Mec super 250

[RED BEAR]

I have an old mec super 250 that i got off ebay and not sure if its all there . I really just wanted something to give better crimps than my lee. The lee does ok but it doesn't give a taper at the crimp end of shell and they dont always feed properly. When trying to crimp with the mec it will pre crimp them fine but will crush the shell before it does the final crimp. Now if i precrimp on mec crimp on the lee and then give it a little pressure on mec they look perfect. But don't want to have to go back and forth.





Should the starting or final crimp have a spring or something? Or is there something i am missing to keep it from crushing the shell?

[MT Chambers]

There will be an adjustment on the final crimp, however if you used components that are not tested/recommended, the fit will be wrong and you will not get a good crimp. When all components are seated you need more than 1/4" of case mouth to make the crimp.

[RED BEAR]

Yes you can move the final crimp up or down but even all the way up it will crush the case before it crimps. I am using some range picked up shell's to test i dont use powder but do use wad and shot and fill to about 1/2 inch from top tried from there to about 5/16 space left and didn't matter crushed every time before crimping.

[Hogtamer]

the start crimp station has an interchangeable 6/8 star brass insert that goes in points up. the finish crimp does not but height adjustable for good tight crimp. This is on a 600 mec so may not be exactly the same.

[RED BEAR]

Yes i see starting crimp has what looks to be an 8 point galvanized cup and it seems to work fine its the final crimp that i can't get to work properly. Even adjusted all the way up it still crushes the shell quite a bit before it bottoms out or actually crimps them. I see on internet it says to use a certain amount of force and i see markings under the spring but you can't see what they are.

[rking22]

Some of the cheap hills are so thin and soft that they aren’t worth fooling with. Sort out a Rem game load or gun club, they will load fine. Put something in the powder drop, the powder is part of the stack up and supports the hull during crimping. The wad pressure is loaded against the powder, has to be something there. Noe ... used machine, you may not have a 12 gage final crimp, be sure before getting too frustrated.

[RichardB]

3" hulls in a 2 3/4 inch die set?

[RED BEAR]

I picked up some Remington and Winchester hulls most of mine are rio fiocci but am trying with the pickups these are 2 3/4 hulls. I can understand that i can push down far enough to crush them but they crush before they crimp.

[megasupermagnum]

A much better system is the Lee, and follow with a GAEP crimp finisher.

Here is a manual for the 250...
https://www.mecoutdoors.com/Content/documents/250.pdf

Even new MEC's crush hulls unless the setting is on the razor thin edge of just right.

[rking22]

The hull body has to withstand the crimping force. Can you confirm that the final crimp is the correct gage? If so then back out the center stem 1/4 inch and see if they still crunch. Kinda hard to troubleshoot remote, maybe crimp one slowly and post a Video??

Do you have the shell in the die body? See the link for posted manual.

[RED BEAR]

I will try to get a video up but i am not the most computer savvy. When i crimp with the lee they seem to crimp ok but i don't get that nice taper towards the end and some are not completely round and they sometimes hang in my auto loader. I was mistaken it is a six point crimp. If i start on the mec and finish on the lee then put some pressure un them with the mec it comes out perfect it's just a lot of back and forth.

[megasupermagnum]

A GAEP crimp finisher will make even ugly crimps look better than factory.

[RED BEAR]

How do you use it in a drill press?

[Hogtamer]

Is there a spacer of some sort that can be removed like a washer on the finish crimp die attachment? Make sure the nut is tightened all the way down on the bolt of the attachment and if a there is a corresponding locknut on the bottom make sure it's down all the way. A little adjustment makes a big difference.

[RED BEAR]

I thought it might come apart but can't get it to and the part that does the crimp is made into the die. I read that there was a scale on these that you should use between 50 and 100 pressure on the scale there are lines behind the spring on front but you cant see them because of the spring. But not sure it would matter because they crush before they crimp. If i do the final crimp on the lee then use the mec 250 it makes almost perfect crimps it just won't do the crimping. I bought it used so not even sure its all there.

[rking22]

The manual that mega super magnum posted shows everything needed. I suspect you do not have the cast holding die( not sure what they call it) that encloses the case during loading. There is a picture. I don’t remember the details, haven’t used my 16ga 250 in 40 years, but the posted link shows what you need.

[RED BEAR]

Well if nothing else it makes near perfect crimps when used with the lee. I don't use the shot and powder functions because i only load buck shot ( something i can cast ). And weigh each powder charge. Bought this hoping it would give better crimps and simplify things not give me another step . But at least it will cure the feeding problem i hope.

[gpidaho]

RED BEAR: Wish I had something to help you get this figured out but for me, the most frustrating thing in reloading is getting a Mec to consistently produce a proper crimp. I like to experiment with different loads and changing components even slightly messes with the crimp. When I can, I much prefer to use a roll crimping tool. Using new hulls or shortened hulls that have the fold crimp removed is a lot less of a frustration. Gp

[RED BEAR]

Like i say between the two lee and mec i can get good crimps i just bought the mec thinking it would crimp better . Foolish me. I can roll crimp but have to do it in the garage and unless i get up early its to hot. But like i say i can now get them done so they will feed. Haven't been doing shot shells all that long so i guess its a learning process. I looked at a gaep crimp finisher and it looks to do a good job but here again have to go out to garage.

[megasupermagnum]

Sorry I can't help more. Yes a MEC can produce decent crimps, however, it is a long learning curve, and is very sensitive to small changes. I've never loaded on a 250 though, for all I know that press is a winner. rking22 might be on to something. If there is supposed to be a tube to support the case, that would help tremendously. That is the big problem with MEC, without case support, it is a razor thin line between a tight crimp, and a buckled case. Lee isn't much better in that regard, but is much more user friendly once you learn the feel.