been tailoring my loads with the co-ax for the last 25 yrs or so. awesome press!

I started hand loading in 1958, with a Belding & Mull tool. Eventually, I progressed to a Lyman Spartan, but then I got into case forming and in 1960 bought an RCBS A2. After years of using it, I went to the Rockchucker, which is really a scaled down version of the A2, using the same linkage.

When I was shooting competitively, I used two Rockchuckers set up about three feet apart, with an RCBS bench type priming tool in between. The right hand tool resized and deprimed, the bench tool primed, and a powder measure mounted on the left hand tool allowed me to charge the case with powder and seat the bullet.

I achieved a respectable rate of production and kept the cartridge run-out to under .003". The ammunition was accurate enough to allow me to shoot possibles at 600 yards.

The A2 is still available for heavy duty case forming and for loading extra long cartridges. I also have an RCBS Big Mac, which can be used with even larger cartridges.

Has anyone ever used an old Dunbar press? Wondering how well it does. It seems like a great press but does not have compound linkage.

Joe

quote:

Originally posted by JH57:
Forster Co-Ax

^^^This... I do have an OLD Rock Chucker bought used and I sent back to RCBS 15 years ago as the ram had too much play. Dunno what they did, however, the note said "lapped to 100% contact". Produces ammo fully the equal of the Co-Ax for concentricity... That said if I were buying new the CO-AX would get the nod. It has an on press primer seater that have yet to find bested. Not to mention one o the neater spent primer collection systems. fwiw & imo.

Regards, Matt.

Btw, other than a portable new Hood knockoff press the only single stage press I would like to own, short of a second Co-Ax, would be an RCBS A-4/Big Max(just found a New Old Stock one on Ebay. Just sold for $719 and change . Now that is a press from the OLD RCBS...

RCBS's knock off of the Hollywood has had had mixed reviews in UK. Some say two screw is different from three screw.

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
Serious accuracy would suggest an Arbor Press, and hand dies.

You would only neck size, and a Wilson micrometer seating die would let you control seating depth to .0005". It is a straight line seater, so the bullet could not get cockeyed in the seating process.

It's what benchrest shooters use.

Respectfully I'm not certain that is an across the board statement like it used to be. You see a lot of Hood type presses. Granted you have one threaded and one arbor with the Harrell's Precision unit, however, the highest end unit is sold through www.bulletcentral.com and the big enchilada is set for two threaded dies and two rams with shell holders. The Bullet Central unit is also set up with the JLC insert for the sizing die which gives you .0075" per click on your sizing die and hence does away with shims. The twin ram press is $599 and the exotic handles easily add another $150 plus. I've bought BAT Actions and Bix'N Andy Benchrest Triggers which have replaced Jewells as THE BR Trigger for those who can afford them... Their 6PPC sizing die is $250 by itself. Hard to imagine that much money on a generic reamer specification to me. That said maybe the Six is simply that tight. I dunno...

Regards, Matt.

quote:

Originally posted by Rockdoc:
I started out with a Rockchucker for may years. Few years ago I switched to Forster Co-Ax.

Starting over I would start with a CO-Ax.

Good luck and good reloading.

Pretty much mirrors my experience as well.

Basically any of the major press makers should do these days. My choice would be the Lee Classic Cast press and the RCBS Rock Chucker, I have both.

Steve.........

A4...

quote:

Originally posted by Duckear:

quote:

Originally posted by Rockdoc:
I started out with a Rockchucker for may years. Few years ago I switched to Forster Co-Ax.

Starting over I would start with a CO-Ax.

Good luck and good reloading.

Pretty much mirrors my experience as well.

Me three -- Forster Co-Ax is an extremely low tolerance, solid smooth operating press. You need zero shell holders as the one is built in and auto-adjusts. Big advantage as you always have the same measurement to the Die.

.

quote:

Originally posted by Rockdoc:
I started out with a Rockchucker for may years. Few years ago I switched to Forster Co-Ax.

Starting over I would start with a CO-Ax.

Good luck and good reloading.

Same thing for me. I actually bought a spare Co-Ax and its still in the box "just in case"