Forster Co-Ax or Turret press

[TheTinMan]

I'll start with "if I could only have one press, it would be my Forster Co-Ax."

I have a middle-aged Lyman turret press with 6 stations. I use it for pistol load development because I can size/deprime on one station then bell on the next station, put cases in a loading block for different charges, then back to the press for bullet seating then crimping. This saves handling the case twice compared to a single stage.

Pistol production is on a Hornady LNL progresssive, but I re-size/deprime on the Co-Ax. It eliminated the shell plate deflection from sizing. Plus it opens up a station for an RCBS powder cop die on the progressive.

Bottle neck cartridges get done on the Co-Ax.

 

[Jeff423]

I sold the Lyman on Friday for what I paid for it. I thought it was a good, but not a great press. Even with brand new parts I couldn't get the priming system to work reliably. That meant that I had to hand prime which added a step that reduced it's usefulness. It also didn't fit on my bench. But - if I hadn't already had the Co-Ax I probably would have kept it.

 

[rockquarry]

Count handle pulls *and* the number of times you have to handle the case. Makes the comparison more accurate.

Such homework might take some of the enjoyment out of handloading.

 

[ggibson511960]

My Forster Coax and primer seating tool have enabled me to throw away a bunch of lower quality iron. The only disadvantages of a Forster are cost, at least compared to entry level C and O presses, and extraction power of the universal shell holder. That said, mine has never failed to pull reformed brass from a sizing die. As far as concentricity of loaded ammunition, there is no comparison. Both the cartridge case and die free float laterally. There is a reason Forster calls it Coax. It is possible to set up a conventional press for maximum concentricity, but nobody bothers. With a Forster it is baked into the superior design. Buy a Forster and smugly correct the others who cannot spell Forster, or is it Forester? Nah, that's a Subaru.

 

[SweetMK]

I have a different "take" on reloading,,
this is not a guess, this is actual trial to determine accuracy,

I have a Hornady ( I think it is called a "Classic"? ) single stage press
AND
I have the Dillon 550B progressive.

I own several bolt action rifles,, but, one is an actual "tack driver" with the right ammo.

I find that the gun produces the smallest groups with the most consistent ammo.

So, which press produces the most consistent ammo??
To me, the Dillon 550B ammo is the most consistent that I can produce.

WHY?? Try to find the time to produce 50, or 100 rounds of ammo on a single stage press today.

It takes so long, that more than likely the process will take two days, or more.
Dinner is ready, come watch the grandchildren, one of the kids needs help,, ETC, ETC,,,
Life happens,,

On the other hand,, with everything set up, you can knock out a quick 100 rounds of 300 WIN MAG on the Dillon,

The rounds are all loaded the same,, the Dillon controlled everything.

I only use the Hornady single stage for some "prototype" testing,, ETC,,

The Dillon does it all for me,,
44 MAG up through 4 rifle calibers,, I trust the Dillon ,,
because it gets the rounds reloaded without me loosing concentration because of "LIFE",,,