Three station reloading press

[abunaitoo]

There's one on evilbay now.
I don't need it that much.

[darrondb]

I remember seeing a picture of a sliding station press but I have no idea when it was made. It would be really interesting if someone could come up with a picture of one. james

Give me a couple of days! I managed to score a CH 206 and a Auto Champ Mark IV this week. Super exited about them!

[darrondb]

I remember seeing a picture of a sliding station press but I have no idea when it was made. It would be really interesting if someone could come up with a picture of one. james

Ask and you shall receive!

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...13#post4444113

[JeepHammer]

The problem you run into here is the strength of the press.

I must be related to this guy since I have a tendency to give full dissertations including pros & cons of any given product/design.

Since we are talking a manual 'Pump Handle' press here,
And since ACCURACY is the objective, strength is the single biggest issue in my opinion.
A press that has an undersized or soft ram will deflect (bend), and since you can produce 200-300 pounds of pressure with a common press, the frame strength is an issue.

The 'Minute Of Coyote' shooter won't notice, but bench shooters that measure everything with accurate tools sure will!

The common 'Turret' presses are actually tool head presses, if you want an actual turret, see Hollywood or Texas presses.

Lee, Hornady, Dillon, RCBS all use tool heads for dies, no matter if they call them 'Turret' or not.
Straight line or rotary, makes no difference, what's important is the tool heads/dies index properly,
And index means they stop at the same spot, at the same install height each & every time.

To get around this, some use fixed, non-rotating tool head, instead rotating the cases around under the dies.
This allows for cases to move slightly in the case holder allowing for cases to line up with dies.
It's not perfect, but it's functional.

Linear motion (Straight Line) moving die tool head is problem since it's going to spread the LONG slot that holds the tool head/dies out, or at least try to expand that slot, so the frame has to be monstrously oversized to resist that force.
That's why you don't see a lot of sliding linear tool head presses.

Getting a linear tool head to line up in big presses, say Camdex is a pain.
Big ram bars and positive limiting stops are mandatory, the thing is one big chunk of steel that needs to move up & down ON BOTH ENDS precisely the same amount each stroke, and the pressure exerted flexes the tool head bar, so it's a big reinforced plate to keep dies aligned.

As for little tool head 'Pump Handle' presses, I got one of the first Lee 'Turret' presses, And I still use it to this day for tear down & tools for swaging, etc.
It sits right beside my Dillon, with 10 second tool head changes, any culls that come from the Dillon get torn down immediately instead of laying around becoming 'Mystery Rounds'...

Between my first press which was a Herters, and then the Rock Chucker, there was no contest in production, the little Lee kicked butt and took names since you could manually flip the dies around in a circle.
It wasn't quite as accurate as the RC, but it was hands down the heavyweight champ of production at that time.

The Dillon cleans everyone's clock, and it's accurate to boot, loading match grade rounds like butter.
Its not what I use for bench rifles, but I shoot very few bench rifles anymore, and at 600 an hour for match grade rounds with very few fails, the Dillon works great.

[MT Chambers]

The CO-AX renders all these presses obsolete, with it's instant die changes and no changing shell holders.

[iShoot17]

Though that is mostly true (shellholders sometimes need flipped, semantics!), I enjoy using and hearing about these stories! I love my Co-ax, but I also find loads (pun) of fun using old and interesting equipment!

[abunaitoo]

I have a Co-ax that I've never used.
Just don't have the space for it.
Building a reloading room in the back, but it's been a long project.

[darrondb]

Finally got to a computer with internet access, actually I am stuck in an RV park in Beaver Dam Arizona. Getting new brakes on the truck tomorrow.

The press is the C-H model 206. Aluminum frame, steel die bar. It holds four dies. I believe Dave at C-H4D has several spare bars.
It looks like it should work, though I have doubts with the aluminum frame. These are the only pictures I have, the press is in the archive collection.

Ken

Attachment 221709

Attachment 221710

Ken,

You mention that the fame on the 206 is aluminum. I just picked one up a week or so back and the frame on mine is steel (or at lease some magnetic alloy). Maybe different variations?

DdB

[Pressman]

DdB, that is interesting, I have never seen anything but aluminum. Cast iron would be a much stronger choice.
It looks like the aluminum would spread and break the lips under sustained heavy use.

Ken

[LUBEDUDE]

Mine is Cast Iron as well.

[gwpercle]

Something like this.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...iego-Universal
But not a Hollywood.
I think Pacific or Herters made something like it.

That's one cool "Art Deco " looking press....work of art in my book !
Gary