When were these made?

 

https://www.mecoutdoors.com/Images/document/300.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOopAemFIJCQYyoMihOW_ebfl_1DowOlYLmiGPQYfCGlch2oaIV6L

Online manual, the electric thing is called a shell former, used to reshape paper hulls according to Mec’s Facebook.

 

Looks like what you got is a Mec 400. Silver crimping sleeve should say part #448 or something. Mec 300 had open top sleeve where crimp folds stuck out. Does size hulls, but different than what we're used to. No cams. I really liked the 400, loads plastic hulls fine. My .410 400 loads hulls perfectly, supporting the entire Length of the hull. 2 separate (crimping) sleeves for .410, 2.5 and 3". There was a ring gizmo that fit over the base of #448 that allowed for 3" loading in 12 and 20 gauge. 16 had separate sleeves for 2 3/4" and 2 9/16. The heater part remelted the wax on a paper hull, worked best really with the Federal hulls. Winchester ok, Remington corrogated, meh. Uses standard 302 bars. The wad insertion station is different, kinda awkward. The 300 and 400 are from card filler wad times, the 400 loads plastic wads better. Mec has downloadable manuals for both the 300 and the 400. Not a 600 jr, but definately useable. The Herters 403 was a rebranded Mec 400. Parts more or less interchange. Two versions of a starter crimp were offered, mounted on reprime rod station. Final crimp adjustable, see manual.

 

These might help with bars...old non bushing bars.

 

My uncle taught me to reload shotshells in the mid 70s, using the same press (Mec 400 Super Speeder). It also had the electric heater, which we used when reloading CIL paper hulls. After his limited supply of the old paper hulls ran out, we switched to plastic hulls. We added a crimp starter to the press and I reloaded plastic hull shells for many years, before I got a Mec Grabber. With this setup on the 400, there was no stop . . . you had to do the crimp start by feel. The crimps were not as consistent as the Grabber, but they were not bad.

 

I have a 400 also. I prefer it to my 650 or P-W 375 when loading paper hulls. When I shot CAS, I loaded thousands of paper hulls with black powder and fiber wads. Had to hand dip the powder as plastic powder hoppers are dangerous with BP due to static electricity and sparks. I was able to find and download a manual online( MEC website ). The instructions and pics show loading with fiber wads. Not a plastic wad in sight or mention. I still use the 400 for loading Federal Gold Medal paper hulls for trap shooting , although with modern plastic wads.

 

Mec SS300 with the open top sizing sleeve was more for paper/fiber wadding... plastic wads could collapse on shell ejection. Mec SS400 used the new final crimp setup, which was useable with plastic collapseable legs wadding. Twisting the final crimp part attached to the press could relieve spring pressure to ease in crimping. The bolt thru the said die part determined crimp depth. Mec originally had separate metal crimp starters on the 250, 300 and 310, like the Acme loader that the sizing sleeve fit into. Around the 300-310 transition to the 400, the multi piece metal crimper was invented, the one some of us still use. It is shown in post #6.

 

Interesting note, along with everything else in this lot, I got thousands of Federal Paper hulls.

 

Mo'pics...Mec 400 part#448 crimping sleeve and 3" extension ring.

 

Mec 400 metal crimp starter "Spindex". Replaceable inserts for # of folds. 6, 8, smooth for paper hulls. Bolts to reprime rod.

 

Mec 400 metal crimp starter "Spindex". Replaceable inserts for # of folds. 6, 8, smooth for paper hulls. Bolts to reprime rod.

Interesting. I added the Spindex crimp starter to my press, but I made the metal bracket myself (pics on Post #6). Pennypal, is the metal bracket on your press also homemade, or did MEC supply those?

 

Mec included them with the metal "Spindex" kit. Instructions were for 250, Super 250 (sizing ring setup) 300, 310, 400, 500 progressive, Super 600 progressive, and earlier 600 jr and 650. The metal bracket was mostly for the 300-400 variants. The original non spindex with the screw on sizing ring also used the Mec bracket. Earlier 250-300 presses used the sizing sleeve in conjunction with a 1 piece crimping cast die unit. Was in ER today, will try to follow up with photos soon. Lee also made a non spindex unit for Mecs. Was sold as adaptable to Acme presses.

 

As mentioned, pre-spindex Mec type starter crimp. Sizer ring threaded on by gauge to guide hull into crimp, by gauge. Ring same as sizer ring. Non rotating, washers used to set depth. This is 8 fold, 6 fold available too. More later.

 

my dad had that type heater mounted on a board in the 60's to "iron round "paper hulls.

 

Mo' stuff...Mec metal spindex, 20 gauge with ring adapter shown. Instructions. 12g 6,8, smooth. .410 unit, adapter ring.