horrible customer service at forster

bigtommy

Member
I had a broken decapping rod on my forster die and I called them explaining that the die was bran new and it resized less than 20 rounds when it broke. Everythig was set up correct when it broke. I called and asked them if they could send a new one since it seemed like it must have been faulty and they said no that there would be a charge and that they took credit cards. I told him (bob) that I did not have one with me and he said that he could send it out and bill me later. I then asked why it would not be covered under warranty. Bob said we will just send it out with free shipping and all. I got a entire decapping rod and resizing ball along with a bill for 15 dollars. I called them and one guy says just send it along with the rod that we sent and we will look at the die for no charge. Bob then came on the phone and said nope it will be 15 dollars I told you I would send it out free shipping not free entirely. When I have broke parts on a die in the past and even if it was my fault Hornady, RCBS, and redding have all replaced the part free with no questions asked. I will NEVER buy Forster products again and I may just end up selling the dies I do have of theres and buy redding.
 
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Due to the special set up on the Forester decapping pin, most people break them. Forester would go broke replacing those decapping pins for free.

So, there is a learning curve in adjusting the decapping pin in Forester dies, they are very advanced. What is so advanced you say? Well, the neck is supported when it goes through the expander ball so the neck is not yanked out of alignment. Excellent run out with this type of expander and decapping rod.

RCBS, Redding, nor Hornady has an advanced system like the Forester. So, if you want to cut your nose off to spite your own face, go ahead. An education usually costs money.

Now, you could sell those Forester dies and buy a set of bushing dies from Redding for 3x the cost.

I bet that you also did not know that the Forester std neck sizer will also bump shoulders, and you did not have to buy an expensive neck bumper die.

I know that I have bent several of the rods over the years, not paying attention.

If you could put the loaded ammo on a V Block and use a dial indicator to check your run out, you would be very happy. You will have to spend about $240 from Redding to get the same run out...I know.

Good luck on your learning curve, there are more bumps in the road ahead.
 
Currently I have 5 sets of Forster dies and have never broken a de-capping pin. Maybe it was set up wrong or it just broke. It can happen. Reminds me...Many years ago I was trying out a brand new handyman jack on my Jeep. The front tire was just starting to come off the ground when boom! The jack lip that goes under the bumper broke clean off. So, I never say never.
 
I know that I have bent 4 at least over the past 30 years, not paying attention, distracted, tired, wife on my butt about something, peeved off about work, really a fine set of dies.
 
I love the Forster dies and that is all I use. I have broke a couple of pins over the years and I did a few years ago is order and buy a package of the two sizes I need for my dies.
 
I'm another that will never buy Forster again. Cost me $37.00 for them to do nothing on my 6BR dies and it wasn't the decapping pin. Pizzpoor customer service IMO.
 
Originally Posted By: bigtommy I will NEVER buy Forster products again and I may just end up selling the dies I do have of theres and buy redding.

Just list them in the classifieds at a reasonable price and they shouldn't last long.
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I broke one on a new die I didn't have properly adjusted. My fault.
I've had pretty good luck with Forster stuff otherwise.



 
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I really like Forster stuff, always have. But I have bent at least one decapping rod over the years.

- DAA
 
I do not think I explained myself well. I called it decapping I should have said just above the expander ball. It was obviously a week point at the threads the way it snapped. I have a set of 243 forster dies and have reloaded thousands with that die set without a issue. The case went in smooth and decaped the case then when pulling the handle back up snap it broke. I never said that they do not make some of the best dies around because I think they do. I just think they could have sent a part out under warranty.
 

I just broke the handle on a collet bullet pulling die, by Forster. I called, they said, "No problem, and new handle is in the mail". I have a bunch of Forster dies, but I have never broken a decapping pin spindle, in a Forster die. I have broken a few decapping pins, but I buy replacement pins for all on my dies, regardless of the brand.

I just broke a decapping pin spindle in a RCBS die, due to my attempting to decap a Berdan primed case(oops!). RCBS had no problem sending me a new decapping spindle assembly, on their dime. I expected to pay for it, since it was my mistake. Guess I better be careful with the Forster dies.
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Squeeze
 
We always throw away the directions, on the Forester, keep the directions, it is a life saver on bending decapping rods. I seem to have replaced my direction sheet, anyone have a spare?
 
I have three Forster dies and read the instructions before I ever used them never had a pin break. My brother on the other hand he broke a pin every time he finally gave up and gave me the dies and got RCBS dies. He swears they were defective but they have worked fine for two years now
 
Forster CS has always been top notch. Love their dies and have never had a problem. So much so, I'm in the process of switching all my RCBS and Hornady dies over to Forster.
 
I don't doubt the OP, I'm just surprised is all. Wonder if there is more to the story.

I like Forster stuff. I think it is of excellent quality.
 
let me make a correction, I did not break the firing pin, I bent the decapping rod. The forester/bonanza dies are very advanced.

Imagine this, you have the full length or neck sizer in the press, you lowered the press handle and the piece of brass is all the way in the die. The Expander ball on the Forester die is just below the shoulder neck junction. As you go to extract the round from the die chamber, the neck is now engaging the expander ball while the neck is sill being supported by the sizing portion of the die's neck. The Neck is fully supported at all times as it goes over the expander ball, thus keeping the neck from being bent out of alignment.

What I did wrong is to run the expander ball up too far where the case could not enter the neck and thus the decapping rod was bent.

Run out with this kind of sizing system is at or below .002 when used in conjunction with the Forester/Bonanza benchrest bullet seater.

The fact that their std neck sizers will bump shoulders is priceless! I fired 25/06 HOT loads 12x with only bumping the shoulder back, never a full length sizing! This method produces extremely accurate loads in factory rifles as the brass is supported with the chamber helping align the bullet extremely straight in the barrel. Standard die sets from all the makers that have the expander ball pulled through the neck without the neck being supported will NEVER produce run out equal to the Forester/Bonanza system without extensive work, I have verified this with V Blocks and dial indicators.

Bushing dies are the next step up from the Forester/bonanza dies, but many, many new shooters can not grasp the concept of bushing dies, nor bear the expense.

Many will scoff at the idea of Lee Collet dies, but run out with the Lee collet die is fantastic for those in persuit of extreme accuracy. The lee collet die will size the neck to the mandrel. If you like for it to size more, then take a 3/8" drill and put the mandrel in it. Then using various grades of sand paper, reduce the size of the mandrel. Mic the mandrel often. Lee has a custom shop that you can order special made mandrels of various dia. I have known some very successful Benchrest shooters that used the Lee collet die as their sizing die...that is how good they are.

I got to chasing rabbits on this one, sorry forgive my wondering. For those that have little patience with their own inexperience, it is going to be a long bumpy road on your learning curve. That is one of the great things about this board, no matter how stupid the question, or if it has been asked previously, feel free to get help on the issues you are trying to understand and problems that you are trying to over come.

Forester/Bonanza dies are a real bargin for the money.

 
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