whats a good shotshell reloading press?

If your making hunting loads or enough loads for upland game and a bit of practice MEC Sizemaster.

If your into trap, skeet or just a really bad shot at upland birds.... Ponsness Warren 800.

Love my MEC single stage...much more fond of the P/W for progressive though.
 
Originally Posted By: skidooracer_99do you guys prefer progressives or something like the sizemaster where you gotta move the shell to each step yourself?
Most of my shotshell reloading is for hunting loads, not high volume like trap & skeet shooters do. I prefer a single stage Ponsness Warren 375.
 
Hey dogduster204 step up to the 9000H series. You won't be disappointed, i've had mine for about 7 years now and re-load about 8000 a year.
 
hey guys, ive been comparing the hornady 366 progressive and the mec 9000 quite closely now. kinda read up on the downfals of both, yes they both have, but the hornady's flaws dont seem too big of a deal to me, worst being not able to pull a shell off the midleof the assembly line to double check weights or something. the 366 seems like a sturdier and less flimsy design to me. also any input on the rcbs grand?

the biggest convern i have about the mec 9000 which i never read about anywhere but did notice this extra step on a youtube video. the only way to shut off the powder and shot is to tip over both bottles until your at the needed stage? when its time for powder step you hafto tip both bottles back up, but then also the guy was adding a empty shell ahead of the powder to the shot stage to catch the shot that releases as well. doesnt look like theirs a way to shut off each individually like their is on the hornady. that shot filled shell you hafto dump back into the hopper. then same thing when your shells are coming to an end, you need an empty shell to catch the powder when your last shell is in the shot filling stage? can someone comment on this for me please! this is what i seen the guy doing on youtube, and if thats really the case that would take the mec off my list forsure! thanks.
 
My older PW will not allow the shells to be pulled out of the assembly. You
will hate it. If one thing goes wrong you have to do everything right or you
have a whopping mess on your hands. Spilled shot, powder, stuck primers,
not to mention the time involved. PW changed it because of complaints. Two
guys on the loader with everything running smooth you can get up to 800
rounds an hour. With one guy and being careful closer to 200 an hour.
 
If the fella is having to lay the bottles back, I would say that his machine is out of adjustment. The hulls in the various stations is what initiates the powder and shot drops.
 
now im not sure if my volume of shooting really requires a progressive, although it sure looks like a neat machine to have. a mec sizemaster is adjustable for 3" 12 gauge shells too isnt it, where the progressives arent? and does anyone find the 2 step crimp of the sizemaster an issue in feeding or crimp quality compared to either progressives 3 step crimp? like is it going to put out a little less quality looking and functioning shell vs a 3 step crimp?
 
is there any real reason the bigger presses use a 3 step crimp instead of the 2 step like found on the sizemaster? i think the sizemaster is good enough for the volume i shoot. im quite a perfectionist, so i think i may actually like the hands on inspect as you go loading with a single stage. would feel similar to rifle reloading. but i would hate to see the slower single stage putting out shells with inferior quality and looking crimps, compared to another press which use a 3 step crimp. does the sizemaster crimp nice too?
 
I have a Mec 600 Jr Mark 5 for about 2 years now, and I love it! It is sooo easy to set up and in a few minutes you are rolling factory quality loads. NEVER had a problem in about 1000 reloads.
 
I have two P-W 375's. One in 12 gauge and one in 20 gauge. I like both but the shells I reload in the 12 seem to be more like a " remanufactured" shell. I occasionally shoot sporting clays and the single stage machine works well for me although if I shot competitively and practiced a bunch, I would go with a progressive press. The single stage press lets me change loads easily.
 
All the MECs are good, it just depends on the volume of shells you need to use. I have used the Dillon, Spolar, Ponsness Warren, and a few other premium high volume loaders, and they are all nice, but the finished product is no better than what you get off the MECs.

The progressives take a bit more tweaking to get them just right. If you don't get them setup properly, they will make you crazy.

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