To Co-Ax or Not to Co-Ax?

Keep or Sell?

  • Keep it! They are awesome

    Votes: 15 48.4%

  • Sell it, you don't need it and can put $200 towards something you do

    Votes: 4 12.9%

  • Try it for awhile, they hold their value

    Votes: 12 38.7%
  • Total voters
    31
  • Poll closed .
Status
Not open for further replies.
My crystal ball is fully cloudy so I can't see a thing. I have been loading just the standard stuff over the winter. 6.5 Creedmoor, 308, 7x57, and of course 45 colt. I have a Co-Ax of course and also a C&H Single Stage press. I am a Co-Ax kind of guy. I can see your use case it 100% different than mine. I do have a later generation model so I have some more options as to die height and such. Closest I have to what your doing is 45-70.
 
dh1633pm said:
I have been loading just the standard stuff over the winter.
Click to expand...

Unless thing have changed, changing from case head to case head can take some time. I had started to load on a RC. There is an attachment to the first generation of gear used. There's a bunch of case forming and various head sized cartridges going on hear. I leave the Co-Ax set up for .222 head sized rounds. Since 222 is going through a revival thought it would be a good idea to load some more up. If you are not doing some wild and crazy reloading the Co-Ax is fine. At this point I do not find adjusting convention dies such a big deal. I will not abuse my Co-Ax doing heavy duty forming and the like. Nobody has given the Co-Ax credit for having enough length in that stroke to take most any length cartridge. I have not had any problem with die lengths using Lyman or RCBS dies. I'd keep in mind what sort of reloading job at hand. To me, it necessary to have a good single stage press. How would like to try a push through die on a Co-Ax. The press is not made for that job. Back in the day the Co-Ax was advertised having more of grip on the case with less chance of sticking a case.
 
My Co-Ax may be considered a single stage by design, but it's the best press I have owned. I voted to keep it because it's higher quality, versatile and easier to use than most presses I've owned. Yep there are minor "drawbacks" like having to disassemble the shell holder jaw assembly for some cases, but I got that down on the second try and I've not lost a spring yet (2 1/2 years and a few thousand rounds from 9mm, to 30-06 and 4 in between). Some don't like priming on the Co-Ax, but it's been worry free and fine with me. Special lock rings are "needed", maybe, but when I ran out of Sinclair or Forster rings I use just about any other that was handy and I even modified some Lee rings (removed O-ring, drilled and tapped for 6-32 and used nylon tipped set screws). Some complain about the "long handle throw", but who said you have to hold the handle all the way out on the end? I have a few operations that don't require a lot of leverage and just grab the yoke to operate the press. I have used my Co-Ax for bullet sizing, just fabricated a longer plunger for my Lee dies.

This is about the 7th or 8th press I've owned and as you can tell, I really like my Co-Ax, even more than my Lee turret (I used my turret for20 years).
 
mdi said:
My Co-Ax may be considered a single stage by design, but it's the best press I have owned.
Click to expand...

The last serious resizing task was making 40-65 cases from Starline 45-70 cases. It took three passes and all my weight on the handle of the RC.There are certain jobs the Co-Ax is not designed to do. A higher percentage of my reloading is off the beaten path stuff. The Co-Ax does not have the versatility of a conventional single stage press. I have spoken of file trim dies and push through dies. My last uses of the single stage press was using a Lee push through lead bullet sizing die. Next was a push through die for making .45cal. wads for BP cartridges. I also use a C&H push through die for 40S&W and 10mm cases. Yes, I know there is an adapter for the standard shell holders. I'd rather use a hand primer rather than use a press. The old style RCBS or a Lee Auto prime is my preference. If the Co-Ax press were my primary press an RC or similar is absolutely necessary. This is not a slam on the Co-Ax as the issue is the way dies and the like are designed.
 
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Mowgli Terry said:
Pointed pin: On my older Co-Ax you would be putting some more strain of the shell holder jaws. On my old press unscrewing the pointed in will open the jaw but there is no stop. On the older press it would just open the jaws to the diameter of the pin
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and just hard would it be to add an adjustable stop .... not very ....
 
I purchased a 4.5 inch stainless steel rod and a pool ball. Drilled hole in the pool ball and some epoxy. Made a nice replacement handle. A little heavier that the pipe that is stock, but still has all the leverage I need.
 
I considered getting a co-ax, but ended up getting a Redding T7 turret, which I wouldn't trade away for anything.
The Co-ax is a great press, the T7 just fits my reloading style better.
 
Bwana John said:
Dude...

No matter what you chose, you need to step up from that Partner press!

They are fine for starting out or a portable press mounted to a board and C-clamp for camp or range, but doing any operations that require moving brass around like necking up/down or small base resizing is much easier with the bigger press, I broke a partner press frame with very little effort (RCBS did replace it free).

I would loan you a Rock Chucker if you want to see how the leverage, strength, larger working area, rigidness compairs to the Co-Ax and we could figure out something if you want to keep it... or you could just give it back after comparison.

We are close, I am inside 11M but outside of town.
Click to expand...

Haha I appreciate it. It might be a Jr instead of a partner. Either way it’s small.

I’m gonna try the co-ax first

Yeah I don’t love sizing on that press, mostly I just seat with it and size with my Lee turret press.

I absolutely need a full size single stage. I would have kept the Lock ‘n’load but wasn’t a fan of the bushings
 
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Ok ...here is is proof for the Bovine sniffer ....

IMG-20190212-100109338.jpg

Here is the longer bolt with a stop.... Yes it can be done .... You can make the bolt and the stop to fit your needs ... I was out of stock of longer bolts....5/16" NF . ...
IMG-20190212-100138844.jpg
Here are the pieces....

IMG-20190212-100622243.jpg

I am able to use the 40 S&W Redding PUSH Thru die to size my .357 SIG brass(the .40 part)... a few minutes with a file and a drill press makes the pusher fit the jaws(it is the same as a .30/06 brass)...


IMG-20190212-101656537.jpg

IMG-20190212-101458482.jpg

If you'd like to swage crimped primers ....here a swage stud that will do that ....same type 5/16" NF bolt with a few minutes on the drill press . ...
IMG-20190212-101932521.jpg
 

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I will add, I have been loading for 40+ years. Mostly for USPSA on a 550B. A few years back I really got into long range precision shooting, 6.5's etc. Now with the Shiloh Sharps BP, and I bought a CO-AX. It has produced the best concentric ammunition I have ever produced hands down. Runout with the floating design is outstanding. I use it for long straight wall cartridges now as well. I use the shell holder plate for those instead of the jaws. I have larger jaws but like the shell holder for working brass etc. I have used other presses, all good stuff, but my experience has shown the Forster press can produce very accurate ammunition. The primer system is slow but damn good on seating a solid primer. Just my 2 cents worth.
 

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