16ga.com Forum Index
Author Message
<  16ga. Ammunition & Reloading  ~  Is this a good deal?
Pbking51
PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2021 7:58 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Jul 2021
Posts: 81

So I am about to pull the trigger on buying a shotshell reloading package to not only feed my my new 16 addiction but to combat $10/box 12&20 target loads. I hate to not get a deal on something or feed into overpaying because of demand.

Hopefully some members can look at what would be included and let me know if a 6 hour round trip and $800 is a good deal, fair deal, or I can do better. Also I would appreciate if someone can let me know what to look for on the presses being that they are used. I know many people who reload shotshells and most who have multiple presses often do keep equipment in like new condition. I belive the presses are atleast 15 years old.


Mark Vs
1- 410 with the die for 3"
1 - 16ga
1-20ga

1- size master with the dies for 12/16/20

3 - adjustable charge bars both powder & shot
4 standard charge bars
20 bushings for powder
extra wad fingers for different ga.
some extra parts
press covers
2 - shell boxes ( 100round)
Mec break down sheets, a couple of loading manuals, a few powder booklets
2 ten packs of new 16ga.boxes
some over shot wads.

350 new fiocchi primed 16ga hulls
10 bags of bpi sporting wads
4 bags remington 1 1/8 wads
A few bags of 20ga wads
Garbage bag of 2-3x fired 20 ga hulls
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Swampy16
PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2021 8:18 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Oct 2019
Posts: 453
Location: New Jersey

Leave now to get them. That will get gone quickly if you don’t. Sounds like a great deal to me. If I read it right it’s 4 presses? If I’m right a size master in 12 gauge is over $300. Do not let this slip by.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
fn16ga
PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2021 8:38 am  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 09 Jan 2013
Posts: 2165
Location: Florida

I'd be on my way .
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Savage16
PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2021 10:21 am  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 30 Nov 2011
Posts: 1694
Location: Minnesota

You dont mention a need for anything 410 related so you can sell those off.
Thinking long term Youll want to set up the sizemaster for 16 ga and then sell the other sizemaster die sets. Changing a full sizemaster die set is a PITA so I have seperate machines in 28 20 16 ga. Much easier long term.
The metal parts will rust corrode if neglected, but I assume you'veseen pics? Good luck!

_________________
Great dog, Great friends,Great guns
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Pbking51
PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2021 10:56 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Jul 2021
Posts: 81

Savage16 wrote:
You dont mention a need for anything 410 related so you can sell those off.
Thinking long term Youll want to set up the sizemaster for 16 ga and then sell the other sizemaster die sets. Changing a full sizemaster die set is a PITA so I have seperate machines in 28 20 16 ga. Much easier long term.
The metal parts will rust corrode if neglected, but I assume you'veseen pics? Good luck!


Unfortunately, I am taking the word of the old timer that they are in good shape. It's not that easy for him to grab everything down from the shelf to get pictures but he assured me they have not been abused.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
MaximumSmoke
PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2021 11:58 am  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 1550
Location: Minnesota and Florida

Pbking51 -- Condition? Probably OK, but in any event, almost all MEC's are eminently overhaulable. The ones you are pursing are all current models -- plenty of parts available, and great customer support too, just call MEC or visit their website. No, I do not and have not ever worked for MEC.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Pbking51
PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2021 12:22 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Jul 2021
Posts: 81

There was a beautiful PW progressive for 700 at a LGS yesterday set up for 12 but I am nowhere ready for that.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Cold Iron
PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2021 1:07 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Mar 2016
Posts: 746
Location: Mn.

With a MBA hopefully you do a cost benefit & need analysis before buying Very Happy

How much do you shoot and would you need to reload? I have a G2 Bronze semi auto 16 ga. that I am picking up tomorrow and will put a flat through this weekend to break it in. So I need to load up ~250 rounds before Saturday morning. I cringe at the thought of doing that with a single stage press anymore. I normally shoot a flat a week in the summer. and at least once a month will shoot that in a day. Winter not so much especially as I get older.

Agree with Savage16 about the change out, sounds good in theory and at the time but in real life not so much. You can sell the other stuff but that can be a hassle.

You can get a brand new 16 ga. Sizemaster for ~$350. A Mec progressive grabber or 9000 is on backorder everywhere right now for at least a couple of months. Because of demand. A PW or Spolar is out at least a year friend of mine just ordered a 16 PW with tool heads for 12 and 20 and they told him a year.

