Shotshell loading help with hull identification

[BUFF7MM]

Buff,

I'm not familiar with the Lee machine.

My old MEC 600 Jr. has a steel sizer ring that used to get scratched BADLY with steel based hulls.

Some careful polishing of the sizer 'ring' and some white jeweler's rouge, made it shine like crazy.
No more scratches on the hulls. (Also, avoiding steel bases hulls became the norm.)

I picked up a MEC 9000 for a STEAL. ($125.) It has a "collet" sizer that takes the worries of scratches and tosses that thought.

One of my friends gave me another MEC machine. I have to look at it. It's either a "SizeMaster" or the "Grabber". It needs some parts, but, it also has that "collet" sizer.

The Lee also has the size ring that has to be placed on the hull before the depriming and its pushed off during the reprime stage. and the cullet on the sizemaster is one reason I was looking at getting one of those. I'm not sure but I think that's the only difference between it and the 600jr. other than the sizemaster coming with the priming system and it has to be purchased separate with the 600jr., I'm probably wrong about that but it's what I'm thinking.

 

[Uncle Duke]

Buff,

I'm not familiar with the Lee machine.

My old MEC 600 Jr. has a steel sizer ring that used to get scratched BADLY with steel based hulls.

Some careful polishing of the sizer 'ring' and some white jeweler's rouge, made it shine like crazy.
No more scratches on the hulls. (Also, avoiding steel bases hulls became the norm.)

I picked up a MEC 9000 for a STEAL. ($125.) It has a "collet" sizer that takes the worries of scratches and tosses that thought.

One of my friends gave me another MEC machine. I have to look at it. It's either a "SizeMaster" or the "Grabber". It needs some parts, but, it also has that "collet" sizer.

Have the Grabber. 80's vintage. I THOUGHT the steel base hulls were better avoided, but I may be completely wrong there? Or maybe that thought was Grabber specific? I don't recall. Set me straight.

 

[byf43]

The Lee also has the size ring that has to be placed on the hull before the depriming and its pushed off during the reprime stage. and the cullet on the sizemaster is one reason I was looking at getting one of those. I'm not sure but I think that's the only difference between it and the 600jr. other than the sizemaster coming with the priming system and it has to be purchased separate with the 600jr., I'm probably wrong about that but it's what I'm thinking.

My old 600 Jr. has the sizing and depriming on position 1, and the sizer ring is stationary.

Position 2 is just priming.

Position 3 is powder charge/insert wad/shot charge.
Position 4 is crimp start.
Position 5 is crimp finish.


I do love that old machine. it's been INCREDIBLY GOOD.
The ONLY thing I've ever replaced on it, is the "wad guide". The original was copper, and most of the "petals" were broken off (I got the machine 2nd hand, in trade for a TV). My B-I-L really needed a tv and I wanted a shotshell loader.

I think I paid $1.00 or so for the wad guide, at Accokeek Sports, in '79 or '80.

 

[byf43]

Have the Grabber. 80's vintage. I THOUGHT the steel base hulls were better avoided, but I may be completely wrong there? Or maybe that thought was Grabber specific? I don't recall. Set me straight.

Unc, from what I "remember", the collet sizer was designed to be used with steel (and to bring the base back to original size).

Steel shouldn't affect the collet sizer.............. IF memory serves me!

 

[Redcobra]

"Gun Club" loads are made/marketed by Remington.
They are as close to the OLD Win AA hulls as you can get, today, IMNSHO.
They are a fairly [COLOR="SeaGreen]"bright "GREEN"[/COLOR] hull, with BRASS low base.

Gunclubs have Steel bases not brass anymore.

 

[byf43]

Gunclubs have Steel bases not brass anymore.

Oh Crap!!!!!!!

Didn't know that!

 

[Uncle Duke]

I think I got caught in a time warp! But if Gun Club is close to the old Winchester AA that I used to use, that's probably where I'd want to start if I were to buy a flat.

Thanks to all you guys! Buff, hope I didn't derail....my apologies if so!!!

 

[BUFF7MM]

So let me go back a bit, if the hulls have the same base wad and inside hull taper they can be loaded the same? It seems that I'd need to have 6 different wads, 6 different powders, for 6 different hulls. Seems confusing to a point.

 

[BUFF7MM]

I think I got caught in a time warp! But if Gun Club is close to the old Winchester AA that I used to use, that's probably where I'd want to start if I were to buy a flat.

Thanks to all you guys! Buff, hope I didn't derail....my apologies if so!!!

Your good, it's all revelant to the thread.

