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Which MEC For BP and Roll Crimping?


Mad Dog McGee

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Thinking about getting a MEC , Sizemaster, 650, or 8567N. I'm going to be removing the shell after I drop the shot. Will the 650 or 8567N allow me to remove the shell or will it keep it captive ?

I like the auto primer and don't won't to have to feed a primer everytime.

I won't be using the crimp stages because I like to roll crimp. I will be using BP and roll crimping. Any suggestions as to which press to get? A lot of folks use the Mec 600Jr. but I want auto primer feed and I don't like having to re-set the shell for each stage.

Pards , Thanks again for your help. Mad Dog McGee

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I use a MEC Jr and also roll crimp......you can add the auto primer to a Jr which is what I did. But I did find a used 8567 which will be used for loading for my wife. I am not sure how that works as far as removing the hull at different stations. You might check the MEC website they do have videos or give them a call and they will be able to tell you for sure. Short cuts are always nice since loading BP is time consuming. I prepare my hulls in different stages. First I trim the hull something I do while watching TV. Next I deprime and prime the hulls. When I am ready to reload the hulls are ready. I use a Lyman 55 BP powder measure and then use the MEC to seat the nitro card and wad then drop the shot and also use the machine to seat the over shot card. I recently started to use one of those roll crimpers you put in a drill.....I prefer the antique ones you do by hand...But the drill saves some time.

Sorry I went off on a tangent here but hope it helps

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AFAIK all the 600 jr and the SizeMaster MEC presses use the final crimping station to operate the primer feed. When you insert a shell into the last station the act of crimping it causes the die to move up and actuate the primer feed.

 

You could easily modify the primer feed to work manually without a lot of difficulty. Just have to remember to actuate it when dropping powder or seating the wad.

 

I have the 600 jr and plan to do this when I start roll crimping shells for my 1887.

 

I have never used one of the MEC progressive presses so someone with one can chime in.

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I had a 8657N but went to a 9000 auto progressive after about a year. I'm able to pull the shell out of the machine at any station I want to and often times do for various reasons/mishaps. I purchased it lightly used for less than half the retail price. It is a fairly reliable machine though not as good as some of the higher end presses.

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Sounds like the press procedure that you are wanting would be quite possible with a Grabber, (8657N).

 

With this machine, you could simply remove the crimp dies, (Easily Done), and you would get exactly the shell you are looking for. You would get resizing and depriming at station 1, (Along with a primer drop), then a re-prime and powder drop at station 2, then a wad inserted and a shot drop at station 3. The shell could then simply ride the carrier till it came back to station 1, where it is easily removed. This would work like a charm for what you state that you want.

 

With the Sizemaster or 600 Jr., to do what you are suggesting, first you would have to manually operate the primer feed, and then manually move the shell through the de-prime, prime, powder drop and Wad insert and shot drop stations.. This would not be all that bad, as the powder drop, wad insert, and shot drop are all done at the same station, and shell removal would be a snap.

 

Personally, if I were setting up a machine strictly for loading CAS shells, I would opt for the Sizemaster, if I intended to crimp off the machine. Without crimping on the machine, you could easily produce 250 shells per hour, ready for the roll crimp. That should give you all the speed of production you need.

 

RBK

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Guest Cactus Cris SASS#2790

I have been using the MEC Grabber to load BP and smokeyless for yrs. I use it when I roll crimp too. I take the shell out after the shot is dropped and add a card and color paper then use my drill press to roll.I make my own color wads and have a rubber stamp "BP" that i stamp the wad. I found the crimp from Precision tools works the best. The only adjustment I have to make is lowering the wad guide a little so the wads dont catch on the hull.

Straight wall hulls - Federal, Fio, Rio, seem to work the best for me & straight wall wads.

Email me for pics and data if interested in my process.

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I use a 650 all the time you can revive the shell from any of the stations. Look into the priming attachment also speeds things up. I drop app directly from the powder bottle on the MEC but it's not like regular bp and subs and very static prone but I do put a dryer sheet around the bottle with a rubber band to cut it.

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I have been using the MEC Grabber to load BP and smokeyless for yrs. I use it when I roll crimp too. I take the shell out after the shot is dropped and add a card and color paper then use my drill press to roll.I make my own color wads and have a rubber stamp "BP" that i stamp the wad. I found the crimp from Precision tools works the best. The only adjustment I have to make is lowering the wad guide a little so the wads dont catch on the hull.

Straight wall hulls - Federal, Fio, Rio, seem to work the best for me & straight wall wads.

Email me for pics and data if interested in my process.

 

+1 to CC, I do the same with my Grabber, with Ballistic Products roll crimp tooling in a drill press. Federal hulls work best for me. Using a BPI "Spin Doctor" helps prevent the wad catching on the mouth of the hull. You can use a big dowel to shape the hull mouth but it wears out my hands pretty quickly.

