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Member Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 425 Location: Big D

My MEC 9000 (with universal charge bar and powder baffle) throws identical weights on the shot, but varies greatly on the powder. I try to be smooth and consistent on the lever operation. I have to hold the wad in alignment or it often does not go in and crushes the hull. Also, sometimes the down operation is very hard, and ends up belling down the metal as it tries to punch out the primer.

Ideas?

Mike

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 1545 Location: Michigan

Mike, the reason the base of the hull is bulging. The hull is catching, and not dropping all the way down in the collet.

Member Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 425 Location: Big D

Is there an adjustment to make?

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 1545 Location: Michigan

Wingshooter, I don't know the terminology for all the parts. Plus I'm not going to two finger type all that info. E-mail me a contact number for you, and I'll call you. Name would be nice too. asphaltdave@comcast.net

WS, sometimes its just the powder. Most smaller cut flake powders and just about all ball powders meter very well if being thrown from a smooth, round, parallel sided chamber. The odd shape of the universal powder metering chamber can throw very inconsistantly with some flake powders, but does fairly well with ball powder. Forget it with any type of stick powder. They are tough enough to throw well with any volumetric metering set up. you might also check for backlash when you lock the setting down. Screw type adjustments can be frustrating to set if you are trying for precision.

That is the bad news, the good news is for most moderate pressure and velocity shotgun ammo, a couple of tenths of a grain either way is not all that critical in 12 through 20 ga loads. Unless you shoot like an atomaton, you will never notice the difference. Us mere humans cannot detect the difference in lead or performance from one shell to another if the load is a consistantly good one to begin with. A 10 to 40 fps range of variation from shell to shell only measures out to an inch or two at 40 yards down range on a 90 degree crosser. If anyone can detect this little bit of variance, I sure would not want to have to shoot against them. They ain't human.

If you are pushing the pressure barrier with any load, I'd advise weighing all charges. Its the best and safest way to stay under the limit. This is why I never reload hot hunting loads on a progressive press--ever never ever!!

Two powders I've had trouble metering are IMR-800X and Alliant Select. Both have bigger discs and are very fluffy- for want of a better word. I don't use Select. I use a pistol measure/powder scale/dribbler set up for IMR-800X for both hot 16 ga and 28 gauge loads.

800X is a pain to get good uniform charges with, but there is nothing better for high velocity, standard weight loads at reasonable pressures in 16 through 28 reloads IMO. Some of my most effective hunting loads are based on 800X.

Member Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 450 Location: Indiana

For what its worth. I read on trapshooters.com that some of the people attach a small motor on their loader and a weight on the motor shaft to cause a small vibration and this is supposed to help the powder measure more evenly. Well I decided to try it and it seemed to work very well. In fact so well that I took out the baffels and tried some loads that way. I used 700, 800x, rex11, clays international and found that they almost throw dead on and stays very consitent.
As far as attaching a weight to the shaft I took a small nut an drilled and tapped thru one of the flats on the nut. I next took a long allen screw and attached the nut to the shaft to act as a counter weight. I caused just enought vibration that is hardly felt by you hand but the powder meters well.

I have been using a mec 9000.

Joined: 13 Feb 2007 Posts: 98 Location: Illinois

Guest

This was not covered in the above posts but I've discovered this with my first 9000 in 12 gauge and repeated with my new 9000 in 16 gauge. In the MEC manual, they make a mention of how often you should grease the collet. When you run a progressive press, it's sometime very easy to forget how many rounds you're actually kicking out but I learned with my 12 gauge 9000 (and reminded with my 16 gague 9000) on just being aware of how smooth your "pull" feel. When it feels a little "rough", I usually stop everything and check the amount and quality of the grease around the collet. Most times when I feel this roughness, it's because either the grease has dried up or it's really gunky (especially if I have a few blown powder spills that mixed with the grease). If you take the time to clean the collet with a clean rag and then regrease the area and making sure you get all 360 degrees around it. I believe the MEC will run alot smoother. I recently read a Tom Roster article about the proper care and maintenance of your reloader in one of the magazines that he's a writer and greasing various pivot and compression points just gives your reloader a long life.....

Amen Terry. Most folks just yank and crank without any maintainance until something on the machine goes to reloader part heaven. Then they cuss the machine, call the technician at the company that made it and give him an earful about what a crappy machine they make. If asked how often the owner cleans and lubes the machine, and how often the wad guide fingers andrubber powder grommets get replaced, there is usually a short silence, followed by a sworn oath that its done all the time, just send the needed parts and blah, blah, blah-- Laughing

A little cleaning with an old toothbrush, a wipedown and shop vacuuming, a regrease, relube, and the old press will go forever. I still have my first 761 series 12 ga Grabber, the one the Orange County Trap club owner sold to me after it was rebuilt by MEC in 1981. Since then, it has reloaded a gazilian trap rounds for me. Its as smooth, easy, and reliable as the day I bought it. They last forever if you lube them. BTW, the machine still has the original sizing collet in it. Works to perfection too.