16ga.com ~ View topic - Short-stroking my Mec 600Jr. Mark V

Joined: 17 Mar 2007 Posts: 207

With my 600Jr. Mark V, I've found that when using the DR wad and the Winchester Super X hull, and 7/8 oz. of shot, the crimp gets mashed down into the hull if I use the full range of the final crimp stroke. What I've also found is that if I short-stroke while crimping, stopping just short of the final full crimp movement, I get a nice, closed up crimp. Is there any reason not to do this? The shot does rattle around in there (there's extra space). Without going to the patterning board, does anybody have any idea why this would/wouldn't affect the pattern of a given load? It seems to be shooting fine on skeet fromy little Lefever Nitro Special. I've not tried these loads in my Auto-5. 8mmFan

Joined: 09 Jul 2009 Posts: 510 Location: Central CT

If you short stroke a MEC Reloader, you will not fully finish the crimp. The final die is made to taper the crimp, which "locks" the crimp and tapers it for smooth feeding in pumps and autos.

I bet if you back off the plunger a bit (1/2 to 1 full turn) you will have a nice crimp with the proper finish taper on it. At least that is what I have found.

Joined: 28 Sep 2008 Posts: 168

I have been loading the dr16 with 7/8 into the remington quite easily once i made adjustments. I think its a great wad that takes a little experimenting to get everything looking right. The designer of this wad put a lot of effort and money into it to have some Jacka$$ run it down every chance he gets. Try the wads, if you don't like them don't use them. You don't have to run the wad down to everyone who asks a very good question about its usage. The DR16 is a good wad, as the CBAA16 will also be when I try it out. Shootingsouix maybe you should sell your remaining dr16 wads so that you don't have a dog in this fight.

Joined: 17 Mar 2007 Posts: 207

I was not in any way meaning to denigrate the DR wad. Have posted many, many times in the past that I am excited about the Downrange wad and, further, am super excited to see an individual put out effort way above and beyond the norm to try and bring improvements to shooting the 16ga.

My post was meant solely to get info about short-stroking my Mec. Thanks to HuntnNut for answering my question. I'll try backing out that plunger. Have a great day. 8mmFan

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 1545 Location: Michigan

Guest

I have my MEC Grabber set up for a 7/8 oz load using Remington hulls and the Gualandi 2025. I also switch bars and load 3/4 oz with that set up.

When I worked up a load using the DR16, Federal hull, and 7/8 oz of shot I was surprised and delighted to find I didn't need to adjust anything to produce a good shell.

Tony, your comments about the DR16 seem to be more "personal" in nature and they don't dovetail with what I've experienced with the wad.

Joined: 09 Jul 2009 Posts: 510 Location: Central CT

I agree Dave, I only made 2 adjustments for the DR-16 wad, one was plunger depth, the other was the rammer tube needed to be raised to accomodate for the longer wad. That was it.

There was this old gentleman named Silas. He just loved muzzleloading shotguns!
He had a fine old percussion double. It was 14 gauge and was even choked .007” right and .013” left!
Silas always shot one ounce of shot varying the size for his target. One ounce of lead shot bare against the bore!
Man could Silas smoke clay birds with that gun! And Silas “smoked” the live birds he tackled as well! A black powder purest, even the old 14 bore smoked in delight!!!!
And if Silas wasn’t careful while out hunting in a field of Cheatgrass, even the field might start smoking! You see, Silas’ wad smoked….. Silas’ wad actually caught on fire during launch! Amazingly, Silas’ wad was a 6” square of newspaper wadded into a ball and then tamped tight against the FFg powder.

Yet even Silas’ wad had progressive crush and a square driving platform!

Slidehammer

Joined: 09 Jul 2009 Posts: 510 Location: Central CT

Sorry I got into the middle of this,

Joined: 28 Sep 2008 Posts: 168

8mmfan, forgive me for ranting about something unrelated in your post. i know you looking for an answer to a question. What got me fired up was the way that Shootingsouix took the topic and trashed the work that Charles put into the new wad. I for one don't have the knowledge or want to undertake such an endeavor and applaud anyone who does.

Joined: 09 Jul 2009 Posts: 510 Location: Central CT

The DR16 wads pattern fine and load fine with minimal reloader adjustments. I run mine though an 8567 Grabber.

RST would never have used the wad for commercial loads if it wasn't a properly designed product. By all accounts RST's ammunition performs just fine.

Sounds to me like sour grapes or too much alcohol.

Joined: 18 Feb 2006 Posts: 52