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< 16ga. Ammunition & Reloading ~ Looking for a mec progressive 16 |
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Posted:
Sun Jun 10, 2018 6:13 pm
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Joined: 19 Nov 2016
Posts: 44
Location: Oklahoma
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I haven't been able to find one for sale would like new anyone know How has any thanks. Going to sell my sizemaster |
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Posted:
Sun Jun 10, 2018 6:55 pm
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Joined: 12 Feb 2018
Posts: 258
Location: West-central Missouri
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How much for the sizemaster? |
_________________ An ounce of fives, the smell of nitro in paper hulls, wet gundog, and Hoppe's #9... |
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Posted:
Sun Jun 10, 2018 7:16 pm
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Joined: 19 Nov 2016
Posts: 44
Location: Oklahoma
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How about 275 plus shipping looks like they are 389 on the mec web site. |
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Posted:
Mon Jun 11, 2018 8:35 pm
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Joined: 12 Feb 2018
Posts: 258
Location: West-central Missouri
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is that a Steel-master? |
_________________ An ounce of fives, the smell of nitro in paper hulls, wet gundog, and Hoppe's #9... |
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Posted:
Tue Jun 12, 2018 11:59 am
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Joined: 19 Nov 2016
Posts: 44
Location: Oklahoma
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No sizemaster and I will take 245$ for it. |
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Posted:
Tue Jun 12, 2018 4:55 pm
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Joined: 25 Aug 2014
Posts: 286
Location: Finger Lakes
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I have a 650 I would sell its progressive. |
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Posted:
Tue Jun 12, 2018 6:21 pm
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Joined: 14 Feb 2017
Posts: 401
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Timn, I've got a 12 gauge sizemaster. Interested in a trade? I'll throw in several 1,000 wads. |
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Posted:
Wed Jun 13, 2018 4:13 pm
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Joined: 19 Nov 2016
Posts: 44
Location: Oklahoma
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No I need a 16 ga loader, looking for a grabber. |
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Posted:
Thu Jun 14, 2018 6:08 am
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Member
Joined: 22 Aug 2011
Posts: 1498
Location: the Moosehorn
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Posted:
Fri Jun 15, 2018 4:57 pm
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Member
Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 1550
Location: Minnesota and Florida
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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 |
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Posted:
Sat Jun 16, 2018 2:38 am
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Member
Joined: 22 Aug 2011
Posts: 1498
Location: the Moosehorn
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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/ |
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Posted:
Sat Jun 16, 2018 5:27 pm
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Member
Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 1550
Location: Minnesota and Florida
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Last I checked, Sizemaster is not progressive. |
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Posted:
Sun Jun 17, 2018 4:18 am
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Member
Joined: 22 Aug 2011
Posts: 1498
Location: the Moosehorn
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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/ |
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Posted:
Sun Jun 17, 2018 4:31 am
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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. |
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Posted:
Sun Jun 17, 2018 6:48 am
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Member
Joined: 15 Mar 2007
Posts: 601
Location: Virginia
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I opted to save my pennies and buy a new 9000 from Gamaliel a few years ago. |
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