February 2019
Introducing: Quick-change Shell Holder Jaws for Co-Ax® Press
Quick-change Lower Shell Holder Jaws provide an easy alternative to realigning “S” or “LS” Jaws when switching between case sizes in Co-Ax Reloading Press.
These complete assemblies include the aligned jaws, corresponding to a single side of “S” or “LS” Jaws. Simply remove the Button Head Screws and replace the jaws to get ready for the next size of case and die. They are available in four sizes: S-Large, S-Small, LS-Large, and LS-Small.
Avoid frustration with Quick-change Jaws. You’ll never have to worry about accidentally losing a part or flipping a jaw over the wrong way.
How-to Video: Powder Funnel
The Powder Funnel with Long Drop Tube will cleanly fill cases without any need to compress the charge during bullet seating. The momentum of the gunpowder dropping down the 5¼" long tube results in a larger volume by weight.
To learn how to use this tool for proper case charging, we recommend the Powder Funnel video posted at YouTube by the experts at Bolt Action Reloading.
How Long Would You Wait for Your Co-Ax Press?
It’s not uncommon that we run across very dedicated, brand-loyal reloaders – or a Case Trimmer or Co-Ax Press shared by two or three generations within a family.
However, we were taken aback and humbled by a true story that John Hornby told at the recent SHOT Show:
“I took my Co-Ax Press with me when I served as a sniper in Vietnam, back in ’68. I used it over there for 65 months.
“When we left, I put it on a ship going back, and it had my name and service number on the outside of the box. It only took Uncle Sam till 2016 to get my Press back….
“Finally, someone found it in a warehouse, got hold of me by my service number, and shipped it back to me [in Minnesota]. It looks the same. I’m still using it today. ”
Thank you, John, for your service – and for an unforgettable visit.
Reloading Tips
My resized cases are hard to chamber. Is the reloading die not setting the shoulder back?
If you encounter a case that seems hard to chamber, the first thing you should do is to examine it with a comparator tool like Datum Dial™, to compare your fired case to your resized case and measure how much you have bumped the shoulder. Usually, you are looking for around .002" shoulder bump to assure easy chambering.
If you are not getting any bump, several factors could be at work:
- Reloading Press: The first thing always to try is to give your die an additional 1/8 to 1/4 turn past touching the shell holder. This over-camming can often yield another .001" to .002" within the linkage of the press. Don’t be afraid to cam against the moving jaws of Co-Ax Press. The jaws are high-quality, treated steel, built to take cam overstress.
- Case Lube: We always recommend oil-based lubricants. We have seen where water-based spray lubes actually allow the case to stretch within the die – sometimes the shoulder gets dragged back out when the case is exiting the die. You may not be getting a stuck case, but you are also not getting consistent resizing in this scenario. If the die spec is close to the rifle spec, you could experience difficulty chambering.
- Shell Holder: Sometimes it is as simple as trying a different shell holder that might be on the lighter side of the tolerance. (This option applies only to other vendors’ reloading presses. The Forster Products Co-Ax Press is precision ground to grip the case the same amount as when using a standard shell holder.)
- Rifle Chamber: The chamber might be machined tighter than the die. We observe this problem typically with a cartridge like 6mm Dasher, which has no SAAMI spec to reference. When the gunsmith compensates by cutting a tight chamber and then the die manufacturer tries to help the reloader by minimally working the brass, sometimes the tolerance lapping can create issues. Often it is more cost effective to have the reloading die altered to size the cases for your chamber, as opposed to reworking the rifle.
If you are using a Forster die, you can send it back to the factory for review, along with a couple sample cases fired out of your rifle. For a small machining fee, we can then shorten the die slightly to allow your fired cases to get more engagement from the die and more shoulder pushback.
We’ll Miss You
You may know Diane Haverland as the friendly voice that has greeted callers to Forster Products since 1988. She plans to retire at the end of February, and we thank her for her dedicated service and wish her all the best.
