16ga.com ~ View topic

Getting back into reloading after acquiring some older L.C. Smilths and not wanting to shoot modern shells with higher psi. I bought a Mec 600 Mark V for 16 ga. I have an older Mec 650 for 20 ga. and have 12 ga dies for a Mec 600 Jr. I made a riser plate 1/4" out of aluminum for 2 1/2" shells on the 16 ga Mark V. I measured all the powder bushings and recorded findings for future loads.
I was curious as to what the shot bars were throwing since the powder bushings on some aren't close to what Mec says they are. I took the shot bars and dropped 7 loads each for each bar of # 7 1/2"s and took an average, this is my findings;

1 1/8 oz bar averaged 1.09 oz.
1 oz bar averaged .939 oz or 15/16 oz
7/8 oz bar averaged .834 oz.
3/4 oz bar averaged .699 oz.
Lowest to highest in 3/4 oz bar is 20 pellets .
7/8 oz bar is very close
1 1/8 oz is close to 1/8 oz off.
Was wondering if anyone else measured their shot and what there findings were.

Guest

I formerly used the "preset" bars and bushing as supplied by MEC. Luckily, I had a reloading store whose owner really knew his stuff. After going in and getting my periodic component purchase, he asked me if I used the MEC bar and bushing or had the Universal bar. When I told him that I used the former, he advised me to go with the Universal bar. He told me that due to the lawyers, alot of the reloading companies have to go "light" just to ensure there will be minimal problems with their customer’s reloading. If your shot or powder is "light", there will be fewer issues with chamber pressure. I'm not one to get shoot either mega payload or extra high velocity but by using the Universal bar and precisely measuring my powder and shot charges, I know what is going out of my barrel. I know some reloaders who either mill out their bushing/bar or place tape to take up room but the Universal bar is really the only way to go....

I have three 8567 (12,16,20) Grabbers. All wear a universal charge bar, and #4 (2 Cool

will likely as well before it loads a single shell.

You didn't mention what type shot you were using. Soft shot weighs more by volume that hard shot as I recall. I would suggest you go with the after market adj. charge bar for both shot and powder.

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

Shot size will make a slight difference in weight values as well.
Smaller shot will weigh heavier than larger shot if dropped through the same bar. Seems like I remember MEC bars being 'standardized' with 7 1/2's or 8's. Doesn't make much difference though as T. Imai's comment is, I suspect, correct. Adjustable bars..............

I have used MEC 600's for years, and every shot bar I've used drops light. Unless the volume causes concave crimps I don't really worry about it too much -- I figure a dozen or so fewer pellets won't affect my pattern all that much, and the patterning board seems to bear that out (as do the dead doves and quail).

Having said that, the higher performance loads I use on chukar and pheasant are always weighed, and I've found the steel shot bars are useless, so I weigh all my non-toxic loads as well.

Member Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 972 Location: Keller,TX

I use the Universal charge bars (3 ) preset for different shot size brands. They are the easiest to recallibrate and far more accurate to meter than the fixed MEC Bars.

I'm with Haiwee - don't sweat the light drops & weigh both shot & powder on anything where performance is critical. Have never used the universal. Does it take a lot of time to dial it in every time you want to change a load?

Member Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 972 Location: Keller,TX

Brother,Hawk. They are very easy once you use them several times.They have improved them over the years with larger adjustment screws. I've used them for 25 or more years.