686 Shooter
Regular
Good day all. This is my initial thoughts on the new press I purchased. If the info that follows is useful or interesting to you, great! If not, look on the bright side. The time you spent reading this could have been done doing something much less enjoyable, like work.
After 30-some years of reloading with Lee presses and dies I have decided to move on to a Forster Co-ax press and Forster dies, including the micrometer adjustable seating die. Now first off I want to say I have never had an issue with my Lee presses or dies. They have always given me good quality results. But I have fallen into the wormhole of trying to get my rifles to shoot the smallest group I possibly can so I figured I would treat myself to some new equipment.
After much research on the internet and recommendations from the helpful folks on this and a few other sites I decided to go with the Forster Co-ax press and their dies as well. I ordered the Co-ax and the full length sizing dies from the good folks at Hirsch Precision, and the micrometer seating dies from Brownells. I must say the folks at Hirsch Precision made the two orders I placed completely painless. After I made the first order for the dies I got an email that the actual shipping cost was less than what was charged online so they were crediting my card for the difference! Awesome folks. So I didn't hesitate ordering the press from them.
After I ordered the press I began to have some buyers remorse. It is an expensive press and I wondered if it would be worth it. But I figured what was done was done, and I would wait to see what it would be like. I received the press today via Canada Post and was surprised at the weight of the box right off the bat. It's heavy. I got home and like a kid on Christmas morning I tore into the box and got the press set up. Set up was simple. I use the Lee bench plate system to allow myself to quick change my presses. The two front holes of the press lined up to two existing holes in the mounting plate so I only had to drill two 1/4" holes for the back bolts. I don't know if I can properly describe how smooth this press is to operate. The feel is so smooth and solid when you operate the handle that I was genuinely surprised. I set up my dies and loaded a few rounds. Changing dies takes 2 seconds. They just slide in and out. No messing around screwing in dies or bushings. just slide the die in and away you go. I don't have a concentricity gauge so I cant comment on that, but from everything I have seen and heard run out should not be an issue. The spent primer catcher looks aliitle odd hanging off the bottom of the press like it does, but I can't knock it because it works well. No muss no fuss. The jaw system that holds the cases also worked with no issues whatsoever.
One beef I heard about the press was the priming system. But I didn't find it too bad at all. Adjusting the jaws for the 6.5 Creedmoor brass was quick and easy. The priming process on this press is slower than on some others so if you are going to load 1,000 rounds at a time your going to want to find another way to do it. But for 50 - 100 rifle rounds, which is what I usually load at a time, it was fine. Other than that everything about the press was great.
If you have been thinking about a Forster Co-ax, I would have to recommend it based on my first usage of this press. It is expensive but right now I think this was money well spent. I really don't think you will be disappointed. This thing is smooth, solid, and looks like it will last more than a lifetime. I can see my grandkids still loading on this thing after I am long gone.
If I do run into any issues in the future I will update this.
Thanks for reading, and good shooting all.
After 30-some years of reloading with Lee presses and dies I have decided to move on to a Forster Co-ax press and Forster dies, including the micrometer adjustable seating die. Now first off I want to say I have never had an issue with my Lee presses or dies. They have always given me good quality results. But I have fallen into the wormhole of trying to get my rifles to shoot the smallest group I possibly can so I figured I would treat myself to some new equipment.
After much research on the internet and recommendations from the helpful folks on this and a few other sites I decided to go with the Forster Co-ax press and their dies as well. I ordered the Co-ax and the full length sizing dies from the good folks at Hirsch Precision, and the micrometer seating dies from Brownells. I must say the folks at Hirsch Precision made the two orders I placed completely painless. After I made the first order for the dies I got an email that the actual shipping cost was less than what was charged online so they were crediting my card for the difference! Awesome folks. So I didn't hesitate ordering the press from them.
After I ordered the press I began to have some buyers remorse. It is an expensive press and I wondered if it would be worth it. But I figured what was done was done, and I would wait to see what it would be like. I received the press today via Canada Post and was surprised at the weight of the box right off the bat. It's heavy. I got home and like a kid on Christmas morning I tore into the box and got the press set up. Set up was simple. I use the Lee bench plate system to allow myself to quick change my presses. The two front holes of the press lined up to two existing holes in the mounting plate so I only had to drill two 1/4" holes for the back bolts. I don't know if I can properly describe how smooth this press is to operate. The feel is so smooth and solid when you operate the handle that I was genuinely surprised. I set up my dies and loaded a few rounds. Changing dies takes 2 seconds. They just slide in and out. No messing around screwing in dies or bushings. just slide the die in and away you go. I don't have a concentricity gauge so I cant comment on that, but from everything I have seen and heard run out should not be an issue. The spent primer catcher looks aliitle odd hanging off the bottom of the press like it does, but I can't knock it because it works well. No muss no fuss. The jaw system that holds the cases also worked with no issues whatsoever.
One beef I heard about the press was the priming system. But I didn't find it too bad at all. Adjusting the jaws for the 6.5 Creedmoor brass was quick and easy. The priming process on this press is slower than on some others so if you are going to load 1,000 rounds at a time your going to want to find another way to do it. But for 50 - 100 rifle rounds, which is what I usually load at a time, it was fine. Other than that everything about the press was great.
If you have been thinking about a Forster Co-ax, I would have to recommend it based on my first usage of this press. It is expensive but right now I think this was money well spent. I really don't think you will be disappointed. This thing is smooth, solid, and looks like it will last more than a lifetime. I can see my grandkids still loading on this thing after I am long gone.
If I do run into any issues in the future I will update this.
Thanks for reading, and good shooting all.
