Found 2 bags of MEC plastic buffer#520. If I found a load that calls for BP #47 buffer can I replace it with the MEC buffer?
Found 2 bags of MEC plastic buffer#520. If I found a load that calls for BP #47 buffer can I replace it with the MEC buffer?
Last edited by jim 44-40; 03-13-2022 at 11:11 AM.
No the buffer data is all for specific buffers. So it is not worth the risk. FB
Dang it,was thinking the same. guess I will have to order buffer from BP like everything else I want for reloading Shotshells.thank you
You can replace BPI #47 with your MEC 520. It's all the same stuff, flaky plastic bits. I'm pretty sure MEC 520 and BPI original are the exact same thing. There is little change in pressure with PR spherical buffer. The reason those warnings exist is because people in the past tried to use the dumbest things for buffer like white flour, and muffin mix. Those are a whole different ballgame. Plastic buffer is plastic buffer.
If load data doesn't list a buffer, a reduced powder charge may be needed? https://www.thehighroad.org/index.ph...#post-12237785
Hodgdon has loads using the 2 3/4" FEDERAL STEEL SHOT SHELLS .090" BASE WAD & HS-6. 5 different velocities are listed . Wads Fed. 12S3 & Fed. 12S4. Adding a buffering agent can make tighter patterns, if needed.
I was thinking the mec 520 was the same as the Precision reloading 520. I bought manual Tom Roster did. He has some loads with choice of 520 or BP47 but different weights. I will try to take a look at them side by side for curiosity sake. Jim, What type of load are you looking at ? I will try to post a pic of some load info from that manual. Mega, I was reading older Handloader magazines back when they guys were trying the flour and other stuff. Those experiments I believe were a bit sketchy lol.
This might be a good thread to look into some buffered loads. I started and tried a few bit got side tracked before I got any good comparisons. Might be a good tome to start again. FB
Ok I found the load that uses PR 520 buffer in the bismuth loading section of Lyman #5 manual page 241
All of the other loads use PR PSB buffer.
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 |