Took the plunge on a coax

[StevenDale]

I have been debating a coax with myself for years and finally had my buddy pick one up when he called and said he found one. I will pick it up next time we get together. New press that a dealer had on display at a gun show. He will mail me the box and all the goodies that go with it and I am debating if there are any other items I should order at the same time.

Looking for some advice.

1. Is the short handle something worth getting or not?
2. Are there any real advantages in purchasing the Forster locking rings?
3. Is the cover for the press an asset to have?
4. I know there is a heavier after market shell plate that has captured
springs from manzgear. Understand flying springs when you flip it are areal pain. Anyone tried these and if so your opinion.
5. When I retire I may not find a place with an area to set up a sturdy reloading bench and I understand these can be mounted on just about anything without working forces tearing things apart. Is this true?
6. Any other comments, advice or need to know info would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Paddy]

As a non owner, my advice is next to useless, but I beliebe the forster rings are sometimes needed because they are the correct thickness to engage the slot for the dies. a would forgo the cover, doesn't seem necessary unless your loading area is in the barn.
Congrats on the press! I'm jealous.

 

[taliv]

No
No
No
No
Just about anything but sturdier is better

 

[Carl696]

Coax press

About the locking rings. I have several brands of dies but mostly RCBS. I have found some are thicker than others and will not fit the die holding slot.
I don't think Forster brand is any better than any other, after all its only aluminum or steel.
One thing I don't care for is the priming set up, I use a RCBS bench mounted priming tool or their hand priming tool.
One thing I have tried is putting a D handle on instead of the short one. Seems less tiring when doing a large run.

 

[papaairbear]

I've been using a Bonanza (pre Forster) coax since the '70's and I've never needed anything else.

Forster locking rings: Yes, get them. The slot was designed for them and all the rest leave some room for the die to move up and down because thet aren't wide enough for the slot. I can make a more accurate round when things aren't moving around.

All the rest: Not worth spending the money on in my opinion.

Loading area: I've clamped my coax to a table using C clamps and loaded rounds. There's no forward or backward torquing with it's design.

You're going to love it!!

 

[m0par]

1. I made my own handle. For me, it was not so much the length/wasted motion as it was the ergonomics of the straight handle. I find a ~2" ball on a shorter handle much more comfortable.

2. Probably not. Depends on what rings you currently have. I must be a bit OCD or something, as I went ahead and bought the Forster rings for all of my dies anyway. I liked the idea of a proper fit and the likely-bogus idea that I'd rather have the aluminum rings wear than the slot in the press.

4. I bought the manzgear before even using the original. Seems OK. It did arrive with a touch of surface corrosion. I think he made a batch and has some sitting around, wrapped up with insufficient protection from rust. Mine didn't come with setscrews either. The holes for the springs are drilled all of the way through, so the set screws are required. Otherwise, it is a nice, slightly beefier design. I think the issue with losing springs with the original is not that bad though, unless you're all thumbs. But, there's that whole Murphy's Law thing too. I got it mainly because I tend to be of the can't-leave-well-enough-alone type.

 

[FROGO207]

I have a fellow reloading friend that has one and just loves it. I have used it and find little difference between the CO AX and a standard "C" press with compound linkage. The drop in die and shell holder design are nice but not worth it to me. To each his own I say. Hope yours works well for you for years.

 

[quartermaster]

I used the suuplied handle for one reloading session and since then have used the short one. Not a necessary accessory, but more comfortable for me and not lacking at all for power.

I have bought a few of the Forster die lock rings as I feel it is better for uniformity from session to session. If you measure a few different mfg rings, you will find a difference in height, which I feel is detrimental when dealing with thousands of an inch, if one is concerned with precision reloading. If one is going to full lngth size all cases and seat bullets to specs, there will be no problem using the std factory locking rings.

I bought the heavy plate after 10 years of having my press and I don't think it is a critical thing to have, i have an O press that I use for any bullish type work that I need to do. I have never had a stuck case (believe it or not), but trying to horse it out of the die could damage the base plate. I have never lost the springs, but did buy an extra set when I bought the press. It is very simple to change the jaws. I probably will never need the extra springs, but I wouldn't want to need one while in the middle of loading some ammo.

To me the real advantages of this press is the floating die system, which I believe is a great help for concentricity purposes and you got to love the no shell holder factor.

You will never regret buying the Coax. I love mine. I don't prime on it as I am not a beliver in handling primers, although I am probably being over cautious, but it was just the way I was taught. I have a 30 year old RCBS priming tool and wouldn't trade it for anything.

Good luck with it, be safe, and have fun. QM

 

[9mmepiphany]

If you've taken the plunge for the Co-AX (I'm so jealous), you'd mind as well get the Co-Ax bench primer too.

It is really nice...I like it much better than hand priming tools and better than the RCBS bench tools...however, the primer tube only holds about 50 primers at a time. The trade off is you don't need a primer tray (one is built in) and you don't need to flip the primers anyway (just turn the tube over)...very slick

 

[FM12]

Best buy you've made in a long time. Had mine since 1978, bought used, love it more each time I use it. I don't use the primer component, I use the lee auto prime.

 

[kdholland]

1. I have it don't use it.
2. the are made for the Forster. I have used others and but they are designed for the press so I would.
3. Whatever floats your boat. I got one free when i bought the press from a dealer online its nothing special.
4. Yes i have one and love it easy to change the jaws.
5. Mine is mounted
6. the priming system works well but you are not going to set a speed record. the press makes sizing a dream. I have a friend who uses mine to size his 338 lapua brass. I made him buy the right jaws.

 

[taliv]

It is really nice...I like it much better than hand priming tools and better than the RCBS bench tools...however, the primer tube only holds about 50 primers at a time. The trade off is you don't need a primer tray (one is built in) and you don't need to flip the primers anyway (just turn the tube over)...very slick

heh, i've probably primed 60k pieces of brass with that tool in the past 10 years and never once thought to just flip the tube over instead of flipping the primers over

geez. i'll have to try that

 

[9mmepiphany]

That's what having someone taking a fresh look at things will do