WTB - MEC Pre-82 600 Jr 16 Gage Dies

[Jkrem]

I came across what I believe is a pre 1982 MEC 600 jr reloading press that is complete and set up to reload 12 gage. Never loaded shot shells, but for $25 I just couldn’t pass this up. However, I have more 12 gage shells around than I will shoot anytime soon. I would like to load some light 16 gage loads to shoot in a 16 gage SxS, so does anyone have a set of all the parts to change this over to 16 gage they would part with? I could also use some data. The bar is marked 12 ga O-H, if someone could enlighten me on that also.

[MOA]

JK, your story sounds very familiar, friend who's family ran a small store where I lived was getting rid of a demo. 12 ga 600 Jr, of course it was missing a few parts, but for 25 bucks how could I go wrong. Anyways, I bought it and got with a friend and we got all the missing parts, this was in 1981, I ordered a 16 ga die set from MEC and a year or two later I ordered a 10 ga set of dies too. Now, you are going to have a hard time getting your hands on dies for 16 ga without going straight to MEC unless you are not in a hurry. Also, it is just IMHO the best dies are the old all metal ones, I have four MEC's and only one has the plastic crimp starter and final crimp dies and I myself do not like how they work, I have been looking for a set of the old dies in twenty gauge for months on ebay, and that is where you are most likely to find your dies also. It also may just turn out that a used 600 Jr will come up all set up in 16 already. I learned after a few years that it is a real PITA changing dies back and forth since you will have to readjust the press every time you change dies, hence the reason I know have four presses, I ordered two presses from MEC without any dies so I could put my die sets into the press and not be readjusting the press all the time, so happy I did. Good luck on your search.

[jimb16]

One of the reloading outfits carries those sets. I don't remember whether it is BPI or Natches. I bought a 600 jr several years ago and bought the conversion set. Mine was an early press. Whichever of the two has them, they list them in their catalog and on-line catalog. They aren't cheap, but they are readily available and you can get them pretty fast.

[Jkrem]

Close please. Thanks for the PMs to get me started.