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< 16ga. Ammunition & Reloading ~ reloadin' fer dumbies |
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Posted:
Fri Nov 24, 2006 6:45 pm
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Member
Joined: 04 Oct 2006
Posts: 225
Location: North Carolina, Randolph County
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Well, I ahven't bought one yet, but the Sizemaster is going to be my 16ga reloader. I have four 600Jrs and they are fine. I just want the collet resizer for the 16 to make the shells better able to be digested by my LC Smith.
My vote is for the Sizemaster. |
_________________ 870 Wingmaster 28"
16ga BPS 28" Hunter
Remington 11-48 28" plain bbl
Miss Libby |
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Posted:
Sun Nov 26, 2006 1:07 pm
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Member
Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Posts: 91
Location: Hartford, Ct
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fred lauer wrote: |
Check out the LEE LoadAll. Although it's not a heavy duty machine, it stands up real well and produces a nice shell. If you want something a bit more substantial, check Ebay for used MEC 600jr. models.That's a place to start and you don't have to be a brain surgeon to figure either of them out.
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The Lee is thw way to go.
Super easy!
Between 12, 16, & 20 ga conversions
I have loaded 40,000 rounds on my Lee Load-all II
You buy it new $35 if you price shop the net.
Also Federal Hi-Power, and Fiocchi are the longest lasting hulls.
Federal Game Loads are cheap enough.
Fiocchi primed hulll are 12.00 a 100 at bpi |
_________________ http://pezmusic.com/ |
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Posted:
Wed Nov 29, 2006 9:24 pm
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Member
Joined: 27 Aug 2006
Posts: 596
Location: Massachusetts
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some thoughts for comment:
tonight I went to a well know store in Maine - not that one, the lesser well known one, KTP...
Anyway, it's loaded with second hand guns and reloading equipment...I passed up on a Lee Laod-all in 16 for $25 (a brandy new 12 ga was $37)
There were a few adjuastable powder bars, a couple MEC 600/650 in 12 & 20, a 410 sizemaster, etc, etc.
On the way home I was thinking how I passed up on the Lee for $25 and wish I had the $$ to buy a 600/650/sizemaster and a set of 16 dies...
Then I though I shoulda got the Lee - I mean, would it be that bad to piss away $25 to find out I need something more and then give it away later?
There's a certain amount of $$ that I expect to burn in getting set up, part of the learning curve so to speak.
And I'm sure if I posted up a free press, somebody here would be nice enough to take off my hands... |
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Posted:
Thu Nov 30, 2006 9:33 am
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Member
Joined: 12 Mar 2005
Posts: 6535
Location: massachusetts
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Sprocket, here's a little tip. MEC often has reconditioned presses for sale direct. Their prices can be excellent. give them a call. They are on the web. If you can get a grabber, grab it. If not, a Mec Sizemaster.
I'd pass on any 16 ga press that does not have a collet type resizer, because steel rims don't resize easily or always well in a ring type resizer. The Lee unit is plastic and won't take the added strain of resizing steel rims for long. They were a good cheap unit in their day when most shotshell rims were made of brass. That time has passed. You did the right thing. |
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Posted:
Thu Nov 30, 2006 9:47 am
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Member
Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 1545
Location: Michigan
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Sprocket,
When I first got into reloading, everyone told me to start with the MEC Sizemaster. A single stage unit. This is a great unit for a couple hundred shells a month. I sat down one night to load up about 750 shells to take to the Mich. U. P. shoot. You have to pull that stupid lever 6 times for every loaded shell. So, after countless hours and about 4500 pulls of the lever I was done. Never again! I went and bought the Grabber the following weekend. These units can be set to act like a single stage unit until you get the hang of loading. Then flip a little switch and it becomes a progressive press. I loaded shell for every pull of the lever. The only thing I load on a single stage press now, is 10 gauge. |
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Posted:
Thu Nov 30, 2006 11:15 am
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Member
Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Posts: 91
Location: Hartford, Ct
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16gaugeguy wrote: |
Sprocket, here's a little tip. MEC often has reconditioned presses for sale direct. Their prices can be excellent. give them a call. They are on the web. If you can get a grabber, grab it. If not, a Mec Sizemaster.
I'd pass on any 16 ga press that does not have a collet type resizer, because steel rims don't resize easily or always well in a ring type resizer. The Lee unit is plastic and won't take the added strain of resizing steel rims for long. They were a good cheap unit in their day when most shotshell rims were made of brass. That time has passed. You did the right thing.
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Actually there no problem with ring sizer Lee uses.
Nor is there additional were on the reloader.
