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What's the difference between the VersaMEC 700 and the 600 Jr.?

Just picked up a 12 gauge VersaMEC and looking at the conversion dies at $140 vs. 600 Jr. dies at $90.

I must be missing something, right?

Thanks!

Joined: 18 Sep 2013 Posts: 12

The Versa Mec is no longer in production and MEC charges a premium for all out of date products.

I can see that. I guess what I really want to know is will a set of 600 dies work?

If not, I'll just switch out the Sizemaster that I bought at the same time to 16 gauge and sell the Versa MEC.

Member Joined: 06 Nov 2005 Posts: 328

Post question here.
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewforum.php?f=13&sid=3460f30c21729e7bc81f39b78c0c2612

Citori 16,

The VersaMec 700 had a bent ejector rod instead of a bolt and a different ejector cam at the resizing/ depriming station. It worked better with higher brass cases than the 600jr did. Sometimes the 600jr would not eject some high brass cases at all. The 700 also came standard with pro check.

The 700's had all of the features of the newer 600 Mark V but had metal/ chrome plated dies, wad holder, crimp starter, etc instead of the newer plastic/ nylon parts.

The knock out bushing and possibly the support tube at the first (resizing) station is different between the 700 and 600jr. Other than that all the other parts in the die sets are the same.

Could never figure out why the 600jr became so popular and the 700 didn't except maybe people just didn't want to spend $5 more for a reloader with more features. I have a couple of 700's and they work great.

Hope this helps.

If you've got a 700 (Versa-Mec), the die set conversion kits for '85 and earlier 600's will work. Same stuff. The feature differences between the 700 and the 600 Jr. originally were the ability to eject hi-brass hulls from the resize/de-prime station (a different eject rod and eject cam), and the Pro-Check device, intended to keep the user from getting the charge bar out of sequence (hardly needed). Very minor. Those features were included on the 600 after '85 when the Mk 5 version came out, and the 700 was discontinued.

I own/use 7 different 600/700's of all vintages, and in 7 different gauges. I have done many gauge conversions in all types of MEC's including the progressives. Though there have been detail differences that affect interchangeability in a few parts of the 600/700 over time(mostly the knockout bushing, resize support tube, and wad guide parts), the new parts are almost all, in the parlance of our time, backward compatible. Don't get hung up on "chrome-plated steel dies" -- the new plastic stuff is interchangeable with the old, works better, withstands corrosion better, and is cheaper. Now, if you find an internet deal on a die kit for a newer 600, the vast majority of it (e.g. Spindex's of different versions, crimp dies, punches, shell holders, resize rings) will still work on your Versa-Mec or older 600, and you can get the rest from MEC. MEC has an excellent service department, and a call to them will put you on the right track.

Good Luck,
Tony Lowe

Square Load & Shooting Sioux,

Thanks for the help. I thought it looked quite a bid like the dies would work and after reading your descriptions, you are right about the difference between the resize/deprime station.

I called and talked to MEC. It sounds like a trip to Mayville is in order for me being so close and all. The cost of the parts is much cheaper in person and for about $30 they will do the conversions for me. Will have to see when I can make the trip.

Thanks!

To show you how interchangeable MEC parts are:

Early 600jr 12 ga, convert to 20.
Then convert to 16.
Then convert $100 12 ga 650 to 16 ga using 600 jr dies. Only new part required was the 16 ga rotating base plate.

Charge bars, wad guides, etc.

Truly versatile and reliable products.

Tom