Forster Co-Ax Press With S Jaws | Single Stage Reloading Press

Description

The Forster Co-Ax Press earns its reputation one case at a time. Instead of a bottom-mounted ram pushing up into a threaded die, this press lifts a floating platform toward the die from a central handle you draw toward you. That floating action lets the case self-center in the die, which is the whole reason handloaders chasing tight groups keep coming back to it. The frame is cast and machined steel, and with no torque loading up the head, these presses tend to run for decades without complaint.

The real party trick is how your dies mount. Rather than screwing in, your die's lock ring slides into a slot on the front of the press, so you can go from sizer to seater in a couple seconds flat. It accepts any standard 7/8 inch by 14 reloading die, which covers just about every rifle and pistol die on the market, and Forster's own cross bolt lock rings are the recommended match. Down below, the self-acting S jaws grip the case rim and open and close automatically as you work the handle, so there's no fumbling with separate shell holders.

What Sets the Co-Ax Press Apart at the Bench

Leverage is a big part of the story here. The Co-Ax gives you roughly three times the mechanical advantage of a typical C-frame press, so full length sizing feels light even on stubborn magnum brass. Folks who've run everything from 9mm up through .338 Lapua note how smooth the stroke is, and the way forces direct toward the back of the bench rather than straight down means less flex on the bench top.

Clean Priming and Primer Handling on the Co-Ax

The top-mounted priming station seats primers square to the case head at a uniform depth, so they go in straight and level without tipping. Spent primers route through a tube into a sealed catch cup, keeping carbon and grit away from the moving parts and off your bench. Plenty of reloaders prime by hand for feel, but the built-in station is reliable when you want to keep the whole process on one tool. With no frame supports or swinging arms crowding the work area, lefties and righties get the same easy access.