Ok….I sold one….bought two. Forster Co-Ax’s that is.
The green RCBS Summit has left the building. I have to say…Forster, you cheap bastard$. There are subtle differences between the two presses. One made in the USA, the other in china. The paint finish is the most noticeable. The left press has what looks like a much thicker paint layer…and…a clear coat on top. The one on the right…the paint barely covers the porous metal. The fit on the one on the left is immaculate. Absolutely no air gaps at any pivot point. The one on the right…only one air gap. A very noticeable one on the lower right pivot.
The shell holder jaw frame on the press on the left has a machined opening for the jaw spreading pin on both sides. So, you don’t need to worry about which way it goes together. The one on the right…only one side has the cut out! Talk about being cheap! That minuscule lack of one machined cut out must have paid for the CEO’s latest mansion.
The most frustrating thing was the almost grinding feel to the piston rods on the right hand press. They were completely dry out of the box. I’m surprised that they were not rusty. (Boy…sure saved a lot on lube there, huh?) It took a lot of G96 and working the handle through its full range of motion to get it to feel sort of smooth. Whereas the press on the left, is absolutely buttery smooth and doesn’t make any noise throughout its full range of motion.
All of these subtle money saving “changes” must have saved Forster at least $5 or $10 per press. But the real thing is the fact that in china, they probably forced peasants or political prisoners to do the labour to make this. And paid them nothing or almost nothing. And when they couldn’t work anymore…they harvested their organs and buried what was left.
For shame Forster, for shame. You cheap bastard$.
Now that my rant is over, I have this set up to speed things up. One press will be set up for larger cases and primers. And the other for the smaller ones. I do love this press. But to see the idiotic money saving things that have been done to this new chinese made version makes my blood boil!
EDIT: I have been rebuked.
They are in fact made in America. But that still doesn't excuse the bad quality control, fit and finish, and poor paint.