Help name this press

nola26 · April 19, 2012, 10:28 PM

Hi all. I found this press in a old shed at work. I believe its missing some pieces but overall seems to work. I hope after a little care is applied I can get this set up again. I can't find a model number on it anywhere nor can I find a pic of this loader. It is an RCBS progressive loader with auto indexing. It appears the case starts on the left side and travels straight across the loader. I can see its missing a powder holder and there probably should be some kind of primer tube in the second stage. I was wondering if anyone knew the model number or can tell me what exactly this press is missing. Here are some pics:
30c51952.jpg

07151301.jpg

Lost Sheep · April 19, 2012, 11:59 PM

I would send the picture to RCBS. They MIGHT even send you the parts listing.

Heck, they might even offer to refurbish it for you.

Good luck.

Lost Sheep

Jim Watson · April 20, 2012, 12:03 AM

It is a Green Machine, similar to my old CH AutoCHamp.

If RCBS even admits they made it, you are doing well.

FrankenMauser · April 20, 2012, 01:02 AM

The Green Machine was a black eye for RCBS. I'm sure they would wipe their name off those presses, if they could.

Edit:
It's not that they're bad presses.
It's just that they don't tolerate dirt or being out of adjustment as well as newer rotary-type progressive presses. When the Green Machine has the slightest problem, things gets ugly.

Blind Dog Jake · April 20, 2012, 04:57 AM

This should help.
Good Luck
http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instru...EN_MACHINE.pdf

Gatofeo · April 20, 2012, 10:26 PM

Ah yes ... the old RCBS Suppository & Cigar Maker Press!
Not a commercial success.
Shortly after it was introduced, critics chastized RCBS for, "blowing smoke up our b__ts!"

Just kidding ... couldn't resist ... big, clunky beast, eh? Why was it not popular? Too many mechanical problems?

FrankenMauser · April 21, 2012, 03:17 AM

Quote:

... big, clunky beast, eh? Why was it not popular? Too many mechanical problems?

They're finnicky sons of Bs, that have to be adjusted perfectly, to operate without issues. And... they require special dies (unique to that press design) in order to hit maximum production rates.

It's a good press, but Dillon revolutionized the progressive press industry, and we shouldn't ever regret it.

(I've been looking for a Green Machine for a long time though... out of some strange, morbid desire to punish myself.

)

Shootest · April 21, 2012, 07:59 AM

Quote:

(i've been looking for a green machine for a long time though... Out of some strange, morbid desire to punish myself.)

ROTFLMAO

flashhole · April 22, 2012, 07:56 AM

From the comments you can understand why you found it sitting in a shed.

rtpzwms · April 22, 2012, 08:20 AM

Well if you load 22 hornet than it could be the Green Hornet! If not just call it crusher....

Mike40-11 · April 22, 2012, 05:54 PM

When you asked for help naming it I was going to suggest Roger...

RobertInIowa · April 23, 2012, 06:58 PM

Looks more like the emerald city, let's call it Dorothy.

oneounceload · April 23, 2012, 07:35 PM

Since RCBS warrants their presses for life, make a list of what you need and ask them to send the stuff to you

serf 'rett · April 23, 2012, 10:53 PM

Looks more like ALICE to me!

What a behemouth! What does one feed to the thing?

Mike-Mat · April 23, 2012, 11:17 PM

Before I even saw the first reply, I thought "Fred, Name it Fred".

Looks like a mechanical wonder. Does it work OK?

Mike

Lost Sheep · April 24, 2012, 12:58 AM

If Frankenstein is not unique enough, Freakenstein.

OK, enough ribbing on RCBS's design.

RCBS does take care of its customers. As oneounceload suggested, let RCBS refurbish it. If they really regret the design, they may offer you a trade for one of their presses they are actually proud of. That seems like it might be a win.

But if it comes back working well, "Green Hornet", as rtpzwms suggested, might be a good one.

Lost Sheep

Shootest · April 24, 2012, 11:45 AM

Quote:

RCBS does take care of its customers. As oneounceload suggested, let RCBS refurbish it. If they really regret the design, they may offer you a trade for one of their presses they are actually proud of. That seems like it might be a win.

But if it comes back working well, "Green Hornet", as rtpzwms suggested, might be a good one.

Lost Sheep

I agree 110%. No doubt about it RCBS makes great equipment and they always have. I have never been unhappy with anything I have purchased form or made by them. I never bought a Green Machine, but I had a older model Lube-A-Matic bullet sizer with the main screw rounded off, they sent me 2 replacement parts at no charge.

Old 454 · April 24, 2012, 06:07 PM

looks like a Rube Goldberg to me

GP100man · April 24, 2012, 06:30 PM

A tinkerers wet dream!!!!!!!!

chiefr · April 24, 2012, 07:24 PM

I remember the Green Machines well from the early 1980s or so when they came out. I remember taking hours just to set them up to get them to work right. After what seemed like 100 rounds, you had to adjust something again. Fact is these things were turkeys. Most folks I know buy a progressive to save time and the Green machine was not the answer. Dillon got my money and I still use the same 550 I have had for 26 years.
Honestly, I could load faster with a Rockchucker or any single stage due to the maintenance and adjustment required on the green machine. I also remember people who purchased them new getting rid of them. You could find used ones for half price. Once the word got out on the problems with these things, no one wanted them any more. I did see one at a gun show last year in a box with a hundred dollar price tag.

