C-H Inline Press

[Seafarer12]

Hey Guys,
Anyone ever used one of those CH inline presses. My father inlaw has gotten back into reloading and has been getting stuff in trades from all his friends that had reloading stuff that wasn't in use. One of the things was an inline press made by C-H machine. I have done some searching on the internet and haven't found much about them. He got it from a friend for next to nothing and though about me since it is already set up for 38/357 and thats all I reload for pistols. He said it was in good shape and pretty slick looking on how it worked. Does anyone have any info on them as far as do they take special dies or maybe have a picture. I am heading to Colorado tomorrow for two weeks with work so I am not going to get to take a look at it for a few weeks.
Thanks

 

[ReloaderFred]

They were pretty good presses in their day. The only thing you have to watch with them is sometimes the transfer bar, which is the bar that moves the brass from one station to the next, will slip over the cases and not move them. When this happens, it's possible to double charge a case.

I've loaded many thousands of rounds on one, but not since the late 1970's, and to the best of my recollection, this was the only problem with it.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

It's free, jump on it. Nothing at all wrong with it, just not as fast as the current auto indexing presses, but works plenty well to load ammo with and faster than a single stage.

Regards,

Dave

 

[nambu1]

If it is what I am thinking of, it is a very strong press.

 

[lee n. field]

Anyone ever used one of those CH inline presses.

Would this be their progressive?

I assume you've already found C-H's website.

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

I possibly designed and sold that C-H press if it was 4 position press with a taper crimp die last.

I have manuals and caliber changes and parts all new

 

[Jim Watson]

The inline progressive AutoCHamp is a serviceable machine. As said, the case advance machinery is its weak point. The little pawl that advances it must be kept clean enough to eat with except that it needs lube and I don't mean chicken fat. Its other bad habit is that the powder measure is actuated by a cam, not the case mouth, and will spill powder if there is not a case at the second station. On the other hand, I never have had a problem with the primer feed which is a lot more than I can say about a Dillon.

The three or four station in a row H-presses from CH are good stout presses. They take standard dies but at one time had their own shellholders. I think the later ones used standard t-slot holders.

 

[fecmech]

If this is the press you are speaking of I have two of them a Mark 3 and a Mark 5. One set up for .45 auto and the other for .357 or .38 spec. I think they are great presses but you have to be somewhat mechanically inclined to keep them running trouble free. That said you can comfortably load 400 rds per hour without pushing things. CH still has some parts for them, PM me if you have any questions.

[/IMG]

 

[fecmech]

The little pawl that advances it must be kept clean enough to eat with except that it needs lube and I don't mean chicken fat.

Jim--I use a little plastic squirt bottle with powdered graphite in it. Every now and then I squirt a tiny amount of graphite on the rail ahead of the case on station 1. As the case advances across the press it spreads the graphite on the rail and pawls and I have no trouble at all with cases advancing or pawls sticking. The graphite gets under the rail and lubes that also.