Forster Co-Ax Press, Where are they?

[Unclenick]

If yours is a Bonanza, you've missed out on at least some upgrades from Forster since they took the design over.


Oley55,

The cross-bolt rings used to be steel. I'm sorry they changed that. It's the one downgrade in the system to my thinking. Here's a funny thing, though: you can slip the O-ring Lee die locknuts into the channel and the rubber in the rings still allows some flex. Seems to work fine. The only issue with those rings is they have no lock at all, so you want to put a registration mark on them if you use them so you can get to the same place each time.

[gojones]

I saw on Midway USA that Frankfort Arsenal has introduced a Co-Ax clone for around $219 and free shipping. Looks very similar to my Forster Co-Ax but with some shell holder differences.

[Unclenick]

It looks like the shell holder system is essentially identical except for the retaining screws. The primer collection looks to be accomplished by a tray rather than a tube and closed jar and it appears to have no priming system included, though I can't make out what the thing at the top back of the frame is. It sits entirely on top of a bench with no overhang as the Co-ax has. That may be a plus for people with short benches. It uses square nuts instead of round lock rings that might interfere some with the "floating" alignment approach the Co-ax has, but I can't be sure from a photo.

There are two images at Midway and the lower one is clearly a computer graphic rather than a photo, and it shows the operation of the shell holder jaws incorrectly, letting the separating conical pin seem to pass through the jaw plates without opening them.

I have no idea how this press compares on mechanical advantage and quality. The The original patents on the basic mechanism have long-since expired.