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Member Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 524

Not that I really had any opinion of value before other than to state what I still believe is true, the Load All II is an incredible value and loads good, serviceable ammo. That opinion hasnt changed, but now that I'm further down the road, I'm not overjoyed in how hard it is to change out the powder or shot to start a new and different load from the one currently being loaded. Its tough to get the powder and lead out of it to start anew.

If the MEC 600 is not, it will be worth it to me to spend a bit more for that feature alone. Also, as the powder goes down in the powdere chamber, it doesnt throw the coreect charge - you have to keep it within certain limits or it starts to throw way lesser than spec. Just when that happens, you have to figure out. So you have to keep the powder at a certain level (about 1/3 full) to keep that from ocurring - same with shot chamber. Its irritating. I made a bit of a mess when I wanted to start a different recipe.
Does the MEC have the same issue? Seems like it would be easy to just disconnect the bottles and dump them out to start over with the MEC.

Much easier with the MEC. I like to load just a couple of shells with a few different loads when I'm in an experimental mood and feel like patterning something new. Also, spare bottles are not expensive and with shot it is worth having a bottle for each size or type you use - shot all over the place is definitely not fun. I just bought a new 16ga MEC jr at Cabelas for $89. It was on the shelf at $109, rang up at $129 so I got it for $109 and I had a $20 off coupon for over $100 purchase. Rewarding, very very very rewarding...

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

jig-I stay away from Lee products other than the factory crimp dies for metallics-----Spend a few extra bucks and get a real machine---namely a MEC

Member Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 524

Yeah I will soon. I do use and like there dies for rifle caartridges very much.

To the best of my knowledge, there are no new, readily available 16 ga hulls using brass rims anymore. All use steel. Steel rims do not resize as well or as easily as brass rims. If I were to buy an new or used 16 ga. single stage press, I'd go with the MEC Sizemaster over the 600 Jr. The fully adjustable resizing station on the Sizemaster handles the 16 ga steel rimmed hull much better and far easier than the now obsolete ring type sizer on the 600 Jr. A fully adjustable sizing station makes it possible to resize any steel rimmed hull from the very thin ones to thicker, really troublesome ones. This is of even more importance if you shoot reloads in several different guns, with slightly varying chamber sizes. in this case, you must resize all your shell rims back to factory spec to avoid feeding and extraction problems. The simple ring resizer meant for brass rims just will not do this with steel rims.

I load Rem, Win, Federal , Fiocchi, and Cheddite hulls on my old Lee Load All II. I use the simple sizing ring provided and have not experienced any problem feeding these reloads to my Nitro Special, Sterlingworth, AYA, or Browning Sweet Sixteen. Guess I've been lucky.

By the way, these are not old hulls so I suppose most have the steel rims.

Jeff

Then you are very lucky. Many folks I know have had a lot of difficulty with steel rimed hulls and not in just 16 ga either. Steel rim woes are becoming common in all the gauges as more and more companies are not using brass anymore. A simple check with a magnet will tell you if that nice shiny golden rim is really brass or steel with a thin brass wash plating.

In fact, a small magnet should be one everyone's bench these days. I have a small screwdriver with a little magnet on the end of the handle. It is indispensible for handling small screws and checking hulls, etc.

Member Joined: 15 Jan 2007 Posts: 40 Location: California

Jig,

I have used a Lee Load All for over 30 years. I have no trouble at all in getting the shot and powder out of it. I cut a piece of 1/4" thick aluminum plate to fit over the powder section (the smaller of the two). I then slip the handle off the two body pins, pick the whole body unit off the stand. While holding the aluminum plate over the powder sectiion I then dump the shot out into a bowl I have for that purpose. Then I remove the aluminum plate, dump the powder back into the original container through an aluminum funnel. The body then goes back on the column and the handles slipped into the pins.

As I just ended up loading some shells in preparation for Sunday pheasants, I timed it. The whole thing took less than a minute, actually 38 seconds, start to finish. In all the time I have been doing this I have never dumped a batch and made a mess. Works for me!

I also have been resizing my hulls with the Lee ring and have not had any problems with either wrinkling or tearing up the steel brass and the resized hulls fit my guns. My hull brands have been primarily Fiocchi and some Cheddite. However, I have also noticed, since this issue came up that my son's Lee in 20 ga is also resizing his hulls without problems, and his hulls are mostly Win and Rem with steel bands.

Hope this helps.

P

Member Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 524

I havent experienced any problems resizing Federal purple hulls with the simple Lee ring tool either. Can't tell yet with the Cheddites as I ordered 200 preprimed hulls that i reloaded with Uclays & 4756 for 1oz low pressure nickel #6 for a nice supply of game loads for my Sterlingworth. Also have a large supply of Fed 209A primers that i will be reloading the cheddites with after I shoot them all. Also just got a supply of 500 once fired WinAA HS hulls. Does anyone know what wads work with these? Guess with the 3 piece construction, wads hang up on the base ring and dont sit right on the powder. Want to start reloading them for target loads for my 12GA but will hold off on buying wads until I find out what works.

Jig, the new 12 ga HS hulls work fine with most wads made for the old hulls in both the 12 and 20 ga hullls. The problem with wad fit applies to just the 28 and .410 hulls. At least this was the case last summer. I don't know if Olin has further screwed up the works by messing with the 12 and 20 gauge hulls again. They seem to have developed a knack for it though. Rolling Eyes

so anything is possible. I'd just try the wads that worked for you in the old 12 ga AA and see.