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< 16ga. Ammunition & Reloading ~ MEC Grabber Reloader |
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Posted:
Sun Nov 09, 2014 4:53 pm
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Joined: 11 Jul 2011
Posts: 38
Location: Missouri
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Any of our members out there load their 16 gauge shells with a MEC Grabber 16 gauge. I am interested in both good and any bad things you have to say about the loader. |
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Posted:
Mon Nov 10, 2014 4:13 am
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Member
Joined: 12 Mar 2005
Posts: 6535
Location: massachusetts
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I reload all my 16 gauge 3/4 ounce recreational and small game bird hunting loads on a MEC Grabber. IMO, it's the most user friendly progressive unit on the planet.
Station settings and adjustments are easy to do once you understand how it's properly done. The first four all important loading stations are just about right in front of you. Spotting mistakes and removing the hull from the carrier plate and fixing it or dumping and refilling it before it becomes a permenant mistake is easy. Once the problem hull is fixed and/or dumped and properly refilled, then putting it back in sequence and continuing production is easy. There's usually no need to remove all the hulls from the carrier plate to fix one problem hull. That is a time saving feature few other progressive reloaders offer. When the occasional powder or shot spill does happen, removing hulls from the stations and cleaning up is also quick and easy, so getting back into production is also quicker and easier.
I've had the opportunity to reload on just about all of the currently manufactured progressive units and a few which are no longer being made. I've chosen the MEC Grabber over all of the others and own at least one in all five gauges from .410 to 12 gauge. That might tell you something. |
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Posted:
Wed Dec 03, 2014 1:45 am
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Member
Joined: 31 Dec 2008
Posts: 404
Location: Westport Wa
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Either the Grabber or the 9000 are great. With the 9000 you have to disable the auto indexing if you want to feed it by hand. Good loaders. |
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Posted:
Thu Dec 04, 2014 5:16 am
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Joined: 19 Apr 2014
Posts: 429
Location: Maine
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I'm using a new mec grabber in 16ga. The only drawback is the plastic primer tray. I find after 300 shells or so the primers quit sliding so you have to stop and clean the plastic tray, spray with furniture wax (per mec's instructions) and go again. Never had that problem with the metal primer trays. Interesting though cheddite primers slide better than w209. |
_________________ If it weren't for women cats would be extinct. |
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Posted:
Fri Dec 05, 2014 7:15 pm
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Member
Joined: 12 Mar 2005
Posts: 6535
Location: massachusetts
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A long time ago, when my 760 and 761 series Grabbers were still relatively new, I found that increasing the upward angle of the tray by slightly bending the drop tube and steel attaching bracket helped the primers slide downwards in the tray a bit better.
I don't own any Grabbers with plastic primer trays, but there might be a way to duplicate my solution to the problem. Just a thought. |
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Posted:
Sun Dec 07, 2014 12:27 pm
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Member
Joined: 08 Jun 2009
Posts: 107
Location: Idaho
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I have had a 16 gauge Grabber for a long time, really like it. Have both Grabber and 9000s, think a lot of both. I would only get the 9000 is I was loading a lot of shells, as it's more complex and a slip up is more difficult to get sorted out. |
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Posted:
Sun Dec 07, 2014 10:38 pm
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Member
Joined: 08 Nov 2005
Posts: 3438
Location: Illinois
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The Grabber is a no frills loader---easy to adjust and use---good production rates--The 9000 has auto rotation---a PLUS IMO!!Don't be afraid of the upgrade. |
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Posted:
Mon Dec 08, 2014 6:30 am
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Member
Joined: 09 Jun 2005
Posts: 885
Location: Wisconsin
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Gave my daughter a 16 ga. Grabber and son a 16 ga. Sizemaster. Both like their machines. Daughter loads lead loads and son does the steel and dad reaps the benefits. |
_________________ Life Memberships: VFW, NRA, Wis. Conservation Wardens Assoc., Wis. Waterfowl Assoc. |
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Posted:
Mon Dec 08, 2014 7:49 am
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Member
Joined: 02 Sep 2010
Posts: 829
Location: SW Ohio
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popplecop wrote: |
Gave my daughter a 16 ga. Grabber and son a 16 ga. Sizemaster. Both like their machines. Daughter loads lead loads and son does the steel and dad reaps the benefits.
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AWESOME!!!!! |
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