Can anyone give me any info on a CH progressive press? I can buy one for $100 with 357 dies. Give me your thoughts please.
CH Progressive Press?
- Thread starter Glenn54
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novalty
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Glenn54 that looks like their 333 Model, and not the AutoChamp. Here is a link to their website, and the AutoChamp Progressive.
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Agree w/ novalty,,it looks like a Model 333.
They used the same frame for a shotgun shell reloader (Model 909?) and that made use of the extra position on the back-left side of the press.
Not the great leverage of the newer presses available these days, but it will certainly easily FL size and load pistol cartridges for you.
You can load rifle rounds on it and FL size them too, just not the compound leverage in the press built in so it takes a bit of extra arm strength. No big deal though.
I like the older CH 'H' presses and have a single stage that I set up and use just for 44-40,,don't know why that caliber but for some reason it came to be that way.
I'd probab;y buy the one the OP has a line on for that price even though I need another press like I need another caliber to load for.
If the powder measure is included,,that's a nice extra as it adds to the 'progressive' nature of the press. The one in the pic looks like it needs a new plastic 'hopper',,the old ones degrade and get brittle w/age, turn yellow ect.
Clear plastic tubing from the DIY store can often be used to make a new one.
Though these H progressives are not as fast as the carousel types, you can still get a lot of rounds loaded as compared to a single stage and not get in trouble with it.,,or just use it as a single stage.
Are the 357dies with it 'steel' or 'carbide' dies.
Older steel dies are scratched inside many times and the FL sizer is of limited value itself. The FL sizer can be polished out sometimes and the expander and seater/crimper are not usually effected. But a carbide sizer would be the better die to look for.
jmo
They used the same frame for a shotgun shell reloader (Model 909?) and that made use of the extra position on the back-left side of the press.
Not the great leverage of the newer presses available these days, but it will certainly easily FL size and load pistol cartridges for you.
You can load rifle rounds on it and FL size them too, just not the compound leverage in the press built in so it takes a bit of extra arm strength. No big deal though.
I like the older CH 'H' presses and have a single stage that I set up and use just for 44-40,,don't know why that caliber but for some reason it came to be that way.
I'd probab;y buy the one the OP has a line on for that price even though I need another press like I need another caliber to load for.
If the powder measure is included,,that's a nice extra as it adds to the 'progressive' nature of the press. The one in the pic looks like it needs a new plastic 'hopper',,the old ones degrade and get brittle w/age, turn yellow ect.
Clear plastic tubing from the DIY store can often be used to make a new one.
Though these H progressives are not as fast as the carousel types, you can still get a lot of rounds loaded as compared to a single stage and not get in trouble with it.,,or just use it as a single stage.
Are the 357dies with it 'steel' or 'carbide' dies.
Older steel dies are scratched inside many times and the FL sizer is of limited value itself. The FL sizer can be polished out sometimes and the expander and seater/crimper are not usually effected. But a carbide sizer would be the better die to look for.
jmo
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Protocall_Design
Vendor
You could also put a Dillon powder measure on that press and automate the powder drop. A hundred dollars seems a bit high for a press that old, considering the choices we have now, but it looks like it would go forever. New dies and powder measure would make it pretty usable, if slow.
Qc Pistolero
Member
You'll never wear it out.It'll outlast you!
I bought the 4 station version of that press new during the late 1970s. The main horizontal pieces of mine did not have the curve so its pillars were further apart. At the time CH sold deluxe carbide 4 die sets that included 4 shell holders. As 2152hq pointed out these presses did not have the mechanical advantage of the RCBS Rock Chucker mine supplemented. However, I mostly used mine to speed up reloading .38 Specials and it had plenty of leverage for that.
CH's presses competed with turret presses like those made by Lyman. For me the CH was the faster of the two. At the time the only presses that were faster were the very expensive Star progressives. Dillion's 450 progressive press was still a few years off in the future and would cost about 3 times as much.
If you will need to reload high power rifles with what ever press you buy then I'd pick a stiffer press with better leverage. If you only want to use it for pistols and are stepping up from a single stage then it's worth considering. However, manually moving 3 cases forward one shell holder between handle strokes will not be any where near as fast as rotating a shell plate one click. The modern press to compare the CH's price to would be Lee's simi-progressive turret press.
CH's presses competed with turret presses like those made by Lyman. For me the CH was the faster of the two. At the time the only presses that were faster were the very expensive Star progressives. Dillion's 450 progressive press was still a few years off in the future and would cost about 3 times as much.
If you will need to reload high power rifles with what ever press you buy then I'd pick a stiffer press with better leverage. If you only want to use it for pistols and are stepping up from a single stage then it's worth considering. However, manually moving 3 cases forward one shell holder between handle strokes will not be any where near as fast as rotating a shell plate one click. The modern press to compare the CH's price to would be Lee's simi-progressive turret press.
Bakebfr480
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Seems a little high for that vintage press!
CH 444
Bought this one in the late 70's. It was my first upgrade from a RC single stage. I was shooting bullseye, PPC and IPSC back then and loaded thousands of 38's on this press. Replaced it in the mid 90's with a RL 550. I replaced the CH powder drop with a adjustable powder measure that came off my RL 450 when I upgraded it to a 550. This may be the same press K22fan describes in post 8.
Yours is an earlier version ( 333 as novalty - post 4 says ) I believe, but will provide you with good service IMO, if you decide to buy it. As pointed out, it will not churn out production comparable to a Dillon, but I loaded a 1000 rds a week on mine back in the day and became pretty proficient with it.
Bought this one in the late 70's. It was my first upgrade from a RC single stage. I was shooting bullseye, PPC and IPSC back then and loaded thousands of 38's on this press. Replaced it in the mid 90's with a RL 550. I replaced the CH powder drop with a adjustable powder measure that came off my RL 450 when I upgraded it to a 550. This may be the same press K22fan describes in post 8.
Yours is an earlier version ( 333 as novalty - post 4 says ) I believe, but will provide you with good service IMO, if you decide to buy it. As pointed out, it will not churn out production comparable to a Dillon, but I loaded a 1000 rds a week on mine back in the day and became pretty proficient with it.
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OP
Thanks all. I have decided to pass on this press. I really appreciate your input.
That is like calling the Wright Brother's Flyer a passenger plane, progressive press??? Really?
