Rio hulls

[Richard Flanders]

I finally got around to reloading the Rio high-brass hulls I have. I had to get wads from BPI and the shops up here finally had Rio 209 primers, which are slightly smaller than American 209's, and reloaded 150 a couple of days ago. I also had to get a 6-pt crimp starter for a vintage MEC 650, which a dealer near Anchorage had in stock. I found them easy to reload, aside from the issue of trying to get #4 shot to feed through the tube, which was a definite issue - I ended up dumping and weighing every shot charge before advancing the shell and had to adjust most of them. The shot feed tube jammed up with pellets completely a couple of times. I've read of this issue but this is the first time I've had it happen. I don't reload shot that large much. Anyway, I thought folks might like to know that the Rio hulls load and crimp very nicely once everything is adjusted. Rio is the least expensive of the hunting ammo available up here and burns cleaner than any shotgun ammo I have ever used.

[George M. Purtill]

I have a fellow Vintagers friend that I save RIO hulls for. he cuts them down to 2.5 inches and swears they are the best. I have seen his once fired cut downs and they look like a new RST.

[charlie cleveland]

ive also loaded a few rio hulls and they do load good...the factory loards are hard to beat...i toohad problems with primers because of size ..... charlie

[Pete Lester]

I found them easy to reload, aside from the issue of trying to get #4 shot to feed through the tube, which was a definite issue - I ended up dumping and weighing every shot charge before advancing the shell and had to adjust most of them. The shot feed tube jammed up with pellets completely a couple of times. I've read of this issue but this is the first time I've had it happen. I don't reload shot that large much

MEC makes a larger diameter drop tube for steel and large lead shot that will cure the problem.

http://www.ballisticproducts.com/MEC-Steel-Funnel-Drop-Tube-8435/productinfo/1308435/

[Richard Flanders]

I will definitely have to get one of those. Thanks. Hadn't seen that option.

update: just ordered two of them, one for the 10ga press also

[Richard Flanders]

Update: The added diameter at the top of these steel shot tubes prevents them from working in a vintage MEC 650 and in my more recent 10ga Sizemaster. Anyone else found that to be the case?? Are they meant for only a Steelmaster or something? At least my old 650 now has a nice wooden handle I ordered along with them. Those old rubber bicycle handle grips are terrible on a press.

[Paul Harm]

Might call Mec and ask them. about the drop tubes. Mec also makes a smooth start crimp die that works with 6 or 8 point crimp. They don't advertize it - think it's made for paper shells. If you stop and think about it the old hand reloading stuff like from Lee [ or even the Mec 400 ] didn't have a start crimp - you just pushed the shell up in a tappered metal tube to start the crimp. Six and eight point starting crimp dies are necessary for shells that have never been crimped - other than that any of them will work on any shell other than a paper shell.