RCBS Green Machine

[twotrees]

Has any one seen or better yet used one of these??

A local gun shop has one but the asking price seems high to me.
the primer mag is for small primers and I would need to make/but one for Lp If I get it.

Straight line progressive w/powder measure, for pistol ( 223 maybe) reloading.

It looks like a manual model of a production machine.

Any help would be appreciated, before I spend my mony on something else that will not work.

Thanks Y'All,

[HeavyMetal]

The Green Machine, marketed by RCBS, started life as a C-H product.

I have seen a post or two on this site posted by guys who have them or want to buy them.

My experience with one was......disappointing. It had trouble with just about every station and was annoying to swap calibers on. My buddy Chip had one for a couple years, and was never happy with the end results of his tinkering.

Chip was / is a design engineer with patents sold to Colt! After much tinkering he decided to leave his Green Machine set up for 38 spec WC loads with 2.5 gr of Bullseye.

This was the only load that didn't spray powder all over the place each time either of us pulled the handle.

This was just before Dillon had the 450B hit the market and I had the hots for a progressive that wouldn't break the bank! Star was the only other machine on the market and they had a long waiting list and wanted a grand for one!

I had hopes Chip would be able to get his to function much more reliabley than it was out of the box, but he never did.

Fortunately My watching and making suggestions on the Green Machine kept me out of the progressive market until the day I saw the Dillon add for a 450B delivered to my door for $199.00!

I bought one and never looked back! Stumbled onto a second one at a yard sale for $125.00 and snapped it up as well!

I will most likely get some "Boo's and Hiss's" for my next statement but I wouldn't offer $50.00 for one of these turkey's!

Other may have had better luck with them, I did not.

[Poygan]

I bought one at an auction some years back. It was set up for .38 special wadcutter. I could not get it to consistently prime cases and then had Bullseye dribbling out the primer hole. RCBS did send me a new primer tray but that didn't help. It seems some folks changed the primer setup.

Personally, I'd run like the wind in the opposite direction and consider myself lucky! Perhaps they work better with large primers....

[Ferret34]

I must have gotten lucky-- my Green Machine worked like a champ for me. And the only time I had a problem, a combination of design and operator error, and broke something, RCBS took it back, spiffed it up, good as new. But it is best to set it up for one caliber, so you have to adjust only for bullet type. 'Still have it. 'Still like it.

[kd185]

looks alot like a ch4d to me

73898

[skeet028]

Had one of these and it was about useless. Even RCBS couldn't make it into a convertible..It is a type of copy of a CH..I have a CH Mark IV and it do work..the RCBS just wasn't consistent at all. BTW.. I use and fix many progressive machines. Not these though.

[44Vaquero]

Check out Seagiants recent post on this forum detailing his recent rescue and rehab of 2 RCBS Green Machines. Plenty of pictures and good advise too!

[44Vaquero]

This OP is 5 years old Guys! Check out Seagiants recent post on this forum detailing his recent rescue and rehab of 2 RCBS Green Machines. Plenty of pictures and good advise too!

[VintageRifle]

The second post Is from 01/09/1970. I think the forum is messed up a bit.

[rockrat]

I have one. Had it since new. It just sits. Won't advance the cases most of the time and primer setup is a PIA. Worked great for the first 1000 or so rounds. Bought it because RCBS was going to offer conversion kits (yea right), but never saw one. Last time I used it was to size 357 max brass as I didn't want to convert my 650 just to do 50 cases.

[GBertolet]

I purchased one new in 1983 in 45ACP. There is a considerable learning curve in getting this machine to work well. The carrousel type progressives, such as the Dillons, tend to be the trend today, rather than the straight line machines. Converting from the disk primer feed to a stick feed, and switching to the Lee disk powder measure, are two great upgrades for the Green Machine. RCBS had advertised that they were going to offer conversion kits for this machine, which never happened to any great extent. In the late 1980's I received a form letter from RCBS, telling me that the conversion kits did not work out, and offered me any Green Machine at dealer cost, as a consolation, in case I had purchased the Green Machine expecting the promised conversion kits. I had corresponded with SeaGiant some time ago, regarding my improvements. He took it to the next level, a did several remarkable rehabs of old Green Machines. If you are interested in Green Machines, his thread is worth reading.

[dudel]

I saw one at a gun shop in Marietta. Also priced to high (as is alot of stuff at the shop).

Last time I used a green machine, it was almost enough to make me quit reloading. RCBS makes some great single stage stuff (I've had my RockChucker for over 20 years, and still going strong); but they seem snake bit when it comes to progressives. Just my experience with them, YMMV.

The GM is a fascinating machine though. Find a YouTube of one running, and you see the amazing sychronization of parts in motion. For progressives, I'll stick with my Dillon.

If you want to go progressive, you'd hardly go wrong with a 550b.

[Jeff Michel]

I have one in .38 special, after I read the hand book a couple times and got it adjusted, it works real good. I found it in the trash can at a buddy's house. I was surprised to put it mildly, so was he.....That I was remotely interested in the bleeping boat anchor. Helped me dig it out and load it in my truck. Two hours later I had 500 rounds pumped out, took a picture and sent it to him. He took it well, He told me he didn't think anyone could make the varmint work. In all fairness, I do all the case priming as a separate step. I've never had any luck with any priming system, regardless of make.

[Wild Bill 7]

Most people hate GM's. I have two, one for 45acp and one for 38 spec. Got them used and they have worked for me just fine. Primer feed has been modified to using a primer tube instead of the factory feed. I also deprime and clean pockets on my Rock Chucker. Anything to keep problems to minimum. Clean, clean, clean is the way to keep them running, and don't be in a big hurry. I bought them used from my mentor who reloaded tens of thousands of cast on them. They are finicky to say the least but aren't all machine's that way? Anyway that's my two cents worth.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I agree with Poygan. Run the other way even if the machine is free. I took one home with permission to "try before buy". I couldn't get the beast back fast enough. When people tell you they made something work by tinkering, I shudder. I don't want to tinker with something I paid money far. I want it to work with a reasonable amount of set up time.