Gp'ers Shotshell Press wars - anyone?

[bhawkeye]

Ok, if any of you actually reload for shotgun (I did in a previous life MEC single stage ~45 years ago), I'm getting back into skeet (12Ga Citori 525 Sporting), & want to know what the best reloading setup would be?

Help me out please. Not worried about whether reloading 12 GA saves me money or not - I like reloading.

Ponsness Warren has some substantial looking presses - but seems to suck at customer service. Also, announcing that they will no longer provide parts for their 800B/C presses seems bad? Also, they drove their best distributor (Wiz White?) away because of crappy quality & bad customer service, though they seem to have now kissed & made up. Anyone? ... Anyone?

Spolar is gorgeous - but is it woth the cost?

Hornady 366 - They don't seem to be giving away 1000 free anythings with this, but it looks ok & gets fairly good reviews....?

RCBS - The Grand - wow! looks sweet - I like the looks & specs better than the Spolar (I know- I'm tweaked) - but it doesn't seem to be as popular as I'd expect. Why?

MEC 9000E with the Automate - stamped sheet metal press - is it really a good setup? (kinda had my heart set on the Automate with a PW or Spolar 'till MEC bought 'em).

Then, of course, there's Dillon. I love the company - but their SL 900 doesn't get the best reviews?

Share your wisdom, please. :confused:

[TwoShot]

I have loaded a ton of 12 ga with my Mec 600 jr never had any problems with it.
A friend does 10 ga with his and has for ever, :cheers2:

[SWAMPMASTER]

I have a PW 800 B, 375 in 12 and a 375 in 10 and love the Pw line. Maybe not the best in cust service but have not really needed cust service just need to find a place to buy parts when needed

[freakshow10mm]

I just load 20ga on a MEC 600JR. Works fine. I'd go progressive if you shoot a lot. Just makes sense.

I can get Hornady, Dillon, RCBS, and MEC loaders. If you are interested in prices, let me know and I can give you a quote. The Dillon will run $700 shipped and is already listed on my site.

[LJUnaTic]

I have loaded over 100,000 round of 12ga on my 366 and I would not hesitate to buy another one.http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa61/LJUnaTIC/100_0084.jpg?t=1210536550
These are high quality, AA level competition trap rounds I am loading here .
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa61/LJUnaTIC/100_0087.jpg?t=1210536642
I have broken multiple 100 straights with my reloads and currently hold a 97% AA average for 16 yard ATA targets


ETA:
And it helps that they are made here in Grand Island, Nebraska

[Tailgunner]

Not familier with the 9000E, but the 9000G I had seemed to work quite well.
Biggest "problem" with either the MEC Grabber or 9000G was the primer feed, as it would sometimes not feed / feed one tipped. Easy enough to correct the problem, IF you checked the primer status during the up stroke (for those not familier with them, they drop a primer into the shell plate between station 1 & 2 on the down stroke, than drop it into station 2 as the plate rotates. Make the correction before you top out the handle).

[45shortcolt]

MEC is the standard of the industry. Cheap, effective, available just about everywhere. They will wear out if you're a hi-volume shooter but MEC will do a rebuild for (last time I checked) $90. The average shotgunner will never wear one out. Well suited for apartment dwellers or those cramped for space. Very compact.

Hornady's 366 is about as good but has a few design features I never cared for. Those personal dislikes aside it's used by legions of shotgunners and has been around forever. Built like a tank and will probably outlive the owner.

PW is a distinct move up the food chain from the first two. Probably more serious competition shotgunners use this brand then all the rest. Quality gear that's built tough with CS that's next to none.

Spolar - the best made. For the really hi-volume shooter who likes to load a few thousand at a time without breaking a sweat. Cost is prohibitive for most but it is easily the best engineered shotshell press on the market. Worth the money if your needs and pocket book are on the same page.

[thorn]

My dad and I reloaded countless 12 and 20 on a Mec 600JR. Wasn't the fastest thing, but i dont recall the press ever giving us a single trouble. And they're pretty affordable presses.

thorn

[Brass Nazi]

What about the Lee press?

[Tailgunner]

What about the Lee press?
You mean other than it makes the cheapest MEC look like a Cadallac?
You mean other than having to fiddle fart around with every shell inorder to get it to crimp properly?
You mean other than it barly holds enough shot to do a single box of shells?
Other than than that...........................................

[Brass Nazi]

Queue the Uncle Don spotlight picture.................................


Seriously,

Does it load the ammo of the same quality as the other presses at a fraction of the cost.

[nitesite]

Anyone shooting skeet with a tightly-chambered O/U really needs a press that collet sizes the brass base.

I have a Sizemaster in 12-ga and I can load 2-3 shells per minute at a very casual and leisurely cadence. That's about one box every eight or ten minutes, without feeling rushed.

I also have a MEC 650 which doesn't collet size the shell base. My Browning Gold Fusion chamber is loose enough that I can skip that step. It's quite easy to make a finished shell every ten seconds, so a box is finished every four minutes.

Both came perfectly adjusted from the factory so I've never had to tweak anything on the press in order to replicate Rem STS/Nitro27 quality shells.

