From: andrzej.taramina@rose.com (andrzej taramina)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: nfo on MEC prog shots
Date: 29 Jul 92 11:52:25 GMT
Organization: Rose Media Inc, Toronto, Ontario.


Date Entered: 07-29-92 01:26

T(>    Could someone send info/comments on MEC's progressive shotshell reloaders?

Sure thing...I've been using a Grabber for may years now and like it
a lot.

T(>Info such as bushing availability, gun powder feed machanism and general

Bushings are easily found at the dealer you buy the press from and
come in a very wide range of sizes.  Make sure you get a copy of the
bushing/powder sheet (I can't remember if this comes with the press...
if not, send me your address and I'll forward a copy if you can't find
one closer to home)....this lets you pick a bushing for a particular
powder that will at least get close to the amount of powder you wish
to throw.....but always use a scale to check the actual amount....
the tables are not gospel.  The powder and shot feed mechanisms use a
common slide bar that you slip the powder bushing into.  The new bars
have a rubber insert to prevent jamming or deformation of large shot
sizes between the bar and the casing.....there are no bushings for the
shot...so if you want to throw different shot amounts you have to get
different bars.  You can get a universal charge bar that is adjustable..
but I have no experience with them and have heard that they may not
be quite as reliable and smooth as the fixed ones.

T(>performance aspects would be appreciated. Would MEC 650 be a good buy or should

THe Grabber I have works well.....I can bang out 10 boxes of trap shells
in an hour or so....plenty fast enough for me.  One thing you have to
watch with progressive shotshell presses is that if you screw up they
make a hell of a mess......take a while to clean up all the spilled
powder and shot (I speak from experience)...go slow till you are quite
familiar with the rig.

T(>one consider the MEC Grabber? As a newcomer to reloading, could someone explain
T(>how brass resizing functions?

I looked at all the MEC presses and figured that time was worth something
and thus went for the full Grabber progressive....the 650 had more
manual operations if I recall (but that was a while back and I don't
really remember the differences).  MEC has a new model above the
Grabber now...that I would seriously consider as it automatically
indexes the shell plate (ie. you don't have to manually shunt the
shells over one position with your hand)...and it automatically ejects
each finished shell...this would definitely speed the reloading process...
a factor if you plan to reload a lot to shoot trap or skeet....after
a year or two, you won't remember the extra $50 you paid....but you
will remember if you think you're going slower than you'ld like!

Brass resizing basically is done because when you fire a shell (shot,
pistol or rifle are the same in principle here), the brass casing
expands slightly due to the internal pressure generated.  To ensure
that the reloaded round will fit easily back into the guns chamber,
you need to squish down the brass back to it's original, unexpanded
size.  This is typically done at station 1 in most presses where the
brass is squished up inside a die that will squeeze it back into the
proper dimensions.....usually at the same time decapping (poppin out)
the spent primer as well.  The better shotshell presses also do
another "resizing" operation at the end as well....where the final
loaded shell is stuffed into another sizing die that imparts a slight
overall taper to the shell....this is to ensure reliable loading in
a semi-automatic shotgun, which might be prone to more jamming if the
shells are not tapered.

T(>[MODERATOR:  While you experts are at it, I wonder if you might also
T(>suggest good manuals to describe shotshell reloading in general, such
T(>as are available for cartridge handloading (e.g., the NRA manual is
T(>a great resource for learning the basics.)]

First a big Caveat:  Shotshells are EXTREMELY sensitive to the
individual components used....you CANNOT mix and match different
hulls, wads, primers or powders at all!  Even a minor change to a load
(ie. using a different wad) can produce unsafe pressures. Hence a good
reloading "recipe book"/manual is a serious requirement....I use the
Lyman Shotshell Handbook....and found it quite useful.  The beginning
of this "recipe book" has a good selection of articles to acquaint
the beginner to shotshell reloading.....and what it takes using both
single stage and progressive presses.  Another book that I have and
use is Reloading For Shotgunners by DBI books.....not as many loads
listed....but I have found a few good ones (ie. 1.5 oz magnum hunting
loads that work well in my scatterguns).

One good recommendation for beginners is to choose a hull type and
then stick to that one type.....keeps you from getting mixed up and
cross-using your components.....I elected to use Winchester AA hulls
since they seem to be the most common and easiest to obtain...yet come
in low brass (which I use for trap) and high brass (I use 'em for
hunting loads), though both versions are ballistically identical.

Hope this is helpful.....and other q's....just holler!

#From the 'broidery 'droid........Andrzej
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[MODERATOR:  Nice response, thanks for the info!]