Fraternal Order of Forster (Bonanza) Co-Ax Owners Unite!

BlueDevil

New member
Hey everybody!

I thought I would start a Fraternal Order of Forster (Bonanza) Co-Ax Owners or F.O.F.C.O thread lol! Lets see your Forster/Bonanza Co-Ax press or anything Forster/Bonanza related! Throw it on for all to see!
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Here is my Bonanza Co-Ax press. The story of this press (I posted this story before) is that we have a family friend who's husband bought this back on April 21, 1984 for $209 CDN (still have the original receipt).

Unfortunately, her husband passed away shortly after and it didn't appear the press was used or used a lot. It came with a bunch of old Bonanza literature, patches, stickers sizing lube, 7mm small base die set. The press sat in the lady's garage for about 20 some years. She was selling and moving out of the house and needed to get rid of a lot of her husband's hunting/reloading stuff so she gave my dad (and I) the press after we had helped her haul away some stuff to the junk yard and did some yardwork etc. etc. as a thank you she gave us a small box of reloading/hunting items.

I wasn't into reloading at the time (did lots of shotshell reloading in the past) so we tossed the box into our garage and it sat there for 5-7 years? then one day I decided I wanted to inquire about getting into reloading and knew we had a couple of presses around (my buddy gave me a Lyman press, still in the garage as well, haven't really looked at it but that's another story LOL) and thought I would dig up this press.

I got it out and found out it was a Bonanza Co-Ax and a lot of my searches for Bonanza came up nil till I found out that they were sold to Forster. After doing some research I told my dad that I think we acquired a very reliable press! so I cleaned it all up really good, oiled it all down and eventually got into reloading in the last couple of years. Here are some pics thanks for reading! Please post up your Forster/Bonanza Co-Ax and related!

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Originally Posted By: FurhunterYour going to make me clean off my reloading bench for a picture ain't ya!

I was thinking the same thing.
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Since I'm in Florida and my bench is in Missouri, this old file photo is the best I can offer...The bench today looks much different than in the photo, but the press is the same...
 

I am really getting tired of looking at these neat and clean loading benches... don't you guys ever do any loading on those clean benches??

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Originally Posted By: FurhunterYour going to make me clean off my reloading bench for a picture ain't ya!

Not me!
Mine's always a mess!
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Originally Posted By: CatShooter
I am really getting tired of looking at these neat and clean loading benches... don't you guys ever do any loading on those clean benches??

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Cats right, here it is..



I found this pic, its older but it still pretty much looks the same. OK.. actually its probably got even more stuff stacked up down on the far end right now.

The Co-Ax is there between the two 550's
 
I don't have to load as much any more since I don't shoot as much as I used to. So, I down sized my loading area to a neat little compact roll around bench setup. All of the accessories fit into the cabinet with powder I use the most. Everything else is stored in a locker.
This setup is strictly for rifle loading. The Dillion is on a separate cabinet.

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I just shoved some of the crapola out of the way and took the picture....

Love mine....I've owned a bunch of presses, and it's the best yet.....

 
Dang, I don't know how you guys load in such clean and organized places!!!

I have a shelf full of Bonanza/Forester dies, some from the early 80's...still clucking along!
 
Originally Posted By: ackleyman
Dang, I don't know how you guys load in such clean and organized places!!!



Meee neither. I onced cleaned up my loading space and I couldn't find anything for three months, PLUS, all my best shootin' rifles shot groups that were 2 to 4 times larger than before.

NEVER clean your loadin' space, you'll come to regret it!!

 
I got a Co-Ax press about a year ago.. I wanted the quick change ability of the locking dies and overall quality of the press... I have been having trouble with the shellholder jaws.. they will "stick" open on one or both sides and I have to tap them with the base of the brass to get them to engage..... I have tried polishing them as well as the housing they are in..... anyone have any help on how to get them to close after the pin at the bottom opens them to remove a piece of brass and insert a new piece of brass........ anyone tried the conversion that allows you to use regular shellholders?... I like the idea of the "floating" jaws to allow very good alignment and reduce runout....but the jaws sticking open is driving me nuts.... seems to be slower to change than a regular press because of changing the jaws to go from 223 sized brass to 308 sized brass.... anyone know of jaws that would work for both 223 and 308 without taking it apart and switching the jaws?

in the pic the old co-ax had a priming system that used a regular shellholder.... is that still available?....
any help or advice is appreciated.... R
 
Call Forster, they have great service and can line you out on the issue.

I use a hand primer bacause I dont like the one on the press.
 
ilmo, you call Forster yet? They will probably fix the issue for you.

I don't own a Co-ax just yet, but I did get in the group buy on snipershide so it's only a matter of time!
I do own Forster dies, easily my favorite among the brands.

fw707: that's a [beeep] of a funnel you have on your reloading bench, you load artillery shells? lol
 
ilmo,,,Quote: I have been having trouble with the shellholder jaws.. they will "stick" open on one or both sides and I have to tap them with the base of the brass to get them to engage.....I have a feeling that you are cranking the bolts holding the jaws in place down too tight...It's not necessary...loosen the bolts to the point where they are just 'snug' and see if that doesn't cure your problem...I run mine that way and never have a problem with them sticking...

A very light film of lubricant is good, but too much and that will cause them to hang as well...

Be sure that the return springs are in straight, if not they will prevent the jaws from closing as well, sometimes they will fall out of position when reinstalling the plates..
 
Quote:A very light film of lubricant is good, but too much and that will cause them to hang as well...

Be sure that the return springs are in straight, if not they will prevent the jaws from closing as well, sometimes they will fall out of position when reinstalling the plates..

Here's where would start then make sure you don't have a small base jaw opposing a large base jaw. Also make sure that the metal shim is in place under the jaws.
My guess is one of the springs has slipped out of place when you were in changing the jaws around.
 
I talked to Forster..... The priming mechanism that used shellholders is on the older model b-1 press..... I have a b-3.... anyone have an older b-1 press for parts?

The Jaws I still cannot get to function properly..... . I have tried these with more tension and less tension.... lube and no lube...I have polished the edges of the parts with a sharpening stone to remove any rough edges...

I am supposed to send them in to forster.... He said they would make them work properly..... let's hope....
hope they can figure it out......



anyone have a shortcut or procedure for adjusting the 3 jaws on the priming mechanism?
 
Originally Posted By: ilmo
anyone have a shortcut or procedure for adjusting the 3 jaws on the priming mechanism?

Just use the little primer pocket alignment tool and follow the instructions.
It shouldn't take more than 2 or 3 minutes to set it up.
 
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