[Dave McCracken]

It's been two years since I started using the 870 TB at trap, and not quite as long by a month or two of using the MEC 600JR to load for it. Some notes on each....

As near as I can figure, I've done over 8000 rounds at trap in that time, plus a few hundred rounds used for other stuff, including birds and SC/5 stand.That's not heavy use, more like intermediate.

I've come to the conclusion that the MEC is much more used than the seller told me. The literature that came with it is yellowed and old, and has no "Mark" noted.

Be that as it may, it's functioned perfectly through all those rounds, does not appear any more worn than when I bought it, and has required only a minor adjustment.

The mounting bracket for the bottles did fatigue, $15 and a call to MEC fixed it.$50 for the MEC, plus $15 means per shot cost was about $0.008.

BTW, patched the old part with JB Weld, it works also. Kept as a spare I'll almost certainly never need.

I've bought extra charge bars and bushings and am now set up for loads running from 3/4 to 1 1/4 oz, and velocities from 11-1300 FPS.

Per box cost of trap reloads runs about $2.80, and would be less if I bought in larger quantities or used cheaper components.

As for the TB, it's a typical 870 reliability and durability wise. No glitches, perfect performance.
There is some wear showing on the mag tube, but otherwise it's holding up well.And it was at least 20 years old before I acquired it.

$375 for the TB, money well spent and cost per shot runs $0.046, so far. Both of those costs will drop as time goes by.

Both of these will last longer than I will. Good tools are like that.

As CR Sam said, a MEC loader and an 870 are mechanical versions of immortality....

[Poodleshooter]

It's good to hear that MEC provides good service, even years after the purchase, and with a new owner.
I've been reloading 12ga for about a year now, and have learned quite a bit more about patterning and developing good loads in my Mossberg. The versatility that reloading gives is amazing. If I want 1-1/2oz turkey loads,7/8oz light skeet loads or 1oz spreader loads, I can whip up a box in a half hour or so. Any chilled or magnum shot size, nearly any wad (I keep about 7 types), any hull-It's only limited by my stock of components.
Home cast cheap slugs are handy,too :D

[sm]

"As CR Sam said, a MEC loader and an 870 are mechanical versions of immortality...."
---
Agreed.

Gotta Versamac , predates the 600 IIRC, I have no idea how many rounds through the years. Parts still avail from MEC's excellant customer service, should I need. Only thing I have needed is stuff to convert to other ga, charge bars, bottles for shot powder.

In fact though I could have cranked out loads faster with the 9000's...serious loads and competition loads I used the single stage.

Dave, hush on the gun tip, how the rest of us gonna "buy those old antiquated, guns"...ain't tactical you know...ain't black...they must trade these in and spend the extra money for the newest greatest stuff ;)

[Dave McCracken]

Thanks for the responses, guys.

I should mention that MEC sent the part and billed me,rather than taking plastic or waiting for my check to clear. MEC owners must be an honest bunch.

Poodleshooter, being able to tailor loads to a mission and/or shooter is a gift of immense value.
Besides the 3/4 oz creampuffs for Son's little NEF, I can load up 7/8 oz loads of 8 1/2 shot for 5 stand, oz loads of 7 1/2 shot for handicap trap, same for 8 1/2s and singles, or for quail,dove,etc as needed.

And I've some Unique and 1 1/4 oz wads for pigeon loads or long distance pheasant whackers. Heck, that last with Hevi Shot oughta to the job on woodies and stream Mallards nicely.

73, progressives make ammo faster, but not better. For my standard 100 round a week trap Jones, the JR does fine. I may pick up a progressive eventually.When I do, it'll be a MEC.

BTW, going next week to look at a "Older" WM, with 26" IC barrel. Price's OK for these days.
This may be #6....

[kotengu]

I'm just curious - the price of the equipment seems very low for shotshell reloading, but does the price of compenents follow?

I load for rifle because not only are my loads superior to factory loads, but they cost FAR less than shelling out for the "match" factory loads that would come even close.

Can I beat the price/performance of (practice) shotshells when I can buy them at Wal-Mart for $2.50-$3.00 a box?

[TaxPhd]

Kotengu,

Those cheap shells are really cheap, in more ways than one. Low (or no) antimony in the shot, fibre wad, no shotcup.

