Need Some Press Wisdom

porthos

Active Member
let me back up a bit about my statement about bonanza and mec presses. 2 words CASE RUNOUT. with those 2 presses; you will have less runout than with any other commercially made unit. if you don't care about that then don't spend the money
 

Jeff H

NW Ohio
let me back up a bit about my statement about bonanza and mec presses. 2 words CASE RUNOUT. with those 2 presses; you will have less runout than with any other commercially made unit. if you don't care about that then don't spend the money
PROBABLY doesn't matter as much to most people as most people want to believe, but there's nothing wrong with just having something nice either.

Most people on this forum do not count as the "most people" I mention above.
 

richhodg66

Well-Known Member
let me back up a bit about my statement about bonanza and mec presses. 2 words CASE RUNOUT. with those 2 presses; you will have less runout than with any other commercially made unit. if you don't care about that then don't spend the money
I kind of have my doubts about that. Who told you that, Forster?

I'm certainly no mechanical engineer and I have nither the tools or interest in doing any kind of testing to prove or disprove it. Seems to me like that would depend more on your dies than your press.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Using the factory Forster/Bonanza set up there is a bit of "give" in the shellholder end of things with the CoAx. That allows the case a limited amount of "free play" to self align. It may not be a major thing, and yes, a crap standard shell holder or dies produced with an off center chamber can certainly make things worse. I've produced some "S" shaped '06 sized cases just from a shell holder not being properly seated in the ram. Not a problem with the CoAx.
 
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Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
I will not disparage the Co-Ax, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it but I don’t think there’s anything great about it either.

I’ve never seen a shell holder that fit on a ram perfectly with no play, nor have I ever seen a shell holder that holds a casing with zero play. (nor would I want one that tight). So, there’s going to be a little bit of play and self-aligning occurring with any press. I don’t think Forster has a monopoly on “self-aligning” casings.
 

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I had a Co-ax before they had the universal shell holder and sold it. I didnt care for it. But it was solid and worked fine.

Today I have a Frankfort Arsenal M Press.. Chinese press. I have rebuilt it improved some short comings and its improved.

Testing runout it is very good. My WORN Ammo Master was AWEFUL. THE redding Big Boss was also very good. This American 8 WAS aweful now with my head adjustments its VERY SOLID. My old Pacific O press has always been great and suprising as its simple dosnet have floating anything and dosent have monster shaft or anything soecail but its red paint. It just simply works and works well.

CW
 

Rockydoc

Well-Known Member
I currently do not Have the tools to measure runout of my loaded ammo. I use a Lee Classic Cast Iron Turret press. Is it good or bad regarding runout? Do I need to get a tool to measure runout?
 

Ian

Notorious member
Agree with Brad. Once again, "It only matters if it does".

I've run this rabbit hole and found that a) the second-hand military and commercial components (brass) and b) my production-grade rifle barrels and actions are the limiting factor well before my Classic Turret press and in-line dies are. YMMV, but the press is only one small, small piece of the entire "system" which produces or can produce runout.

Once the case rim is fireformed off-center from the case body by a sloppy chamber, it's for the life of the case.
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
So optimum ammunition requires a dead solid zero slop press with a little wiggle room ......so everything we hate about Lee is what makes it work well .....
:)

Also my obsession with only sizing what needs to be sized to get reliability is why I have the improbable success that does some of the weird things they do .
I've made so many details just part of what I do that's just part of what I do that I'm at the brink of match obsession, it's just routine now ....
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
I currently do not Have the tools to measure runout of my loaded ammo. I use a Lee Classic Cast Iron Turret press. Is it good or bad regarding runout? Do I need to get a tool to measure runout?
Do you have access to a reasonabley flat surface? Even a piece of window glass will likely work. Make sure it and the case are clean and, with your good reading glasses on if you're like me, roll the case back and forth over the glass. Watch the edge of the case mouth. If it's got any serious run out, you will probably see it although how much that will be is gonna depend on your eyes. Same thing with a loaded round, but watch the front end of the bullet. That's how I figured out I was bending bullets in the loading process once. And yes, I am more than a little "ham handed" at times!
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
So optimum ammunition requires a dead solid zero slop press with a little wiggle room ......so everything we hate about Lee is what makes it work well .....
:)

Also my obsession with only sizing what needs to be sized to get reliability is why I have the improbable success that does some of the weird things they do .
I've made so many details just part of what I do that's just part of what I do that I'm at the brink of match obsession, it's just routine now ....
Sometimes. Or not. It doesn't matter, until it does.
 

richhodg66

Well-Known Member
no, forester did not inform me about case runout. do your homework and figure it out for yourself
OK, got it, you're simply a brand loyal fan boy blindly following and therefore, have no more credibility. Done listening to you, have a nice day.
 

richhodg66

Well-Known Member
I call 'em like I see 'em.

On that note, remember D Crocket, real nice guy who gave away smelting pots for the cost of shipping to everybody who left when you made fun of him when he was concerned about those in hurrican Ian? Ian thread

Might want to read Matthew 7:5.
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
I call 'em like I see 'em.

On that note, remember D Crocket, real nice guy who gave away smelting pots for the cost of shipping to everybody who left when you made fun of him when he was concerned about those in hurrican Ian? Ian thread

Might want to read Matthew 7:5.
Sorry, I am just a man and not God like. Don't know D Crocket or what that was about.