for everything else...
I reload 416 Rigby, 338 Lapua, 300 Ultra, and other bigger cases on the Co-Ax...I honestly have no idea what you are talking about here? I have zero issues including the much smaller 300Win.
That’s a Redding turret press which is wayyyy better than the RCBS turret press. The co-ax is wayyyy better than the Redding press. So yes, sell the RCBS and get a Forster CO-AX.
Nice video! I have a Redding T7 and love it, but would like to get a Co-Ax someday as well. As for spilt primers when depriming cases with the T7, I had the same problem until I split in half (lengthwise) a piece of 3/8" clear tubing, and just wedged one of the halves it in the slot on the front of the ram on my T7 deep enough so that it clears the frame as the ram goes up and down. That directs the primers straight down the tube, and I haven't had a single problem with primers flying out the front since.
Neil Whelden I actually did the very same thing to that T7 using a piece of black rubber hose. It was the only way to keep the primers from popping out.
Looks like a nice press. However, for a crippled person, this press looks like it requires the operator to be standing in order to operate the handle properly. Is this so? And how does this press work for a wildcatter who needs something with the guts to form and shape new cases? All these UA-cam vids ignore that part of their reviews. Thanks for the vid.
I recently bought a FA coax instead, cheaper. The shell holder plates are less than acceptable. They are cheap metal, unlike the Forster shell holders. I don't feel comfortable pulling bullets, or using my Lee collet neck sizing die. The shell holder knob studs splines got a bit stripped using a opened end wrench but I used red lock tite and that resolved that problem, I only use my fingers to rotate the shell holder sizes.. You really can't put alot of stress on either press as far as I'm concerned. I saw a couple of pics of the shell holder retaining plate bent, from.. probably stuck cases. I learned the right amount unique case lube and have no issues with unwanted stress on the press. The FA press is a great substitute for the Forster IF you treat it right.
I wouldn’t use the Frankford Arsenal M Press if you gave me one. The damn things are made in CHINA 🇨🇳. A friend had one and he ended up, you guessed it, throwing it into the trash. “A waste of $200”, I told him. Nothing but cheap junk and buying it puts pressure on other manufacturers to make their presses in that communist shit hole. He ended up buying an RCBS Rebel Press and a RCBS Universal hand primer, which is what he should have done to begin with. I wish he would have bought a Co-Ax like mine, but he liked the Rebel. The Co-Ax, the Rebel and MEC Marksman are the three best single stage presses on the market, bar none!!! All Made In AMERICA 🇺🇸, by the way.
ummm it looks ummm like a ummm nice press ummm but maybe ummm there are ummm some other one;s umm that are just umm as good ummm Hornady umm Iron umm Press ummm
Nice video, Joe. I’ve had my Co-Ax for 12 yrs. now and I love it! I de-cap, re-size and prime on the press. I load about 300 rounds per year on it, 60 rounds per batch. Once you get into a rhythm, priming on the press is easy. I do seat my bullets with an arbor press, though. You just can’t beat an L.E. Wilson In-Line die.
Great point on the lack of stress to the bench. It doesn’t move, and it doesn’t cant while operating
I've had one for years, I love it.
The S-jaws make things fast and easy.
I prime with an RCBS universal hand priming tool and decap with a lee handheld press or the co-ax. Then seat and factory crimp with the co-ax using lee dies. The runout is checked and adjusted with a hornaday concentricity tool. On 223's this is a 5 step process. The accuracy using lee dies to seat and crimp is very good. Someday I may add a lee clasic cast and lee safety primer loader so I can deprime on the upstroke and prime on the downstroke then seat and crimp on the co-ax saving a step. Powder is measured with a lee powder scale, rcbs check weights and a hornaday powder trickler. I use the lee perfect powder measure to drop cfe 223 and tight group checking random loads for accuracy. 223 Lapua cases and hornaday and nosler boat tail bullets. I deprime the Lapua cases with a lee neck sizing die. Bullets are sized to max length of the magazine.
Can a person find this press used wanting to get started reloading 223 and 3006
I enjoy working with my Forester. Does a great job & well designed / constructed. Thanks
2541968joey agreed!
My 30+ yr old Bonanza(pre-Forster) press is like the old Timex watch commercial. It's as study and rugged as an AK-47 or a Russian T-72 tank. Seriously, I have been amazed with this device and wouldn't consider moving to something else. No need to. For progressive-reloading, I have another machine. This one is for one-hole reloads.
michael craig my Bonanza press is almost 48 years old. Along with my first set of dies, Bonanza CoAx 222 Benchrest. The press was 72.00 and the dies 25.00 but if I bought the press they’d throw in the BR dies for 15.00. Also picked up a set of Harris bipods for 15.00. Those were the days. Still have that 222 Rem, press & dies along with several other Bonanza CoAx dies from 17 Rem to 7x57
Have you loaded 357 Magnum. I have the RcBS carbide dies that come with the washer that goes on the die when you go from 38 to 357mag.