For the same amount of money (or less), you can load shells that are the quality of AA's or STS'.

[Mike-SoCal]

Is shell reloading limited to birdshot or can one work with various types of buckshot and slugs? Are there a variety of these components available? Thanks.

[Dave McCracken]

Kotengu, apples to apples comparison leaves the promo loads in the dirt. My reloads are the equal of a premium trap load like Gold Medals, AAs, or STS's in everything but price.

Going to a cheapo wad, Cheddite primer, soft shot, ad nauseam, just like those promo loads would certainly lower the price along with the quality of the pattern. At skeet ranges, it might not make a difference or for familiarization with a new shooter. But, at longer range or harder targets, it sure as heck would.

My guess,the MEC paid for itself inside 2 months. Maybe 1.

Mike, there's liberal loading data for buck and slugs in the Lyman manual. But considering the plethora of good ammo around and the relative low cost/amount used, I just use factory fodder.

Ballistic Products carries lots of components for slug work, and some buck variants.

[sm]

Agree with a better quality shell privides shooter with better quality of results.

As stated, for skeet, one can use the promotional loads. However, if one buys better loads ( read: AA or STS reloadable hulls, target loads), then over time being to able reload a dozen times these hulls, the shooter has gained valuable practice, improved his/her shooting at a lower price with a quality loading.

Since I don't compete anymore I no longer have my progressive reloaders. I kept one single stage, the Versamac.

Since I did "give away" 20-25K hulls alone in the 4 gauges, to one squad member, its no biggie to either pick up a box already loaded, or go use his loaders.

Another has about 25-20 K, of my old hulls, he uses the Ponsess Warren set up, since his kid has learned to use these, I feel its my duty to let the kid reload --I mean since his dad and I sure supplied him with rds for a while ;)

Somehow I've managed to stay on the good side of these guys wives...dropping off that many hulls...about 10 bags of shot, case of wads, kegs of powder...:D

I just don't shoot the 10 -15K rds a year I used to, plus whatever I shot hunting.

Incidently, the only ammo trouble I encounterd when competing was with factory loads during a tourney/shoot-off--Ironic. Using once fired I never did. Mr. Murphy I guess.

Hunting I used my reloads--except for non-toxic, and I had a great Duck load in lead shot--back when.

[HSMITH]

Buckshot can be loaded with the appropriate weight data of birdshot with no trouble. Slugs can too as long as no sabot is used and they are loaded with data for the equivalent weight of shot. If you load sabot slugs you must use sabot data, and it is kinda hard to find. No sabots means data is readily available and ready to play with, part of reloading is the fun of doing different things and seeing what the result is. If you want to use buffers in your buckshot loads you must use data for buffered loads, it is readily available but specific.

Load every recipe you can find and shoot some of them, by the time you get done you have had some fun, gained some experience, know what works and what doesn't, and can extrapolate or interpolate where to start on a new load for a given use. If you need a load for a specific purpose you have tried several in that neighborhood already and know where to begin. You will also gain intuition into what a specific shotgun will do in response to changes in ammo, and can expect those changes on the loading bench rather than hoping and praying when you finally make it to the patern board.

My reloads are every bit the quality of the AA or STS on the shelf for $4.75 a box, and I pay less than $2.50 for each box. The cheapie walmart shells cannot compare to a good target load. You are not going to make a better shell than the factory stuff for a shotgun on clay targets, but you can make them as good for half the money. Cheap shells means you shoot more, shooting more means you hit more.

Shoot 500 patterns this summer with 50 different loads. It will make you a MUCH better shotgunner whether you want to believe it or not. At the very least pattern what you use for targets and what you use for hunting. The results can be shocking.

[Dave McCracken]

Next to getting freebies from the Hull Elf like I do, the cheapest way to get good ammo is to buy a flat or 6 of premium fodder, use up and reload the hulls until the crimps fail, then repeat.

Amen, H. I find the common attitude of just buying whatever's on sale and using without patterning egregious.

As for loading Buck, sure I could. But, I doubt I could come up with stuff that duplicates the best of the factory stuff w/o major dedication and expense. For my modest needs, not worth it.

But, target and dove loads here will all be reloads from this day on. Just makes sense...