I picked up everything pictured for $100 not sure if I got a fair deal or not but I figured I would take a chance. Can anyone tell if this is a complete set up? Anything I should look out for on this particular press due to its age? I will certainly spend time going through the materials that came with the press but just wanted to hear what people have to say. Are the reloading manuals included out of date? Any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you!
Vintage MEC 600 JR?
- Thread starter Sb1911
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JimKirk
Member
The 502 bars do not work with that press ....the 302 bars do...
Looks like you have most everything you need ....except primers , wads and powder ....
The books are good as long as you have all the ingredients to make the recipes ....
Do not substitute parts of a recipe unless it is a pressure tested sub.
Plenty of current data on Hodgdon reloading web site ....Alliant has a bunch too ...online ....
You going to need a good scale to verify bushings and the adjustable bar drops also
Looks like you have most everything you need ....except primers , wads and powder ....
The books are good as long as you have all the ingredients to make the recipes ....
Do not substitute parts of a recipe unless it is a pressure tested sub.
Plenty of current data on Hodgdon reloading web site ....Alliant has a bunch too ...online ....
You going to need a good scale to verify bushings and the adjustable bar drops also
Thank you for the information. I have a good RCBS digital scale and a balance beam. I currently reload center fire but I am lost when it come to shotgun.
dredd
Member
MEC still supports the old presses.
Parts and Manuals are readily available.
I started with an old 600 that I picked up cheap.
It makes great shells.
I now have 4 of the silly things.
As Jim mentioned, you cannot deviate from the data on shot shells.
They can't (should not be) be played with like metallics.
There is plenty of load data to match the primers, wads, shells, powder.
You just flow down / follow the charts.
As you have already acknowledged, check the powder drop to the bushings.
Enjoy!
Parts and Manuals are readily available.
I started with an old 600 that I picked up cheap.
It makes great shells.
I now have 4 of the silly things.
As Jim mentioned, you cannot deviate from the data on shot shells.
They can't (should not be) be played with like metallics.
There is plenty of load data to match the primers, wads, shells, powder.
You just flow down / follow the charts.
As you have already acknowledged, check the powder drop to the bushings.
Enjoy!
243winxb
Member
Winchester hulls have changed the most over many years. . The powder charge and wads are different. Good purchase for $100.
Barbaroja
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I have 3of the old mec 600’s and 1 of the newer Mark V’s but I like the older ones. Looks like you have the newer version by the look of the dies but hard to tell. Good purchase, I get a lot of satisfaction from loading my hunting ammo for my shotguns
Blue68f100
Member
Good find. The bushing use to sell for around $6-12 ea depending on when purchased. The adj charge bar I don't believe is made any more. I have 2 Mec 600 Jr, see if you have the brass spring washer for the powder. This will be needed if your using a ball powder.
BigBlue 94
Member
You done good grasshopper.
I have seven MEC 6xx series loaders in 3 or 4 gauges. Couple are brand new sealed in box still.
Familiarize yourself with the little parts. They often times get separated and sold as junk at garage sales for pennies.
I have seven MEC 6xx series loaders in 3 or 4 gauges. Couple are brand new sealed in box still.
Familiarize yourself with the little parts. They often times get separated and sold as junk at garage sales for pennies.
jaguarxk120
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Right now the shell of choice is the Remington, STS, or any of the Gun Club's.
Do a little dumpster diving and you will have enough to last till the end or your days shooting.
Do a little dumpster diving and you will have enough to last till the end or your days shooting.
BigBlue 94
Member
Haven't loaded shotshells in 15 years probably and that's what it was back then too. Remington Premier STS were my favorite. The plastic was very elastic and crimped beautifully time after time. I dont like skived shells
Dudedog
Contributing Member
Guess I haven't loaded shotgun in a while, I used to like Federal Paper
Looks like a good deal on the equipment.
EMC45
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I like paper shells too. Shot some today as a matter of fact.Guess I haven't loaded shotgun in a while, I used to like Federal Paper
Looks like a good deal on the equipment.
entropy
Member
That's not a very vintage 600 Jr., it has the plastic parts where older ones have metal. 1985 or newer there. Yes, you got a good deal.
There are two different types of Winchester hulls, AA CF (compression formed) and AA HS (high strength) CF were made until 2000, HS after that. The HS hulls have a separate cup in the base, this reduces powder capacity a little, something to be aware of when loading bulky powders.
I load Remington STS and Nitro hulls, as well as both types of Win AA, and a few old Remington Blue Magics and Premieres. (load the same as STS or AACF.)
There are two different types of Winchester hulls, AA CF (compression formed) and AA HS (high strength) CF were made until 2000, HS after that. The HS hulls have a separate cup in the base, this reduces powder capacity a little, something to be aware of when loading bulky powders.
I load Remington STS and Nitro hulls, as well as both types of Win AA, and a few old Remington Blue Magics and Premieres. (load the same as STS or AACF.)
JJFitch
Member
I sold a couple of those a few years ago for $150 each.
I can't tell for sure from the photos but I think there are parts missing from the primer feed system.
Smiles,
I can't tell for sure from the photos but I think there are parts missing from the primer feed system.
