I just bought two Bonanza (now Forster) Co-Ax loading presses. Gotta smokin deal on them. These are the handiest presses I've ever owned. I don't know why I never bought one before. Well, yes I do, they have always been more expensive than I could afford.

Both these are older presses, and have the priming set up where you use a shell holder rather than the universal priming jaws they use now.
I need to find some of the shell holders. They have a larger hole in the center for their priming punch than the RCBS, LEE, and Lyman shell holders I have.
Does anybody know where I might find some? Forster does not stock them any more.

After using RCBS presses for over 30 years I have found that these Co-Ax presses are far superior. They have much more leverage than the RCBS presses and are so simple to use.

They also have one feature that pleases even my wife. The spent primer catch cup. No primers on the floor any more. Yayyyyyyy!

Any way, besides the shell holders, here is a maintenance question for those who have presses like this. What is the best lube to use to keep wear to an absolute minimum?

Thanks, Joe

I provided many brands of Precision reloading and bulletcasting tools in the 60's and 70's to top competitors including Lachmiller, Bonanza Star, Saeco, C-H, All Star accessory Supply companies, was a Police Firearms Instructor and was the Fitz Pistol Grip Company burnt down in 1979.

Retired 1979-80
Now mentoring Star and C-H Reloader owners, Original California Saeco tool owners.

Author of "How To Live With And Love Your Progressive Reloader"

Will the parts that make up the adjustable primer setup fit your older press?

OTOH, I don't use mine for priming. Got an RCBS Universal hand primer for that.

I use CLP on my coax.

Andy

Found a use for the moly lube I don't use in my firearms anymore - makes a dandy lube for the Co-Ax guide rods. Gotta watch where your hands are though - can get messy in a hurry if you don't! :p

Ditto on the moly lube for the rails, doesn't pickup dirt like oil.

Teflon powder works really well as a low-wear lubricant as does graphite.

I use a lubricant called Tef Dri on presses. It's a very thin liquid, like lighter fluid, and it dries, supposedly leaving teflon.
Tef Dri seems to work nicely, and doesn't pick up grit, like an oil would.

Andy,

According to the tech at Forster the presses are the same. So the universal priming adapter will fit. But at $45.00 each I could only afford one. Being in a strange mood lately I was just trying to see if I could find some original Bonanza shell holders.

Joe

Forester shell holders are the same as RCBS, etc. The only difference is that the hole is bigger. Get someone with a lathe to drill-out the holes in your present shell holders to the same size as the Foresters. If you were here I'd do it for you for nothing.

Forester shell holders are the same as RCBS, etc. The only difference is that the hole is bigger. Get someone with a lathe to drill-out the holes in your present shell holders to the same size as the Foresters. If you were here I'd do it for you for nothing.
I've been thru the same thing adapting RCBS buttons to my Hollywood press. Only thing to watch out for is that the shell holders are hardened steel. They just laugh at a regular HSS drill bit, as the bit's point wears right off. You gotta get a carbide tip bit, or grind out the hole.

I did a few buttons this way, then decided it was better to buy the RCBS hand-held primer tool, and not have to alter the buttons for any future calibers.

:)

I just bought a Co-ax press.
If I had two, I would keep one with the small jaws set up and one with the large jaws set up.

lmcollins ,

You got email.

Joe

tnekkc,

That's pretty much what I thought about doing. The only hitch in that theory is that every caliber I shoot use the large jaws.

So what I'm eventually going to do is set up all of my presses and use them for what ever mood strikes me.

Joe

I've been thru the same thing adapting RCBS buttons to my Hollywood press. Only thing to watch out for is that the shell holders are hardened steel. They just laugh at a regular HSS drill bit, as the bit's point wears right off. You gotta get a carbide tip bit, or grind out the hole.

I did a few buttons this way, then decided it was better to buy the RCBS hand-held primer tool, and not have to alter the buttons for any future calibers.