Run your component cost through a reloading calculator.

https://ecsc-skeet.com/linked/shotshell_reloading_cost_calculator.htm

With current component cost you are looking at $6-7 a box cost. Assuming you can find the components. Primers are going to be your toughest one. BPI occasionally gets Cheddite in. You have to add in Hazmat and shipping fees to your cost.

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Cheddite-209-Primers-1000_box-Limit-5-boxes-5000-primers/productinfo/CH209/

When they show up you better jump on it they go fast.

12 and 20 Federals are starting to show up around the Country in some places and at Walmart they are up about 50 cents a box over pre pandemic prices, they are usually $6.25 a box. I stopped loading for the 12 and 20 around 6 years ago because it was cheaper to buy than reload. If not it was so close as to not be worth my time. Lead is pretty much $50 a bag now. Lead is also your single most expensive component in reloading. Figure out how much a box of reloaded shells cost to fill those 1 1/8 oz. wads and you can likely find some factory ammo at the same price or not much more if you look in the right places.

During the last year glad I had my 12 and 20 9000's don't get me wrong. Although still not sure where the 20 is in the garage LOL need to find it yet. I purchase at least 10 flats of shells in each ga. when they go on sale. Even if I have 5 or more flats left.

The days of buying Herters 16 ga. shells at $4.99 a box are gone. And likely Federal 16 ga. game loads on sale at $6 a box. Never stopped loading the 16 for 7/8 oz. however. Or custom loads like I am shooting this weekend. Buy in bulk, even components. Case of wads. At least a sleeve of 5K primers or more. Everything you can. Once you know what works for you and what other supplies you have.

Standardize. You have Cheddite hulls coming so do you really want to add Fiocchi hulls to the mix? Just food for thought. There is a reason businesses and other vertical markets standardize as much as possible across the board. Cost and efficiency. You don't have to mess around tweaking to make things work.

Did I mention primers? When Winchester 209 finally start to show up, maybe next year maybe the year after, the general consensus is they will be $75-80 1K. I will be sticking to Cheddite primers from here on out if that is the case. And all signs show that it will be the case.

If a single stage will get you by and work for you then yeah not a bad deal. Not great IMO. In the end you can sell the things you don't end up using or need.

I would be willing to bet that in another year or 2 there will be a lot of campers, ATV\UTV, boats, and RV's for sale cheap on the used market. And reloading machines at least in the 12 and 20.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Pbking51
PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2021 6:18 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Jul 2021
Posts: 81

Cold Iron wrote:
With a MBA hopefully you do a cost benefit & need analysis before buying Very Happy

How much do you shoot and would you need to reload? I have a G2 Bronze semi auto 16 ga. that I am picking up tomorrow and will put a flat through this weekend to break it in. So I need to load up ~250 rounds before Saturday morning. I cringe at the thought of doing that with a single stage press anymore. I normally shoot a flat a week in the summer. and at least once a month will shoot that in a day. Winter not so much especially as I get older.

Agree with Savage16 about the change out, sounds good in theory and at the time but in real life not so much. You can sell the other stuff but that can be a hassle.

You can get a brand new 16 ga. Sizemaster for ~$350. A Mec progressive grabber or 9000 is on backorder everywhere right now for at least a couple of months. Because of demand. A PW or Spolar is out at least a year friend of mine just ordered a 16 PW with tool heads for 12 and 20 and they told him a year.

Run your component cost through a reloading calculator.

https://ecsc-skeet.com/linked/shotshell_reloading_cost_calculator.htm

With current component cost you are looking at $6-7 a box cost. Assuming you can find the components. Primers are going to be your toughest one. BPI occasionally gets Cheddite in. You have to add in Hazmat and shipping fees to your cost.

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Cheddite-209-Primers-1000_box-Limit-5-boxes-5000-primers/productinfo/CH209/

When they show up you better jump on it they go fast.

12 and 20 Federals are starting to show up around the Country in some places and at Walmart they are up about 50 cents a box over pre pandemic prices, they are usually $6.25 a box. I stopped loading for the 12 and 20 around 6 years ago because it was cheaper to buy than reload. If not it was so close as to not be worth my time. Lead is pretty much $50 a bag now. Lead is also your single most expensive component in reloading. Figure out how much a box of reloaded shells cost to fill those 1 1/8 oz. wads and you can likely find some factory ammo at the same price or not much more if you look in the right places.

