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jeffsvice
PostPosted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 1:30 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 19 Jan 2007
Posts: 6
Location: Alabama

When I began reloading metallic cartridges in pursuit of the perfect 100 yard group, a wise old sage at the range guided me toward the arbor press/LE Wilson “bushed die” type reloading dies. I have never thought that start was a poor decision. 20 years later, I still reload my rifles to bench-rest specs using the same type of equipment.

Having evolved (digressed?) to the point where the explosion of quail feathers or even the cloud of a dusted clay give me more satisfaction than a decent group fired from the bench, I find myself in need of additional equipment on the reloading bench… I recently supplemented my ancient Sportsman 58 16 gauge, with a spanking new shiny Browning Lightning Feather O/U…in the same gauge, of course. As I save the wear and tear on the old Remington, preserving it as my “go to” for special occasions (sentimental perhaps as well as a fear of no available replacement parts, etc…), the Browning will be my primary upland hunting and part-time clays gun.

I wish to load 16 gauge loads - everything from a light 7/8 oz target and preserve quail load to a 1 1/8 wild pheasant load. I shoot around 50 rounds per week (16 gauge) – year round at clays and/or live birds. I’ve ordered a couple of books on reloading, one specifically devoted to the 16 and searching posts on this forum, I see that the MEC Sizemaster 77 has a devoted following – but as I know virtually nothing about shot-shell reloading I’d appreciate any suggestions from the sages of this forum that might help me avoid wasting time or resources on equipment that will not serve the needs as described above…

New Member as of today…thank you in advance for any advice you can offer.

By the way --- I probably should reload for .410 and 28 as well, do any of the reloaders offer easy conversion between gauges or do I just add on to the reloading bench and make room for more than one reloader?

_________________
Only accurate rifles are interesting - Col. Townsend Whelen.
If we started from scratch to reinvent the ideal shotgun shell, it would end up looking a lot like the 16 gauge - Don Zutz.
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onefunzr2
PostPosted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 4:49 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 16 Jan 2006
Posts: 1008
Location: Sandy Lake, PA

Here's the Sizemaster web page:

http://www.mecreloaders.com/ProductLine/SizeMaster.asp

You can buy cheaper elsewhere.

I don't see any reference to the "77" part.
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CitoriFeather16
PostPosted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 6:31 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 09 Dec 2005
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Location: Las Vegas

For that volume reloading, I concur that the Sizemaster would be a good choice. More importantly, join the reloading group for some quality load recipe's for 7/8 oz. and also 3/4 oz. loads. I have a Citori White Lightning Feather and the 3/4 oz and 7/8 oz. loads are sweet! 1 1/8oz. heavy hunting loads in that gun are a little much "for me". YMMV!

Matt
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hoashooter
PostPosted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 6:53 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 08 Nov 2005
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Location: Illinois

The sizemaster should fit the bill perfectly.IMO the biggest difference bettween metallic and shotshell reloading is the fact that there is no case prep---trimming,primer pocket cleaning ,etc.And the fact when you drop a bullet a single item hits the floor---when you knock over a shotshell yet to be crimped but charged with shot----- Embarassed Embarassed Evil or Very Mad
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bustingclays
PostPosted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 8:51 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 23 Nov 2005
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Location: Illinois (in the burbs of St. Louis)

HOA - we call that a minor envrionmental disaster in this reloading room Embarassed ....

Hey Jeff - I have MEC Grabbers in 410, 28, 20, 16, and 12 and a MEC jr set up for 3 inch 410 and a MEC jr for 16 for any specialty loadings of a box or 2. That said - the grabber is a great reloader - you can't go wrong.

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good shooting.....

Dr. 16 Gauge
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hoashooter
PostPosted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:06 pm  Reply with quote
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bc---I once dropped a full bag of 9's on the concrete floor and it busted wide open----I am still sweeping it up after three years Rolling Eyes Embarassed Shocked Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad
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jeffsvice
PostPosted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:57 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 19 Jan 2007
Posts: 6
Location: Alabama

Thanks for the tips for starting out. I guess the MEC is the way to go.

_________________
Only accurate rifles are interesting - Col. Townsend Whelen.
If we started from scratch to reinvent the ideal shotgun shell, it would end up looking a lot like the 16 gauge - Don Zutz.
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brdhnt
PostPosted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:59 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 19 Aug 2005
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Location: Concordia, Kansas

Jeff,

First off, welcome to a great group of people and lots of good information. We're glad to have you.

The MEC sizemaster is a great starter. Some will suggest that you get a progressive but the experience of most of us is that if you start with a single stage you will usually move up to a progressive. I have and use both in various gauges. When you hit on that one load combination that you shoot the most, then you get the progressive and set it up for that load. you keep the single stage for the few hunting loads or new experiments.

I too started with metallics long before I ever loaded a shotshell. At one time I had a commercial loading FFL and had five different Dillon progressives set up in different calibers. I still loaded my hunting loads for pistol and rifle on my old RCBS.

Two suggestions. First, spend the money and buy one of the adjustable charge bars for the MEC. It will save you money in the long run on bars and bushings and also enable you to get your loads exact. Shotshell loading is not as exact as metallic (.10 grain of powder is nothing in a shotshell), but you also need to be as close as possible and the adjustable bar enables you to get that precision.

Second, buy the loaders in different gauges. I've tried conversions in calibers on progressive metallic machines and on both single stage and progressive shotshell machines. It takes a lot of the fun and relaxation out of reloading for me spending all that time tweaking and tuning. I much prefer walking out, grabbing a press, bolting it to the bench and start loading.

Again, welcome.

TMB
________
URRACO


Last edited by brdhnt on Mon Feb 28, 2011 5:41 am; edited 1 time in total
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jeffsvice
PostPosted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 10:03 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 19 Jan 2007
Posts: 6
Location: Alabama

jeffsvice wrote:
Thanks for the tips for starting out. I guess the MEC is the way to go.


oh, and by the way, I can make reloading blocks for a 16 just as well as I can for a 6 PPC. Nice to have something to keep them from falling over... Used to reload in the den before we had a shop, once dumped a box of small rifle primers off the coffee table... back in the days of shag carpet...ugh...

_________________
Only accurate rifles are interesting - Col. Townsend Whelen.
If we started from scratch to reinvent the ideal shotgun shell, it would end up looking a lot like the 16 gauge - Don Zutz.
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