:)

I do have a Forster Coax and I do lubricate with teflon grease
The brand I use contains more than 80% teflon and there is no sign of wear;everything stays clean, no blackening of the grease, so the grease keeps the metal surfaces completely apart from each other.
For the shell holders I had the problem that I wanted to use a RCBS Competition die in my Coax, but the seater die needs an extra enlarged shell holder which is, as hard as glass indeed!
I took a propane burner and heated the thing until it was cherry red and then I let it cool down very slowly.
After this abuse I could turn the foot of the S-holder somewhat thinner in my lathe and it was this way made to fit into the claws of the press instead of a cartridge case.
Afterwards I heated it again to the same colour and I cooled it off in some old engine oil I had standing aroud, so it was re-hardened and blackened again.
Regards,
Paul Tummers.

I envy your excellant presses! I have to get along with a RockChucker and spent primers all over the floor!

Well, ok, I no longer have spent caps on the floor anymore. Not since I got a little Lee "Reloader" press for decapping and made-installed a Bonanza type spent primer drop tube into a bottle under it. Works good.

I also prime with Lee, their Auto Prime works fine for me, much better than priming on the press.

. . . Afterwards I heated it again to the same colour and I cooled it off in some old engine oil I had standing aroud, so it was re-hardened and blackened again. . .

I hope you at least boiled it in water afterward? Dead hard steel can crack itself from stress if you don't relieve it at least a little. An hour in the oven at about 150-175°C would be better. Still tool-bit hard.

I hope you at least boiled it in water afterward? Dead hard steel can crack itself from stress if you don't relieve it at least a little. An hour in the oven at about 150-175°C would be better. Still tool-bit hard.

hi,
I must confess, I did not.
Normally a victim of Murphy's Law, there must have been a moment Murphy slept, because I have had the tool in use for several years now without any problem.
It is unemployed since I discovered a source in Germany who was willing to deliver Forster Bench Rest Dies which to me work a lot better, certainly in delivering ammo with concentric seated bullets.
Regards,
Paul Tummers.

The oil-hardening steel has less trouble in this regard than water hardening steel because the initial stress is lower. You'll notice water hardening steels that are dead hard are often rated RC 66-69, while O-1 and other oil hardening steels are more like RC 62-65, depending on the alloy. Oil, having a lower enthalpy of vaporization, doesn't cool the steel as fast. This lower stress is also why non-distorting steels are oil quenched. Anyway, I'm glad you got away with it!

I've heard good things about the Forster dies. I have been using the Redding Competition Bullet Seater die since they came out, and have never looked back. They are pricey, but my runout indicators never show more than half a thousandth runout after using them. All I ever see is what is due to neck wall thickness variation (when I haven't turned the necks). Good tools.

Forster sells a universal shell holder "holder" that accepts any regular shell holder. It is a plate that replaces the whole regular shell holder assembly.

I have not used it, but have considered it!

Andy

Had to use the Universal plate to load my 7mm Dakota cases, as the jaws of the standard holder wouldn't open wide enough. One thing you have to pay attention to is the thickness of the rim and the depth of the extraction groove on cases. The shell holder jaws need to be turned to match these dimensions. Very important with small cases.

I know about this possibillity of the universal plate.
I must confess, I am somewhat a lazy guy at this, and taking off the shell-holder claw unit and mounting a plate just to seat the bullets on 100 rounds did not attract me, that was why I decided to remodel the shell holder on my RCBS.
The need for it is now over anyway, because Forster dies do not need a long shell-holder.
Regards,
Paul Tummers.

TO MAKE A SHORTER STROKE FOR PISTOL LOADING remove shaft to shell plates(pin in back)make new longer one and adjust for stroke.makes it easier to use.

The special shell holder jaws that are available are only for the sizing, and loading steps, not the priming steps.

I have a great variety of .45 Colt brass, many different brands and vintages. I like the way the Co-Ax press primes. Very consistant and straight.

The problem is, with the current priming set up, and the retro fit kit for the older presses, the jaws are just too precise.
If I adjust them to get a good hold one brand of cases, then they are loose on some, and too tight on others.
Also the jaws are sometimes too tight for some case rims to fit into.
So, I'm using my Lee Auto Prime, or the Lyman Ram Prime. With shell holders there is more lattitude for the varying tollerences.

That is why I have said I wanted some original Bonanza large hole shell holders to use with the original priming set up.