I admire anyone who has both the means and the desire to buy something top tier. For me, either six boxes per hour (Sizemaster) or 15 boxes per hour (650N) is sufficient for my shotgunning needs. Both make beautiful crimps and darned good ammunition.

Shoot, as much as any other reason I load to get away from life's frustrations. I don't want to be finished in twenty minutes!

[nitesite]

Queue the Uncle Don spotlight picture.................................


Seriously,

Does it load the ammo of the same quality as the other presses at a fraction of the cost.

I've come close to buying the Lee in 20-ga so I can load up some shells for my teenage son. I'd like to actually pull the handle on one before buying it. I hear that there's a lot of flex in it due to its light weight and plastic parts.

Then I think of the small footprint a 600 or Sizemaster requires and think that a used one in good condition would probably be a better choice.

[MakeMineaP99]

Dave, you need 20 GA shells? If so, how many?

[nitesite]

Dave, you need 20 GA shells? If so, how many?

Dan, thanks for asking. Seriously, I appreciate it.

I've saved about 150 Remington STS hulls in 20-ga, which is probably plenty since I haven't even pulled the trigger on getting a 20-ga press. A hundred hulls oughta easily be good for 600 reloads.

Jessee (who is 15½) is rapidly outgrowing the 20-ga youth model shotgun I bought him a few years ago.

So, by the time I actually decide to dive in, he soon may not be shooting the 20-ga anymore. Or I'll have to upgrade him to a gun with a longer LOP.

If the latter happens, and we stick with a 20-ga for him, then maybe then we'll be looking to buy some more 20-ga hulls.

In the meantime, I don't think it's the right time to be accumulating more yellow hulls.

Pard, again I really appreciate you mentioning it. :)

[freakshow10mm]

I also have a bunch of 2¾" Federal hulls on hand. Perhaps 700-800 or so.

I run a MEC 600JR for 20ga and have it set up with a primer feeder.

Benchtop foot print is 4x6.5 inches. The "in the air" foot print with the primer feed is 10.5 inches wide. I love it.

I'm 27yo and still haven't outgrown a 20ga. I run 7/8 to 1¼oz loads. Mostly 1oz as I hunt more than I shoot clays. I've taken bear, deer, uplands, waterfowl, and geese with the 20ga and it has never failed.

[nitesite]

At casa del nitesite we think very highly of the 20-ga.

I am going to encourage Jessee to continue to shoot the 20. But his life is oriented towards things other than shooting and hunting these days. Go figure.

Anyone who loads for 20-ga should consider buying wads and follow recipies for 1-oz loads if possible. I think 7/8-oz is too light for most hunting and recreational shooting unless one is a very accomplished shotgunner.

'Course, if somebody can first get really good with 7/8-oz loads, then stepping up to 1-oz loads ought to see excellent results in the field.

Now back to your regular programming.

[freakshow10mm]

I run Claybuster wads for the most part. Finishing up a few bags of F1 and the normal WAA20 wads.

The 7/8oz loads are put through a modified choke for squirrels. Rabbits and bigger get 1oz. I use #4 shot for the most part.

[MakeMineaP99]

I'm probably picking up a 20 GA this week. I have 6 boxes of factory shells, so I don't need to reload right away.

20 GA is fine by me. I prefer 28 GA myself, still looking for a deal on one, hard to find one for a decent price. You don't always need the 12 GA payload or recoil. Say what you want, the smaller gauge shotguns do just fine.

[jtrade]

I got a Lee Load All II in 12 Ga just dont have the components to make any shells yet... Cept Some WSF. :(

I love 20Ga's too. Bust an armadillo to pieces!!! That is what barrel I have on my H&R Model 88 right now.

When I lived in TN we didn't need no fancy rifles to hunt as you usually didn't have a shot further than 100 yards where we hunted in the hills.

I killed many a deer with a double barrel 16 Ga with slugs that was my grandfathers. Love me some shotguns!!!

Got a Stevens 12 Ga that was made in the 1900's but have no idea of the model #. Great Grandfather shot himself with it. I was lucky my sister got it & hid it.

Also like my Mossberg 500a

http://guns.jtrade.us/images/mossberg/mossberg500a2.jpg
Needs a bath & has been through hell & back. Shana just got her toe in that pic!!!

J

[nitesite]

Rabbits and bigger get 1oz. I use #4 shot for the most part.

And therin lies the basis for reloading, whether it is for handgun, rifle or shotgun.

20-ga #4s are not easy to get your hands on but are very desireable for game hunting. You don't even need to have hi-brass hulls to make a terrific hunting load, low brass hulls work just fine!

Growing up in Ohio many years ago, deer could only be harvested during centerfire season if you used a shotgun with slugs. A few got hammered with my 20-ga LT-20 ( sure do miss that beauty ). None died any slower than if I had used a 12-ga gun.

[freakshow10mm]

I'm gearing up to offer my slugs commercially (packed in boxes of 25ct) as well as 20ga 2¾ inch #4 lead.

I got my NEF Pardner 20ga when I was 12 and bought myself a Remy 870 youth combo 20ga when I was 14. The 870 killed many deer, uplands and small game. Sold it to a co worker for his little sister to use.