mec 650 shot spilling machine

[Buzzard Bait]

I have a mec 650 20 gauge shot spilling machine. I have had it a long time it has never really lived up to what I thought it should be. It seems like I don't get through a session of loading with out it doing something that involves it dumping shot on the floor. It's favorite way is to hang in the down position then pop up causing the shot and powder containers to flip over and the stopper come out of the shot bottle poring shot as it flips. Is it just me or is this thing just a beast? I have thought of sending it back to mec and let them re work it I think of selling or trading it for a different model. I begin to think I'm to clumsy or stupid to work it. Does anyone else have any thoughts on using this machine? It makes good shells and works fairly quickly but when I lose very much shot I likely don't save any money and my wife get furious when she steps on shot on the garage floor.
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[P.A. Dutchman]

Buzzard I have an older 650 and even with 40 years of shotshell reloading experience mine gives me a headache almost every time I use it. Mine has a habit of the charge bar not always locking in place when I first begin resizing the first hull, or when I am ending with the last one, and I'll dump a load of shot. I have tried adjusting everything I can adjust and every once in a while it just slips and drops a load. I have never had any other progressive press do that without it being my fault. All I can offer you is to stay focused and check it as you go.

 

[rlc323]

I have used Mec loaders for the past 40 years and probably load 5 or 6 thousand rounds a year on my Grabber. In that year I will generally have a few shot spills, usually my fault. It seems to be inevitable.

I mounted a cookie sheet under my loader to keep the mess contained.

The worst one ever was a full shot bottle that broke and spilled the entire contents. The plastic gets brittle over the years and they snap off at the base when you cycle the machine.. I relace them every couple years now.

 

[Buzzard Bait]

hmm

Well
I do like the cookie sheet fix, I have gotten so tired of shot on the garage floor. My wife has very unkind things to say when she steps on shot. I was just ready to trade it of and buy something else.
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