I was unfamiliar with it and was about to buy a RCBS Rebel, I like the Coax better and am now looking into it.
Hey, the Rebel is a good press, especially when you put a Hornady Lock-N-Load bushing system in it.
@@johnpaulyates1655 , the Rebel is a great press and a better value than the Co-ax because it cost less. However, there are some features on the Co-Ax I really like the the jaws so it was worth it to spend more money to get a press that I will have for at least 20 years.
@@carbonunit57 Well, I believe that the Rebel is a slightly better value, but not by much. Not when you’re looking at the value of the press over decades. If I had to buy a Rebel, I’d have to get a bushing kit for it and bushings for all of my dies ($$$). I’d have to buy an RCBS Universal Hand Primer ($73). Then there’s the worry about getting spent carbon and glass in my ram during decapping. And over time, as with all ram based presses, you have to worry about “slop” appearing in the ram. The Co-Ax puts no lateral stress on your bench like other presses do. You can literally hold the press down with a C clamp, but mine is bolted down. If you really think about it, it’s WELL worth the money. Whoever created the press in the 60’s is a damn genius.
Forster Co-Ax is a great press, however do I find it a little tight when reloading my .300 Win Mag. because of the length of the cartridge. For those I use my Redding Big Boss II. But it's the Forster for everything else...
I reload 416 Rigby, 338 Lapua, 300 Ultra, and other bigger cases on the Co-Ax...I honestly have no idea what you are talking about here? I have zero issues including the much smaller 300Win.
I just bought a Forster...I've used it for 3 days...Now I have 4 presses I need to sell.
So does the crushed glass from the primers make a floating ram on the other presses?
You have the RCBS Turret press as well. That is my current press. Worth the money to switch?
That’s a Redding turret press which is wayyyy better than the RCBS turret press. The co-ax is wayyyy better than the Redding press. So yes, sell the RCBS and get a Forster CO-AX.
If you have the RCBS sell, if you have the Redding keep it.
just get the Co-ax
@@curtislong1987
so any dies or only forester dies
RCBS generic dies work with this press?
R bs dies work great. I recommend replacing the “nut” with a forster ring (best) or Hornady ring.
Will this press handle .338 Lapua magnum?
Yes!
I have a Forster! good press!
Nice video! I have a Redding T7 and love it, but would like to get a Co-Ax someday as well. As for spilt primers when depriming cases with the T7, I had the same problem until I split in half (lengthwise) a piece of 3/8" clear tubing, and just wedged one of the halves it in the slot on the front of the ram on my T7 deep enough so that it clears the frame as the ram goes up and down. That directs the primers straight down the tube, and I haven't had a single problem with primers flying out the front since.
Neil Whelden I actually did the very same thing to that T7 using a piece of black rubber hose. It was the only way to keep the primers from popping out.
does it use the rcbs dies?
Looks like a nice press. However, for a crippled person, this press looks like it requires the operator to be standing in order to operate the handle properly. Is this so? And how does this press work for a wildcatter who needs something with the guts to form and shape new cases? All these UA-cam vids ignore that part of their reviews. Thanks for the vid.
I recently bought a FA coax instead, cheaper. The shell holder plates are less than acceptable. They are cheap metal, unlike the Forster shell holders. I don't feel comfortable pulling bullets, or using my Lee collet neck sizing die. The shell holder knob studs splines got a bit stripped using a opened end wrench but I used red lock tite and that resolved that problem, I only use my fingers to rotate the shell holder sizes.. You really can't put alot of stress on either press as far as I'm concerned. I saw a couple of pics of the shell holder retaining plate bent, from.. probably stuck cases. I learned the right amount unique case lube and have no issues with unwanted stress on the press. The FA press is a great substitute for the Forster IF you treat it right.
I wouldn’t use the Frankford Arsenal M Press if you gave me one. The damn things are made in CHINA 🇨🇳. A friend had one and he ended up, you guessed it, throwing it into the trash. “A waste of $200”, I told him. Nothing but cheap junk and buying it puts pressure on other manufacturers to make their presses in that communist shit hole. He ended up buying an RCBS Rebel Press and a RCBS Universal hand primer, which is what he should have done to begin with. I wish he would have bought a Co-Ax like mine, but he liked the Rebel. The Co-Ax, the Rebel and MEC Marksman are the three best single stage presses on the market, bar none!!! All Made In AMERICA 🇺🇸, by the way.
I like it , like my t7 too
Great video on a great press. It's FORSTER not Forester though.
Thanks. And I used the correct spelling in the title and the description. Not sure where you think I misspelled it.
On a side not.. That Gempro.. I love mine.. Hope nothing ever happens to it because it seems they are out of the biz..
Thick bench tops are for weight not strength.
ummm it looks ummm like a ummm nice press ummm but maybe ummm there are ummm some other one;s umm that are just umm as good ummm
Hornady umm Iron umm Press ummm