CH Auto-Champion Progressive Press

[fishteach]

Someone just gave me a CH Auto-Champion Progressive Press. A bit dirty but seems to work just fine. It came with CH 38/357 Tung. dies. I did a little research on the CH website and only learned that very few parts are available for this model. I know nothing about CH presses and would love to learn more about this press. In respect to its quality, also wondering if I should keep & use it or farm it out for CH users, to generate funds for something else. Any expertise or insight is greatly appreciated. Thanks, FT

[schutzen]

If you reload many pistol rounds, I would keep it. I used one in the 80's to reload thousands of 357's. I really liked it better than the Dillion use now.

[HeavyMetal]

As to parts check with RCBS they purchased (? I think) the rights to this some years ago and marketed it as the Green Machine. Had a friend who bought one and we used it some. If RCBS still has parts you might be able to convert to another caliber. Dies were standard it was the "movable" parts that were specific to the press.

I don't think it was as user freindly as the Dillon but if I was given one I'd keep it and set it up for one of the shorter cartridges 9mm, 45 acp, you might be able to modify 9mm stuff to fit the 40 I'm not sure.

My experience with the Green Machine was it was great with short rounds and had a tendency to crunch 38 and 357 rounds.

Good luck with it.

[Dale53]

I had a CH Champion Mk. IV and used it a lot. It was an excellent press for hand gun use. It took a bit of time to convert to another caliber. An experienced operator could really grind them out with that press.

However, it wouldn't do rifle cartridges and I had limited space and money so sold it to finance my Dillon 550B (which converts calibers MUCH quicker and does both rifle and pistol equally well).

Dale53

[thebigmac]

[B]I USED A CH MK IV FOR YEARS. LOADING MAINLY .38 Spl. PROBABLY SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND. HAD A FRIENDLY MACHINIST MAKE RAILS FOR 9mm. .44 Mag, M1Carb.,AND .45ACP
ALSO OTHER PARTS FOR THE CONVERSIONS. I DID GOOD BY IT. KEEP IT CLEAN AND IT WILL DO YOU GOOD. IF I CAN LOCATE IT, I'LL SEND YOU A BOOKLET ABOUT IT. HAVE TO LOOK GOOD
AND THEN LET YOU KNOW. COULD GET 500+ PER HOUR WITH NO PROBLEMS. "KEEP 'EM IN THE BLACK".

[fishteach]

Hi All, Thanks for all of the feedback. I cleaned it and it works excellently. I tried converting it to load 44 magnum. I'd have to size, decap & prime them first, which was no big deal and I could do while watching TV, but the crimp die bottoms out before it can crimp the case so that didn't quite work out as hoped. I contated CH, but they do not have much in the way of parts for this model. I wish I loaded 38/357 or some other smaller cartridges, but .44 is the smallest I load. Contemplating listing it to fund something else. I'm sure there are folks out there that would love it for loading 38/357 or for extra parts. Thanks, Brett