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Hello Bode, the forster co-ax is an awesome press. If you get one I would highly recommend ordering the kit from midway that converts it to regular shell holders instead of the universal set up that it comes with. Two problems you can encounter with the universal shell holder system is if you ever get a stuck case in a die it won't pull it out and the regular shell holder set up will! The other problem is there universal set up will not allow you to bump the shoulder enouph with some diea that are not forster dies.

I know you will do your research however to save you some time I'd like to point out what I comsider to be two of the most important aspects to safely loading ammo. First is to only bump the shoulder just enouph to make it fit your chamber and no more. If you bump the shoulder way back you can introduce excess headspace and cause what is called case head separation and that's dangerous. If you research "Partial Full Length Sizing" it will explain it.

Case neck trimming is also important. Every firing the case neck gravitated forward in the throat of the chamber. If you allow it to gravitate it can eventually hit the end of the throat and this will clamp the brass tightly against the bullet not allowing it to release the bullet. When an explosion happens and the bullet doesn't release guess what happens?

So two things

Partial size to eliminate case head separation
Trim the necks so you don't create a bomb

All the other wonderful gentlemen already offered you top notch advice so I don't need to add anything else.

There are a lot of experienced reloaders here many of whom already offered advice. Good luck to you and come back and ask questions anytime when you get started into this endeavour

Trystan

I have been using a Bonanza/Forster co-ax press (as delivered with the universal shellholder) since the 70's... With mostly RCBS, Redding, and some Forster dies... I've never stuck a case, But i always lightly lube my cases, as instructed... I also usually bump my shoulders the minimum .001 to .002 as instructed for best case life... I've had no trouble achieving that, yet... I think? if you convert the Forster to use conventional shell holders you will lose the self aligning feature that helps make straight/accurate ammo... Might as well buy a cheaper press if that's the case... If after 40+ yrs, i ever stick a case in a die, I think i'l just buy a Rock Chucker press to pull it out... Just kidding lol...

It most certainly does not lose its self aligning feature. I'm not sure why you would think it would? The Banaza and Forster Co-Ax universal systems are not equals. I'm guessing the universal shell holders on the newer press are made in China


Trystan

I just looked at a new Forster press this week at Scheels ($369.99).. At a glance, It looked exactly like mine.. 100% USA made in Illinois.. Nothing on that press from China, I checked!.. Stop Guessing if you Don't Know!...

just taken from the Forster website... [Shell holder adapter plate for Co-ax press, SKU: AP 1000, $34.00... Our shell holder adapter plate allows you to use standard shell holders in place of the spring loaded, universal shell holder jaws that come with the co-ax press... Very easy to use and facilitates reloading of some non-standard cartridges... All you need to supply is your conventional style shell holder in conjunction with this adapter... Makes reloading non-standard cartridges easy... High alloy steel... NOTE: USE OF THE SHELL HOLDER ADAPTER PLATE DOES NOT ALLOW CARTRIDGES TO FLOAT AS WITH OUR "S" AND "LS" UNIVERSAL SHELL HOLDER JAWS]... At this point i don't have any confidence in what you post Mr Banaza... You obviously don't know what you're talking about... In fact, I'm Guessing you're full of Schit!....

You are 100% misunderstanding the fact of the matter! Every standard shell holder allows for "float" and in the forster set up the die floats as well! I load ammo in the 1 thou range consistently with the standard shell holder and as it states I can use it to load "all" cartridges, not just "some"

It's more than obvious at this point that you haven't tried it at all and your trying to speak from lack of experience. Your trying to quantify your ideas by something you read and that kind of BS has zero credibility on the fire. You've loaded zero ammo with the setup I've described and your the victim of marketing hype! You have zero credibility with me.

I've loaded 1 thou ammo on most presses and it doesn't matter the brand either! Most presses don't have the "marketing hyped" FLOATING SHELL HOLDER" Yet they still "float" by design! The only advantage to a forster co-ax or your BANANA HEAD press is they save time and thats it! After 40 fk'n years and you still have zero clue what marketing hype is and it's obvious you have very little real life experience. Keep reading rather than doing einstien

It "DOES" lose it's self aligning (floating) Feature... That's direct from Forster... That's why i think it would... The "Bonanza" and Forster universal systems "ARE" equals in Quality (and i think the parts interchange)... The universal Shell holders (or any part) on the newer press are "NOT" made in china, 100% USA made... Your BS statements might? give you Credibility on "The Fire", But you have Zero Credibility with me Banaza Head

Are you trying to say that in "YOUR" testing when you changed to a regular shell holder system it introduced runout?

Oh! That's right! Your talking out of your ars because YOU'VE NEVER DONE IT! How could you possibly know? You DONT!

When there saying you lose the forster designed floating system thats exactly what they mean. Every design floats to a degree dumbas. Is the forster floating system superior? No its not with the testing I've done but than I'm not a couch bound potatoe head and I actually do things

Is that why experienced handloaders often have to Fugg around with O-rings/spacers or some such on their dies to maintain concentricity with many of the other design presses... I started with a Co-ax press (never used anything else)... I've never had trouble making accurate ammo for hunting rifles... All shoot well under an inch (cept' for that damn mini-14), with some under a half inch... And no, i've never devoted much time to it, Never had too... Guess i'm spoiled by my Co-ax press...

Well, you might be a dumbas but so am I for sitting here arguing with you on a nice Sunday afternoon....

Have a good rest of your day friend