Unless your getting a progresive reloader then there no advantage to the more expensive Mec. |
_________________ http://pezmusic.com/ |
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Posted:
Thu Nov 30, 2006 11:26 am
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Member
Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Posts: 91
Location: Hartford, Ct
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sprocket wrote: |
some thoughts for comment:
tonight I went to a well know store in Maine - not that one, the lesser well known one, KTP...
Anyway, it's loaded with second hand guns and reloading equipment...I passed up on a Lee Laod-all in 16 for $25 (a brandy new 12 ga was $37)
There were a few adjuastable powder bars, a couple MEC 600/650 in 12 & 20, a 410 sizemaster, etc, etc.
On the way home I was thinking how I passed up on the Lee for $25 and wish I had the $$ to buy a 600/650/sizemaster and a set of 16 dies...
Then I though I shoulda got the Lee - I mean, would it be that bad to piss away $25 to find out I need something more and then give it away later?
There's a certain amount of $$ that I expect to burn in getting set up, part of the learning curve so to speak.
And I'm sure if I posted up a free press, somebody here would be nice enough to take off my hands...
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KTP will mail it too ya if its still there.
I'd Grab the used lee.
Its almost impossible to wear it out. |
_________________ http://pezmusic.com/ |
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Posted:
Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:24 am
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Member
Joined: 27 Aug 2006
Posts: 596
Location: Massachusetts
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thanks All for the continued input - seems like the MEC/Lee debate is almost as fun to watch as the Elsie/Sterly/Citori banter...
I'm heading up that way again soon - it's the Lee is there, I'll get it and if it's a failed experiment it will be my own fault for not listening - think of it as the inner teenager in me acting out - stamps foot spins, buys a Lee load-all press screaming "All I want is to be accepted!" - (WHAO, my inner teenager is a girl voice? WTF? pass the bourbon please).
I'll at least get the right book too, now that I know the title...
I'm a little sleep depraved right now. |
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Posted:
Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:35 am
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Member
Joined: 27 Aug 2006
Posts: 596
Location: Massachusetts
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Dave M. wrote: |
Sprocket,
When I first got into reloading, everyone told me to start with the MEC Sizemaster. A single stage unit. This is a great unit for a couple hundred shells a month. I sat down one night to load up about 750 shells to take to the Mich. U. P. shoot. You have to pull that stupid lever 6 times for every loaded shell. So, after countless hours and about 4500 pulls of the lever I was done. Never again! I went and bought the Grabber the following weekend. These units can be set to act like a single stage unit until you get the hang of loading. Then flip a little switch and it becomes a progressive press. I loaded shell for every pull of the lever. The only thing I load on a single stage press now, is 10 gauge.
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wait - is the basic difference between a progressive and single-stage the fact that I can only load one shell at a time? Can't you put a shell in each "station" to receive the respective process?
Forgive the nooberific question that may be answered by reading any of the above mentioned books... |
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Posted:
Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:56 am
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Member
Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 1545
Location: Michigan
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With a single stage, you have to pull the handle 6 times for each shell.
You manually move the shell from one station to the next, and pull the handle again. and again, and again. |
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Posted:
Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:43 pm
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Member
Joined: 12 Mar 2005
Posts: 6535
Location: massachusetts
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And again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again.... |
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Posted:
Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:49 pm
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Member
Joined: 27 Aug 2006
Posts: 596
Location: Massachusetts
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So I get you have to move the shell manually to each position.
Can you have multiple shells on the press at one time - even if you place them by hand? |
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Posted:
Fri Dec 01, 2006 1:04 pm
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Member
Joined: 12 Mar 2005
Posts: 6535
Location: massachusetts
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Nope. Doing so will screw up the different height adjustments. These presses are designed for one at a time and have enough leverage only for that operation.
If you are at all time challanged---and who isn't, get the Grabber. You will not regret it. you will load em quicker and easier, and will shoot more--always a good thing. Just shop for the best price. |
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Posted:
Fri Dec 01, 2006 1:33 pm
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Member
Joined: 27 Aug 2006
Posts: 596
Location: Massachusetts
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Oooh - oh.
I get it. Volume is a factor...by six or so.
Thanks 16GG - and All
Maybe I should change the title to "FAQ's for the Uber Noob"
(Why do I think that reading the dang book would have prevented many of these Q's?) |
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Posted:
Fri Dec 01, 2006 1:37 pm
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Member
Joined: 12 Mar 2005
Posts: 6535
Location: massachusetts
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Because you are a typical American male type person. Our creedo: "When all else fails, read the damned directions." |
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