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tdxm

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Well, I've been lurking on the reloading forum for a few months. Bought a copy of Lyman's and read it.

Bought a RCBS 505 last week and finally bought a used Sizemaster in 12 gauge. Should be coming in a few days.

I have started wondering about the collet and if I need to also buy a set of calipers to check to see if it's set correctly per Curly's and DLM's below recommendations:

"MEC recommends from 0.804 - 0.806.... I know Curly likes looser and he has lots more experience with reloading than I do.

I like looser ...............................................................Collets.
DLM and I both suggest to folks that they run their sizer set to deliver hulls that are no less than 0.005" larger than a factory loaded hull. There is an exception of course, if your loaded hulls are a fall fit until it gets to the metal.
You want to take fired hulls that you have measured to be greater than .809" both brass and steel and verify that your sizer will size all of them down to 0.809."

I'm kinda thinking after reading this I'm gonna have to buy a set of calipers huh?

Anyone have any other advise and counsel for me when my sizemaster arrives?

Todd
 
Hey tdxm.

You are getting a really good single stage press that will last many reloading lifetimes. While I mostly used Hornady 366 progressive machines, I have had several MEC Juniors as well as Sizemasters, and they are all great machines. I still have two Sizemasters as well as a Junior. The Sizemaster is made of heavier materials than the Junior, but both of these presses will last and last with just a little bit of care and attention. Good luck with your reloading.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile
 
strip and service the resizer straight away, no messing, lubricate too.

nothing more frustrating that never starting a reloading run, because of a mechanical failure.

having to put the powder / primers/shot away to sort out a problem that should have been sorted is frustrating enough.
 
The MEC Sizemaster is pretty much bullet-proof. I've had mine since 1979, and have only replaced the 8-point crimp starter that somehow walked away, and, finally, the powder bottle that broke trying to remove the PC powder baffle.
I've always sized my shell heads to .805, and the collet holds that setting until I remove it for cleaning and re-lubing - about twice a year.
 
You could always use your shotgun barrel as a gauge. Adjust the collet until the hulls drop in the chamber but no more. Note that steel based hulls size differently than brass based, so check with both.
 
Todd,

I used my chambers as the gauge in addition to the mec "go or no go" shell gauge.

My theory was this: once you fire a shell it fits your chambers. Then I adjusted the resizer to resize it just a tiny bit. I fugured the least amount of pressure would increase the longevity of both the hulls and the press. Not the most scientific process but it worked for me for 14 years

When you get it I would just resize an emplty hull and see how it fits into your gun.

I wouldn't think it needs a complete tear down. I kept a dust cover on it and hopfully it is clean enough to pass inspection. Also FYI I didn't have to replace anything on that press the whole time I owned it.

Also another tid bit. When the press is full of shot and powder and you want to change the bushings or charge bar. You must support the shot bottle as you flip the head backwards. If you don't the shot bottle could snap off. Not good.
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
dcblvsh2 said:
Todd,

I used my chambers as the gauge in addition to the mec "go or no go" shell gauge.

My theory was this: once you fire a shell it fits your chambers. Then I adjusted the resizer to resize it just a tiny bit. I fugured the least amount of pressure would increase the longevity of both the hulls and the press. Not the most scientific process but it worked for me for 14 years

When you get it I would just resize an emplty hull and see how it fits into your gun.

I wouldn't think it needs a complete tear down. I kept a dust cover on it and hopfully it is clean enough to pass inspection. Also FYI I didn't have to replace anything on that press the whole time I owned it.