During the last year glad I had my 12 and 20 9000's don't get me wrong. Although still not sure where the 20 is in the garage LOL need to find it yet. I purchase at least 10 flats of shells in each ga. when they go on sale. Even if I have 5 or more flats left.

The days of buying Herters 16 ga. shells at $4.99 a box are gone. And likely Federal 16 ga. game loads on sale at $6 a box. Never stopped loading the 16 for 7/8 oz. however. Or custom loads like I am shooting this weekend. Buy in bulk, even components. Case of wads. At least a sleeve of 5K primers or more. Everything you can. Once you know what works for you and what other supplies you have.

Standardize. You have Cheddite hulls coming so do you really want to add Fiocchi hulls to the mix? Just food for thought. There is a reason businesses and other vertical markets standardize as much as possible across the board. Cost and efficiency. You don't have to mess around tweaking to make things work.

Did I mention primers? When Winchester 209 finally start to show up, maybe next year maybe the year after, the general consensus is they will be $75-80 1K. I will be sticking to Cheddite primers from here on out if that is the case. And all signs show that it will be the case.

If a single stage will get you by and work for you then yeah not a bad deal. Not great IMO. In the end you can sell the things you don't end up using or need.

I would be willing to bet that in another year or 2 there will be a lot of campers, ATV\UTV, boats, and RV's for sale cheap on the used market. And reloading machines at least in the 12 and 20.



Maybe I should have given more Background info....

I have 200-260 ponds of #8 and 7 1/2 shot on hand. Powder I am good with atleast 10 pounds .

I shoot trap at my sportsmans club maybe 10 times a year and usually shoot 50 rounds a night. Let's say 600 rounds.... I will typically shoot sporting clays 3-6 times a year ...another 500...and have alot of factory hunting loads to last me quite a few years assuming I don't shoot more than I eat. Plus I have 1 bag of #6 shot but I don't imagine loading hunting rounds for some time.

Let's round up and say 5 flats a year. But no more than 1 flat a month. From I've learned about the process, it's not hard to load 100 in a sitting.

I do have about 1500 primers and actually 500 are cheddites from when gander went out of business the second time (in my area) and 1000 are winchesters.

Now I will say, I do like the idea of a progressive like the pw 800 series, but when I bought my progressive metallic loader all I ended up was loading a quantity of 9 and 45 acp that I haven't even put a dent in.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Cold Iron
PostPosted: Thu Sep 02, 2021 6:04 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Mar 2016
Posts: 746
Location: Mn.

Pbking51 with all the supplies have, and the prices you likely paid for them back then planning to reload down the road, go for it!

Lot of people jumping on the reloading bandwagon now and then find they can't get components. And with your volume of shooting you should be fine with a single stage.

Scored an 8 pound keg of Clay dot from Powder Valley today and all in thought $207 was a good deal. Didn't think I'd see that day coming. Last night kicked an 8 pound keg of Green Dot loading 1 oz. 16 ga. shells for this weekend and when I set it aside noticed it had the price on it yet, $106.

Met what is now a new friend in Wi. last Saturday to do some horse trading for powders and buy some wads and shells from him. Went into Scheels there to pick up 4 bags of shot. I got 10 bags at another Scheels in February for $45 a bag. Paid $50 a bag Saturday for the same bags of West Coast Magnum. Last time I was in that Scheels in Wi. I bought a half ton of shot at $9.99 a bag. But that was almost 20 years ago. Still....

You can keep what works for you and sell the rest like others have said. And always keep an eye out for components when you can. Good luck and have fun with it!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Hammer bill
PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 4:23 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Feb 2015
Posts: 815

Cold Iron wrote:
With a MBA hopefully you do a cost benefit & need analysis before buying Very Happy

How much do you shoot and would you need to reload? I have a G2 Bronze semi auto 16 ga. that I am picking up tomorrow and will put a flat through this weekend to break it in. So I need to load up ~250 rounds before Saturday morning. I cringe at the thought of doing that with a single stage press anymore. I normally shoot a flat a week in the summer. and at least once a month will shoot that in a day. Winter not so much especially as I get older.