Lost Sheep · April 24, 2012, 08:33 PM

All these comments make me want to get one just so I can beat my head against it.

It really does sound like a challenge for an unreformed tinkerer (me).

Does anyone have one the want to get rid of? I will pay postage.

Lost Sheep

Mike-Mat · April 25, 2012, 06:31 PM

Did you look at the diagrams in the manual (link shown above)? I've never seen so many exploded views for a reloading press. I thought it was the manual to rebuild a small block Chevy or something.

nola26 · May 20, 2012, 01:44 PM

Thanks for all the replies. I don't think its worth putting any money into this press given all the problems and how non-user friendly it seems to be. I personally took it out of the shed I found it in, in hopes of using the dies in my Dillon 550, but no dice.

Oh and the winner of the name contest that I inadvertently started here is......

Rube Goldberg

Ozzieman · May 20, 2012, 07:33 PM

I don’t think you guys have an idea what you’re talking about, that’s not just a reloading press,,, it a new form if Gatling gun. It reloads, and then places those rounds in the cylinder and then fires them out of the conveniently placed cylinder.
IT was a market failure because RCBS didn’t realize that a gun that only shot vertically wasn’t good for much,,,, I should know,,, I had one,,, for about 6 months.
I called my R2D666.

Sevens · May 20, 2012, 09:01 PM

I'd never seen one before I clicked, so I've obviously never had the "pleasure" but simply by the pictures -- it looks like a BEAST! It looks mean and bulky and built for longevity.

I'm quite sure the masses are not wrong, but I find that bad boy interesting.

Then again, I'm in to production and quality, so FrankenMauser might wanna "feel the pain"

but I'd be just as happy to read about it, thanks!

April 19, 2012, 10:28 PM	#1
nola26 Junior Member Join Date: October 16, 2009 Posts: 2	Help name this press Hi all. I found this press in a old shed at work. I believe its missing some pieces but overall seems to work. I hope after a little care is applied I can get this set up again. I can't find a model number on it anywhere nor can I find a pic of this loader. It is an RCBS progressive loader with auto indexing. It appears the case starts on the left side and travels straight across the loader. I can see its missing a powder holder and there probably should be some kind of primer tube in the second stage. I was wondering if anyone knew the model number or can tell me what exactly this press is missing. Here are some pics: 30c51952.jpg 07151301.jpg

April 19, 2012, 11:59 PM	#2
Lost Sheep Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2009 Location: Anchorage Alaska Posts: 3,341	Freddie. Name it Freddie I would send the picture to RCBS. They MIGHT even send you the parts listing. Heck, they might even offer to refurbish it for you. Good luck. Lost Sheep

April 20, 2012, 01:02 AM	#4
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	The Green Machine was a black eye for RCBS. I'm sure they would wipe their name off those presses, if they could. Edit: It's not that they're bad presses. It's just that they don't tolerate dirt or being out of adjustment as well as newer rotary-type progressive presses. When the Green Machine has the slightest problem, things gets ugly. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe. Last edited by FrankenMauser; April 20, 2012 at 02:44 PM.

April 20, 2012, 10:26 PM	#6
Gatofeo Senior Member Join Date: October 1, 2004 Location: Remote Utah desert Posts: 224	Ah yes ... the old RCBS Suppository & Cigar Maker Press! Not a commercial success. Shortly after it was introduced, critics chastized RCBS for, "blowing smoke up our b__ts!" Just kidding ... couldn't resist ... big, clunky beast, eh? Why was it not popular? Too many mechanical problems? __________________ "And lo, did I see an ugly cat. Smoke. Brimstone. Holes in parchment. And this ugly cat was much amused." --- The Prophesies of Gatodamus (1503 - 1566)

April 22, 2012, 07:56 AM	#9
flashhole Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2005 Location: Owego, NY Posts: 2,000	From the comments you can understand why you found it sitting in a shed. __________________ ,,, stupidity comes to some people very easily. 8/22/2017 my wife in a discussion about Liberals. Are you ready for civil war?

April 20, 2012, 12:03 AM	#3
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,539	It is a Green Machine, similar to my old CH AutoCHamp. If RCBS even admits they made it, you are doing well.

April 20, 2012, 04:57 AM	#5
Blind Dog Jake Member Join Date: November 26, 2011 Location: N.W. Ohio Posts: 41	This should help. Good Luck http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instru...EN_MACHINE.pdf

April 22, 2012, 08:20 AM	#10
rtpzwms Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 2010 Location: OTS Posts: 1,035	Well if you load 22 hornet than it could be the Green Hornet! If not just call it crusher.... __________________ Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want.

