Author Topic: Need somone to check my Recipe and MEC charge for trap loads (Read 1355 times)

Big Al 29 · « **on:** April 26, 2005, 11:30:14 AM »

hull = AA's and RXP's
Primer = CCI 209
Shot = #8
Powder = Red Dot
Wad = Claybuster 0118-12 or RXP12

mac 600 Jr. single stage loader. Charge Bar stamp = 12 GA .0

Anyone see a problem with the recipe with the charge bar?? My only concern is with the charge bar stamp. It is not on the MEC website, there is no bushing, etc...

Personally, I think it is fine because I got the loader, shot, powder, wads (everything) from someone I know. When I was cleaning the loader and making inspections for broken pieces there was no bushing for the powder.

I am assuming because it is an older bar, bushings were not used so you told your gunsmith what your recipe was and he directed you to the correct bar.

I loaded a box of shells and everything seems very tight, uniform with nice crimps.

Any help, advice, clarification would be appreciated greatly. :?

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** April 26, 2005, 04:21:19 PM »

Hmm, I sure would like to see a photo of that bar. And for now DO NOT laod up any ammo using it. Not just yet. I've really not looked back at the old historical stuff on MEC presses lately but I honestly do not recall any bars that didn't have bushings for powder.

Can you drop a charge and weight it? If so, do so and let us know the weight of it.

Regardless call MEC and ask them about it.

.45 COLT · « **Reply #2 on:** April 27, 2005, 02:07:52 AM »

That's an OLD charge bar. The "0" bar came with all the MEC presses in the 60's, up to early 70's. It's for a Trap/Skeet load with Red Dot. 1 1/8 oz shot, 1200 FPS. I've got some of the old bars that came with a Super 250, a couple of 600jrs and a 650 that I bought around 1970, and some other non-bushing bars I bought around the same time. If I recollect rightly, they were all powder-specific.

If you contact MEC, they'll tell you not to use it. (At least, that's what they told me when I asked about a 8G bar that I lost information on). New-style bars will fit your machine. I still use the ones I have, but wouldn't advise anybody else to. Or not to. I think they are fine and safe for me.

dave375hh · « **Reply #3 on:** April 27, 2005, 04:14:32 AM »

Big Al 29,
Did you weigh the powder charge? If you don't have a powder scale buy one. The Lee balance beam scales are dirt cheap, and they work just fine. Doing any reloading without a scale is foolish economy at best. You can then compare your charges to a reloading manual to verify it. Several powder mfg. put out free manuals you can get at most gunshops, or order over the net.

TCBrian · « **Reply #4 on:** September 14, 2005, 12:51:52 PM »

I agree, weigh the charge, it is the only way to know. None of my bushings throw exactly what they are supposed to. The are all under what they are rated, which is good for safety and trap loads, but bad when you are trying to get full power loads or exactly duplicate a load for for consistency.

I load very hot target loads for shooting clay birds at long distances at our club shoots. At 60 yrds consistent and full power charges are important. It is amazing the variance I get when I weight each of several charges. Some right on what the bushing is supposed to throw and some up to 2.5 grains lighter.

Brian

Savage · « **Reply #5 on:** September 14, 2005, 03:29:23 PM »

Don't take this as gospel, but if memory serves me correctly, the O charge bar throws 19.5grs of Red Dot and 1 1/8ozs of shot. As others have suggested weigh a powder charge and be sure. I've still got my old Mec and some of the old charge bars, along with a micrometer adjustable bar. Haven't used them for a while due to the low cost of shotgun ammo and the fact that I have not shot skeet in a while.
Savage