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Old December 29, 2011, 10:04 PM   #1
AFK
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MEC Sizemaster on Ebay

Well, I pulled the trigger on what I thought was a good deal on Ebay. A used MEC sizemaster for $129, with shipping, $143 and change. Judging by the pictures and the sellers feedback, it seemed like a pretty good value. I have been wanting to add a 12 gauge reloader next to my LNL. Now to start reading and learning about shot shell reloading.
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Old December 30, 2011, 12:09 PM   #2
BigJimP
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If you don't have a manual with it - when it comes to you / go to the MEC site and download and print one. MEC's manuals are all very well done ...on how to setup and test a loader / and fine tune it for the hulls you choose to reload.

In 12ga, I'll suggest you stick to one hull ...and I'd urge you to consider using Remington STS or Remington Nitro hulls. They durable / and you'll find lots of recipes for them. My preferred components for 12ga shells -using Remington STS hulls - is either Winchester or Duster wads ( I use Duster primarily - and the Green Duster is their 1 oz wad), Win 209 primers and Hodgdon Clays for powder.
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Old December 30, 2011, 01:05 PM   #3
AFK
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Thanks for the heads up. The press comes with a manual and I have some components on hand. I picked up some Winchester WAA12 wads, I have 1000 CCI 209 primers (I really like and use their pistol primers), I have some Hodgdon Clays powder as well. I do plan on using STS hulls as well and some Lawrence Magnum #8 or # 7 1/2 lead shot. I am in the stage of researching some good target loads for those compomnents. I really only use my shotgun for Sporting Clays, so that is what I am gearing towards.
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Old December 30, 2011, 02:26 PM   #4
oneounceload
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Winchester AA, and ALL Remington hulls are interchangeable when it comes to load data; however, I agree with Jim about using Remington hulls as they seem to have been more consistent lately. I use the Gun Clubs since I buy the ammo on sale, shoot them, then reload them....(I'm not as well-heeled as Jim so I but the cheaper ammo....)

Wads - you can get clone wads from Claybuster and Downrange that use the same loading data but are about half the price of Remington or Winchester factory wads. Primers - Win 209, NobelSport, Fiocchi, and some others are interchangeable when it comes to basic target loading data. That leaves shot - there are several possibilities - top of the line Lawrence or West Coast magnum shot - 5-6% antimony, very round and consistent in size; the non-magnum versions from both companies, plus from others like Eagle which might be 2-3% antimony; then you have the soft "chilled" shot........and for the cheapest money going, there is reclaimed shot.

Reclaimed is mined from existing gun clubs, swept for steel, washed, cleaned and regraphited. The down size is - the pellets will be every size allowed at whatever club they came from - that can mean 9, 8.5, 8, and 7.5 all together, the pellets will have some setback deformations affecting their roundness, and if the reclaimer did a lousy job, there might be small stones or too much graphite. I have been using it for many years when it has been available as it is HALF the cost of new shot - and for most non-competitive practice, it works just fine
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Old December 30, 2011, 05:05 PM   #5
Big Yac
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I dont know what you'll be loading for but for trap Remington (STS, Gun Club, or Nitro 27) hulls, Federal 209 primers, Claybuster clone Remington Figure 8 wads, Lawrence 7.5 magnum shot, and Red Dot powder will make you happy...it works good on rabbits too. Good luck with the shotgun shell reloading.
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Old December 30, 2011, 06:59 PM   #6
BigJimP
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For my primary sporting clays load....I load 1 oz of 8's, at about 1225 fps ...using STS hulls, Clays, Win 209's and Green Duster wads...

you'll find a lot of recipes using CCI primers too ....check the Hodgdon site since you intend to use their Clays powder.../ I always follow the powder company's load recipes vs something on a bag of wads or something else...
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