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Member Joined: 15 Jan 2007 Posts: 40 Location: California

Awhile back there were several threads regarding hull resizing problems using the furnished MEC resizer ring on MEC presses.

Long story short. For years I have reloaded many hulls with the despised Lee LoadAll. Slow, but works fine, both 2 3/4" & 2 9/16". Recently I was given an old MEC 600 Jr. with partial 12 and 20 setups. As I only shoot 16's I ordered a change kit from BPI and when received set up the press. The first hull resize attempt tore up the metal band and I almost couldn't force the resize ring over the hull or remove it. Since resizing with the Lee was so simple and trouble free I removed the resize ring and examined it. Simply put the ring was very poorly machined, with a definite step and a rough finish instead of a smooth surface contour with a bell shaped lead in. The problem was obvious. I then called MEC and explalined the problem. They sounded dubious but sent me a different resizer ring at no cost. However, the new ring was only marginally better than the first one. I then chucked up the second ring in my lathe and carefully stoned out the step and formed the correct bell shaped lead in to the die and now it works smooth as butter. Resizes and removes with minimal effort just like with the LoadAll. However, new parts should not have to be reworked by the recipient.

As I did this yesterday I haven't yet contacted MEC but will do so. I don't know if this is a quality control problem or if they are pushing their SuperSizer instead. Examining the ring under a low power stereo microscope vividly shows the problem and also the lack of finish on the part. You can easily see the tool marks made from turning the profile as a two step operation that does not exactly mate up correctly. Unfortunately I do not have camera equipment to capture this from the microscope as it would really explain the problem.

Hope this helps someone out there.

P

Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 76 Location: north Texas

I had the same problem with the size ring on an older 20 ga. 600 MEC. I think they've addressed the problem, because my newer 12ga. 600 is OK.

Sometimes, it wouldn't just scratch up the "brass" head - it would pull it off!

I don't have a lathe, so I chucked a 6" length of 3/8" dowel in my hand drill, sawed a 1" slot in the end, slid in a small strip of 500 grit wet-or-dry, and polished it out that way. I finished it off with strips of crocus cloth done the same way.

It sounds to me like your brass or steel head is greatly enlarged to tear it off during resize. I would mike up or use a guage mate to see if it enlarged. I have never had any problems with Mec 600 jr, Mec 600 Jr Mark V's or Mec 650 in 12 ga, 16 ga., 20 ga and 28 ga.

Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 76 Location: north Texas

All that happened many years ago and I never had another problem after I polished off the tool marks and smoothed up the size ring like it should've been in the first place - it's still a slick operating rig today.

xtm

The biggest problem I've had with older sizing rings is getting the steel heads now found on most shotgun ammo to resize as well as the old brass ones. The steel does not want to squeeze down near as well and often comes out too big for certain guns I have with tighter chambers.

The sizer on my grabbers are the adjustable collet type that squeezes steel head right down to factory specs again. End of problem. I'm just glad MEC invented this sizing system in the early 1970's and improved on it in 1985. They were way ahead of the times. Maybe they knew something we didn't. If so, its a good thing.

I've heard of folks reworking a 20 ga ring to handle 16 ga steel heads better. However, the force needed to push the tighter ring down over the steel is still harder than with brass. Sometimes we just have to accept the change of materials and adapt our techniques to suit. I've found the collet resizer is a good solution.

Member Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 665 Location: Louisiana

I'm not surprised that, from time to time, there are flaws in anybody's products. "Stuff" happens and my surmise is that MEC will promptly make it right without any homebound machining, lathing, etc.
As to the difficulty resizing brass vs. ferrous metals you may wish to consider lubricating your resizer (helpful under most circumstances anyway). A dry lubricant (Motor Mica or whatever BP's current name for this product is) may not eliminate the problem but it will help and does minimize the wear on both sizing ring and shell head.
Simply 'dip' the shell head in the lubricant powder, shake off the excess and resize as usual. You need not apply the powder to every shell head as some residue will remain in the sizing ring for a time. In my case I lubricate every tenth hull or so depending on the 'feel' of the sizer.
Of course none of this is necessary with collet sizers.

Ron

The graphite and mica dust will help allieviate the added resistance of the steel heads. However, that is just a part of th problem. Brass stays put once its squeezed down. Steel springs back much more than brass, so it must be squeezed down more than brass to adjust for this factor. Reloading tool companies still seem to use the old spec developed with brass heads to machine their ring sizers.

All I'm saying is that the collet sizer eliminates the problem without resorting to dry lube or having to modify a 20 ga ring. It is also probably faster and requires less exertion because of the mechanical advantage built in. Anyway, it works for me, so I'm good to go.

Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 76 Location: north Texas

My 16 ga. & 10 ga. loaders are Sizemasters, so absolutely no problem with those two.

I don't load much 20 ga., so my fix has been successful for 20+ years with the 600 - and is completely satisfactory for the amount I use it. I have both motor mica and graphite in my shop, but need neither one now that the problem is fixed.

It may just be the luck of the draw, but like Popski's, my calls to MEC have all been less than satisfactory. Maybe I'm not so good at explaining my problems to their customer service folks.

Popski's 600 was given to him and so was mine - that's the best kind of equipment to acquire, but it usually obligates you to get it up and operational, asap. MEC didn't come through with a solution, so he fixed his one way and I fixed mine another.

xtm

Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 158 Location: NW Florida

Same problem. I converted one of my 16ga 600jrs to 28ga purchasing the kit from Midway. The sizing ring works fine with low brass like Kemen but sticks with Rem STS. Will try polishing the sizer this weekend. Bob

Joined: 05 Jan 2008 Posts: 31 Location: Wisconsin

I'm not disputing any one elses experiences here but my experiences with MEC have been just the opposite. They were very helpful on the phone. Talking me through needed adjustments and waiting to see if the problem was corrected. Sent me parts without prepayment. Parts came with a bill for parts and shipping! I asked them how they could do that and they said that they'd never been ripped off by a reloader, reloaders just aren't that kind of people. RD

Same here. I've always found the MEC folks to be very affable and helpful--generous even. I've never been refused a replacement part for a malfunctioning one. I've been sent parts to replace stuff a decade or more old they felt should not have failed. I've also been sent newer improved parts to overcome an old problem on an old machine without the least bit of flack. What more can I say. They are okay in my book.