Folks,

What are your experiences with the RCBS Green Machine ???

I bought one a while ago, haven't used it yet, when I got it it was terribly "out of time".

Now I've adjusted it (so the primer post goes easily through the hole where it's supposed to) I can see no reason that it shouldn't be a good press.

Perhaps a bit of experience it will test my "seeing".

I have one. My only issue is keeping track of all the stations. Once you get into the flow of it, it's great. If you only use it once every 6 months, you have to get back in the groove of it each time.

Took another look at it last night.

Bolted it to the bench. Put dies in it. Set it up as much as possible. Ran some cases through it.

Now all I need is a #5 Little Dandy powder measure rotor. They're made of very hard material and could take quite abit of modifying. Looking for one at a "too cheap to be bothered making one" price.

I've heard terrible things about these little presses but just as many users get these going well. So I'm gonna give it a go.

They're rather clumsy/crude compared to current standards, although they can be made to work pretty well. "Fine tuning" is what's required.

I won't knock any RCBS product. I have several of their single stage presses + I like the 'Little Dandy' as well. It speeds up the loading process on small lots. However, for a progessive, I have a Dillon XL 650. It is expensive but it's also top of the line IMO.

i thought dillons 1050 was their top a the line. still kicking my ass for selling mine 4 (?) years ago

I remember loading 44 mag ammo on my Brothers Green Machine back in 1980 maybe. Worked well until you spilled some powder on it then would hitch and catch until you cleaned it. We shot lot's of 44 on those days so we were glad he had it. It really is a small version of some very old design horizontal progressive loaders one finds still running today in Commercial Ammo shops. Albeit, you see many "Blue" machines on the other benches in those same shops.

The best progressive is the Hornady Lock n Load. A far better design than the blue ones, which have some serious design faults. People think they are better because of marketing. Yes I have used both.

I started out on a Dillon Square Deal in 45 acp. It was not good at seating primers so upgraded to a Dillon 550. The 550 was well used and accordingly it took a bit of time to get it back in good working order. While that 550 was a good press I needed the primer pocket swaging for reloading military brass. So, I upgraded to a Dillon 1050. That 1050 press was great but I traded it off when my shooting tapered off. I recently needed a progressive so I bought a Hornady Lock and Load NIB. The press was pretty good if you used commercial brass and were not picky about primer seating depth as it is non adjustable. I was not happy about that, since having large quanities of military brass, so I went back to the Dillom 1050. I should have just kept my old Dillon 1050!!

Yes, John, 1050 is the top of THEIR line. I was speaking generally of progressives. I have not used a Hornady Loc + load but have friends that own them + seem to have problems with them. I'll stick with the one I know. As to the quality of one over another, it's only my opinion.

i HAVE loaded on a lock n load. its red cause thats the color of the ulcers it gives you. never again!

Oh dear! They looked like a CH Auto Champ IV and weren't! My own personal experience is that they were bloody awful. So much so that although I had two I could never get them to load even twenty rounds without some sort of problem. Hated them.

But...a friend had one that he used to load all the .38 Special ammunition for a shooting clud he had an interest in. He never had a problem with his and was delighted with it.

Me? I got a Star and never regretted it. Then the Lee 1000 came along and in the UK pretty much everybody got one until these were replaced by the Dillon 450 press and the Square Deal.

Ive been satisfied with all RCBS products, but I only use standard presses, and always for rifles..and since I don't shoot pistols much these days I don't need a progressive..

Ray, I use my Dillon almost exclusively for pistol ammo although on occasion I have made runs of 223 + 308. But as a general rule, my single stage RCBS presses are more than adequate. I don't need to load large quantities at a time of rifle ammo. At least not yet.

I used all of the progressive presses available on the market, I stick to the 550 and the 650.
The Hornady? Never again. the LNL dies bushing are great, though.