Guys this is really helpful info to me and you don’t know how much I appreciate it! I was about ready to mount my RCBS Uniflow to the top of the press! Like I mentioned earlier, I forgot I had actually won the adjustable charge bar on eBay so that might simplify things. The brass washers that go under the rubber grommets protrude beyond the grommet but MEC swears this won’t inhibit charges.
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So with respect to whatever the reloading manual will say, I was curious about the limitations of low and high brass and would the AA wads work in the hulls I have. Sorry for the questions. Seems with pistol/rifle reloading there are some set “rules of thumb” like watching out for pressure signs, obturation, leading in barrel, bullet jump, case concentricity, compressed loads and crimps. I guess over time I’ll establish some for shot-shells. It’s a shame, I finally know how to reload my own primers now but yet green at this lol.
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Hi Diesel,
The brass washers are only for ball powders and not needed for Red Dot. The brass washer goes in first, 'nubs' up, then the rubber.
Thoughts as I went thru the posts. First, your going to need a truck-load of PATIENCE. Getting that first loaded round may take some doing. Focus on one station at time.
Spilled shot along with the lack of or improper lube is the nemesis of the collet resizer. MEC has some Youtube videos showing adjusting and maintenance. MEC insists on using a 'anti-seize' for lube. While you are waiting, would be a good time to address the collet. Take it apart, clean, and lube. Then comes the fun part, adjusting. For 12 ga., MEC customer service told me to adjust the collect to size brass to 0.806 inches to ensure function where loads would be used in different guns. Collet get tighter as nut goes 'up'. One flat on the nut is about 0.001 in. A unexpected problem that I had was that I needed once-fired hulls larger than 0.806" in order to know what the collet was actual sizing to. Remember the part about patience when you spill shot, 'bad' words are permitted. This is one reason that I gave my brother a 20 ga Grabber, and I'm happy with my 600 Jr.'s and a stand-alone Super-sizer.
For now, set aside the hi-brass hulls (save for 'special' loads so you recognize at a glance).
Disconnect the auto-prime for now. I would make this my last adjustment (but I'm not a fan).
I would focus on using light Red Dot loads for now. It you don't have a suitable bar/bushing, there is more ways to skin a cat, bet you have a Lee Dipper set or use the RCBS powder measure.
Rules of Thumb
2 thoughts I hold equally critical, know what the pressure is of your 'recipe' and is the wad ram firmly seating the wad on the powder charge. For 12 ga., 2 3/4 inch hulls max pressure is 11,500 psi.
For any given recipe, reduce powder-velocity and pressure both go down. Reduce shot weight - velocity goes up, but pressure goes down.
A primer swap can increase pressure as much as 2500 psi.
A nice, deep crimp is what compresses the wad and holds everything together. Looking for a crimp depth of 0.055 inches.
I like to cut out 'windows' on a load shell and see exactly what's going on. I'm looking for some compression of the wads crush section when compared to an unused wad.
Good Luck,
Fred