Frankford Arsenal CoAx Press?

[MThuntr]

Anyone using one of the Frankford Arsenal CoAx presses?

I see Grafs has them for like $100 off. The flaw I see is that you need to use their proprietary die blocks which is a deal killer I'm sure but there must be something else wonky.

 

[Wassid82]

I've been m-pressed with mine so far.

 

[mvrk28]

Anyone using one of the Frankford Arsenal CoAx presses?

I see Grafs has them for like $100 off. The flaw I see is that you need to use their proprietary die blocks which is a deal killer I'm sure but there must be something else wonky.

I don't really think the die blocks are a huge deal, if you buy a Hornady press you need the lock n load bushing and you need the breech lock bushings with a Lee. The nice thing about the die blocks is that you never adjust the die again. You don't risk messing up your lock ring positions when removing from the press.

 

[MThuntr]

I don't really think the die blocks are a huge deal, if you buy a Hornady press you need the lock n load bushing and you need the breech lock bushings with a Lee. The nice thing about the die blocks is that you never adjust the die again. You don't risk messing up your lock ring positions when removing from the press.

Good point though with locking rings on the dies the lock n load bushings can be swapped to different dies while maintaining correct position.

These seem to be once on a die all ways on to keep your settings unless you want to reset dies every time? Just trying to cover my bases before I make another unnecessary purchase

 

[mvrk28]

Good point though with locking rings on the dies the lock n load bushings can be swapped to different dies while maintaining correct position.

These seem to be once on a die all ways on to keep your settings unless you want to reset dies every time? Just trying to cover my bases before I make another unnecessary purchase

You're correct in that once they're on they're always on. I guess I've always felt that way about lock n load bushings because the whole point is to be able to quickly swap dies. I already have too many presses so my M-Press has been for bullet seating only. I do all of the grunt work on a Redding T7.

 

[MThuntr]

Thanks I do have the Hornady Lock'n Load AP press. The majority of my dies have the bushing attached as well as a locking ring. A few will just have the locking ring and bushings will swap...those like pistol cartridges, lever guns, or guns that don't get shot much where I may not be concerned about setting up dies often.

I want to add back a single stage press for bullet seating like you mention so maybe this will work well. Thanks

 

[NevadaZielmeister]

Good point though with locking rings on the dies the lock n load bushings can be swapped to different dies while maintaining correct position.

These seem to be once on a die all ways on to keep your settings unless you want to reset dies every time? Just trying to cover my bases before I make another unnecessary purchase

That is not the important part of this reloading system. The biggest advantage is the fact that the dies "float" along with the shell holder jaws. This allows for decreased concentricity which produces more accurate ammunition. The bullet entering the throat upon firing and traveling down the rifling requires a very straight bullet to be accurate. Otherwise, the bullet will wobble as the point of the bullet does not go exactly down the center of the barrel. Once it leaves, the bullet is wobbling towards the target for a period before true stabilization through atmospherics.

Many of my competition friends have switched presses and measured their reloads before and after with a concentricity gauge and the concentricity was reduced from 0.010 - 0.015 to 0.001 - 0.002, which is nearly perfect and possibly greater than the measuring device is capable of determining. This produces amazingly accurate ammunition.

I have never heard of anyone being disappointed with their Co-Ax purchase. In fact, when long range rifle competition and hunting took off, they were almost no where to be found. To find the on sale is a god send.

 

[MThuntr]

I understand that too...I don't have a concentricity gauge to measure my existing runout though consistently produce sub MOA ammo with single digit SD (admittedly they are small samples).
The one negative that keeps popping up that I've read so far is that they don't work well with Hornady Match dies with the micrometer because they are too tall. I don't use them yet so that'll probably be a bridge I'll cross later.

At any rate I think I'll order one...FYI Frankford Arsenal has a prodeal through Expertvoice and their CoAx press is on sale and down to $120 shipped and the bushings are $9 set. Looks like my birthday is coming a week early