 

[byf43]

I think I got caught in a time warp! But if Gun Club is close to the old Winchester AA that I used to use, that's probably where I'd want to start if I were to buy a flat.

Thanks to all you guys! Buff, hope I didn't derail....my apologies if so!!!

Me too. (And what a Time Warp it is!)


I know that I've got some AA, Gun Club, Mohawk, STS Premier and some Blue Magic hulls.


Now, I do have to "dig out" the Blue Magic hulls, but, I'll check the bases on all of the stuff that I have to see what they're made of.

 

[Uncle Duke]

So let me go back a bit, if the hulls have the same base wad and inside hull taper they can be loaded the same? It seems that I'd need to have 6 different wads, 6 different powders, for 6 different hulls. Seems confusing to a point.

I remember having that very same thought. And that it was best to stick with one hull, for the reasons you just described. A bit different than 9mm brass for example, where there's less concern about whose make is stamped on the case head.

 

[byf43]

So let me go back a bit, if the hulls have the same base wad and inside hull taper they can be loaded the same? It seems that I'd need to have 6 different wads, 6 different powders, for 6 different hulls. Seems confusing to a point.

Buff,

Back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, and I started loading shotshells, I went through my Lyman book and compared all of the aforementioned hulls, and their load data. (Some are now calling them "recipes".)


Of the hulls that I named, I have used all of the very same components and data, right down to the powder charge.

I was so anal about it all, that I took a "highlighter" and highlighted the load data for the different hulls, etc.
(Back then, there was no internet, and really nobody to compare notes with.)

The ONLY thing I do differently, for my Turkey loads, is the wad (shot column), the powder and it's charge, and shot load.
Since I've run out of W-571, I don't load Turkey loads, any longer. I do, however, still have one or two boxes of those Turkey loads!
(Such a shame! That load patterns like a DREAM!)

 

[BUFF7MM]

I remember having that very same thought. And that it was best to stick with one hull, for the reasons you just described. A bit different than 9mm brass for example, where there's less concern about whose make is stamped on the case head.

Exactly what I was thinking, I was thinking about all the different stuff I load with Winchester 231. I might go down to wallyworld and pick up some of the Remington's I saw there yesterday. I did see load data at Hodgdon for the wads I have and the Clays for the STS's.

 

[BUFF7MM]

Buff,

Back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, and I started loading shotshells, I went through my Lyman book and compared all of the aforementioned hulls, and their load data. (Some are now calling them "recipes".)


Of the hulls that I named, I have used all of the very same components and data, right down to the powder charge.

The ONLY thing I do differently, for my Turkey loads, is the wad (shot column), the powder and it's charge, and shot load.
Since I've run out of W-571, I don't load Turkey loads, any longer.
(Such a shame! That load patterns like a DREAM!)

thanks for that, looks like I've got some bench time ahead of me.

 

[BUFF7MM]

Ok so now I need an over/under to go along with my autoloader. Holy cow, I might have to start shooting at clay targets.

 

[byf43]

thanks for that, looks like I've got some bench time ahead of me.

I'm leaving work around 2:45 p.m., today.

When I get home, I'll take some photos and post 'em up.

Also, look for a PM, in a few minutes.

 

[BUFF7MM]

I'm leaving work around 2:45 p.m., today.

When I get home, I'll take some photos and post 'em up.

Also, look for a PM, in a few minutes.

Will do.
And thanks to all who have added to this thread, great group of guys here, beers all around.

 

[Uncle Duke]

Exactly what I was thinking, I was thinking about all the different stuff I load with Winchester 231. I might go down to wallyworld and pick up some of the Remington's I saw there yesterday. I did see load data at Hodgdon for the wads I have and the Clays for the STS's.

And maybe even some Red Dot if you want to expand to another option, without things getting too crazy.

It's a dandy with certain metallic cartridges also. Not a bad powder to keep a pound of around generally.

 

[BUFF7MM]

And maybe even some Red Dot if you want to expand to another option, without things getting too crazy.

It's a dandy with certain metallic cartridges also. Not a bad powder to keep a pound of around generally.

I might have to try that next time I get down to my powder hot spot.

 

[byf43]

And maybe even some Red Dot if you want to expand to another option, without things getting too crazy.

It's a dandy with certain metallic cartridges also. Not a bad powder to keep a pound of around generally.

Yup.

I used to use Winchester 473AA for my 1-1/8 oz loads.
When another SCSC member watched me shoot, and handed me a box of his loads and I went from 16 to 18 birds, to 23 and 24 birds (I have NEVER gotten that elusive 25th bird!), I was SOLD on Red Dot!!!!!