[canuck]

Have a good number of the above. I'm having trouble making good 6 point crimps with my Mec600jr. The crimps are tight and quite functional by just don't look attractive. Any tips?

 

[dfm]

Just to be sure, but you are using a 6 point crimp starter, right? If so, define unattractive.

 

[TReX300]

Canauck....I just run them through my 600 with the standard 8 point crimp. The crimp is still functional as a pretty 8 point but it just dosn't look as nice. They are only good for 2-3 loads so I dont get to worried about it. Deffinatly one of my favorite hulls to load heavy loads in. Very soft shooting. Are the ones you have once fired or pick ups? If they are once fired where'd you find them in Canada.

Tim

 

[canuck]

These are once fired hulls. I still have several factory loaded cases of these fine shells. I had a broker friend of a friend bring me in 6 cases about 15 years ago. Use them on "special" occations for upland and crows. As reloads, yes they make a great heavy load for sharptail, roosters and ducks back when lead was legal. Biodegradable hull is a bonus in my eyes.

As for the crimps they are functional but not neat as the factory ones. Once read somewhere that mec made some sort of special crimp starter for paper. Maybe I was mistaken?

Ted

 

[JoeG52]

When loading Federal Papers on a 600jr I pull the handle down just until the crimp starter just touches the hull. Finish loading and they looked pretty good.

I haven't tried it but I heard that a smooth cone for a crimp starter also works pretty good with Federal Papers.

If the hull closes and the shot doesn't spill, it isn't worth worring about.

Joe

 

[mdoerner]

Yes, MEC makes a spindex for paper that has no plastic protusions to get the crimp started. I just got one delivered for less than $6 US. The splines in the 6 and 8 point spindexes tend to tear the paper, while the smooth one closes the crimp w/o damaging the shell. I'm still tweaking my press for paper shells. On the last ten I did, I'd say only one or two came out perfect. It's more of an art than a science. Keep working at it. With the correct spindex, if you cycle the press slowly, you should get nice crimps. I tried going extra fast (it seemed to work better initially) and that seemed to kinck the paper folds a little too much..... FWIW.

Mike Doerner

 

[Burnt Powder]

I never ever did get really nice crimps with Federal papers, even when I was loading them by hand with a Lee Loader. something about the way they are made, they just never crimped well. Not enough wax in the cardboard, something? Super-X, Remington, and Alcan all crimped better for some reason. I suspect you may have the wrong wad, not enough wad pressure, and with papers it is very important to get it right, the crimps will open up and get holes in the centers and even fray a little bit. There is a real good reason that reloading shotgun shells really took off after the advent of plastic hulls! One piece wads helped considerably too!

BP

 

[GordonWood421]

Back when I was loading paper cases , the old 3 piece metal crimp starter produced the best looking crimps fo me . I believe that the conical starter was primarily for new paper cases -- but never having any (new paper cases and therefore never using a conical starter) I can't say that a conical starter won't work with used cases .

I have a 3-piece starter if anyone wants one .

1st Edit : P-W says use a specific starter (6 pt or 8 pt) then use the conical for subsequent reloads .

421

 

[NoNameXII]

My PW P2000 gets beautiful crimps on the Federal papers using the conical crimp starter. I don't know a thing about MECs, so I don't know if you could try that crimp starter or not.

 

[FarmerDick]

I modified my conical PW starter for my RCBS "THE GRAND" and the Federal and Winchester Papers look like new for the most part. I believe paper hulls have plastic beat for patterning and sensed recoil. Richard ^o^