Single Stage Presses - Who's Is Most Accurate?

[martin]

This is geared to the extreme accuracy folks out there...

I have an old Lee single stage press that is marginal at best and plan on replacing that with something else. I am considering the Forster/Bonanza Co-Ax Press, but, was wondering about the accuracy and repeatability of their shellplate method of die changes. If anyone has used this or owns one could you comment?

Also, I will be doing full length resizing for rifle and pistol on this press as well and prefer using 7/8 x 14 dies if possible. I assume that would eliminate an arbor press? My .243 rifle ammo I will be doing necksizing only. Full length resizing is for the pistols and .223(AR).

BTW, for those preaching the virtues of progressive presses - I already have a Dillon.

Thanks

 

[CMcDermott]

Arbor presses and dies are for the benchrest folk who reload at the bench and don't want to resize their case. The Co-Ax is the best of the single-stage presses, I was going to say standard presses but nothing about the Co-Ax is standard.
It doesn't use standard shellholders - so you don't need to ever worry about getting one thats not quite right for your cartridge (7.5 Swiss, 8x68S etc reloaders should take note of this). The Coax has two plate sets that grab onto the cartridge rim or extraction groove, with a total of 4 different size openings for different sized cartrides from 22 Hornet up to 45-70. This doesn't provide an exact match, but it's close enough that you don't have to worry about pulling a rim off of a case. These plates are spring loaded, letting the cartridge case move a little, and the die isn't held solidly either, but slides in and out of the press and has a spring-loaded detent keeping it roughly in position, but stil free to move. This lets the case find it's own center in the die, preventing a case neck from getting pushed off-center during resizing or bullet seating..
This "floating" retaining method for the case and die is the exact opposite from the usual method of trying to hold the case and die solidly in place and hoping that they are and will stay concentric. throughout the travel of the ram.
I recommend the primer seating for someone who is just beginning to reload because it mechanically prevents you from crushing a primer while you learn the proper "feel" of seating a primer. It also teaches you something about frustration and anger management as it is an SOB to properly adjust the three individual case holder fingers - which are totally different from the spring loaded case holding plate system used by the loading dies. Once you learn how to seat a primer properly, get one of the hand priming systems sold by Lee, RCBS etc. and prime your cases with it instead of the Co-Ax press.

Edit : The bad things :

1) the price, it's roughly twice as much as most other single stage presses

2) As mentioned by swifter, many of the competition seating dies with the long micrometer adjusters won't fit this press; their height interfers with the handle.

3) The priming system case holder is a real SOB to adjust, it's ok if you only load calibers that all have the same case head I.E. 30-06 cases, 308 cases, Mauser x57 cases and 45 ACP all use the same case head, the belted magnum cases etc

Co-Ax press link

 

[swifter]

The only "bad" thing I've heard on the Bonanza/Co-Ax press is that the press handle may not clear the taller Redding Competition dies. I can't verify this personally( Before I had to decide, I got a once in a lifetime deal on a Redding UltraMag!), but presumably the excellent Forester/Bonanza dies will fit.
If this is a concern, I recommend the UltraMag as the only press offering serious competition to the Co-Ax! And I say that as a 25 year Rockchucker owner...

Tom

 

[martin]

Thanks for the information. This Lee belonged to my dad and I used to help him when I was a kid many years ago. I was looking at my Sinclair International catalog and saw the Forster.

I had looked at the Redding presses and it looks like they are definitely sturdy! They do make good stuff and I have a few of their dies.

On the long cases with the Forster, I believe the Sinclair catalog stated that anything longer than .308 would not work in the CoAx with the Competition Seating Dies from Redding.

Thanks again,
Martin

 

[bogie]

I use a Harrell press, but I like the RFD ones, and I think that Dunrud is also making one.

O-frame is where it's at.

Basically, you are just looking at a ram to push the case into the die, and pull it back out.

ANYTHING will do that. Personally, if you want a good single-stage press, and weight isn't an issue, get a rockchucker.

Tony Boyer uses an old RCBS JR-3 press. If it's good enough for Tony...

 

[martin]

I found the Harrell and the RFD on the web. It doesn't appear that Dodd has a website, although I found his press at www.kinneman.com/newpro~1.pdf

Don't know how well the aluminum would hold up over time though.

 

[bogie]

Er... The aluminum _will_ hold up...

All the press has to do is hold the die and keep the ram relatively straight.

I know a fellow who turns down the rams on his three RCBS Partner presses so that they're downright sloppy... His theory is that it lets the case self-center in the die. And he's a champion shooter...

Personally, for what you're probably looking to do, just get a Rockchucker. If you're looking to take it to the range a lot, get a Harrell or a Hood.

But an RCBS Partner or a Lee O-Frame would probably work just as well, unless you're playing with monster magnums...