Max Payne Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 I've been using a MEC 9000 for 8 years now. It's okay, but wondering if I might love the difference if I stepped up to either a Ponsness Warren or a Spolar Gold. What can you tell me about what to expect? I know there's a big price difference. I'm thinking Smokestack might be chiming in on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branchwater Jack SASS #88854 Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 I know you didn't ask, but... I have been using a RCBS Grand for several years and have been very happy with the machine. Depending on what you are looking for, it is another one that you might want to put on your RADAR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twelve mile REB Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 A Spolar is the Gold standard for loaders those that have them love them. The Ponsness Warren is a great loader and probably used by more serious shooters than any other press. I use an RBCS Grand like Jack does but its not a great loader a good one to be sure. If the Grand didn't have a fragile plastic piece in the primer system and the shot reservoir was anchored better it would certainly be a candidate for great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 i think they are the same essentially but one is the caddie the other the chevy , i doubt you will regret either choice - they are the best money can buy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still hand Bill Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 I have a pw 800+. Works well, but took some tweaking to get it right. Now I have had it for a while and they have made some updates, like the powder seal and magnets in the loading post. I have a little remorse that I didn’t spring for the spolar. If I was going to do it again, I would spend the extra. Now that I have the pw, I am not going to make that jump as it would be too much of a cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 If you are shooting more than about 2,000 shotgun rounds a month, then I think the PW and Spolar progressives earn a place on your workbench (and in your wallet). It takes a LOT of cowboy shooting to support the cost of one of these jewels. For 500 to about 3,000 rounds per month, my choices would be a Mec 9000 or the RCBS Grand or (what I run) a Hornady 366 . All five of these will make a shell as good as factory, with a smoothly-rolled finished crimp that feeds quickly in pumps and doubles. Less than 500 a month can be the territory for a Mec Grabber. Also great if you are that guy who loves to try out 3 new loads a week. Just like the "right" Dillon centerfire press, the right shotshell loader REALLY depends upon your output required. Unless you are just rolling in dough that you don't want the grand kids to get ahold of. In that case, you can send me the extra! I'll help you hide it. Good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still hand Bill Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 Having started with a mec grabber. If i didn’t do multiple gauges I would have stayed with the grabber and not upgraded to the pw. But it’s cheaper to go with a pw once you do a few gauges vs buying multiple mec’s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheyenne Culpepper 32827 Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 If money is no issue the spolar. I just got a used pet 900 and am liking it better than the 9000 mec I had or the 366 pacific/hornady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Springfield Slim SASS #24733 Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 I like my used Texan, at least I can pull out the shells at any station. I moved up from a couple of Mec 600's and it was a shock how much faster they were, once you get used to how they work. Kinda like my Dillon 550, not the fastest but gets the job done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 2 hours ago, Still hand Bill said: I have a pw 800+. Works well, but took some tweaking to get it right. Now I have had it for a while and they have made some updates, like the powder seal and magnets in the loading post. I have a little remorse that I didn’t spring for the spolar. If I was going to do it again, I would spend the extra. Now that I have the pw, I am not going to make that jump as it would be too much of a cost. what is it that you would have spent more on ? improvements after you bought are always going to happen , if you bought the spolar would you have gotten them when you purchased ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still hand Bill Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 30 minutes ago, watab kid said: what is it that you would have spent more on ? improvements after you bought are always going to happen , if you bought the spolar would you have gotten them when you purchased ? The spolar is/was more money than the pw. I think it’s just a bit nicer as it’s machined vs cast/machined. the improvements were on the pw. I made my own magnetic post for the first station. Not really needed for 12 ga, but critical for 28 and 410. The other major change was the new seal for the powder to the metering disk. The new design is what should have been done from the beginning. I was able to buy the parts, then machine my hopper for the new seal to fit. I also changed out the crimp starter to a mec style. The original wire type was horrible. Also went to the shovel handle. The force required for gun club hulls is fairly high and the shovel handle makes it tolerable. I had to do some cleanup on the primer feeder so it would work. It’s good now as long as the rail is kept full. The final issue is with the 28ga shot drop. It really needs redesigned to work like the 410. As it is now the tube is just the right size to trap a wad pedal which pulls the wad out on the up stroke. Dumps shot everywhere. It helps if you can reform the pedals before insertion, but a few still get through. I will say the woman who answers the phone at pw is very knowledgeable and service has always been good. She knows her stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingSnake Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 As a machinist I recognize the quality of the all machined parts on the Spolar. However, I just got a SUPER deal on a PW 800+. Loaded my first shells on it yesterday. With absolutely no adjustments I made better looking ammo than I get on my MEC GRABBER. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Sombra Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 Personal preference for me is the Dillon SL900. Bought it years ago when I was shooting 10+ games of trap per week. Now that I am shooting CAS it is overkill, but works fine. As always, YMMV. La Sombra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Sam, SASS #34718L Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 I load under 4000 rounds a year of Smokeless & BP on my MEC Grabber. I've had it over 15 years now it's been 100% reliable, it always has & still does make pretty darn good shells. For the $$ it's hard to beat..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 i learned some from this thread , thanks , my friend has a PW with a motorized drive , his has loaded a lot of remington gunclub hulls and works real well , if i were going to upgrade id be looking to this , i get that the spolar is the caddie but im not a trap shooter loading tens of thousands a year , im a CAS shooter that loads ten flats max if i can get all the components i need , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Mike Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 Hey Max. I ran 9000’s in 4 gauges for many years and still use the 12 ga for my SASS rounds. I have a Spolar. I shoot all 4 gauges in clay targets. For me it was economical and saved space just changing heads to switch gauges. Loading. 28 and 410 really helped pay for this machine quickly. If it were me I would go with the PW if loading just 12 ga. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Payne Posted December 10, 2020 Author Share Posted December 10, 2020 Good feedback! Not sure I can justify most of the goodies I have, but they sure are cool. Garrison Joe, I did find a pile of money I forgot about, & I'm getting that out to you soon. I am gonna have to give you a 1099 so I can save some taxes. Hope that isn't a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L Posted December 11, 2020 Share Posted December 11, 2020 3 hours ago, Max Payne said: Good feedback! Not sure I can justify most of the goodies I have, but they sure are cool. Goodies are always a nice addition and usually improve my enjoyment of the activity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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