 

Holler

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Howdy Mad Dog. I load everything on a Mec 650. It's a very quirky machine, but suits my needs very well. Yes, a shell can be removed from any station.

 

Some things to consider:

 

The 650 is a progressive press. By taking the shell out after shot is loaded, you're negating the benefit of a progressive press as you're only using 3 of the 6 stations. While the shell can be removed, it has to be done carefully so you don't spill the loaded shot.

 

While the 650 can be used for sizing, it's such a PITA and so inefficient that I use a Mec Super Sizer.

 

You really should resize your hulls with each loading, especially if you're using range hulls or any other hulls not fired from your specific gun. This makes chambering and extraction a breeze.

 

If you don't already have a sizer, I'd recommend the Mec Sizemaster as it comes standard with the same collet sizer as the Super Sizer. It also comes standard with the primer auto feed. I think you'll find this machine will be easier to use and just as fast (if not faster) than the 650 for what you want to do

 

The other Mecs are fine presses, but I don't know how well they work for sizing. Some also prefer these without the auto primer option.

 

I'm just curious -- why do you want to roll crimp? Seems like a laborious task. I shoot BP and smokeless and find that the star crimp works well for both. Having said that, I know folks who shoot '87 lever shotguns and say they can make a shorter shell by roll crimping, which makes loading the gun easier. I'm considering trying it for my '87.

 

Good luck!

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Thanks Pards , Got a 8657N Grabber on the way ! It should really speed up my reloading.

Deadwood , I roll crimp so I can load my SxS easier with the beveled edge. A lot of money for a loader; more then I paid for my Dillon 550b years ago. Plus the Grabber has an extra roll on the last station so if I want I can load without the roll crimp IF I want to.

Anyway thanks to all for your support and inputs. Flames and Smoke ALL the Way ! Mad Dog McGee

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Guest Cactus Cris SASS#2790

Deadwood - I have found that the roll crimp hull flies out of a sxs much nicer that a fold crimp hull. There is less pressure built up and they don't swell up on the ends. Plus you can use almost any hull and don't have to hunt the AA and STS hulls.

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Deadwood - I have found that the roll crimp hull flies out of a sxs much nicer that a fold crimp hull. There is less pressure built up and they don't swell up on the ends. Plus you can use almost any hull and don't have to hunt the AA and STS hulls.

I'm just wondering, Cris, if yer shooting your clay game with BP now? :wacko: Or are you CAS gamin' somewhere other than AZ??? :D

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I have to question the validity of using a roll crimp to get a rounded edge on the crimp. A properly adjusted MEC will indeed leave the crimp end of a shell slightly rounded. Improperly adjusted, they will leave a slight flare, but that can be cured.

 

I shoot a Stoeger Coach Gun, using STS hulls, loaded sometimes on a progressive, and most times on a single stage Sizemaster. My shells come off either press with a slightly rounded edge on the crimp end, and load quite easily. Upon firing, they simply fall out of the chambers. All the added work of roll crimping will NOT enhance the performance I get from my reloads.

 

I would suggest learning the basics of getting your press to properly finish your shells, and it will make adding a roll crimp just another PITA that you can do without.

 

RBK

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Once a hull has been roll crimped and shot, is it reloadable?

Yes. You should also get a few more loads befor the cripmp area gets damaged.

 

Nice thing is that when you are loading BP and not using plastic wads, as the lip gets damaged you can just trim it off, adjust the stack and keep right on using the hulls.

 

Biggest issue is if you are atempting to reload hulls that have been previously star crimped you have to straighten out the crimp some to facilitate roll crimping. Right now I am working on a small motorized tool I can sit on the bench and take care of this as I reload.

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Yes. You should also get a few more loads befor the cripmp area gets damaged.

 

Nice thing is that when you are loading BP and not using plastic wads, as the lip gets damaged you can just trim it off, adjust the stack and keep right on using the hulls.

 

Biggest issue is if you are atempting to reload hulls that have been previously star crimped you have to straighten out the crimp some to facilitate roll crimping. Right now I am working on a small motorized tool I can sit on the bench and take care of this as I reload.

Thx Dave. The only reason I might roll crimp is to get a shorter shell for my '87. I don't shoot it that much, so this might be a fun experiment.

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Thx Dave. The only reason I might roll crimp is to get a shorter shell for my '87. I don't shoot it that much, so this might be a fun experiment.

Your Welcome

 

I am roll crimping for the same reason. I want the slightly shorter shell for my 87. I have a couple of the antique roll crimpers I am learning o use

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Guest Cactus Cris SASS#2790

Don C. I am shooting some BP at them pesky birds but mainly shooting smokeyless with both roll and fold crimp Got my loads going 1325 fps with 7000 psi. and 1 oz. #8 shot. Using Win Super Handicap powder -Fio primers in a federal hull. Like them going fast with medium recoil. Works well in my Benni Super Sport 30" ported SG.

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