great deal for shotshell reloading

**coalman** · June 30th, 2009, 07:13 PM

a little while ago i wrote in with some questions about getting started in shotshell reloading. i got alot of realy good input from several of you which i greatly appreciate. thought about purchasing a lee load all, when i asked a buddy i work with he told me about a guy at work who had a press for sale, when i asked him about it was informed it was a mec 600jr. best part about it he bought it new several years ago and never used it said i could have it for 30.00$ came with alittle bag of parts which i need to read up on , a charging bar marked either 116 or 118 and a 33 bushing, plus all the paperworrk and a reloading manual from hercules. now besides powder, shot, wads, primers and hulls ,all i need to do is start reading. WARNING, i do ask alot of questions so some of you need to be prepared. thank you again and thanks in advance
dale

**BUCKMARK** · June 30th, 2009, 08:29 PM

The charge bar would be 118 or 1 1/8 oz of shot.... a very popular trap/sporting load.

MEC charge bars are labeled 118 for 1 1/8 138 for 1 3/8 oz and so forth.

the #33 is the powder bushing. I have #10 up through like #38 or so. #10 would be for a .410 or 28 gauge. The bushings in the upper 20's and 30's will be for most 12 gauge loads. The powder bushing depends on the type of powder used, and the load you select. Those bushings are dirt cheap and available at most gun shops.

Examples - my 28 gauge load in my MEC 600Jr is a 3/4 oz load that goes 1200 FPS using #8 or #9 shot.

The charge bar is a 34 ( 3/4 oz) and the powder bushing is a #19 for 13 grains of UNIQUE powder.

My 12 gauge load is a 1 /18 oz load that goes 1200 FPS also using #8 shot and also using UNIQUE powder. The charge bar is a 118 and the powder bushing is a #32.

Very easy to set up and use if you read up on it and use your head!

You did very well on the price... but I will say that if the press is used or a older model.... make sure it has a PRO CHECK on it. Read in the manual or on MEC's sight to see what it is and looks like. The PRO CHECK is a cheap device that simply keeps you from double charging the hull with powder.

I have 2 MEC 600's set up and have been running them for 10 years or more. I will answer any questions you might have.

Good luck, and stay safe.

**WVBob** · July 1st, 2009, 07:51 AM

You got a great deal.

Buckmark is right on. I've got a 600Jr in 16ga and .410. You need to make sure it's clean and tight. The manual will tell you how to do that. You CAN load over 100 rounds per hour but I keep it to around 80 becaus it's a good pace for me.

Next step is a Size Master.

**Flash** · July 1st, 2009, 10:23 AM

Deal ? DEAL ?

That was a STEAL !

A MEC for less than a LEE? Nice !

Shot, load, enjoy. Repeat as necessary.

Flash

**Bib** · July 1st, 2009, 04:59 PM

The 600 JR is a great press....I picked up mine (20 ga.) for about that same price..it even had a primer feeder on it. I didn't shoot too many 20 ga. back then and bought a Grabber for 12 ga. I always thought the 600 was way too slow compared to the Grabber. Fast forward to rising component prices...and the realization that after shooting skeet for 20+ years, when I missed a target it wasn't because I didn't have enough shot in the air...I decided to stick with a 3/4 oz. load of #9s for skeet. I thought that there must be a faster way to load on the 600 so I figured out how to get a loaded round for every 2 pulls of the handle instead of every 6. If anyone's interested I could try to spell it out later.