Smiles,
NMexJim
Member
SB1911, if you're just getting started w/ shotshells, the 5th edition of Lyman's Shotshell Reloading Manual could be helpful. They have a section by the MEC staff on the 600 that might be worth your while. MEC has all manuals available online. Too, The reloading forums on Shotgun World (Shotgunworld.com • Index page) can be a lot of help if you're having problems with it mechanically.
I don't have experience with the adjustable drop bar as I've stuck with the bushings for all of mine - I switch loads around quite a bit. I noticed you have quite a few which are worth about $5 apiece fyi. You can download a MEC bushing chart for free which will give you a starting point for most powders. Hodgdon has one for MEC bushings.
I've kept careful notes over the years on specific powder quantities and the bushings used which helps eliminate a lot of the fiddling around to get an accurate load. These days, a quick look at notes, drop in a bushing, and start loading is about all that's needed. Gotta have a scale though.
The 600 index system can come in handy when loading buckshot too by being able to jump stations easily.
Looks like a really good deal to me.
IMAhobbyist
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Replace my bottles every few years just cause enough powder and shot gets spilled around here without brittle plastic splitting open and dumping the contents at an inopportune time. May want to think about that with the unknown age of your bottles.
NMexJim
Member
By the way, I've torn down a couple of MECs including a 9000. Pretty simple really. Hopefully, yours takes right off, but take a lot of pictures as you go if you need to tear down.
entropy
Member
The 502 118 bar on the top of the pile of bars is for a different type of MEC loader; it is not compatible with the 600jr. Trading material, right there. The other bars below it are for the 600jr., and are 1 1/8 oz., 1 1/4 oz., and 1 oz. going down the pile. So; heavy Trap load & light field load, field load, and light Trap/Skeet load. Get an EZ-Pak from MEC if one didn't come with the kit; makes reboxing a breeze. Two of your bottles are the thick polyethylene, the one for shot on the machine, and the one closest to the machine on the table. Those will not break easily like the thin ones will, but are opaque, and harder to see through. Use the others as powder bottles only; as IMAHobbyist says, they get brittle with age. I also do not suggest the newer tall shot bottles for the same reason. This guy here https://dramworx.com/ make Pyrex glass shot and powder bottles for the MEC 600 (and many other brands of reloaders, both shotshell and metallic) that are the best solution. They stay see- through, don't bend and crack, and are static-free, eliminating the need for drop tubes in certain climates. (Dry, low-humidity basements in the winter for example.) For what you saved on the press and extras, might be a splurge worth considering.
lordpaxman
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I started on a 600jr and didn’t have the luxury of the primer feeder that’s there! Even though it’s a single stage it’ll work just fine. I have the adjustable charge bar as well, it works just fine. Make sure there’s a wad guide, small plastic part with fingers for guiding the wad into the case. Life is poor without one. And, pop the primer seater, take it apart and make sure there’s no errant shot laying at the bottom of the ram. Always check that when you spill shot. Good luck.
Just a couple comments and mostly personal preferences.
The auto primer feed can be nice on the MEC 600jr but they also get to be a bit of a pain sometimes. In recent times, I've abandoned using them and just set the primer in place for seating by hand. Seems to be about as quick.
The adjustable charge bar is nice to have when you cannot get the right, or near right, ;owder charge from the bushings but I found the press operates a bit moire smoothly with the MEC bushing charge bars. I have four 600jr presses, one for each gauge. My .410 MEC 600jr was the only 600jr that I have that I regularly used the adjustable charge bar as I could not get the correct powder charge I needed from the bushings. I do have a second adjustable charge bar on hand for the other three presses just in case.
I pretty much chose one brand of hull to reload. Sometimes, different brands of hulls require small tweaks to the press to get them to crimp correctly. If you are loading only a small number of hulls, it gets to be an aggravation.
Similarly, the MEC 600jr can be changed from one gauge to another with the appropriate parts kit but you will only do it once. It is not a quick change process. MEC 600jr's are inexpensive that if you want to load another gauge, just get another 600jr.
The auto primer feed can be nice on the MEC 600jr but they also get to be a bit of a pain sometimes. In recent times, I've abandoned using them and just set the primer in place for seating by hand. Seems to be about as quick.
The adjustable charge bar is nice to have when you cannot get the right, or near right, ;owder charge from the bushings but I found the press operates a bit moire smoothly with the MEC bushing charge bars. I have four 600jr presses, one for each gauge. My .410 MEC 600jr was the only 600jr that I have that I regularly used the adjustable charge bar as I could not get the correct powder charge I needed from the bushings. I do have a second adjustable charge bar on hand for the other three presses just in case.
I pretty much chose one brand of hull to reload. Sometimes, different brands of hulls require small tweaks to the press to get them to crimp correctly. If you are loading only a small number of hulls, it gets to be an aggravation.
Similarly, the MEC 600jr can be changed from one gauge to another with the appropriate parts kit but you will only do it once. It is not a quick change process. MEC 600jr's are inexpensive that if you want to load another gauge, just get another 600jr.
NMexJim
Member
In the past when I couldn't get the bushing I wanted locally, I just got two of a smaller id'd bushing and drilled them out how I needed. Worked pretty good. I still keep a couple of smaller bushings around just in case.
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