View Full Version : Added a Forster Co-ax to the bench.
Listening to suggestions from folks, a Forster Co-ax was added to the bench for Veteran's day. De-capped and sized just under 1K of 6.5 Creedmoor cases today. They will get run through the Giraud trimmer tomorrow on their path to some fun shooting soon.
Gonna take some getting used to with the operating handle a couple of feet higher than the Rockchucker I have been using for over half a century. I will get over it.
https://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x413/nf1e/Forster%20press._zpsabu0jam5.jpg (https://s1180.photobucket.com/user/nf1e/media/Forster%20press._zpsabu0jam5.jpg.html)
Pretty neat how it keeps the spent primers and associated yuck in a little bottle rather than all over the press, floor and operator.
https://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x413/nf1e/Primer%20cup._zpsq4thpcib.jpg (https://s1180.photobucket.com/user/nf1e/media/Primer%20cup._zpsq4thpcib.jpg.html)
excellent presses,
I started on one in the mid 90's that was probably older than I am,
still use it more than any of the other 4 I have
you get used to the swing,
I stand slightly to the side, and move just a bit as I work it,
you get used to the press and the way it 'feels',
beware tho, some tall precision dies will not work, (no clearance)
only ran into that once, and don't recall what die it was
my press is brown, painted that way with the crinkle paint,, not red, if that shows it's age,
came form a now deceased Dr.
he shot high power back in the 50's thru 70's.
I have his press, Forster Powder Measure, and the converted 1903 Springfield he shot with,
Working on it.
I have a habit of putting a case in the press with my left hand and as my right hand operates the handle, I grab another case with my left hand , remover the sized case and put the next in the press in one operation with my left hand then toss the sized case in the box. After working for half a century into the left side of the Rockchucker, it sure feels strange having to go into the front. I am sure things will fall into place soon, but my left arm is killing me today from the contortions it went through yesterday.
I don't have a pattern for sizing, I can load the press with either hand and swing it with my right,
seating I tend to have the case on my left, bullets on my right,
put the case in the press with my left, place the bullet with my right, (holding with my left if needed, and seating with my right hand, as in pulling the lever,
sounds way more complicated and convoluted than it is, I basically sway from one side to the other slightly when working it,
all that while standing, I do not sit and reload on that press or my Dillon 550,
Got the roller handle, led lights and offset linkage to allow better access to the cases.
Ordered a shell holder adapter so I can still use all my RCBS competition seaters. I really like feeding the bullets in the side rather than the bottom.
Oiled up the old Rock Chucker and put her in storage. After over half a century it was hard to replace her.
https://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x413/nf1e/New%20Forster%20press_zpsf40yubxo.jpg (https://s1180.photobucket.com/user/nf1e/media/New%20Forster%20press_zpsf40yubxo.jpg.html)
BlitzKrieg
07-11-2020, 03:07
Lyman...you know me so this ain't coming from a stranger.
Go to Inlinefabricartions.com and get the roller handle for the Co Ax press. I got both the long and short handles.... I find the short handle to be all I need. No more two step motions with a long handle on Co Ax. Save all that pussy footing for square dancing !
Get roller handle and not only does it make life easy, reloading faster but for older wrists and hands...its ergonomic !
But don't take my word right away, be stubborn and continue to do things as you are on the Co Ax. The lights will go on in your attic about how right I am ....sooner is better than later. :icon_salut:
Lyman...you know me so this ain't coming from a stranger.
Go to Inlinefabricartions.com and get the roller handle for the Co Ax press. I got both the long and short handles.... I find the short handle to be all I need. No more two step motions with a long handle on Co Ax. Save all that pussy footing for square dancing !
Get roller handle and not only does it make life easy, reloading faster but for older wrists and hands...its ergonomic !
But don't take my word right away, be stubborn and continue to do things as you are on the Co Ax. The lights will go on in your attic about how right I am ....sooner is better than later. :icon_salut:
:1948:
Sure is nice to have a little discussion going. To opine is as American as it gets.
barretcreek
07-13-2020, 12:47
BK, thanks.
My press is crinkly brown also, but didn't include the '03.
I hope it is OK if I do not purchase/add a Forster Co-ax to the bench. I have a Herter 6 position turret press, a 2 ram Herter, a U frame Herter and then there are all of those 3s and Super 3s. If I added a Co-ax to a bench something would fall off the other end. And then there all my three non-cam over RCBS Rock Chuckers. And the list goes on and then we come to the one I put away, I purchased it from a commercial kitchen supply store. I knew what it was the first time I saw it but the dealer insisted on selling it as a H/D juicer. I looks like a spider doing push ups when it is going through the motions.
The dealer went through his sales pitch and then let it go for $10.00...he did not have enough parts to make it work as a juicer plus he would have to start with it mounted upside down under the table.
