CH Auto Champion MK II

[PBking51]

Afella that I have been helping sell some of his odd ball guns asked if I wanted to buy the machine for $100. It was complete and set up for 38 special from his PPC days as a cop. Its a 3 stage progressive press that uses little pawls to move the case to the next station. I told him I have been loading alot of 38s for both Bullseye and plinking with the smith 52 so I might just take it, but first I told him I wanted to play around with and see how it ran before committing. The powder dispenser works like a charge bar with a reducer bushing, and not knowing what the charge was I went ahead and ordered 5 from CH as they still use them in a current made measure. Also the primer pick up tube didnt seem to pick up primers so I ordered one of them also. As of now, I am in the machine $50 just to test it out.

Anyone have first hand experience with one of these guys? I can prime easy enough with a hand primer, but in the event a good cleaning is all it takes for the primers to feed reliably It seems like a straight forward machine where all I have to do is fill up a tub for cases and place a bullet. I assume it is in adjustment as the cases do index and stop where they need to be.

 

[PBking51]

Picture up

 

[powderbrake]

I had one, it was my first progressive press. I too was loading for my Model 52 and 45's for my Gold Cup.

Main thing that I remember : You MUST operate it very SMOOOOOTHLY, or it will jiggle the cases and throw powder out, or miss an index.

Second thing is it is tough to get all the cases out when something screws up in the middle.

I would consider the $50 an educational fee, pass on the CH, and buy a Dillon 550.

After the CH, I had a bunch of STAR presses, exceptionally machined/ground parts, made great loads but...... Same problem, hard to get a bad case out of the middle. I had multiple STARS, some with auto feed, and with case feed, I sold them all and bought two Dillons, one for large primers, one for small primers. I never looked back. Dillon solved all the problem areas.

 

[Mittry]

I bought one around 1980 when I was shooting IPSC, .45 auto.
Biggest problem was power spilling out of charged cases as the slide advanced.I had to put my finger over the case to keep the powder from spilling out. When powder gets into the mechanism it creates a real mess and stoppages. I also had problems with upside down and sideways primers.
When clean,oiled and adjusted properly it worked OK but was pretty finicky.
Switched to a 650 later on and it was like night and day. Still have it but haven’t used it in years.
Good Luck
Marc Mittry

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Am i really seeing the priming station directly under the powder station?

 

[PBking51]

It primed on the stroke as the shell is moving to the second station. A second pull raises it up to get filled and belled

 

[PBking51]

I've played around with it and have correct bushings for it now. I really like the priming system as I've yet to have an issue priming cases (tested without powder). It can be short stroked to advance the cases without powder dispensing, but I think I may end up putting the Lee auto drum on there with the safety button ..at least for a while because it is easier to remove to empty the powder supply. I was going to make a chute but I am going to double down and order some more pawls and their springs as well as the chute they had for the latest version. My version apparently never had a chute nor is it tapped for the screw to hold the chute but I think adding it will be straight forward. Another reason I am liking it is that I can use a tube as a case feeder or just drop a case in versus having to slide a case in such as with a Dillon sdb