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Problem #1-Collet sizes brass too small. I check with MEC Shell Checker. Complete shell will fit into NO GO hole. When collet is adjusted up to make shell the correct size, the collet sticks up above the shell plate and will not allow the carrier to index a completed shell back into station 1 for removal from loader. Also difficult to index shell from station 1 to station 2.

I have loaded several shells with brass too small. Are these unsafe to shoot in 3 in. chamber O/U. (7/8 oz., Fio 616, 17.0 gr. Promo, Rem gun club hull)?

Problem #2-I have adjusted cam up as far as it will go, but I still get a swirl in the crimp. (I know I have moved cam in right direction from experience & because swirl gets worse when cam is moved down).

Thank you.

My 410 9000 was wrinkling shells pretty badly too, (after adjusting the crimp up as far as it would go to fix problems there too) but found the wrinkling was happening on the finished radius station. (have some pretty cool looking sells from that one!) Thats the last station before ejection. Had to turn the adjusting screw 1/2 turn twice to get it to stop. There's a locking nut up at the top of the machine, loosen it, think it's about 7/16 or 1/2", then turn the screw head counter clock 1/2 turn. (that will raise it) Hold the screw head in place with a screw driver while you retighten the lock nut or it will allow the screw to turn while you tighten it and take your adjustment back out.

Edit: Sorry, I see you are having swirl problems. Had that probem too, but found I was able to adjust the cam enough to stop it. Thought I was going to have to take a drill and enlarge the slot, but the swirl stopted with the last bit of adjustment.

The shell lifter is adjusted to be flat with the top of the collet. I took a razer blade and set it across the whole callet and dialed the lifter up and down until they were exactly even.

The shell size is not adjusted here as far as I know, but rather at the big nut down on the collet itself. I believe if you turn it clockwise, it will ease up on the shell size.

I'm far from an expert on the mec, but have had to do a lot of adjusting on mine, and those where the adjustments that helpted me. I'm sure some of the more experienced mec people will be able to add more, or correct my post.

Hope this helps,
Bel_dad

rebelpenn, have you checked your shot drop? I'm wondering if you're throwing too little shot, and that is contributing to the problem. The shot drop on my 410 machine was way, way short, and it made the crimps look very bad. I tried the 5/8's bar and it was JUST, a tad too much, so I drilled out the 1/2 bar and it turned out great. Best crimps of all, and the depth of the crimp runs right around .048-.052 Nice looking shell.

I have noticed with the mec, when something isn't working out, its not usualy the thing that looked like the problem, but turns out to be a second thing I hadn't noticed.

Hope this helps,
Bel_Dad

Get to basics to start with, the top of the collet fingers should be even or level with the deck of the machine, lay a straight edge across it and adjust accordingly. Sounds like it may be too high to start with.

Sometimes a little tweaking is needed for a particular machine but I have never had good results with it above the plate.

Back the adjusting nut off til the base will work in the gun you are using, with a little extra clearance, but they should be around .805-9" or thereabouts.

Are you using the collet to adjust, or the nut? The collet should be in a fixed position flat with the table and use the nut to adjust the sizer.

Most brass bases come new at about .805", but some steel bases will be in the upper .700 range

rebelpenn,You will only encounter problems with resizing brass to small when you resize so much that you change the thickness of the rim ,increasing headspace or increasing the diameter of the rim to large to chamber.The brass only need to be resized enough to chamber in the gun or guns you are loading for. The swirl problem you are having may be related to these adjustments-Crimp starter-adjust so you have a hole about the size of a #2 pencil----crimp depth -should be .055,about the thickness of a dime -----it sounds like you know how to adjust the crimp cam-----finish taper crimp die-the last die --- should be adjusted to taper just enough to easily let the shells chamber in you gun or guns ,to much will cause a swirl.

TexasTom wrote:
Get to basics to start with, the top of the collet fingers should be even or level with the deck of the machine, lay a straight edge across it and adjust accordingly. Sounds like it may be too high to start with.

Sometimes a little tweaking is needed for a particular machine but I have never had good results with it above the plate.

Back the adjusting nut off til the base will work in the gun you are using, with a little extra clearance, but they should be around .805-9" or thereabouts.

Are you using the collet to adjust, or the nut? The collet should be in a fixed position flat with the table and use the nut to adjust the sizer.

Most brass bases come new at about .805", but some steel bases will be in the upper .700 range

Tom, according to my manual, I have loosened the nut on the bottom of the collet to allow the collet to turn. I then turned the collet counterclockwise, to make the brass larger. Then I retightened the nut on the bottom to lock the collet in place. However, when I turn the collet counterclockwise it rises above the shell plate. When I turn the collet clockwise, i. e. down, it will lower even with the plate, but the brass is then too small. That is the problem.

Can the collet be adjusted with the nut on the bottom without turning the collet?

Meatstick, I have made all those adjustments to crimp starter, etc. & still have a slight swirl.

Thanks, to all for your help.

Set the top of the collet even with the red surface of the press. Ignore the fact that it will make the brass smaller for now. Tighten the nut that locks it in the frame. Now, look under the red plate. See the black part(the one with the chain link attached to it) that closes the collet, Does it have a big 8 sided nut around it? Good! That is the adjustment for the sizing. Rotate it CW (looking down on it) to loosen the sizer collet when it is closed. Adjust until brass is sized properly.
See page # 16 of this document.
http://www.mecreloaders.com/documents/o ... rabber.pdf

TexasTom,
The Grabber 761R does not have the collet adjustment nut to which you refer.

I bet if you call MEC they will send you one!

Curly-Nohair wrote


That will be the my next step if the loader can't be properly adjusted in its original configuration & the newer collet adjustment assembly can be retrofited to the old machine.

My bet on the resizer adjustment problem is that this machine was bought used and the actuator bar that drives the rocker ,that closes the collet has the roller bolt installed in the bottom hole-incorrect for 2-3/4" hulls.

Meatstick, you are correct as to used purchase. I believe you are also correct as to location of roller bolt. It will be a few days before I can confirm for certain.