Agree with Savage16 about the change out, sounds good in theory and at the time but in real life not so much. You can sell the other stuff but that can be a hassle.

You can get a brand new 16 ga. Sizemaster for ~$350. A Mec progressive grabber or 9000 is on backorder everywhere right now for at least a couple of months. Because of demand. A PW or Spolar is out at least a year friend of mine just ordered a 16 PW with tool heads for 12 and 20 and they told him a year.

Run your component cost through a reloading calculator.

https://ecsc-skeet.com/linked/shotshell_reloading_cost_calculator.htm

With current component cost you are looking at $6-7 a box cost. Assuming you can find the components. Primers are going to be your toughest one. BPI occasionally gets Cheddite in. You have to add in Hazmat and shipping fees to your cost.

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Cheddite-209-Primers-1000_box-Limit-5-boxes-5000-primers/productinfo/CH209/

When they show up you better jump on it they go fast.

12 and 20 Federals are starting to show up around the Country in some places and at Walmart they are up about 50 cents a box over pre pandemic prices, they are usually $6.25 a box. I stopped loading for the 12 and 20 around 6 years ago because it was cheaper to buy than reload. If not it was so close as to not be worth my time. Lead is pretty much $50 a bag now. Lead is also your single most expensive component in reloading. Figure out how much a box of reloaded shells cost to fill those 1 1/8 oz. wads and you can likely find some factory ammo at the same price or not much more if you look in the right places.

During the last year glad I had my 12 and 20 9000's don't get me wrong. Although still not sure where the 20 is in the garage LOL need to find it yet. I purchase at least 10 flats of shells in each ga. when they go on sale. Even if I have 5 or more flats left.

The days of buying Herters 16 ga. shells at $4.99 a box are gone. And likely Federal 16 ga. game loads on sale at $6 a box. Never stopped loading the 16 for 7/8 oz. however. Or custom loads like I am shooting this weekend. Buy in bulk, even components. Case of wads. At least a sleeve of 5K primers or more. Everything you can. Once you know what works for you and what other supplies you have.

Standardize. You have Cheddite hulls coming so do you really want to add Fiocchi hulls to the mix? Just food for thought. There is a reason businesses and other vertical markets standardize as much as possible across the board. Cost and efficiency. You don't have to mess around tweaking to make things work.

Did I mention primers? When Winchester 209 finally start to show up, maybe next year maybe the year after, the general consensus is they will be $75-80 1K. I will be sticking to Cheddite primers from here on out if that is the case. And all signs show that it will be the case.

If a single stage will get you by and work for you then yeah not a bad deal. Not great IMO. In the end you can sell the things you don't end up using or need.

I would be willing to bet that in another year or 2 there will be a lot of campers, ATV\UTV, boats, and RV's for sale cheap on the used market. And reloading machines at least in the 12 and 20.


Cold Iron, with your prospective outlook I think I'll wait couple years for another pickup. I been looking for a Tacoms 4x4 a couple years old. Prices are at prices only fools would buy. And like W C. Fields said. There's a suckered born every minute. Like I told a dealer. I wait till you'll be glad to give them away then I'll be back.Crazy.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Cold Iron
PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 6:40 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Mar 2016
Posts: 746
Location: Mn.

Hammer bill wrote:

Cold Iron, with your prospective outlook I think I'll wait couple years for another pickup. I been looking for a Tacoms 4x4 a couple years old. Prices are at prices only fools would buy. And like W C. Fields said. There's a suckered born every minute. Like I told a dealer. I wait till you'll be glad to give them away then I'll be back.Crazy.


I know a guy...

2013 Baja T|X Taco, just went over 70K





Warp drive and ARE MX topper included



Had planned on trading it in around now or direct sales and could get a lot for it. They are always in high demand and bring a premium. But to replace it was sticker shock so I'll keep it a couple more years.

In another year or 2, maybe 3, willing to bet there are going to be a lot of cheap campers, boats and tow vehicles for sale out there. Reasonably priced and lightly used. Tacomas traditionally have held the spot for the highest resale value of any truck and don't think that will change, but could be wrong.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
All times are GMT - 7 Hours

View next topic
View previous topic
Page 1 of 1
16ga.com Forum Index  ~  16ga. Ammunition & Reloading

Post new topic   Reply to topic


 
Jump to:  

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum




Powered by phpBB and NoseBleed v1.09