April 22, 2012, 05:54 PM	#11
Mike40-11 Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 842	When you asked for help naming it I was going to suggest Roger...

April 23, 2012, 06:58 PM	#12
RobertInIowa Senior Member Join Date: March 4, 2012 Location: Iowa Posts: 149	Looks more like the emerald city, let's call it Dorothy. __________________ Guns don't kill people, fathers with pretty daughters do. Two wrongs don't make a right, but three comes pretty close. Proud NRA member

April 23, 2012, 07:35 PM	#13
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	Since RCBS warrants their presses for life, make a list of what you need and ask them to send the stuff to you

April 23, 2012, 10:53 PM	#14
serf 'rett Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2009 Location: Stuttgart, AR Posts: 1,569	Looks more like ALICE to me! What a behemouth! What does one feed to the thing? __________________ A lack of planning on your part does not necessarily constitute an emergency on my part.

April 23, 2012, 11:17 PM	#15
Mike-Mat Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2010 Location: Phoenix area Posts: 361	Before I even saw the first reply, I thought "Fred, Name it Fred". Looks like a mechanical wonder. Does it work OK? Mike __________________ Mike Mattera - Tips For Mfg Video Training For CadCam Systems http://www.tipsforcadcam.com

April 24, 2012, 12:58 AM	#16
Lost Sheep Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2009 Location: Anchorage Alaska Posts: 3,341	Rethinking: Frank --- Frankenstien If Frankenstein is not unique enough, Freakenstein. OK, enough ribbing on RCBS's design. RCBS does take care of its customers. As oneounceload suggested, let RCBS refurbish it. If they really regret the design, they may offer you a trade for one of their presses they are actually proud of. That seems like it might be a win. But if it comes back working well, "Green Hornet", as rtpzwms suggested, might be a good one. Lost Sheep

April 24, 2012, 06:07 PM	#18
Old 454 Senior Member Join Date: August 15, 2011 Location: Chesterton Ind. Posts: 822	looks like a Rube Goldberg to me

April 24, 2012, 06:30 PM	#19
GP100man Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2007 Location: Tabor City , NC. Posts: 1,969	A tinkerers wet dream!!!!!!!! __________________ GP100man

April 24, 2012, 07:24 PM	#20
chiefr Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2010 Location: AR Posts: 1,401	I remember the Green Machines well from the early 1980s or so when they came out. I remember taking hours just to set them up to get them to work right. After what seemed like 100 rounds, you had to adjust something again. Fact is these things were turkeys. Most folks I know buy a progressive to save time and the Green machine was not the answer. Dillon got my money and I still use the same 550 I have had for 26 years. Honestly, I could load faster with a Rockchucker or any single stage due to the maintenance and adjustment required on the green machine. I also remember people who purchased them new getting rid of them. You could find used ones for half price. Once the word got out on the problems with these things, no one wanted them any more. I did see one at a gun show last year in a box with a hundred dollar price tag. Last edited by chiefr; April 24, 2012 at 07:30 PM.

April 24, 2012, 08:33 PM	#21
Lost Sheep Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2009 Location: Anchorage Alaska Posts: 3,341	All these comments make me want to get one just so I can beat my head against it. It really does sound like a challenge for an unreformed tinkerer (me). Does anyone have one the want to get rid of? I will pay postage. Lost Sheep

April 25, 2012, 06:31 PM	#22
Mike-Mat Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2010 Location: Phoenix area Posts: 361	Did you look at the diagrams in the manual (link shown above)? I've never seen so many exploded views for a reloading press. I thought it was the manual to rebuild a small block Chevy or something. __________________ Mike Mattera - Tips For Mfg Video Training For CadCam Systems http://www.tipsforcadcam.com

May 20, 2012, 01:44 PM	#23
nola26 Junior Member Join Date: October 16, 2009 Posts: 2	Thanks for all the replies. I don't think its worth putting any money into this press given all the problems and how non-user friendly it seems to be. I personally took it out of the shed I found it in, in hopes of using the dies in my Dillon 550, but no dice. Oh and the winner of the name contest that I inadvertently started here is...... Rube Goldberg

May 20, 2012, 07:33 PM	#24
Ozzieman Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 6,117	I don’t think you guys have an idea what you’re talking about, that’s not just a reloading press,,, it a new form if Gatling gun. It reloads, and then places those rounds in the cylinder and then fires them out of the conveniently placed cylinder. IT was a market failure because RCBS didn’t realize that a gun that only shot vertically wasn’t good for much,,,, I should know,,, I had one,,, for about 6 months. I called my R2D666.

May 20, 2012, 09:01 PM	#25
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	I'd never seen one before I clicked, so I've obviously never had the "pleasure" but simply by the pictures -- it looks like a BEAST! It looks mean and bulky and built for longevity. I'm quite sure the masses are not wrong, but I find that bad boy interesting. Then again, I'm in to production and quality, so FrankenMauser might wanna "feel the pain" but I'd be just as happy to read about it, thanks! __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss. Last edited by Sevens; May 21, 2012 at 03:14 PM. Reason: fix the code on my bolding of the word "BEAST", lol