Coyote Kid, SASS#54714 Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 I have a MEC Sizemaster 12 ga and I'd like to reload shells with Pinnicle powder without using dippers. Does anyone do this and what size powder bushing do you use for cowboy loads. I use a 4.0 cc dipper currently (PITA). Thanks, Coyote Kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boulder Canyon Bob# 32052L Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 Ask MEC, they're pretty helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patagonia Pete Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 I did this once ... w/ 777 so I could stick w/ normal size wads (not those short little red things). Using a Lee powder density chart ... or something like this ... http://www.tacticoolproducts.com/powder.pdf ... but ... that makes my head hurt now ... soooooooooo .... Here is a thread where someone did a much better job and I'm sure these sizes will get you plenty close to start ... (since you are using an actual cc container volume dump) https://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=204955 Bushing # CC10 0.884911 0.946512 0.995812A 1.053813 1.113313A 1.174514 1.229415 1.293716 1.359617 1.427218 1.487619 1.558220 1.630521 1.695022 1.779923 1.847324 1.925925 2.006226 2.077727 2.161028 2.246029 2.332630 2.420831 2.499332 2.590633 2.683534 2.778135 2.862236 2.959837 3.059138 3.160038A 3.249739 3.353739A 3.459340 3.553040A 3.675441 3.772141A 3.884042 3.997642A 4.098443 4.215043A 4.333444 4.453344A 4.559645 4.682645A 4.807346 4.9336 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 Just get the adjustable bar and no more guessing. I never found a MEC bushing the 'droped' that amount it was said to. https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/245752/multi-scale-universal-charge-bar-with-powder-baffle-model-d-ds-mec-progressive-shotshell-loaders-650-grabber-9000?utm_medium=shopping&utm_source=connexity&utm_campaign=Reloading+-+Shotshell+Presses+%26+Equipment&utm_content=245752 OLG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jailhouse Jim, SASS #13104 Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 #42 or #42A will get you in the ballpark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coyote Kid, SASS#54714 Posted April 23, 2019 Author Share Posted April 23, 2019 Thanks, that chart is really helpful. I'd never saw that before. Now, anyone have a MEC 42 or 42A bushing they'd like to sell? I'll also look into the adjustable one if I can't find the bush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patagonia Pete Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 17 minutes ago, Coyote Kid, SASS#54714 said: Thanks, that chart is really helpful. I'd never saw that before. Now, anyone have a MEC 42 or 42A bushing they'd like to sell? I'll also look into the adjustable one if I can't find the bush. Just sayin' ... In that same Shotgun World thread ... another guy measured the inside diameter of all the bushings ... - AND - 9/16 of an inch is .5625 ... (right between the 42/42A bushing) ... If you had any bushing on hand ... you could drill it out w/ a 9/16 drill and be right there!! 42 = 0.559"42A = 0.566" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 I have one of those adjustable measures for my MEC 650 but went back to the bushings. I found the device wouldn't always cycle reliably. A real PITA on a progressive. Wasted far too much time fiddling with it. YMMV https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1833518928/mec-powder-bushing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patagonia Pete Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 Here's another ... $8 free shipping ... https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mec-Powder-Bushings-All-Sizes-Available-07-thru-46-FREE-SHIPPING/152996208982?epid=1001086080&hash=item239f48e156:m:mGMEyOGc4C5KxMp07MTc6GQ:sc:USPSFirstClass!85345!US!-1&var=452796337664 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 2 hours ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said: I have one of those adjustable measures for my MEC 650 but went back to the bushings. I found the device wouldn't always cycle reliably. A real PITA on a progressive. Wasted far too much time fiddling with it. YMMV https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1833518928/mec-powder-bushing My MEC, is a 42+ year old first generation 600 jr. in 12g. Never have tried a MEC progressive... OLG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted April 24, 2019 Share Posted April 24, 2019 4 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said: My MEC, is a 42+ year old first generation 600 jr. in 12g. Never have tried a MEC progressive... OLG I had high hopes for it because I'd heard so many good things about them. Up until a few years ago they weren't available for a 650, so when I saw one at Cabelas, I jumped on it. Having said that, I bought my Mec 650 used back in the 80's, so I've no idea how old it is. It's a cantankerous contraption that took a lot of fiddling to get set up. When I added the the adjustable bar, it added a new layer of fiddling and I just gave up. I suppose I could get it dialed in, but it's easier to swap out bushings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coyote Kid, SASS#54714 Posted April 24, 2019 Author Share Posted April 24, 2019 I've got a drill press and extra bushings, so now I have to try the 9/16th trick for grins. I'll also order both bushings from Larry Potter. Now if I could get the collett to quit hanging up the reloader half way down I'll be set. Yeah it's old and cantankerous (like me) so we're a good match. Thanks for all the good info. Now it's back to the shop. Happy Trails, Coyote Kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Too Tall Bob Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 I drilled a bushing out just because I could but the 42 bushing works fine. I painted the outside of the barrel red so I can see it through the charge bar hole and know it is BP. Would be very exciting to forget to change it and load up a bunch of smokeless rounds!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 When checking charge weights on a single stage MEC remember that the handle is pulled at least 4 times between each powder drop. This causes the powder to settle slightly and is the number one cause for people complaining about the difference between the weight that MEC states vs what people actually measure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coyote Kid, SASS#54714 Posted April 25, 2019 Author Share Posted April 25, 2019 I like the paint it red idea. My shooting partner (Hot Dawg Honndo) uses my reloader, wouldn't he be surprised. OK, I'll tell him to look for the red bushing in the hole. I'll also do a mock run on a couple of shells to see the results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
"Big Boston" Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 On 4/23/2019 at 3:06 PM, Coyote Kid, SASS#54714 said: Thanks, that chart is really helpful. I'd never saw that before. Now, anyone have a MEC 42 or 42A bushing they'd like to sell? I'll also look into the adjustable one if I can't find the bush. I've fooled with the adjustable charge bar, albeit not with BP or subs. My experience with it led me to abandon it's use and sell it. I got $10 at a gunshow and would have gladly given it away. I found the adjusting process to take far too long, and weight variations were too extreme. However I was using Green Dot, and it meters poorly on a good day. With a bushing, it will always be the same, repeatable. Yes, individual charges will vary, but the average will be same. IOW, if you change your load and change charge bars, the #xx bushing you used last year will still drop the same average charge it did a year ago. I did buy another MEC some time back, and it came with an adjustable bar, and I used it. This time I was loading 410, and found that the ability to adjust the shot to be invaluable. I set the powder for the correct charge of WW296, and then fine tuned the shot until I got the proper crimp. I could live with the time and tiddliness of setting the powder, because once set it would never change again, then fine tune the shot, which is a hole lot more forgiving. It is a bunch easier to load 12 ga than to load for the 410. Coincidentally, 42 and 42A are the bushings most often used with IMR 4756, I think that is also #38A's claim to fame. I think that buying 42 and 42A is the way to go. I've also drilled out bushings, with mediocre results, that I would not recommend. However custom making a brass one would be neat. Or how about a custom brass bar for BP/subs. Over the years I think I've bought every MEC bushing. BB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coyote Kid, SASS#54714 Posted April 26, 2019 Author Share Posted April 26, 2019 Yeah, I think I'll bite the bullet (so to speak) and call Midway to buy the 42 and 42 bushings. I'll still paint the bushing, that's a good idea. Thanks again for all the good info from all yall. Coyote Kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Too Tall Bob Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 “Paint” it with a magic marker - not any type of paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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