just got my new browning bps hunter 12 gauge shotgun. Also joined a gun club with skeet and trap ranges. I have started to save my Remington STS target load hulls along with some Remington All Purpose (black hulls) loads. Once i get a good amount of them i am going to buy a reloader. THinking of a MEC 600 Jr Mark 5 or a MEC Sizemaster. Anyone have any suggestions? I plan on using Hodgdons clay powder, 1 ounce shot weight, remington wads, and remington primers.
Want to start RELOADING but need help
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
Joined
·
1,565 Posts
J, Welcome to the forum.
I think you are on the right track, as far as components and loaders you mentioned. The MEC 600jr MKV is a great machine to start reloading on. They are simple to use, and reliable. Parts are easy to obtain, if you should ever need them, and their cost is not prohibitive. If your shooting increases to the point that you need a progressive machine, then there is several good one on the market.
You may find as you go, that other components may be less expensive, or will give you better results. That is all part of the fun of reloading. A little experimenting dosen't hurt, as long as its a listed recipe. Just make sure you get good reliable data from a reloading bible, or from the manufacture's, and follow it!
Good luck, and have fun!
I think you are on the right track, as far as components and loaders you mentioned. The MEC 600jr MKV is a great machine to start reloading on. They are simple to use, and reliable. Parts are easy to obtain, if you should ever need them, and their cost is not prohibitive. If your shooting increases to the point that you need a progressive machine, then there is several good one on the market.
You may find as you go, that other components may be less expensive, or will give you better results. That is all part of the fun of reloading. A little experimenting dosen't hurt, as long as its a listed recipe. Just make sure you get good reliable data from a reloading bible, or from the manufacture's, and follow it!
Good luck, and have fun!
G
Guest
·What about the Sizemaster. I shoot a 12 gauge and my dad shoots a 20 gauge right now. He is getting ready to get an over under 12 gauge soon so i think our reloading will increase with both of us shooting 12 gauge shotguns
Joined
·
1,565 Posts
The Sizemaster is virtually the same as the 600JR MKV, but it does have the advantage of coming with a auto primer feed as standard equipment. This can make reloading faster, than manually placing the primer, but it can have its complications as well, for a beginner. For first time loading, the manual placing of the primer, can prevent mistakes from happening, but if you were to read the instructions, and follow them closley, you shouldn't have any problems with the auto prime. At least not any more, than experienced reloaders suffer!
The size master cost about the same as a 600 jr + a primer feeder and comes with the primer feeder, but has a better way of resizing A collet type resizer that squeezes the base The 600 jr's resizer is a ring that is forced down over the base, and some times hangs up on the edge of the base and destroys the hull.
For 1 oz loads Hodgdon Titewad powder is cheaper per pound than Clays, and you use less per load, and is just as clean.
kk
For 1 oz loads Hodgdon Titewad powder is cheaper per pound than Clays, and you use less per load, and is just as clean.
kk
Joined
·
1,565 Posts
I believe the other features it has are that it is able to be adjusted to load 3" shells, which is good if you plan on loading hunting loads for a 3" or 3-1/2" chambered gun. The re-sizing stage is different as well. After reading about the Sizemasters features, I think I would go with one over the 600JR
By the way, you can get new dies to be able to load 20ga shells, if your Dad wants to do some of them.
To learn more about the MEC products go to
http://www.mecreloaders.com/ProductLine/Product.asp
Further information can be found by clicking on owners manuals, and if you have Adobe Acrobat, you can click on PDF, and read about the features of each unit.
By the way, you can get new dies to be able to load 20ga shells, if your Dad wants to do some of them.
To learn more about the MEC products go to
http://www.mecreloaders.com/ProductLine/Product.asp
Further information can be found by clicking on owners manuals, and if you have Adobe Acrobat, you can click on PDF, and read about the features of each unit.
yeah i have visited mec's site a lot the last couple days. I just got my 12 gauge browning bps hunter last week and got to shoot it the other day on a buddy's farm where we were throwing clays with a hand thrower. My dad wants to get us a Baikal IZH27 to shoot skeet and trap with. I also have a single shot 20 gauge that my dad bought for me 10 years ago and he has his Ithaca Ultra Light 20 gauge he has had for 20 plus years. Dont know how much of 20 gauge shooting will be doing since i have a new 12 now and he is getting one, so dont know if we would reload 20 gauge as much if at all.
Being able to switch to load 3 inch shells would be a plus though cause my browning chambers up to 3 inch shells.
Thanks for your post, i appreciate it.
I think i am going to shoot some boxes of Remington Premier STS target loads to get a hull collection up before a buy the reloader though. Or i might buy some on ebay.
Being able to switch to load 3 inch shells would be a plus though cause my browning chambers up to 3 inch shells.
Thanks for your post, i appreciate it.
I think i am going to shoot some boxes of Remington Premier STS target loads to get a hull collection up before a buy the reloader though. Or i might buy some on ebay.
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
