Gf's dad gave me some presses

[Wolfdog91]

My girlfriends dag used to reload and cast along with a bunch of other things . Asked me today if I wanted his old shot shell presses since he never uses them anymore. Apparently ones a 12 and the other is a 10 ga. I don't really do much with shot guns at all but looks like I gotta now lol

[richhodg66]

Wow! A 10 gauge loader. I want a ten gauge for some reason.

Parts, bushings, etc. are still around as those MECs are still made. Looks like you got a couple of treasures there, shotguns are fun and useful.

[StuBach]

Mec’s are good presses. Clean them up and make sure they’re complete and you be set for life.

[Markopolo]

good for you Dog!!! them are fine presses... about the only thing you will need is a universal charge bar. a very handy thing that lets you adjust the weights of powder and shot you throw..

nice score!!!

[myg30]

Your GF’s dad is fine man giving you those presses. You say you don’t do much with shot guns ? Not now any way. Start looking fer deals on fired shells, wads and other components.
Many years ago, a fren gave me a cast iron pot and a ladle. I told him I don’t have much use for it as I don’t cast bullets. Now 40-50 molds, 4 sizers,gas checks ! Man how things changed !

Enjoy, Mike

[MrWolf]

Nice. I have a couple of MEC's and they will outlast you if you take care of them.

[Ural Driver]

That's a good (future?) father in law........

[Kent Fowler]

Good machines, though the cost of a 25# bag of shot has soared out of the stratosphere. Haven't run a cost analysis, but at $75-$90.00 a bag it may be cheaper to buy factory at this point and time.

[rbuck351]

Look at the cost of factory buckshot and slug loads. There you can save a bunch. Those are good presses, good score.

[richhodg66]

Start shooting trap, you'll get hooked pretty fast.

[robg]

you had better treat her right.

[foesgth]

Does he still have the 10 gauge shotgun? 10 gauge is not a shot shell it is an addiction. I didn't think I needed to load for shot gun either. Then I started. You have a great start.

[higgins]

Parts missing from both presses appear to be the bushing and spring that go in the priming station and the little plastic trays that catch spent primers when they are decapped. The bushing and spring easily fall out when the press is laid on its side, so look around where they were set up at his house, in the back of the car, and anywhere else the presses might have been laid on their side. The primer catching trays are easily improvised, but the bushing and spring in the primer seating station are essential. One bushing and spring should work in both presses.

Surely you can get instruction sheets on the MEC website. You will need the instructions for adjusting crimp depth and rounding off the end of the shell. Shotgunworld.com is a wealth of information on reloading shotshells. Enjoy.

[square butte]

Just in case you haven't already figured it out yet - You might be in trouble. Depending upon the GF, it might be a good kind of trouble.

[pmer]

BPI had 10 gauage Cheddite hulls in stock yesterday.

I got a beat up 12 ga. MEC for loading buckshot, then started shooting .678 round ball. Now I'm half way through my first bag of shot for 1 1/8 oz target loads.

[Dieselhorses]

Christmas in August! Man you lucky! 12ga Birdshot around here is running 14.xx a box of 25! I don't reload right now for shotguns but will in near future.

[Moleman-]

I have a Mec 600JR like the one on the left that I picked up 25-30 years ago used. Mostly just used it for slugs, buckshot and heavyshot loads. No issues with it and found it to be an easy press to load with.

[Gator 45/70]

Nice score WD, Hook the old man up with a pet raccoon or something?

[Harter66]

Everything above .....
I loaded a bunch of steel shot , and have upwards of 1000# of lead shot , but the same or close enough loads I was loading got down to $45-60 a case (250 rounds) at $5.60/box I couldn't justify the time even for a even a buck a box more to buy loaded that delivered the same performance .

I have all the gear for 12,16,&20 ga and a very old school 10 ga roll crimp tool . It isn't going anywhere . I need a die set for 410 to make it a complete set of tools .

I'll second the adjustable charge bars , just get the one for steel going in .

[Wolfdog91]

Nice score WD, Hook the old man up with a pet raccoon or something?

Lol the racoons are "his " he does as much with the critters as me and the gf ��