Co-Ax press VS. all other presses .... is there a tremendous difference?

R

Ricky Bobby

New member
Been reloading for several years now and have been plenty happy with my RCBS press. I really don't have any complaints, especially since making a nice modification for depriming my brass; which is the only area I believe this press lacks in. But curiosity has the best of me on the Co-Ax press! Is it really much better? Is it worth taking the plunge? Will I see much difference in my ammo? Will it make my reloading any better or easier?


..... I just gotta know. Otherwise Im sticking with Green!
 
Ricky,
I really like the Co-Ax press and everything else I've ever gotten from Forster.
If you are getting good results from your "Green" stuff, I really don't think it would be worth the $$ involved to swap out.

Now having said that, the features on the Co-Ax are pretty dang convenient, and it'll load ammo at least as accurate as your Rockchucker, or maybe a little more accurate.

If you don't mind the cost of swapping out I think you'll probably be pleased with the results.
 
I kinda agree with fw707. I have 3 other presses and they just sit around unused, because I much prefer my co-ax and the convenience it offers. Personally I believe it does make better rounds than my others. The floating die setup is the reason why I think that. Having zero runout is not a bad thing to have.
 
If I was starting right now today as a brand new reloader I might just buy me one of them Co-Ax presses. But after over 40 years and well over a hundred thousand of rounds with the same Rock Chucker I guess I'm not going to change now. It still loads ammo way better than I can shoot.

A couple of years back I was at the range and there were three guys out there with their benchrest rifles that were loading ammo on the spot for their high dollar guns. Had a pretty neat setup too. And the press that they were using was the same old Rock Chucker that I have had since I began reloading on my own. Made me feel pretty good to tell you the truth.

I don't expect that you will see much difference with your handloads if you go to a different brand of press, but if you going to like that Co-Ax more then it just might be worth getting you one.
 
Just not sure if I can justify swapping them out. What can a fella ask for a good Rock Chucker IV press, to try and recoup some of the cost? Of course, I would prolly wait 1st to make sure I like the Co-Ax press before cutting the Rock Chucker loose.
 
Ricky, My early days (years) for handgun loading were formed on a RCBS Rock Chucker and I wound up trading it for a paint job on my old BMW bike 15 years later, otherwise it would still be on my bench...I bought my Co-Ax when I started reloading bottle neck cases because I couldn't get my Lee Progressive to load them and my old Pacific 'C' press was just too light...It didn't hurt that Natchez had them at a really good price at the time...

As said by others, it's a great press for many of the reasons listed and I'm glad that I have it, but I'm not sure I could justify the 'trade up' if I still had the RCBS to use...I know that last comment doesn't help in your decision and if you 'needed' to replace what you have, then I would have no problem encouraging you to go with a C0-Ax...
 
I like the universal shell plate and being able to slide dies in and out of it quickly without having to screw them in and out. One thing no one ever mentions about the Co-Ax is the handle placement. It does take some getting used to being ontop like it is but I really like it because you can sit comfortably in front of the press in any position you want and not have to move a leg for the handle clearance.
 
The question is does the Co-ax produce more accurate or more "correctly" more repeatable ammunition. If you can measure a difference does that difference show when you are at the range or is it one of those things that just makes us feel better about our toys. I think if a Co-ax was the end all press then ever body would be building some version of it . That being said I do think it may actually produce ammo with less runout but i have no proof . If I didn't have a Chucker I would probably go that way. But my current equipment makes ammo that is better than my shooting. I would also say that if it says Forrester on it , than it is usually very well made. I have one of their powder measures and it is difficult to set . However , once set it is the most repeatable measure I have and it is a large piece of equipment.
 
I 've used some form of RCBS press for 40 years. RC jr, RC jr 2, RC and now a Rock Chucker Supreme. They all made excellent ammo. They all had de-priming systems that spew spent primers hither and yon. For that reason and that reason alone I have grown to dislike them. But hey I bought 'em knowing it. Whoever designed the primer catching system apparently either never used one of their presses, liked crawling around on the floor or like me put up with it for 40 years.

If I didn't already owned a couple green ones. I would buy a Forester in a second.

I really like RCBS, great company, excellent customer service, mostly very good products but if it ain't right it ain't right. It does appear the new Summit may have finally got it. Curious ?
 
You know if you didn't want to buy a press you could get one of those Hornaday consentricity tools for about $100 and that would allow you to have 0.00% run out regardless which press you use. The Hornaday tool allows you to straighten the cartridge.
 
Originally Posted By: skb2706I 've used some form of RCBS press for 40 years. RC jr, RC jr 2, RC and now a Rock Chucker Supreme. They all made excellent ammo. They all had de-priming systems that spew spent primers hither and yon. For that reason and that reason alone I have grown to dislike them. But hey I bought 'em knowing it. Whoever designed the primer catching system apparently either never used one of their presses, liked crawling around on the floor or like me put up with it for 40 years.

If I didn't already owned a couple green ones. I would buy a Forester in a second.

I really like RCBS, great company, excellent customer service, mostly very good products but if it ain't right it ain't right. It does appear the new Summit may have finally got it. Curious ?



This is why I bought the Redding Big Boss II when I upgraded. Spent primers go straight down through the ram into a catch tube. Great press. And made in the good old U.S.A
 
I recently sold a Forster Co-Ax press and purchased the Redding Big Boss II. The Forster press was very well made, I just didn't like the feel of it. I think the Co-Ax has a lot of leverage and maybe that is why it didn't feel right. I didn't care for the handle position compared to others. The automatic shellholder jaws seemed finicky to me. While the Co-Ax press might be the best press on the market, it just wasn't the best press for me. Just my opinion.
 
I inherited a C-H press that I used for many a year, and then went directly to a Co-Ax...listened to what others said before I bought. I have friends that turn out just fine ammon on other presses, and I'd see no reason to switch other than convenience of pop out dies, auto shell holders, and primer catch jar.

I haven't found a press I wanted to switch from the Co-Ax though.
 
Originally Posted By: GerbsI recently sold a Forster Co-Ax press and purchased the Redding Big Boss II. The Forster press was very well made, I just didn't like the feel of it. I think the Co-Ax has a lot of leverage and maybe that is why it didn't feel right. I didn't care for the handle position compared to others. The automatic shellholder jaws seemed finicky to me. While the Co-Ax press might be the best press on the market, it just wasn't the best press for me. Just my opinion.

It is of my opinion that the reason some have trouble with the shell holder is that they have the springs away / on the side away from the pointy thing that spreads the shell holder apart. It causes them to bind. The spring should always be on the same side as the pointy thing that spreads the shell holder.

I like to think I am making more precise ammo with the Forester CO/AX press and their top of the line dies than with the green machine.
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