Going against most advice and input..

[rifleman]

I'm going to give 12 ga shotshell reloading a try. So I'm in search of a press, and all else I need. Any thought(other than I'm either crazy or stupid) or input on what I'll need beyond a press. Obviously, shot, hulls, wads, powder, but any other tools or shotshell specific accessories needed to get started? I now reload metallic cartridges, so I have most needed equipment such as powder scales, calipers, and such. I love to reload, so as long as I don't lose money I'll be content to just load away in my spare time.

Anyone familliar with a Mec 400 Super Speeder loader? It says complete and ready to go except for bushings. I've generally been lead to believe that the Mec 600 JR is the best starter unit? I've also given some consideration to a Lee Loadall II, but if I can find a reasonably priced used Mec, I think that seems to be the way to go. Can I load steel loads with a 600 Jr? Or what's with the Steelmaster Loader?

I shoot trap, hunt ruffed grouse and pheasants and need some steel shot loads for federal land.

TIA
Dave

[Val]

My trap and skeet shooting buddies are telling me the cost of the Wal Mart cheapy specials is going up. The cost of reloading light target loads in 12 gauge is pretty much been a wash. With the recent price increases it may be slightly cost effective. Where you really save money in 12 gauge reloading is in field loads. The cheapy ammo uses cheap soft lead that does nor penetrate well. The MEC jr. is a good single stage press if you don't intend to do a lot of reloading. If a lot of reloading is on the horizon I would recommend the progresser grabber press. Each pull of the handle gives you a finished round.

[.45 COLT]

The MEC 400 Super Speeder has been out of production for around 40 years. Manual for it is on MEC's website, but parts aren't available. It was a good press, but current production presses would be what I'd think you would want. 600jr is a good starter press, personally I'd look for a MEC Sizemaster or Steelmaster. Sizing set-up is better than the 600jr. The Sizemaster or Steelmaster comes with primer feed, for the jr it's an add-on. If you get a Sizemaster or a 600jr and want to load Steel shot, that's another add-on adaptor kit.

Besides the press and components, you need a good manual. Lyman #5 is probably the most widely used.

DC

[rifleman]

Thanks for the replies. I'm anxious to get started with this. I see where lead has dropped lately. Local prices are down about 25% from the peak. I can also get some reclaimed shot. Not the best alternative for the long run, but I may get some for my early trials. That way I won't be using high dollar shot during my initial efforts.

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Dave

[jbmi]

MEC's are good reloaders, I have two and reload over 14,000 shells a year using both of them.
I have an older MEC Grabber that I use for my 1 1/8  oz. loads and a MEC 9000 for my 1 oz.
I have seen a number of used ones on the market recently for some good prices, look and ask around.
As a first time buyer I'd look hard at a MEC Grabber.
To make reloading pay, you need to look at buying in bulk. Wads by the case, not bag, Powder in 8lbs jugs, primer
in the 5000 sleves. Shot is the biggest question, I see new shot  around here on sale for $35 a 25lb bag, I can buy really nice
reclaimed shot for $1 a pound and a friend of mine makes really nice new shot for $30/25lbs.  Look around, you can do a
lot better than the $45 a bag that those big sporting goods stores are selling it for. I still  have about 30 bags left of shot I bought back
when there was rumor going around about a big increase. I bought most of it for $11 a bag, and that was only about a year and a half ago.
I see the price of lead coming down so buy enough to get a good start but watch for lower prices in the future. When it drops to where it
looks like a bargain again I might buy it by the ton next time.

[rifleman]

I was at a nephews graduation yesterday and was talking hunting, shooting, guns with my brother in law. I mentioned that among other things, I was looking for a used Mec 600 Jr. He said that he just happened to have an "extra" one that he neither needed or had a use for. My lucky day!

It now resides on my reloading bench. I now need a few supplies (shot, wads, and primers) and hopefully in the next 3 - 10 days, I may give my first efforts a test drive, so to speak. More to follow.

Dave

[Catfish]

I would have recomanded the Size Master, but for that price you can`t go wrong. The only problem you may have with it is if you happen to have a shotgun with a tight chamber and it won`t take the brass on the cases enough. You can by a tool to fix that problem, if you need it. When I was shooting trap I loaded 7/8 oz. loads for the 16 yrd. line and 1 oz. for handycap, and that was when I was paying $ 12.50 a bag.

