Single stage press upgrade

[rayporter]

I use a Jr to decap, a RC to size and another Jr to seat.....

a fellow shooter has a board with three of these presses mounted on it and he can clamp the board on any table to load at the range.

the dies do the work, a press just pushes the case into the die.

 

[Wrench]

While I support a good upgrade of things, I'm still not sure why you want to change. You've been loading on the Jr press successfully, it handles your needs, and there's nothing broken. If you want to get a different press to split operations (decapping on one, seating on the other) that's fine. I've considered upgrading my RCBS RS5 press at times, but I've been able to load very accurate ammo from 38 Spl to 416 Remington Mag on it for more than 10 years. All my dies are adjusted for that press, and I don't feel like adjusting things for a new press.

If it's efficiency you're after, others have mentioned the Hornady Lock-n-Load adapters, which can make die changes very fast at minimal cost. I think Forster and maybe Lee make something similar.

I have a rockchucker 2 set up with hornady qc adapters. I spent half as much on them and shell holders as the price of my coax press and they simply are not as good. I machined a spacer for my rockchucker so i could pull dies from my hornady ammo plant and drop them into my forster....that part was cool.....but the beauty of the coax is it's leverage. I threw the handle away because it's unnecessary for even the toughest case forming. The die swap takes no time....and I can go from seater to bullet puller and back to seater faster than I can pull 1 screw in die.....and when I measure the results after a die swap.....they'll be perfect.

Another neat thing is going from 223 to 308 to 300rum can be done just as fast. 99% of the time I just leave my shell plate on large and it's fine. If I have to pull 223 cases do have to flip my shell plate.

The coax primer seater is lame for production, but if you're an accuracy junky, you can hand prime and finish in the coax to set primer crush to whatever you choose. It's not like rcbs where the primer is just pushed in mid stroke....it's actually brilliant.

I had fully intended to buy a 419 zero press when I had a friend suggest I put hands on his coax. There's nothing to move or flex. I can swap dies just as fast and faster if I needed to swap turrets.

I bought my rockchucker 2 new in 1994 and I got 30 years of service out of it with minimal need for parts. I did start wearing out the main bushing and the cross pin has had to be reswedged a few times....but I load A LOT and it is an easy fix. Sadly rcbs is no longer American made products.

 

[allstajacket]

While I support a good upgrade of things, I'm still not sure why you want to change. You've been loading on the Jr press successfully, it handles your needs, and there's nothing broken. If you want to get a different press to split operations (decapping on one, seating on the other) that's fine. I've considered upgrading my RCBS RS5 press at times, but I've been able to load very accurate ammo from 38 Spl to 416 Remington Mag on it for more than 10 years. All my dies are adjusted for that press, and I don't feel like adjusting things for a new press.

If it's efficiency you're after, others have mentioned the Hornady Lock-n-Load adapters, which can make die changes very fast at minimal cost. I think Forster and maybe Lee make something similar.

I was thinking having a bit of extra space in the press plus it might be smoother operation, which could make the whole process better/easier?

I loaded some 6.5cm last night and for that, the Jr. did just fine. But the FL sizing was easy because it was new brass.


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[Castle Rock]

Seems like I struck a nerve

 

[bergerking21]

Been happy with the rock chucker, close to 20 years on it and still going. Have an inline fab primer catch which is nice. Ultimate reloader did a big review of presses a few years ago, the rock chucker had good results, when factoring in price it seems like a solid value. Would be cool to see test results on some of the new high end presses like the zero press or the nexus. I think the nexus is cool, open in the front with lots of room, can switch dies quickly like the co-ax. Friends have co-ax, others have redding t7's. They all seem to make good ammo. Just depends what your goals are and how much you're wanting to spend

 

[dfschell]

I use a MEC Marksman and have the RCBS Summit both are good presses

 

[JFO68]

Happy with my MEC so far

 

[Torque]

The Mec is the smoothest press I have ever used. It makes great ammo. The Forster Co-Ax has been great to me also.

I just moved to a SAC Nexus. I have only done two loads with it so far, but the first 50 280ai I loaded were basically perfect. I was using a Redding comp seating die. Every single load read within 1/2 a thou ogive to shoulder length using an accuracy 1 seating comparator.

The die change advantage the Nexus and Co-Ax offer is fantastic. Set your die and forget it.

 

[Sinistram]

I was thinking having a bit of extra space in the press plus it might be smoother operation, which could make the whole process better/easier?

Yeah, I do wish I had some more room in the window at times. But for those true, magnum-length cases, I'm not loading a ton of ammo with them anyway, so doing the old "up-and-hook-it" maneuver isn't really a bother.

 

[Mike D Texas]

There isn’t another single stage press on the market I would replace my Forster Co-Ax with.


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[Wyoming Shooter]

I recently switched from an old Hornady single stage press to the Forster CoAx. My only regret is not doing so sooner.

 

[TheM1DoesMyTalking]

For single stage loading I also recommend the Forster Co-Ax. I replaced the original handle with the shorter ball handle and it's perfect.

 

[Jebel]

Another coax vote.

 

[Torque]

As a user of both the Co-Ax and the Nexus, I am curious what other Co-Ax users thoughts are about the Nexus press. For me, it has been easier to use when it comes to brass manipulation. I do not prime on press, so that is a non issue for me, and the jaws are not universal, like the Co-Ax.

 

[JFK]

I recently switched from an old Hornady single stage press to the Forster CoAx. My only regret is not doing so sooner.

What differences/advantages did you notice with the new press?

 

[Wyoming Shooter]

What differences/advantages did you notice with the new press?

Advantages:

1. No shell holders to swap out.
2. Easy die changes.
3. Leverage.
4. Improved consistency.

I've noticed a decrease in SD across the board. I'm also using a new RCBS Matchmaster which has also likely contributed to that.

 

[waspocrew]

I’ve been scoping out the Nexus for a bit. Definitely looks like a nice unit, but not sure it’s really going to give me any more accurate ammo than I’m currently making on my 12 year old Hornady press.

 

[nksmfamjp]

I was thinking having a bit of extra space in the press plus it might be smoother operation, which could make the whole process better/easier?

I loaded some 6.5cm last night and for that, the Jr. did just fine. But the FL sizing was easy because it was new brass.


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I would consider the MEC. The MEC has tons of access. It has enough room to easily seat all but the longest cartridges. It is also very smooth and precisely machined. It makes great ammo.

 

[AZ_Hunter]

The Redding T7

Agreed. I have multiple calibers set up on the turret… and I have multiple turrets.

 

[Unckebob]

I use a MEC Marksman and have the RCBS Summit both are good presses

I have a Mec Marksman and a RCBS Rebel. I like the Marksman better because it is completely open n front.