MEC 9000 Reloading Question

[Blue Hare]

I was so against using the progressive for reloading, but found it really is so much easier. My only problem is when the primer indexes along with the shotgun hull.. more often than not, the primer 'pops' out. Has anyone else had this problem, and is there any way to correct it? I've tried slooooowly pulling the handle.. but it doesn't matter how slow or fast.. I still have the same problem. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

Blue Hare

[Cowboy Rick, SASS #49739L]

I was so against using the progressive for reloading, but found it really is so much easier. My only problem is when the primer indexes along with the shotgun hull.. more often than not, the primer 'pops' out. Has anyone else had this problem, and is there any way to correct it? I've tried slooooowly pulling the handle.. but it doesn't matter how slow or fast.. I still have the same problem. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

Blue Hare

 

I had a devil of a time getting my 9000 working smoothly, and primer feeding was just one area of frustration. Is the spot where the primer lands clean and smooth? is there anything at all that could "trip" the primer before it falls into the pocket? Is the shell index plate smooth where it contacts the primer? Have you called MEC?

 

Once it gets going, it's pretty quick.

 

Good luck,

 

CR

[Rio Brazos Kid]

More often than not, that primer jumping/flipping is caused by the collet sticking in the up position and then snapping open when it does open. The primer is sitting adjacent to the collet and actually touches it. When the collet snaps open, it tends to make the primer jump and flip over, or maybe jump clear out of the carrier.

 

The cure is to re-lube the collet so that it will release normally and not snap open. MEC recommends using anti-sieze lubricant. This can be purchased at most any auto parts store, or you can order it from MEC. The easyest and cheapest is to purchase from the Auto Parts store. Most stores carry Permatex brand anti-sieze lube, whick comes in a small squeeze tube and is enough to last many months.

 

Apply it with a Q-Tip, coating the outside of the collet fingers/segments, where they slide against the collet closer. Properly lubed, the collet will open/release smoothly and not stick and snap loose, causing the primer to flip.

 

RBK

[Ozarks Monte, SASS #66019]

I Had To Adjust The Primer Drop Tube a Little Bit One Way Or The Other To Get It To Drop Primers Straight and In Line.

[Rio Brazos Kid]

I Had To Adjust The Primer Drop Tube a Little Bit One Way Or The Other To Get It To Drop Primers Straight and In Line.

 

Primer drop tube adjustment is very important, but primers not falling into the hole in the carrier, is not what he states is the problem. They flip out after being droped in the hole.

 

Primer drop tube adjustment is however very important to get consistant primer drops. The tube MUST be centered over the hole in the carrier, and the drop tube should be set to just lightly kiss off the carrier at the botton of the stroke. The drop should be timed to occur at the instant the drop tube touches the carrier. Too early a drop timing will result in primers missing the hole in the carrier.

 

These instructions pertain to Progressive presses only.

 

RBK

[Blue Hare]

More often than not, that primer jumping/flipping is caused by the collet sticking in the up position and then snapping open when it does open. The primer is sitting adjacent to the collet and actually touches it. When the collet snaps open, it tends to make the primer jump and flip over, or maybe jump clear out of the carrier.

 

The cure is to re-lube the collet so that it will release normally and not snap open. MEC recommends using anti-sieze lubricant. This can be purchased at most any auto parts store, or you can order it from MEC. The easyest and cheapest is to purchase from the Auto Parts store. Most stores carry Permatex brand anti-sieze lube, whick comes in a small squeeze tube and is enough to last many months.

 

Apply it with a Q-Tip, coating the outside of the collet fingers/segments, where they slide against the collet closer. Properly lubed, the collet will open/release smoothly and not stick and snap loose, causing the primer to flip.

 

RBK

 

Rio... thank you What you state is what happens. For all intensive purposes it is a new press as MEC just finished fixing it (we bought it used.. whoever had before the previous owner seriously messed it up) It sounds like the problem will be fixed when we lube the collet...So thanks again... this will save a lot more time.. rather than chasing primers all over the reloading room!

 

Blue Hare

[Rex M Rugers #6621]

Blue Hare , I have beeen reloading on a MEC 9000 for several years now , and have always considered the priming set-up the biggest weakness. I have pretty much trained myself to watch the primer drop on every handle cycle. I realize this was not your problem in the opening post , but just passing along what my experience has been.

Seems like every time I do not watch the primer drop , one doesn't , and the hull is leaking powder all over. Have learned new cuss-words in the meantime.

Lubing the collet will do wonders for smoothness.

Good luck , Rex

[Crusty]

Years ago I bought a pamphlet called "The Secrets of Setting up a MEC 9000." It was great and should have been referrence in the MEC Instruction book as something that should be read first. The primary focus was setting up the primer drop tube. It took a while but I got the primers to drop properly every time.

 

Of course, now I'll go up and clean and re-lube my sizing collet cause that's a great idea.

 

Thanks.

[Cowboy Junky]

I fought trying to "learn" my MEC Grabber for a year. But since I got it for $75 bucks and it looked brand new with a cover I bought it anyway. One day I decided I would start using it........after a few hours of tweaking and a pile of shot and powder everywhere I got it up and running. Now I wouldn't take $275 for it....it's so much faster than the sizemaster I was using.

[Blue Hare]

Blue Hare , I have beeen reloading on a MEC 9000 for several years now , and have always considered the priming set-up the biggest weakness. I have pretty much trained myself to watch the primer drop on every handle cycle. I realize this was not your problem in the opening post , but just passing along what my experience has been.

Seems like every time I do not watch the primer drop , one doesn't , and the hull is leaking powder all over. Have learned new cuss-words in the meantime.

Lubing the collet will do wonders for smoothness.

Good luck , Rex

Rex, yup.. been there done that... over and over... Also, amazing that people can hear those "choice words" with two doors and concrete between them...<giggle>.

 

Thanks

 

Blue

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

Blue Hair,,,,glad you did this post, ,,I've been fighting the collet for at least a year, got to where I can take it apart pretty easily...never lubed it cause it says to keep it dry,,,duh!!!

 

Did larn one thang tha other day, loaded up bout 100 shells,,,had to make some adjustments cause the wad seemed a lil lower,,,checked the powder drop on tha scale, yup it was right...when to a shoot and dang it iffn I dint git bout laffed out of the place cuz of my really lite (liter then normul) shells,, ,,when home on checked agin,,,yup 13.5 gr,,,,hmmmm I sez tu misef,,,,than I luked at tha scale reeeeel close.....my scale in ohio has 10gr incriments,,,this one here has 5 gr incriments.....hmmmm I guess 8.5 is a lil lite.. ....but thay wurked, evun on the knock downs,,,,,

 

life is soooooooooo gooooooooooooddd, if only all problems were soooo eezee..

 

Cheyenne