16ga.com ~ View topic

Just starting out into the fun of a 16 bore, and need to reload all of these Herters empties. And Remington, and Winchester.

Need a press to do the job. Heard the 600 JR was the best bet. Now just need to find one for less than what Fin wants for them.

Plus need to find wads for this gauge. Any recommendations with the cases that I mentioned above?

Normal loads would be 1 Oz. of shot.

Can I use 209 primers or do I need to go to ........whatever?

Will read about powders and find something that will work.

Normal loads for now will be RST Premier to mitigate my over choke barrels from 1935. Spreader loads to open the choke to about IC for modified, and Mod for Full choke. Unless I go with 2 1/2 in. shells for 16 with normal ballistics.

Kind of a crap shoot. But will try them all to find what works. Time is not a factor. Shooting well IS a point to be considered. I want a shell to do as well as a 12 bore 2 3/4 1200 1 1/4 oz game load would do in a 16 bore. With the chokes that I have.

Lots of shooting and comparing and contesting of loads. I guess I need to shoot more pigeons to find the right mixture.

Joined: 30 Jul 2012 Posts: 318 Location: Central, ND

Joined: 24 Jul 2016 Posts: 548 Location: Ohio

I use the SG16 for all hulls with 7/8 and 1 oz loads.I also like BPI X spreaders a little more then polys. Rios are my primer of choice for Euro hulls.Winchester or Federal for Remington and Federal hulls. How for are you from Sportsmens Den in Shelby Ohio? They are far and away the best place in Ohio to buy shot and powder.Wait for the spring sale in about March. I too use a Mec 600 and load between 4000 and 5000 rounds a year.

Thanks guys.

A friend told me to go up one step and get the MEC Sizemaster. I am in Akron, so Shelby is a little run for me. Will go back to this post for reloading materials and primers. Didn't know that I needed different for Rio and such.

What about ignition at low temperature for Rios 209 primers? Have heard that they don't like cold.

Will be using Polywad Spred-r inserts because of my chokes. Have never heard of BPI X spreaders. But have been out of reloading shotshells for about 41 years.

Friend said that you get a better load and better crimp with the Sizemaster. He has been doing it for decades, so I tend to listen to him.

Must get new, up to date books for reloading. Mine are from the 70s.

Total changeover here, because I used to load only 12 gauge.

I'm going to have to buy a Dillon for my pistols. I need a good quality press for 16 bore. I notice Dillon does not sell one. Too bad for them.

I got two 85+ year old guns and I'm going to shoot the crap out of them at sporting clays to get used to them. Lots of rounds to load at 1 oz. payload.

What are the best to decent hulls out there to reload? I like paper, but to find it is rare. Hulls that don't cost me an arm and a leg, but can get at least three or five reloadings?

I leave it in your hands and will be waiting for a reply.

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2346 Location: West MI

Welcome back to reloading. +1 on the MEC SM, great presses, have several but I find it hard to believe the loads or crimps are any better than from a 600, have a couple of those as well. The SM is a 600 w/a collet resize station nothing more. IMO; if loading in the 100's/year a 600 will do you fine, if in the thousand's then try and find the extra cabbage for a SM no question. Not really a speed thing, a fatigue thing, the collet is way easier on the arms.

Auto primer feed is a very convenient add if the press doesn't come with one.

If you foresee playing/experimenting with different loading much then I suggest the universal charge bar over the bushing bars. If only loading 1 or 2 specific recipes then bushings work great.

I get the most mileage out of Cheds (Win, Ched, RST) & Fios. + lots of published recipes for them.

Again, welcome back, you're in a good spot, a lot of talented reloading knowledge hanging around this blog.

Joined: 26 Apr 2016 Posts: 369 Location: Vermont

For 16ga. I use the same Mec I've used for 45 years. I loaded two hundred the other day and was wishing for a progressive like the 12 and 20 I own. I would at least get the Size Master for the sizer Putz said. If you can afford it and are going to shoot your 16s a lot get one of the Mec Progressives. I went to progressives, 9000's, after the kids left and I had to do my own shotshell reloading.

I agree about the size master. That collet makes a difference. I have single stage sizemaster for my hunting loads, but use the Grabber (9000) for clays shooting. I shoot about 1500 rounds during the summer. Good luck and have fun. John

I agree about the size master. That collet makes a difference. I have single stage sizemaster for my hunting loads, but use the Grabber (9000) for clays shooting. I shoot about 1500 rounds during the summer. Good luck and have fun. John

Joined: 08 Feb 2009 Posts: 1308 Location: Western WA

I can load more 2 1/2" rounds than I ever need with my 600. But yes, the collet is a BIG improvement over the 600 ring sizer. A $100 SuperSizer collet resizer will do the same as a SM (and maybe even faster) which I why I use one with my 600 instead of the ring sizer.

Here's the deal for me: The ring sizer on the 600 is very quick to use but after a reload or two it starts to crumple the hulls unless I carefully tease the hull into the sizer which is very tedious and time consuming.

The collet resizer will let me reload hulls way faster and many more times, especially the Cheddites. At some point however (8-12 reloads) the Cheddites eventually disintegrate inside the chamber upon firing, and that can't be a good thing.

Good Luck

B.

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2346 Location: West MI

Early on when I only had 600's, the 10ga ring sizer was work, a light swipe of car wax on the hull rims made it less of a chore. Side bene; the rims didn't rust any more from the striations carved in by the sizing ring. The SM makes 10ga reloading much more enjoyable.

Joined: 24 Jul 2016 Posts: 548 Location: Ohio

That's funny cause I use ArmorAll to wipe/clean mine.