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klw · March 22, 2005, 11:27 PM

Circular progressives, like the Star if you know what that is, were invented by Winchester in the 1890. The Star was a scaled down version patented in the late 1930's. The Star dominated the progressive market until Mike Dillon came along in, if memory serves, the early 70's.

In the 30 another kind of progressive appeared, the straightline like your CH. The original inventor was a man named Newcomb. Once upon a time I owned his prototype straightline. Newcomb sold the design to Buchanan just before WWII. Nothing much came of it. After the was two brothers, name Gurstenburger, formed the Police Equipment Company, PESCO, and had at that design again. They literally made the machines in their basement.

CH has been around a long time. My knowledge of them only started with their move to Owen Wisconsin. Tony Sailer, who would eventually come to manage CH, wanted to compete with Star, the only progressive maker of the time, the late 50's. He thought that the Gurstenburger machine had promise so he started the CH straightline design. It was nothing more than a slightly modified Gurstenburger. Took of the somewhat elaborate base. Tony, who I know, patented his machine even though the Gerstenburger patent was still in force.

Over the years Tony improved his machine. CH never made a single part. They farmed all that out to subcontractors. One of those was Cougar & Hunter who made a similar machine for awhile.

Tony is still alive and living in Owen. His machines never rivaled Star as he had hoped. Eventually Dillon, who actually had Star's help in designing his first "kit" for turning Stars into 223 rifle machines and had their help in designing the RL1000 killed both companies (Star & CH) off. CH was never any serious problem but Star might have been. Mike repaid them by destroying them. Friends like that...

So the CH machines were never popular. They spawned to others, the Cougar & Hunter and the RCBS Green Machine. Neither of which did very well. CH was probably at its height in the very early to middle 70 but it was never a big deal.

March 22, 2005, 11:27 PM	#9
klw Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2005 Posts: 118	When were these thing popular Circular progressives, like the Star if you know what that is, were invented by Winchester in the 1890. The Star was a scaled down version patented in the late 1930's. The Star dominated the progressive market until Mike Dillon came along in, if memory serves, the early 70's. In the 30 another kind of progressive appeared, the straightline like your CH. The original inventor was a man named Newcomb. Once upon a time I owned his prototype straightline. Newcomb sold the design to Buchanan just before WWII. Nothing much came of it. After the was two brothers, name Gurstenburger, formed the Police Equipment Company, PESCO, and had at that design again. They literally made the machines in their basement. CH has been around a long time. My knowledge of them only started with their move to Owen Wisconsin. Tony Sailer, who would eventually come to manage CH, wanted to compete with Star, the only progressive maker of the time, the late 50's. He thought that the Gurstenburger machine had promise so he started the CH straightline design. It was nothing more than a slightly modified Gurstenburger. Took of the somewhat elaborate base. Tony, who I know, patented his machine even though the Gerstenburger patent was still in force. Over the years Tony improved his machine. CH never made a single part. They farmed all that out to subcontractors. One of those was Cougar & Hunter who made a similar machine for awhile. Tony is still alive and living in Owen. His machines never rivaled Star as he had hoped. Eventually Dillon, who actually had Star's help in designing his first "kit" for turning Stars into 223 rifle machines and had their help in designing the RL1000 killed both companies (Star & CH) off. CH was never any serious problem but Star might have been. Mike repaid them by destroying them. Friends like that... So the CH machines were never popular. They spawned to others, the Cougar & Hunter and the RCBS Green Machine. Neither of which did very well. CH was probably at its height in the very early to middle 70 but it was never a big deal.