Favorite Shotshell Reloading Press

[comershooter]

What is your favorite brand shotshell reloading press

[Toobroke]

The Pacific 266; I have one each set up for 12 ga 2 3/4 and 3 inch, 16 ga, 20 ga 2 3/4 and 3 inch--yep, 5 of'em. The best single stage press made (well, in my opinion of course)

[Ozark Howler]

The Deitemeyer 300, no doubt about it, a piece of machinery, no stampings or plastics used (except shot/powder tubes)

[Roundnoser]

Wow! That is a beautiful machine. I don't know If I want to reload on it, or just stare at it!!!

BTW...is that a Dunbar (or similar) H-press I see in the background? It too looks like a museum piece. I'm diggin yer set up, my friend!

[Daddyfixit]

I wouldn't say favorite, more like only. I had a MEC 600jr for about 30 years ( got to where I could crank out ammo dang fast!) never gave me a lick of trouble untill I loaned it out and it never came back! I now have an older MEC Grabber he replaced it with ( old dogs, new tricks) I think I liked the MEC 600jr better!
So....I have nothing else to compare it with, so MEC it is!

Ozark Howler, That's one nice piece of machinery!

[Triggerhappy]

Ozark, How fast can you reload shells on that monster? Any idea on the rounds per hour, or minute?

[cajun shooter]

MEC Sizemaster will load faster than most shooters can use them. It also sizes each hull which is a big plus if you buy or pick up other shooters hulls.

[timkelley]

MEC 650, but to be honest, I was given two of them. Now if I can just learn to hit the d***d clay birds.

[Ozark Howler]

A little more on the Deitmeyer...I rebuilt this press some time ago, the charge bar was also modified to use MEC powder bushings.

It basically is the forunner of the Pacific/Hornady 366 Series, this one is a manual advance and can honestly crank out about 250+ rounds (with no screwups). This is one of two that I have rebuilt. The loading operation is comparable to the MEC 650, but without the cash register "feel and sounds", a very quiet and smooth operating tool. They occasionally show up on Ebay as Deitmeyers or Pacifics ($85.00 - $100.00), well worth the price !

The "H" press in the background is a Lieb (very similar to a Dunbar)

[Doc_Stihl]

The dillon SL 900 is a thing of beauty.
You better have some room to store some shells if you sit down to it for an afternoon.

I had one years ago and it wasn't difficult to fill a 5 gallon bucket in an evening. Dream to operate, rarely had slowdowns. Well engineered.

[skeettx]

Texan M loader and the Hollywood , not listed in the poll???

[Moonie]

I had a MEC 650 and loved it, this was years ago. Currently I make due with the Lee Load All II.

Gotta talk the wife into another MEC, maybe when I get her out shooting skeet more...

[376Steyr]

The Hornaday 366 works slick in 12 gauge, real good in 20, and starts getting finicky in 28 gauage. I use mine for cranking out hundreds of a single load at a time for trap or skeet. I cut a hole in my bench and let the loaded shells drop into a 5 gallon bucket.

[R.C. Hatter]

I started out with a new MEC 250 in 1959, eventually graduating to a VersaMEC
700. I'm on my second one of those and find it ideal for my use. I don't load a lot of
clay pigeon loads but load special use loads like black powder, or short shot shells using a roll crimp.

[Freischütz]

I still like my MEC 400.

[Kevin Rohrer]

I know someone who has a Hollywood setup for 12 gauge. It is HUGE. Here is a picture:

[prs]

My Sizesmaster is close to 33 years of faithful service now, mostly 16ga; but have dies for all but 28ga

prs

[Firebricker]

I voted Mec because that's what I use (9000) and am very happy with it. I had a Lee load all in high school and it did a good job loaded box after box on that thing. Now if money was no factor I would love to try out a Dillion. A friend of mine has a brand new RCBS progressive he hasn't set up yet but it look's like it's going to be a good machine. FB

[AZ-Stew]

I have a Lee Load-All for 20ga, and a Lee Load-Fast for 12 ga. For the price, the Load-Fast was a good machine. It's biggest drawback is that you can't back it up or remove a mistake from the processing line. You just have to deal with shot and powder running everywhere if you don't pay attention. I bought some repair parts for it a couple of years ago, so I'm probably good to go for a LONG time for as little shotgunning as I do.

Man, that Deitemeyer is surely a fine looking piece of machinery!

Here's the Load-Fast. Spent primers drop through into the bin on the right, loaded shells into the bin on the left.



Regards,

Stew

[NoZombies]

Those Deitmeyer 300's are nice presses. manual indexing progressive, and smooth as silk!