So far I've found some, but not all I need, and I've found no one who can open up the center hole for me.

Joe

I just keep the rods on mine sprayed down with Sheath (now Barricade) from Birchwood-Casey. Of course, CLP will work well, too.

scott

Joe,

The way the modern Co-ax primer seater fixes priming depth, you should be able to leave the jaws a little on the loose side (setup for your thickest rim) and still seat to depth if you haven't run out of stroke? I suppose, if your rim is both thin and narrow in diameter, you might have to wiggle it slightly to be sure you are centered? You should be able to develop the feel for this. I am assuming that is the system you have, at this point? I've lost track.


Scott,

I've mentioned before the story of a friend I used to do machine tool repair work with when engineering work was slow. He ran into an outfit on the south end of Columbus that was rebuilding its CNC machines every six months. That's way too often. It finally came out that they were hosing their ways down with WD-40 every morning because it seemed to loosen them up so well. He pointed out that putting thin oils on sliding machine parts was like putting honing oil on them. It washed the particles of worn metal away, but didn't stop the wear. He switched them to a commercial way oil, and three years later, they hadn't had any more rebuilds. 30 weight non-detergent motor oil comes close enough for home use.

If you need the rust-preventing qualities of the Sheath, buy a bottle of LPS-2 and mix it with the 30 weight. This stuff has the same rust inhibitor in it that Sheath does (you'll know right away by the scent).

I lubricate the shafts of my coax press with Teflon grease and the joints of the handle fork with teflon oil.
The grease seems to keep metal of the casting apart from the shafts totally because it does not turn black from the carbon in the casting and/or metal particles.
I do have a COAX with the 3 little jaws on top for priming.
Adjustment is real easy if I loosen the screws just far enough to make movement of the claws possible.
I than take a case ,open the left and right claw and push the case between the claws, pushing the back claw rearward with the case, raise the handle so that the seater plug can enter into the primer pocket, move the case a little bit around to create some room and tighten the screws.
Kind Regards,
Paul Tummers.

Got a bottle of "Turbine" oil. Seems to be a middle weight machine oil. Been using it on my co-ax and L-N-L presses.

I used an RCBS rockchucker for 9 years.
Then I got a Co-Ax.
I should not have waited.

I only have one Co-Ax, so to swap from .223 to 308, I need to change the jaws.

I got an extra set of jaws and plates, and drilled, tapped and put in a keeper screw.

Now I can go from small to large cartridges in 15seconds.

I guess having two Co-Ax's would be even faster.

I don't know any way around reversing the jaws. I have used the large end for .223 for seating and other minor operations that don't require strong withdrawal of the case, but wouldn't try it for sizing.

I used an RCBS rockchucker for 9 years.
Then I got a Co-Ax.
I should not have waited.

I only have one Co-Ax, so to swap from .223 to 308, I need to change the jaws.

I got an extra set of jaws and plates, and drilled, tapped and put in a keeper screw.

Now I can go from small to large cartridges in 15seconds.

I guess having two Co-Ax's would be even faster.

I load .222Rem, and .308, makes no difference for the case diameter to .223 and do not have to change the jaws.
I just use the large side for both, works great!
Kind Regards,
Paul Tummers.

WHY WAS TIME AND MONEY ON BONANZA SHELL HOLDERS.get the lee primer.I have a bonanza and have never even looked at the primer system.I think bonanza is great and always wondered why it wasnt advertized more.

I only use the priming system on the press when I need to reload a caliber for which I have no shell holder.
Normally I use either my sinclair tool and- very soon delivered i hope- in future a K & M deluxe gauge priming tool.

Tend to do the same as Mr. Tummers.

Leave the Forster set up for a case that doesn't fit too well in the universal shell holder of the press and use the Lee or RCBS hand primer tools for the others.

. . . and- very soon delivered i hope- in future a K & M deluxe gauge priming tool.

You're going to like it. It is a bargain compared to Sinclair's pricing and really does let you clearly feel the primer bottom out. And the alignment sleeve that keeps the case square to the insertion operation and guides the primer in works. I don't get the slight indentation my old Autoprime always leaves. The latter is relegated to pistol work in front of TV these days.