16ga.com Forum Index
Author Message
<  16ga. Ammunition & Reloading  ~  Looking for a mec progressive 16
Timn
PostPosted: Sun Jun 10, 2018 6:13 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 19 Nov 2016
Posts: 44
Location: Oklahoma

I haven't been able to find one for sale would like new anyone know How has any thanks. Going to sell my sizemaster
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
duckdup
PostPosted: Sun Jun 10, 2018 6:55 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Feb 2018
Posts: 258
Location: West-central Missouri

How much for the sizemaster?

_________________
An ounce of fives, the smell of nitro in paper hulls, wet gundog, and Hoppe's #9...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Timn
PostPosted: Sun Jun 10, 2018 7:16 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 19 Nov 2016
Posts: 44
Location: Oklahoma

How about 275 plus shipping looks like they are 389 on the mec web site.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
duckdup
PostPosted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 8:35 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Feb 2018
Posts: 258
Location: West-central Missouri

is that a Steel-master?

_________________
An ounce of fives, the smell of nitro in paper hulls, wet gundog, and Hoppe's #9...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Timn
PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2018 11:59 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 19 Nov 2016
Posts: 44
Location: Oklahoma

No sizemaster and I will take 245$ for it.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Woody402
PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2018 4:55 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 25 Aug 2014
Posts: 286
Location: Finger Lakes

I have a 650 I would sell its progressive.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
hayseed
PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2018 6:21 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 14 Feb 2017
Posts: 401

Timn, I've got a 12 gauge sizemaster. Interested in a trade? I'll throw in several 1,000 wads.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Timn
PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 4:13 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 19 Nov 2016
Posts: 44
Location: Oklahoma

No I need a 16 ga loader, looking for a grabber.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
byrdog
PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 6:08 am  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 22 Aug 2011
Posts: 1498
Location: the Moosehorn

www.ebay.com/itm/mec-grabber-reloader/292599239195?hash=item442046121b:g:CIIAAOSwM9RbHYJL

This grabber is 100.00 for that price you could convert it to 16ga and still be ahead.

_________________
ALWAYS wear the safety glasses

If you take Cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like Prunes than Rhubarb does ----G.M/
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
MaximumSmoke
PostPosted: Fri Jun 15, 2018 4:57 pm  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 1550
Location: Minnesota and Florida

Last I checked, retail price from MEC for the parts to make the change from 12 or 20 to 16 gauge for either a Grabber or a 9000 is $309.56 shipping not included, with one charge bar included in that price, but no powder bushings. It is likely you will need at least one more charge bar at $26.03 -- remember charge bars for the progressives are different from the single stage loaders. You might be able to save another $30 by just buying the black shell guide and, after grinding off the original one at the rivets, riveting the one for the 16 onto the base if that base is a newer one with a separate shell guide piece. One might also be able to save about 10% on these parts if someone like Graf's or Gamaliel has them, but they usually do not carry or sell all the parts you will need for a MEC progressive conversion - especially the most expensive parts.

I have done four gauge conversions on MEC progressives: two 9000's -- a 20 to 16, and a 12 to 16, and two on 650's -- both 12 to 16. I had a lot of parts, and I made a few to do the conversions, and they seemed to make economic sense to me. A progressive with a collet (Grabber or 9000) is not an easy conversion for the non-mechanically inclined. Most folks using shotshell reloaders cannot successfully adjust them to crimp well, let alone do a gauge change, especially on the progressives.

So, $100 and "come out ahead" by converting a MEC progressive? Maybe, maybe not. It is a bit of a fiddler's errand.

Oh . . . and a look at that one on eBay shows it to be $120 with shipping to your door-step, and it's a crusty old 76 Series Grabber with a base that cannot be converted by simply putting on a new shell guide. I have done a couple of these bases on 650's, and it involves forming and installing, with good-old J-B Weld, a lining on the shell guiding recess in the base to reduce it's diameter to function with 16 gauge shells. I used a piece of #12 copper wire. That'll save you money if you can do it, otherwise you need a new base. Anyone converting one of these old Grabbers will likely want to buy the "new" adjustable collet closer ( a retro-fit, and it's the only one you can buy new now anyway), and the tall base (again, only one available) of the 8567 Grabber, as it will be much nicer to use, rather than jigger around to convert the base of the old 76 Series Grabber.

A conversion of a MEC progressive can be quite an adventure, and worth doing, for some, but not so many, I think. It will be a lot less frustrating to simply buy a 16 gauge Grabber or a 9000, new or used. Alternatively, you could buy a used 650 in 16, which might be had really cheap, as it does not have the collet resizing capability (resizing ability is there - ring type - but as an operation apart from the progressive sequence). Collet resizing can be done separately with a MEC SuperSizer, but there goes the $$$ saving of the 650 vs. the Grabber, if you buy them new. If you could get a 650 in 16 for $100, then it might make sense to pony up for a SuperSizer or a new 16 gauge collet if you happen to want to convert a SuperSizer you already have. Resizing separately with a 650 would make loading a little bit slower than a Grabber. The real problem with all this is the spotty availability on the used market of any reloader in 16 gauge. When you find one, because of the small size of the market for 16 gauge reloaders, it could be cheap or maybe not, but when will you find one? And how many folks reloaded enough 16's to warrant a progressive. This forum is where you find them (us!).

Cheers!
Tony
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
byrdog
PostPosted: Sat Jun 16, 2018 2:38 am  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 22 Aug 2011
Posts: 1498
Location: the Moosehorn

Grabber at Graffs is $543.00 Size Master is $309.00

_________________
ALWAYS wear the safety glasses

If you take Cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like Prunes than Rhubarb does ----G.M/
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
MaximumSmoke
PostPosted: Sat Jun 16, 2018 5:27 pm  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 1550
Location: Minnesota and Florida

Last I checked, Sizemaster is not progressive.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
byrdog
PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 4:18 am  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 22 Aug 2011
Posts: 1498
Location: the Moosehorn

than why did you use the $309.00 price as the comparison?

_________________
ALWAYS wear the safety glasses

If you take Cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like Prunes than Rhubarb does ----G.M/
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
double vision
PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 4:31 am  Reply with quote
Guest





I just added the Short Kit to my Sizemaster, and I can load at a rate of 5 minutes per box. I can reload faster on my Grabber, but I'm not sure it's enough faster to be worth it.
Back to top
DanLee
PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 6:48 am  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 15 Mar 2007
Posts: 601
Location: Virginia

I opted to save my pennies and buy a new 9000 from Gamaliel a few years ago.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
All times are GMT - 7 Hours

View next topic
View previous topic
Page 1 of 2
Goto page 1, 2  Next
16ga.com Forum Index  ~  16ga. Ammunition & Reloading

Post new topic   Reply to topic


 
Jump to:  

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum




Powered by phpBB and NoseBleed v1.09