Also another tid bit. When the press is full of shot and powder and you want to change the bushings or charge bar. You must support the shot bottle as you flip the head backwards. If you don't the shot bottle could snap off. Not good.
Hey Thanks...I can't wait to get it! I can totally see myself making a complete mess and having to order two new bottles. :oops:
 
I got a used 12 gauge Sizemaster and was so happy with it I got a used 20 gauge a few months later. They are a fine machine built like a tank. I absolutely support what has been posted about cleaning up the re-sizer. If cleaned, lubed and adjusted right they will last a long time. If not, they won't. Take it all apart, clean it up and lube the linkage. Curly has posted a lot of info about this process. Per Lyman's the factory spec on a 12 gauge chamber ID is 0.810 +0.005 - 0.000 (machinist speak for somewhere between 0.810 and 0.815.) I generally set the collet on mine to give me about 0.808- 0.808. As noted by others, be sure to mike the hulls first. If they are not at least 0.809 to start you really do not know what the sizer is doing. With the collet in the 0.808 range I have run maybe 15K-20K of shells and fired them in at least five different guns. The guns are four different brands and vary in price from a couple hundred to a couple thousand. The shells have always dropped into and ejected from these guns just fine.

When cleaning and lubing the collet linkage don't forget what I would call the push rod. Look at the back of the main vertical column and you will see that it is hollow. There is a square rod in it that is maybe 1/4 x 1/4. This rod is what actuates the collet. Pull it out of the column, clean the rod and the groove in the column, add a couple drops of oil and reinstall.

Maybe it is just the primer trays on my reloaders (I know MEC has changed these some over the years) but mine really do not like Remington primers. The Remington primer has a fairly large rounded radius on the flash hole end. This does make them start into the shell easily. But, (at least in my primer trays) it also allows the primers to fall over sometimes. This will jam up the primer feed big time. I have tried Winchester and Fiocchi primers which are both much flatter on the flash hole end. The primer trays seem to like these much better, the primers stay upright and feed nicely.

Unless your press is pretty darned new, I'd replace the rubber grommets (washers) underneath the powder and shot bottles. If you got a charge bar with the press look to see if it has a rubber insert next to the shot metering cavity. Newer ones do, older ones don't. It does seem to make a difference on how easy the bar slides back and forth.
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
Well I bought a nice set of calipers. Pretty neat tool. I'm now wandering around the house measuring things! :)

Curly and DLM,

When I measure my 12 gauge unfired Gun Clubs the caliper says the brass is .804".

So with your recommendation I should set my Sizemaster collet to: .804" + .005" = .809"?

Do I have that right?
 
tdxm said:
Well I bought a nice set of calipers. Pretty neat tool. I'm now wandering around the house measuring things! :)

Curly and DLM,

When I measure my 12 gauge unfired Gun Clubs the caliper says the brass is .804".

So with your recommendation I should set my Sizemaster collet to: .804" + .005" = .809"?

Do I have that right?
Yup, as long as that works in all your 12 gauge guns.
Remember that your fired brass must exceed your desired size before you can be sure what you are getting out. If you are using fired brass that is 0.807", you certainly will not see 0.809" coming out of the sizer. :shock: Compare the sizing of the Brass based(Non-Magnetic) to the steel based. You may see a smidge of difference just due to the material. You will also see a change if you run the same hull through the sizer multiple times.
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
Curly-Nohair said:
tdxm said:
Well I bought a nice set of calipers. Pretty neat tool. I'm now wandering around the house measuring things! :)

Curly and DLM,

When I measure my 12 gauge unfired Gun Clubs the caliper says the brass is .804".

So with your recommendation I should set my Sizemaster collet to: .804" + .005" = .809"?

Do I have that right?
Yup, as long as that works in all your 12 gauge guns.
Remember that your fired brass must exceed your desired size before you can be sure what you are getting out. If you are using fired brass that is 0.807", you certainly will not see 0.809" coming out of the sizer. :shock: Compare the sizing of the Brass based(Non-Magnetic) to the steel based. You may see a smidge of difference just due to the material. You will also see a change if you run the same hull through the sizer multiple times.
I just measured some once fired Gun Clubs that I have, some out of my gun, others out of the trash can from the club. As you have said, some of these hulls are less than .809". So I guess I'll just run them thru the sizemaster. I guess they will be de-primed at the first station and the collet will do nothing really if I have it set to .809"??
 
tdxm said:
I just measured some once fired Gun Clubs that I have, some out of my gun, others out of the trash can from the club. As you have said, some of these hulls are less than .809". So I guess I'll just run them thru the sizemaster. I guess they will be de-primed at the first station and the collet will do nothing really if I have it set to .809"??
Well, as long as you have verified that you have set your collet to 0.809" by using the larger hulls, the collet will just be coasting. I must repeat and emphasize that you need to verify that hulls that are sized @ 0.809" will actually chamber in the guns that you may possibly use them in. No need to load the shell to check the fit, just size several and try them in the chambers.
 
