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Thread: CC Johnson press

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
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    CC Johnson press

    Found this little press yesterday, it's marked CC Johnson. Have no clue who CC Johnson is or how old the press is. I thought my Lyman Tru-Line was a small press but this is tiny compared to it. It looks like it takes the Lyman 310 / Tru-line type dies but unsure as to what shell holder it uses as they were none with it. It appears to not have been used, the only marks on it must've been made from moving it from storage box to storage box.

    Attachment 263214
    Attachment 263215
    Attachment 263216

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy
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    You should pm Pressman.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master

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    that will take Lyman 310 dies (small thread) nice find

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Cool! Take it down to the Vintage Equipment thread and stand back as the excitement builds. You might also go over to the ARTCA.com Forum where the Red Heads get their own subforum.

    The Red Head press was invented by Col Narramore along with CC Johnson during the 1930s, and when WW II broke out, Narramore was called up and sold his interest to Johnson. You can narrow down production date by the numbers stamped into the top of the turret shaft comprised of the serial number and year of production.

    The Red Head press is convenient because it accepts the standard Lyman 310 dies, but has the drawback of using proprietary shell holders and primer spuds. Unlike better known brands, I don't think anybody makes conversion units for the shell holder. My personal Red Head is semi-permanently set up to load the Model 1873 Maynard shell in 40-40. I had to make a special shell holder for the oddball oversized case rim, and used the modern Lyman 40-70 (310) dies that neck size only but got the perfect tool for the job!

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master
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    PS CC Johnson was probably better known as a gunsmith. He lived in the Thackery, OH area and was known for his high quality 22 rifle builds as well as his varmint rifles. He was big on Ballards and other single shots as well as Mauser bolt actions. His grandson Jerry still has a lot of his shop records and even the remains of the Red Head manufacturing stuff that his dad bought back from the guy who bought it from Charley, Eric Prinz. I once bought one of his varmint guns built on a high wall... unfortunately the barrel was ruined by a very stubborn obstruction, so I ended up salvaging the receiver for another build.

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

  6. #6
    Boolit Bub
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    Thanks for the info, I'll go the the vintage section and post it there.

  7. #7
    Banned
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    Your press has seen plenty of use, it has been repainted so it looks nice. Originally the turret was red and the base and slide were black, thus the name Red Head.
    The numbers on the shaft indicate 1951 build year and the number count to that point for the year.
    Johnson made his own dies and they are nicer than Lyman, but that is just my opinion. The shellholder takes a 1/2" shank, though I have one that was reamed out many years ago to 9/16" to allow Lyman J shellholders.

    Earl Narramore was employed by Lyman in the years prior to WWII as a technical writer. He ran a reloading supply business on the side. He came up with the Red Head press in 1938. Why he did not make it adaptable to Lyman dies is still an unanswered question. Since he was also an Ordinance Officer in the Army he was called to active duty during the war and sold the press design to CC Johnson who kept it in production into the late 1960's. The last press was made in 1971 under the name Prinz.
    The only changes to the design was the color it was painted. The years prior to 1950 it was three colors, black, red and gray.
    It's an excellent press and easier to use than the Lyman as the handle maybe reversed for up or down stroke loading.
    After the War, Narramore went back to work for Lyman and while there is nothing left as all the records from Lyman have been tossed in the trash, it is highly probable that he played a role in the design of the Tru-Line Jr press of 1953.

  8. #8
    Boolit Bub
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    Since pressman just posted on this, I'll just keep the thread here. Many thanks for the info. BTW how are the shell holders marked?
    Last edited by sackettboys; 06-05-2020 at 05:31 PM.

  9. #9
    Banned
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    The shellholders are marked with a number. There were some for sale very recently on eBay that were made from SAECO shellholders. They might still be there.

  10. #10
    Boolit Bub
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    I have 4 CC Johnson rifles. My dad and CC were friends. I met him in the 60's he belonged to the Lion's club and we went to fish fries at a local school. I remember riding a scale model steam engine that CC built in their back yard.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master

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    Ken
    I have an excel workbook tracking serial #'s and mfg dates on these presses, Brue and I have been tracking back and forth for the last 5 years.

    Let me know if you need a copy.

    Scott
    Scott

    You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them.

  12. #12
    Boolit Mold
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    Is there any interest in the older c.c. Johnson presses.

  13. #13
    Banned
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    There's decent collector interest in the Johnson, Red Head press.
    Please read the Swap and Sell rules before attempting to sell on this forum.

  14. #14
    Boolit Mold
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    Thank you pressman

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check