[wild willy]

Couple things that might help most of my shotshell reloading stuff is pretty old so some of this  may not apply check your shot and powder bottles the older ones get brittle as glass with age.When you buy bushings get the size on the chart and the next one or two larger most mec bushing are light. Goods hulls are alot nicer to loads AAs or STS smaller shot is easier to load also. Have some extra washers for under the bottles

[Catfish]

If your going to be loading several different loads I would go Willy one better and get the adjable charge bar.

[dakotashooter2]

The only difference I have noted in the conversion unit for steel shot is what appears to be a slightly larger drop tube and shot bars made to accomodate the lighter weight/higher volume of steel shot.  If one is sticking with small shot the drop tube is probably not an issue and I'm sure with the assistance of a scale one could find a standard (lead) shot bar that would drop the appropriate load of steel shot.

I also agree with the comment on powder bushings. FWIW when checking your powder charge DON"T rely on the first charge you drop. Run the press throught several full cycles simulating a full loading sequence. You dont have to add the components other than the powder, then weight the 3rd and or 4th round to see what you are actually getting. Running through the cycles will cause some settling of the powder which you may not see if you just "dump" some from the press into a pan.

[rifleman]

I loaded up my first shells last weekend and jokingly asked my son to go out and shoot them, LOL. He didn't want to have anything to do with them. I went out to the farm on Sunday nite and blasted a few holes in the sky. Worked perfectly!

I loaded up 3 boxes tonight,getting ahead of the game for this years pheasant season. What a hoot - had those loaded up in no time. I added a primer feeder and got that all tuned up and working well.

More Later
Dave

[Sweetwater]

Sounds like you are on your way! Good Luck!
Some years ago when I was a young man in Maine, I got a retriever for Father's Day, a Browning Auto5 Light Twelve for my birthday (October) and a MEC600jr for Christmas! That was a GREAT YEAR! The next fall, I was at my Uncle's house at the mouth of the Jordan River in Frenchman's Bay. He was helping me with the retriever and watching me shoot. I was having troubles with crossing patterns. He later asked if I had any shot in those shells, as not many ducks were falling. I had loaded the shells so quickly, that there was a disparity in the shot volume and the crimp tightness. The net result being low pressure, low velocity, and very poor shot string. I loaded the next batch a tad slower and found they worked better. Light loads didn't seem to have this malady. Several years later, I lost the dog in divorce court, sold the shotgun to pay the rent for three months, and swapped the MEC600jr for some powder, primers, and bullets. I do miss that dog!

Regards,
Sweetwater

[Val]

I have an adjustable charge bar and I quit using it. It's so much easier to me, to have a charge bar for each of my loads with the correct powder cup installed. I just chane out the bar.

[rifleman]

My initial plans are to stick with regular charge bars and the powder bushings. I generally plan on starting with lighter loads, and if the charge gets a tad heavier(checking weights as needed), I'll still be well within limits. I'll be evaluating the whole process as I go along, though.

Dave

PS

Sweetwater,
When loading up the 3 boxes, I did have a few problems with the shot charge hanging up a bit. I got used to slowly raising up the handle just a bit after dropping the shot to ensure that the shot was up to the top of the wad cup.

[Graybeard]

Bridging of shot (the proper term for the situation you describe) is usually not a problem in MEC presses for the larger gauges but sure enough is for the little .410 and can be with the 28 gauge. I'm not sure I recall it ever happening with the 20 or 12 but then I use mostly shot sizes 7-1/2, 8 and 9. I'm sure with shot sizes of 4 and larger it could happen in the 12 and 20.

One thing I found really helps and at least allows you to know it happened is to raise the operating handle slightly so the drop tube is near but NOT ABOVE the top of case. That way you can hear if the shot drops into the shot cup or not and it also seems to help to prevent bridging as well. With the little .410 even with #9 shot if I fail to do this I'm gonna get bridging sooner or later. Doing it this way I usually get fewer than one episode of bridging per 100 rounds and often can go 300-400 without it.

Releasing the operating handle and letting it kinda smack hard on the upsstoke for those last few inches seems to shake things up and keep the shot and powder both flowing more smoothly as well. I also tend to give the bar a good solid smack when moving both ways and that too seems to help the smooth operation of the MEC presses.

[Sweetwater]

GB - For sure, bridging is what it was doing, and I was loading mainly #4's in the 12guage. I did get to smacking that slide bar pretty good and slowing the pace just a smidgeon appeared to help, also. I was a lot younger then and everything had to be at Warp 9!

Rifleman - Thanks for the info.

Regards,
Sweetwater