I've got two sizemasters one 12 gauge and the other is a 20 gauge. I bought them for mainly the semi automatic shotguns. The only thing I have done to check the collet and adjusting is using a shell checker. Never had any problems but I check one every now and again.
 
uplander_16 said:
I've got two sizemasters one 12 gauge and the other is a 20 gauge. I bought them for mainly the semi automatic shotguns. The only thing I have done to check the collet and adjusting is using a shell checker. Never had any problems but I check one every now and again.
The shell checker will have you sizing the hulls too much and your collet will pay the price, then you pay. :D
 
Like curly says don't size too much the collets will ruin early and need about a 30 dollar replacement.I hate to say it but I have had a sizemaster since the early 80's and haven't used a caliper ever to adjust the collet and I do have a couple calipers.I have went by the adjustment in my instructions I have from mec.I am sure you could find them on the website if you don't have the original literature.A great workhorse loader by the way that you will be happy with Good Luck.
 
Discussion starter · #17 ·
Well I received my Sizemaster in the mail a few days ago and have been a little busy but I did get a chance to take a GC hull that was .811" and run it thru station #1 and it resized to .806". Looks like I will have to loosen the collet when I have a chance.

Curly, do you recommend adjusting the collet ever so slightly, resizing a new hull and seeing what you get or is their a way to adjust the collet, measure with the caliper to .809" and be done.

Also when I opened up the Sizemaster box it must have been tipped over during shipping because the shell lifter was loose in the bottom of the box. It took me awhile to figure out what it was and where it went. I just ended up dropping it into the center of the collet. Is that correct? It just drops in? It doesn't have to be connected to anything or attach in some way?

Todd
 
tdxm said:
Well I received my Sizemaster in the mail a few days ago and have been a little busy but I did get a chance to take a GC hull that was .811" and run it thru station #1 and it resized to .806". Looks like I will have to loosen the collet when I have a chance.

Curly, do you recommend adjusting the collet ever so slightly, resizing a new hull and seeing what you get or is their a way to adjust the collet, measure with the caliper to .809" and be done.

Also when I opened up the Sizemaster box it must have been tipped over during shipping because the shell lifter was loose in the bottom of the box. It took me awhile to figure out what it was and where it went. I just ended up dropping it into the center of the collet. Is that correct? It just drops in? It doesn't have to be connected to anything or attach in some way?

Todd
I suggest that you lower the collet closer by 3 flats of the adjuster nut. That will be CW as you look down upon that nut. Be sure that you align the flat with the press column.
 
Discussion starter · #19 ·
tdxm said:
Also when I opened up the Sizemaster box it must have been tipped over during shipping because the shell lifter was loose in the bottom of the box. It took me awhile to figure out what it was and where it went. I just ended up dropping it into the center of the collet. Is that correct? It just drops in? It doesn't have to be connected to anything or attach in some way?

Todd
Curly,

Can I get you to answer this part of my post? :D
 
tdxm said:
tdxm said:
Also when I opened up the Sizemaster box it must have been tipped over during shipping because the shell lifter was loose in the bottom of the box. It took me awhile to figure out what it was and where it went. I just ended up dropping it into the center of the collet. Is that correct? It just drops in? It doesn't have to be connected to anything or attach in some way?

Todd
Curly,

Can I get you to answer this part of my post? :D
I do not remember ever looking at a Sizemaster, but after rummaging thru the manual online, I see nothing that connects to that shell lifter. I suspect that they have to include it to support the bottom of the hull and to take up a bit of room in the bottom of the collet. Otherwise the rim relief groove will be too wide and the sizing incomplete.
 
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