Question about loading shotshells

[sureshot]

I recently purchased a Mec 600 jr for reloading 12 gauge shells and went and bought a lyman 5th edition load book.
The Mec only came with a #28 bushing which my charts show will only give a charge of 25.5 gr of blue dot. SO I went and ordered a number #34 because my reloading recipe calls for 20.5 grains of red dot and my chart says it will provide 20.6 is the extra .1 gr going to matter?
I also bought a #36 for a buckshot load recepie the recipie calls for 33.0 gr and the #36 bushing gives 33.8 gr according to my charts is that too much of a variation? Should I order the #35 that gives 32.7 according to my charts?

 

[blarby]

.1, no

.8...probably no, but you can never be too safe. 32.7 grains of red dot is suitably stout if that is sufficient for you.

 

[cfullgraf]

You should weigh your charges.

The chart is only a guide. With my four Mec 600 Jr's, I am always using a bushing different, larger and smaller, from what the chart shows.

You would probably want to get a range a bushings around the charge weights you are planning to use.

 

[Sediment]

Word of warning my MEC Jr bushings tend to weigh high for the powder charge the chart says it should throw. Make sure you have a reliable way to weight the charges before loading them.

 

[NCsmitty]

It's been my experience that Mec bushings throw light, but you really need to scale check each bushing.

It's a good practice to purchase bushings that bracket each side of the target bushing so that you can customize your load.

Check ebay or Gunbroker for used/new bushings so you have more options for powders and weights.


NCsmitty

 

[EMC45]

I have some MEC bushings and they throw heavy when using Green Dot. Not sure about the other "Dots".

 

[243winxb]

Mec Powder Bushings

Light & Heavy charge from same bushing. The amount of vibration/shaking of the press between powder drops makes a difference. On a 600jr, the power charge will be on the heavy side of what the chart lists. I would go with the next smaller bushing. On a JR the lever is pulled 4 times between powder drops. On a progressive, powder is dropped on each pull of the lever ,no settling of the powder from vibration or shaking. Buy a scale.

 

[oneounceload]

To help get decent powder drops, buy yourself the red plastic powder baffle (NOT the zinc metal one). Develop a standard way that you move the bar back and forth. Keep your powder bottle half to three fourths full.

If you find your charges light (and you DO need to weigh them now and again) you can either: drill out space from the BOTTOM of the bushing, going very slowly and gently, or....
buy a larger bushing and using metallic tape, line the inside until your charge weight is attained, or.....

get the Universal Charge bar, forget the bushings and dial it the EXACT load you want

 

[gamestalker]

I always guage my bushings with multiple scale thrown charges. Powders vary in density from one lot to the next.
My favorite trap load is 1 1/8 oz shot with a #36 powder bushing of Red Dot loaded into an STS or AA hull. I don't get too picky about the wads, as long as they are rated for the load and produce a good fit. I use what ever is on sale. I've been using that recipe for 30 years or so from an 870 Wingmaster and an 1100 with great pattern and velocity results!
If you plan on doing a good bit of shotshell loading, I would recomend searching out a good source for reclaimed shot or you'll be paying through the nose for new. Back in the 1980s I bought a little shot making thingy that actually worked pretty well. I sold it because it seemed cumbersome at the time. Sure wish I had it now with shot being so expensive, especially since I have a souce for free lead wheel weights.

 

[sureshot]

I don't think that MEC makes a universal bar that fits the 600 jr reloader
They have one for the 650.
I want to try a few different loads. I've found a few for federal hulls because I have ample amounts of them and they are simple.

 

[Uniquedot]

I don't think that MEC makes a universal bar that fits the 600 jr reloader

Mec doesn't make them, Multi scale does and the bar that fits the sizemaster also fits the jr.

 

[cfullgraf]

I don't think that MEC makes a universal bar that fits the 600 jr reloader

I use a Universal Charge bar on my .410 MEC 600 jr but have not liked them on the 12, 20, and 28 gauge 600 jrs. But that is my preference.

The Universal Charge bar lets you dial in your load.

 

[sureshot]

Why do you not like the universal bar for the 12 gauge 600jr reloader?

 

[cfullgraf]

Why do you not like the universal bar for the 12 gauge 600jr reloader?

To be honest, i don't really remember the exact reasons. Probably the way the charge bar moves when loading. It has been a long time, like 20 years, since I set up my loaders. I load only skeet loads on them.

The standard charge bars and bushings work fine for me with 12, 20 and 28 gauges but I would certainly use a Universal Charge bar if I could not get the charges work to my liking. I have one on hand just in case.

I use the Universal Charge bar on .410 because i could not duplicate the powder charge with the bushings and the shot load was too heavy with the 1/2 oz charge bar.

 

[TonyT]

I have virtually every bushing that MEC makes. The powder weights in the charts are approximate and are very dependent on the operator of the press. I would weigh the powder drop i several cases before deciding on the appropriate bushing. In my limited expereince ususally the actual powder charge is slightly lower than stated in the manuals but with some powders it's dead on the manual data.

 

[oneounceload]

I have the UCB on 3 MEC Jr.s - 12, 20 and until recently 28 - I got perfect drop every time using the red PC powder baffle - loads come out great. The UCB lets you try a variety of different recipes without buying a lot of bushings you may or may not need or want to keep.

As mentioned, powder can vary lot to lot in density, it can vary in density with changes in humidity - the UCB takes powder drop variation out of the equation. Since shot can be soft lead, light antimony, or "magnum" with a lot of antimony, the shot drop can also be off from that what bushing says. Again, the UCB lets you dial in exactly what drop you want

 

[rugerman]

Try throwing several charges with a bushing (run thru the whole reloading sequence to settle the powder the same way each time) if the load is a bit high remove the bushing wipe it out with alcohol and use a hot glue gun to blue a piece of a wooden match stick inside the bushing then repeat the weight as before if still too high add another match stick, if to low remove a bit and try again. Not the best solution but it will work in a pinch.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I am running a universal charge bar on my Mec 600 and like it a lot. My watching of the threads though is it is a love/hate relationship. If your technique works with it, great. If not it is not liked at all.