Mec JR reloading quiestion

[cordell]

Hello Duffy,
Sounds like you have a plan starting there, but be careful if it is big enough for a reloading nook it is big enough for a closet!!! Start complaining now and never stop....mice....bugs..... maybe there are mice & bugs in that corner.

Laying all jokes aside I do like the cigar boxes and coffee cans! Under that bench are probably (very concervatively) 30,000+++ once fired brass cases (some in 3lb coffee cans) that I have aquired over the past bajillion years, and I am able to help others periodically with a handfull here and there. As a matter of fact a neighbor/friend just called a few weeks ago and came over and dug out a few hundred .357 magnum cases.

Now getting on to your Mec 600 Jr, you are going to love it once you get it running like you want it. If you are one of those 100 straight guys and shooting on 2 leagues a week you will probably want to go with a progressive soon, but if you still have your 25 straight patch (and glad to have it) the 600 will keep you going for a long time.

What type of shotgun do you use and where is your range located? Take care and God bless. cordell....................BTW I just shot Sporting Clays for the first time last summer......................................what a humbling experience. TC&GB

[Duffy]

Well cordell, it is a plan, anyway. I'm really looking forward to getting started and I've been studying various manuals to get my basic understanding down pat. I plan on starting out reloading only what I shoot in league, 12 gauge Federal Gold Medal hulls, 1 1/8 ounce shot, 209A primer, Claybuster equivalent for Fed. 12S wad, and 19.2 grains Red Dot, which is the charge my #32 bushing will drop. I also got a digital scale to check my shot and charge weights periodically, something recommended to me by others, as well as in the manuals. I will stick with only those reloads for now, since that is all I shoot in skeet; and I don't plan on reloading any hunting rounds yet, mostly because as I see it the cost of components to retool for game bird loads and/or steel is not justified by the infrequency of my shooting those rounds. I may branch out into 20 gauge eventually, though.

I shoot weekly leagues starting in late April/early May, ending around late September/early October, and lots of other practice sessions throughout. I shoot a Remington/Spartan SPR 310 O/U (the old Baikal) mostly, and a Mossberg 930 occasionally. I shoot at a club east of Canton, Ohio.

Since I am in just the beginning stages of this process, I'll take all the advice I can get. There is a lot of information out there, and I plan on studying as much as I can, and look forward to getting started.

[dovehunter]

Duffy:

You may want to check what that bushing #32 actually throws with your powder scales. I am a huge fan of MEC products but I have found that their powder bushings usually throw lighter charges than what is shown in their tables. When I find that to be the case I usually buy a couple of bushings in the next larger sizes and use the one that throws closest to (but just under) the charge I need. Someone else said they got one of the adjustible charge bars. I have one too but found, though it works fine, that the adjustments are cumbersome and you still have to check the charges thus thrown with an accurate powder scales. It's also probably cheaper just buying extra bushings.

If you decide to start loading 20 ga. shells I'd advise buying another whole new press in that guage rather than getting a conversion kit. Changing back and forth frequently will become a hassle.

If you haven't already bought one, I'd strongly advise getting a copy Lyman's shotshell loading manual. It is very comprehensive, is well suited to a beginner, and has a huge number of loads.

Lastly I'd also suggest buying only target grade shot. It'll cost a little more but, at least in my humble opinion, you'll get results which will be worth it.

[Duffy]

dovehunter:

Thanks for your advice, I appreciate it. Once I have everything set up, I'll check that #32; I planned on verifying charges with my scale eanyway, both at first and during reloading sessions. Maybe I'll need to get one or two other larger bushings.

I won't be reloading 20s anytime soon, but when I'm ready, that is a good excuse to get more equipment, at least in my mind. If my wife questions it, I'll just refer her to this thread! Seriously, you make a good point for making things easier.

I already have Lyman's guide on order from Midway, I've heard that is THE guide to get, though I already have Rick Sapp's Reloading for Shotgunners and downloads from Alliant and Federal. No such thing as too much information.

One question: What makes shot "target grade"? Is #8 West Coast shot, 5% antimony much the same?

Thanks.

[dovehunter]

Originally Posted by Duffy

...One question: What makes shot "target grade"? Is #8 West Coast shot, 5% antimony much the same?...

The place where I buy my shot now carries only the Lawrence brand. They used to carry Remington too. In both brands the store stocked two kinds of shot: essentially hunting shot (don't remember what it was called) and extra-hard target grade shot. Both brands had "Target Grade" and "Extra Hard" stamped on the bag. Obviously the target grade was more expensive so, being a tight was, when I first started loading I used the cheaper shot. Once when I needed shot they only had the more expensive target grade shot, so I bit the bullet and bought 25 lbs. The first time I used my reloads with the target grade shot I noticed a pronounced decrease in the shots expended per bird downed. I was also able to connect better at longer ranges. It made a believer out of me and I have been using the higher grade shot ever since. I'm not familiar with the West Coast brand. You may want to ask someone knowledgeable at the store if that is a better grade of shot suitable for skeet and/or trap. Alas a lot of the bigger stores these days only hire "clerks" who seem to be long on worthless opinions and short on real knowledge.

[Duffy]

Well said. Thanks.

[cordell]

Duffy,
Just back in from "the room", I have a spare #30 and #33 charge bar bushing if you would like them drop me a PM with your address and I will get them in the mail Monday (I am booked solid tomorrow). I was hoping for a #31 and #33 but did not have a duplicate of the #31 sorry.

Looks like you have been in good hands with dovehunter, the hard shot will give you an edge in some circumstances. I still have one unopened bag of the "old" Lawrence 7 1/2 shot and use it for quail mostly.

Tell me more about your lure collecting? Our pond finally thawed and I almost tried to drown a few crank baits this afternoon, but ended up hauling donkey manure for the garden and ran out of light. Well maybe we will have another 60+ degree day soon. Take care and God bless.

[fabsroman]

Originally Posted by Duffy

Well said. Thanks.

The higher quality shot will have more antimony in it. I believe 5% antimony is pretty good, so what you have should work well.

I have some West Coast extra hard shot, which is their premium shot. Essentially, you want somewhat hard shot so that it will not deform under the pressures of firing. This is actually explained pretty well in the Lyman manual, which I think is the best shotgun reloading manual I have ever read. Essentially, when shot deforms it gets spots on it that are flat. These flat parts will rotate around with the air passing around the shot and when they catch an edge they will fling that piece of shot out of the pattern. So, the harder, less deformed shot tend to give fuller patterns with less fliers in them.

One of the reasons that Hevi-Shot patterns really well is because it isn't completely round, but tear drop shaped, which is one of the most aerodynamic shapes for going through the air. Essentially, that little tail end of the shot keeps it going in a straight line and there are very few fliers with Hevi-Shot. Not to mention that it is as hard, or harder, than steel and doesn't deform in the least bit.

Read the Lyman manual and it will open your eyes to a lot of shotgun reloading.