Shotshell Reloading Press Options

[Abe]

I'm interested in reloading for shotgun, both 12 and 20 gauge. I've been looking at a MEC Sizemaster. I'd like to stay in the under $200 range. I have a Dillon 550B for pistol and rifle. It's a great machine and as much as I like it I wasn't looking to spend the money that they want for an SL 900.

I don't see choices from Lee and RCBS. Hornady's 366 Auto is over $500.

Any comments on MEC? Any other choices I should consider?

Volume would be approx. 100-200 rounds each per month. Reloads used 100% for trap.

Thanks,

Abe

 

[Mike Irwin]

Lee has low-end presses call the Load-All.

They're about $45 a piece, and quite frankly, for the amount of shooting you're going to be doing, are probably PERFECT.

I also consider them to be an AMAZINGLY good value.

The Lees (GODDAMN MY OFFICE'S NANNY FILTER!) can be found on their website under presses, I believe.

The Load-All comes with a fully range of shot and powder bushings, enough to give you virtually any load you could ever want.

I've been loading 12-gauge on a Lee Load-All for about 25 years, and have turned out many thousand rounds of perfectly good 12-gauge ammo with it.

Unfortunately they don't make one for 28-gauge.

 

[Abe]

Thanks Mike. You're right. It looks great. I don't know how I missed it when I was looking at the Lee site. (http://www.leeprecision.com/catalog/browse.cgi?1057169324.699=loadall.html)

- Abe


Ps - Great signature line...

 

[JackM]

The Sizemaster is a far better press than the Lee, and I'm speaking from experience with both. The Lee is not happy with the thick walled target cases. It has a one piece final crimp die and it either works or doesn't work on a given brand of case. MEC's outer final crimp die and it's center punch are independently adjustable and can handle just about anything. The biggest hassle with the Sizemaster is changing dies. It's a half hour job, as adjusting the resizing collet is set it and try, and try again. Load up everything in sight before you change gauges.

You won't regret spending the extra bucks on the Sizemaster.

Bye
Jack

 

[Jim Watson]

What gun?
I loaded a lot of trap loads on a MEC 600 Jr which does not resize. But they were going back in the same gun to be shot one at a time. If you require reliable auto operation or have more than one gun of the gauge you would be better off with the Sizemaster.

Changing dies on a MEC is a pain. Most skeet shooters I know have one for each gauge rather than convert.

How about a MEC for the gauge you shoot most and a Lee for the one that gets less use? Or just stock up when there is a sale on your low volume gauge.

 

[Smoke]

I vote for the MEC.

I bought a Texan. It came with both 12 and 20 gauge dies. I hated swapping them out so I bought a MEC in 20.

I prefer the MEC.

Check Ebay. Theres tons of reloading presses out there. Especially MEC.

 

[Mike Irwin]

Jack,

I've had zero problems with my Lee in reloading a wide variety of target hulls from Winchester, Remington, and Federal over the years.

The vast majority, probably close to 8,000 or more, that I've put out have been with Winchester AA hulls.

I won't deny that the Mecs are more refined, but at less than half the cost of a Mec 600 Jr., it's an option that really should be investigated.

The only reason I'm going to get a Mec to reload 28 gauge is because Lee doesn't make a Load-All in 28.

 

[45auto]

Mec makes great machines so I don't think you could go wrong.

Single stage press for your volume is enough.
Either the 600 Jr or Sizemaster if you need to resize. I don't know the price difference between the two, but you can always buy a seperate resizer from Mec if you choose the 600 Jr.
As mentioned, you only need to resize once if you use the same gun.

They are so durable I wouldn't hesitate to buy used if all the parts are on them.

 

[Abe]

Thanks for all the replies. I did a bunch more research today including a trip to Gander Mountain and a call to MEC. It sounds like a Sizemaster is what I want. Only downside is that it costs $89 list (so a bit less at Gander Mountain) for a die set to change guages. The whole press in 12 or 20 sells for $150 at Gander Mountain. The guy at MEC said that most people simply buy another press when they consider the cost of a die set and the time to do the change over.

The primary reason I wanted this press was to build light 20ga loads for my son to shoot in his Remington 870. He likes Remington Premier STS Low Recoil shells the best. At the rate he shoots multiplied by $6-7/box, a press will be paid for rather quickly. He can shoot full loads but they wear him out sooner than the LR's. (Maybe that's a good regulator! )

I'm going to watch ebay for a bit. Maybe get one for now and get another for the other gauge later if I find a cheap one on ebay.

FWIW, I found a review of a Lee Load All II here: http://www.geocities.com/leereloading/leeloadall.htm.

Thanks,

Abe

 

[David Wile]

Hey folks,

It was stated twice in this thread that the MEC 600 Jr. does not resize the empty shell and that one needed to get a Sizemaster if one wanted to resize. That is simply incorrect information. In addition to my Hornady 366 progressives, I still have a MEC Sizemaster and a MEC Jr. press, and I can assure you that both presses size the empty shell at the first station which also removes the spent primer. The Jr. uses a fairly standard collar ring die to size the case, while the Sizemaster uses a fingered collar to do the same thing.

The Sizemaster is a bigger, beefier press than the Jr., and looks like it should last longer than a Jr press. However, I know a lot of folks who have used Jr. presses for twenty years, and they are still not worn out. The Sizemaster comes with an Auto-Primer feed standard. The same Auto-Primer feed can be added to the Jr. press for about $25. I like the Auto-Primer feature and used it on all my Jr. presses when I had three of them.

While I prefer my 366 progressives, nobody should ever be hesitant about the quality of any of the MEC presses, including the Junior. They are fairly inexpensive and will last long after the original owner has taken his dirt nap.

I just wish my grandchildren will develop an interest in the shooting sports so I can pass my equipment on to them.

Once again, do not let anyone tell you that the Junior does not size the case. They do, and they do it well.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

 

[45auto]

David Wile is correct.

It's been so long that I owned a 600 Jr, I forgot it does resize, just not with a collet resizer. My memory is becoming selective as I become older.
I confused the 600 Jr with the 650.

I do not recall having any problems with hulls when I used a 600 and an autoloader.

Go for the 600 Jr and save some money.

 

[Jim Watson]

Me, too. The 600 Jr Mk V does indeed resize and with less effort on the handle than the collet jobs. A friend bought a Grabber progressive and you could just about chin yourself on the handle.
I have been loading for about 25 years on a 650 that does not size and the particulars of that original 600 had faded out on me.
Get a MEC 600 Jr Mk V.
Mike is lucky, you might not get a working Lee.

 

[BARRY]

About 17 years ago, I bought a Sizemaster and loaded 7,000 shells with it. Then it sat in my garage for the rest of the time (12 years) and I cleaned it up last month and I am going at it again. I called MEC and was inquiring about a progressive press of theirs. He told frankly that the Sizemaster is probably the best press they ever made, all things considered. I'll keep what I have and won't look back.

 

[sm]

Partial to Mec myself.
Still using the Versamec 700, this is b/t the 600 Jr and Sizemaster. Uses the "reconditioning" die to de-prime/resize (top of hull all the way down to base). Sizemaster uses the collet fingers. I have no idea how many 12s I've loaded. In '86 I bought dies to do 20s. Been back doing 12s for 10 yrs at least.

Gunsmith has one that predates the 600 Jr. Out of curiosity when he ordered primer trays for a customer's 9000 he inquired--yep parts and dies still available for these two old work horses. I know many whom have found and old Mec in a garage sale or flea market-cheap, like $25. Cleaned up and put to use.