F. Guffey
Sure, it's OK. Deal on the juicer is pretty neat.
clintonhater
07-18-2020, 08:22
I started on one in the mid 90's that was probably older than I am,
Bought mine new in the mid-'70s after reading a glowing review in some gun mag, & even after 2 doz moves since then, still have original box & papers. Some years later a friend who was moving gave me a Rockchucker that I sometimes use for special operations, but absolutely love my Bonanza, which was the original name before Forster took over. Bonanza offered many other ingenious designs, somewhat as Lee does today, my other favorite being their hand-held pistol powder measure.
Have bought a few accessories for it over the yrs, but never seen that roller handle, which I really like. Likewise the LED lights, which should be a big improvement over the very hot goose-neck lamp I've been using.
Bought mine new in the mid-'70s after reading a glowing review in some gun mag, & even after 2 doz moves since then, still have original box & papers. Some years later a friend who was moving gave me a Rockchucker that I sometimes use for special operations, but absolutely love my Bonanza, which was the original name before Forster took over. Bonanza offered many other ingenious designs, somewhat as Lee does today, my other favorite being their hand-held pistol powder measure.
Have bought a few accessories for it over the yrs, but never seen that roller handle, which I really like. Likewise the LED lights, which should be a big improvement over the very hot goose-neck lamp I've been using.
I have a similar vintage Forster/Bonanza powder measure do go with the press,
like most measures, it does not like long grain powders , but with ball it is very accurate,
still use it for 5.56 loads
clintonhater
07-18-2020, 08:57
Go to Inlinefabricartions.com and get the roller handle for the Co Ax press.
So this handle is not made by Forster?
clintonhater
07-18-2020, 09:07
...like most measures, it does not like long grain powders
Best I've found for cutting long grains without sounding like a coffee-grinder is the old B&M. However, I don't like using the separate measuring tubes, which prevent dropping directly into the case, so next-best is my antique Ideal #1, which is a Cadillac compared to the common #5.
BlitzKrieg
10-10-2020, 06:28
Sure is nice to have a little discussion going. To opine is as American as it gets.
Your photo shows the exact roller handle I use. I have 3 of them...different lengths. The one in your photo has proven itself to be the only one I truly need...after figuring out how to effectively full length size rifle brass w/o gorilla leverage. Only took me 60 years !....Its lanolin and you can make this lube up or buy it direct from Dillon. I use 50 50 blend of pure lanolin and rubbing alcohol. Make sizing effortless. Comes off easily in tumbler.
Pretty neat how it keeps the spent primers and associated yuck in a little bottle rather than all over the press, floor and operator.
That is not as amazing as the reloaders inability to fix something; I will never understand why they spend more time complaining than they do in research. I do not know of a reloader that owns a Rock Chucker that knows the Rock Chucker is not a cam over press. And now they want me to take them seriously when replacing the Rock Chucker.
If I was going to choose another press I would choose the 2 ram Herter or the 'U' type press and there is the Super 3s. When using the Herter presses I would not choose to take instructions from Internet instructors because they quit using the Herter press before they understood how it operated.
All I expect a reloader to be is fair and objective.
F. Guffey
S.A. Boggs
10-21-2020, 01:26
The USAMTU used this @ Benning to load their 300 Win Mag I was told some time ago.
Sam
OP is a year old.
However, you don't need to trim unless you need to trim. As in the cases are longer than the max case length. Set your calipres to the max case length and use it as a gauge first. It way faster than putting 'em in the trimmer.
I love my forster press, but the only thing I didn't like was not having the ability to measure seating force. Well, I think I found a solution. I attached a torque wrench to the armature. Torque is directly related seating force.
This is a quote from another forum, it seems the poster is trying to avoid saying neck tension and or bullet hold. He invented a new description called seating force.
And then there is his torque wrench all the way out on the end of his handle and that is not the end of it because there has to be some kind of leverage under the ram. Someone should go over to that forum and remind him everyone understands what he means when he says neck tension.
If he is going for foot pounds he needs he needs a lot of help. I have tension gages, all of my tension gages are marked off in pounds.
F. Guffey
JOHN COOK
10-24-2020, 06:06
Someone should go over to that forum and remind him everyone understands what he means when he says neck tension.
Since you found this information why don’t you go over and tell him. You do a pretty good job of telling everybody on this site...
John in SC
Since you found this information why don’t you go over and tell him. You do a pretty good job of telling everybody on this site...
John in SC
Mr Cook, you speak the truth
I love my forster press, but the only thing I didn't like was not having the ability to measure seating force. Well, I think I found a solution. I attached a torque wrench to the armature. Torque is directly related seating force.
Not my intention to drive you members to the curb or lock you up; I am told reloaders understands what the other is saying. I have strain gages and tension gages, that puts me at a disadvantage with reloaders that understand what the others are saying because my gages measure in pounds. It is not as simple as A times B = AB or is it?
F. Guffey
Major Tom
10-25-2020, 04:15
I bought a ergo roller handle from inline fabrications for my Lee 4 hole turret press. Sure makes it easier to use and better for my arm.
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