MEC shotshell reloads

[Clark Howard]

After MANY years of purchasing a case of shells at the hardware store every September, I was gifted an MEC loader with all the hulls, primers, powder, shot, and wads as the result of a friend's passing. The loader is set up for 12ga, but I would like to scrounge up the conversion parts for other gauges. Do the conversion parts for the several gauges fit the 600 Jr and the 600Jr Mark V? I have reloaded for rifle and pistol calibers for years, but I am quite clueless about shotshells. Thanks

[barretcreek]

Get on shotgunworld.com/

Lots of information and feedback. Shotshell reloading is more art than science. Cabinet making versus basic carpentry.

You may find there's not much saving to duplication of standard loads, but cranking out 7/8 & 1 oz loads can be economical as well as improving your shooting.
Same with making 20 ga to duplicate smaller gauges.

[Clark Howard]

Thanks for the info and quick response.

[JOHN COOK]

You probably know, but you will have to get charging inserts for the exiting bars. Each step the shells goes through will have to be changed to what ever gauge you convert to. My MEC goes through 5 steps (I think) before it gives me a loaded round. All those steps would have to be changed to go from 12 ga. to whatever

john in SC

[NuJudge]

In normal times, you can find MEC loaders very cheap, locally. With the current panic, not so much.

Shotgun loading is very different from pistol and rifle. Virtually all your measuring will be volumetrically. You need to segregate your cases carefully, as one maker may use several different types of case, each using different wads and charges. It would be good to start with combinations of case/wad/powder/primer/shot which work well for a lot of people. One place I would urge you to look is the Lyman handbooks, the other is the writings of Case at Shotgun World and this thread: https://www.shotgunworld.com/threads/new-reloaders-make-it-easy-on-yourself.498334/

[Fred Pillot]

There are definitely differences. Depending on models, some big differences, some small differences. Best to buy for your exact model.