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Thread: MEC 600 question - time sensitive

  1. #21
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
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    Feb 2017
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    Quote Originally Posted by RogerDat View Post
    If it needs ammo I like to be able to make my own. Sort of a guiding principle. In some cases my custom load is better than store bought, or cheaper. Don't expect that to be true for shotgun, just provides an option. Going to focus on high price loads. Slug, or buckshot, probably some lighter loads for the smaller members of the tribe. I did pick up a few bags and containers of shot as scrap lead that I saved for when I had time to pursue loading for shotgun. Worth more as shot than as lead that is for sure. Trying round ball for 20 gauge and a Lyman mold for 12 gauge. Have a 6 cavity in .31 (fat #1 buck) May pick up a key drive Lee or one of their annoying shot molds.

    I do have a batch of used hulls purchased used from member here to get me started. I had noticed that a BPI order could grow rather rapidly as one started ordering a list of components for a specific load. Enough so a bulk box from Walmart would probably be cheaper, at least for one loading. Provided corporate or political changes don't remove that source. Or another bout of panic buying doesn't strip the shelves.

    I did get a MEC for 20 gauge that just needs a few parts and a Pacific for 12 gauge that is complete and came with some bushings. Member did me a solid favor on the price and dropping it by my work when he was out on vacation. No shipping really helped with the price. Lee Loader will reload an already formed crimp decently. A new paper hull is fine, a new plastic hull is an adventure in frustration. I figure It would do fine to reload a few used hulls to try a new powder or load stack or even a box when sitting around camp but the press will allow me to crank out a couple of boxes of different loads to put on the shelf to have on hand for next time I want a box.

    And I came up with one of the hardest things to acquire, bench space!!!!!

  2. #22
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    RogerDat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Smoke4320 View Post
    I loaded several thousand rds on the original lee load all in 12 ga .. trick was finding right components for a good crimp.
    once found you just stick with the same components and load away..
    my favorite hull was the old Blue Peters ..
    Now I have 2 9000H hydraulics, a 8567 grabber and a 600 slugs/buckshot in 410
    some days I wish I had the lee back.. it just worked
    My Lee Loaders are not going anyplace. On once fired hulls with an established crimp it does the job well. New hulls were a problem, on new I couldn't get the crimp pleats to fold over snug and level. At least not with round ball.

    Took some looking to find a decently priced complete Deluxe Lee Loader in 12 gauge, with the crimp starters and wad guide. Then in 20 gauge I was lucky again (eventually) to find a basic kit and a member tipped me off to a source for the crimp starters and wad guide. Wad guide doesn't really matter as much but the crimp starters are really useful. The kits are often on eBay but they often cost more than a decent used MEC 600 Jr. being "antique" and "rare" every so often one will be available at a reasonable price. Do wonder how many have to be for sale at one time before "rare" gets dropped from advertising?

    Yep 15meter you get bench space and I get to provide dear wife an answer to the immortal question of "what's that?". I used to explain, now I tell her it is something I'm going to use in the basement so you can have the remote more often Gave up on the "it followed me home" response, never worked anyway. Cleaned and polished the Pacific DL-105 and that is an impressive old press. If I can locate a sizing ring (maybe Hornady or MEC will fit) then it has the ability to size brass bases in depriming station. I would say on features it compares well with the later model MEC 600's I can't wait to get a base made for it so I can clamp it to bench.
    Scrap.... because all the really pithy and emphatic four letter words were taken and we had to describe this source of casting material somehow so we added an "S" to what non casters and wives call what we collect.

    Kind of hard to claim to love America while one is hating half the Americans that disagree with you. One nation indivisible requires work.

    Feedback page http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...light=RogerDat

  3. #23
    Boolit Master



    skeettx's Avatar
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    Jul 2009
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    Amarillo, Texas
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    At our gun club
    http://www.amarillogunclub.org/
    we often give newer shooters with the desire to reload
    a used MEC 600 or VersaMEC
    There are often a few around from shooters moving to progressives.
    So they are LOANED to shooters for one year and if they are
    used well, they are GIFTED after the one year
    Often they bring them back as they have now purchased progressive
    for them selves !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    NRA Benefactor 2004 USAF RET 1971-95

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check