MEC 9000
 

It's already pretty well known that I prefer PW over MEC and it's also a given that decent used MEC 9000's are a darn sight easier to run across then are used PW 800's . So with that being said I just got a fourth 9000 . Already had a 12 a 20 and a 28 , and a week or two ago a second 28 gauge 9000 fell in my lap so to speak . And today I set it up and loaded a few shells just to make sure all worked well and it did . This loader is set up for using Unique and my other is for Universal Clays . Now if the reloader Gods would see fit to drop a nice used 16 gauge 9000 and perhaps a nice used 410 9000 I'd be quite happy .

I'd recommend the 410 press be a Grabber! By rotating the shell plate by hand, you avoid the somewhat erratic nature of the spring drive and the 410 hulls don't wiggle around and spill shot or line up incorrectly under the wad guide! Sometimes the wad with shot gets pulled back up out of the hull when you raise the handle. It just happens. With the 9000, the shell plate starts to move and you have a mess. With the Gabber--you can neutralize the problem with a minimum of fuss. You gotta go nice and easy with the 410 hull on a MEC and the Grabber allows this precision. Speaking from experience..........

Look at a Spolar. I love mine!

If I were going to put the funds out that a Spolar requires I'd just go ahead and get a PW .

Yeah you may very well be right . I have a friend that has a used 650 410 that I may try and liberate from him .

If you're going to use any of the premium loaders, you better shoot a lot, or you'll never recoup your initial investment. (BTW, I love my PW 800 Plus)

Yeah you're correct I've owned 4 of the 800C's and a pair of 800B's . 800's were what I cut my teeth on when I learned to load .

There was a gunsmith in our town who kinda played at the skeet game before I became interested . And when we would go by his basement/shop I'd go in his personal gunroom and he had 4 800B's sitting there . So I was looking at them and he told me "If you ever start fooling with skeet DO NOT waste your money on 600JR's or whatever buy PW 800B's and be done with it" . So back around 84 or 85 I bought a pair of used 800B's in 12 and 28 followed very shortly by 800C's in 20 and 410 . After about a year I sold the B's and got C's in 12 and 28 as well as a 375 for 10 and 16 . Pretty much the only rifle/pistol loader I've owned and used is a PW Metallic II been using that one for 34 years !

I have an old oak conference table I got from the company my mother used to work forty years ago . When I was heavy into skeet/trap I had the four PW 800's and the 375 mounted on one side this table . Always thought it looked kinda cool LOL's ! Now that conference table has my Metallic II , a CH4D press for the 505 Gibbs , a Lyman Lubrisizer and two MEC loaders mounted .

You know I kept track of the amount I loaded when I first started and near as I could figure not counting my time I pretty much got my money back out of the 800C's within two years . I shot A LOT then and I got them all new for about $500 a piece . Two from Jim Cunnigham and two from Jim Tyrell when he was the club manager at Fairfax R&G .

My loading cost for 12 gauge (I sold all my other loaders) is $4.25. Good thing I like to spend time loading, because it isn't a great savings versus promotional shells bought at the right time. I would like to think that my shells are "better" than the promotional shells, but, a former National Sporting Clays champion told me that he doesn't shoot well enough to see the difference between cheap and expensive shells

I have the Mec 9000 in 16,20,28, and 410. Other than the 28 they are all set up for the 2 1/2 inch hull. I'd buy a 12 but I can buy shells so cheap and I really don't shoot much 12ga anymore.

I have never had an issue with any of them.

I bought a slightly used 28ga. 9000 and had problems with new magnum size 8 shot bridging at the bottom of the rammer tube. What I discovered is that that bag of shot, even though new, it was bought years ago and some of the shot had oxidized, not allowing it to flow smoothly. Bought a fresh bad and problem was resolved but what a mess it makes, shot all over the place!

when they mess up it's a big mess. I carpeted the gun room and I bet there is well over a pound of shot stuck in the carpet. I have tried vacuum cleaner, shot vacs and I can't get it picked up.

I put a cookie sheet with lips on it under the loader. It captures all of my screw-ups

Chuck and all. The tip I got from MEC in the similar situation in 20 ga. was to add a little baby powder. It goes in every ga. now.

John thats a great idea. Did you bolt the the press and the cookie sheet directly to the bench?

I'm just going to use that bag in the 9000 12ga., no problem doing that. I did have bridgeing problems in the 12ga loader when I used 100% reclaimed shot. Now I mix it with new shot and no problem. I did use powered graphite in the 28ga loader, it helped but not completly.

I'll bet the shot can still bounce out of the cookie tray if it's not real big. I think I'll put a thin rubber mat like you would put in your tool chest in the tray. That should dampen the bounceing shot. I could probably lift the mat up and dump the contents into a container.

Another trick I use to separate the spilled powder and shot when they are combined is to use a wire mesh kitchen strainer. The powder will sift through but not the shot. Just let the wife know you borrowed it:shock::rotf:

Rich - Exactly

I use a Mec9000H I bought used for $500. The 3/4oz 12ga is my clay pigeon load and it cost me 3.45/box. My reloaders are mounted on a 2/12 in my basement workshop so any spills go on the floor. When I start sliding across the floor on shot it's swept up and thrown away.

Shot Containment
 

I mounted my reloader on a 3/4 piece of MDF and put a 1x2 around the periphery. Billy

I just have 2 MEC 600 jrs but use a plastic tray like those used at a fast food place (like Wendy's or McD's) under the presses and it catches powder and shot very well.
It makes cleaning up a whole lot easier.

Jack Kuzepski

Naw, be like Rich and use carpet - that way you can't see it.

$500 is a bit stout I think . I got FOUR used 9000's for $700 a pair of 28's a 20 and a 12 . The most expensive of the four was the 20 gauge with about 2500 once fired AA hulls . One of the 28's looks well used but the other three look comparatively like new . I'm afraid I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and order a new 16 gauge 9000 as I've only seen two used ones for sale and they just about reached our dealer cost for a new one . The jury's still out on the 410 but I suspect I'll end up getting a new 410 9000 as well .

Remember - Paul says his was the Hydraulic model. I'm no MEC expert, but that must be worth $100-200 extra, I would think

Yes I did say a 9000H. If you got four 9000's for $700 you should be in jail for grand theft. BPI sells Mec 9000 for over $600, the 9000H for $1138 plus shipping . That's $175 per machine - most guys like to get around half price for a used machine. You did good.

Craig,

If you know anyone locally wanting a like new 12 ga. 9000G set up already to load 7/8 oz. 12 gauge WWAAs I've got one for $400 or make offer. I don't need two 12s. It is just like brand new.

My dealer cost for a 16 , 28 or 410 is a few bucks under $600 last time I looked . When I get home in March I think I'll go ahead and order a 16 from our distributer .

Boy you guys made my day. I gave 200.00 for mine and then converted it to load 2 1/2" shells.

My 20 gauge looks almost new and came with 2500 once fired AA hulls for the same price . Bought it from the guy that used to be the prez of our club .

I wish wish wish they made one of these Rube Golberg contraptions for 2 7/8" 10 gauge !

My " Rube Golberg contraptions " has put out many a shell with little problems. My friends uncle and father owned it in Florida where they shot trap, then he bought it and used it for about ten years, and now I have it. The only problem I have is after about a 150 shells it starts cycling slow. When it warms up the pressure goes from 700 to under 500. I'm usually ready to quit, but if I ever get off my lazy butt I'll put a washer under the pressure spring. I think they're a very good machine. Craig, if you want to play around with it I believe it could be made to load 10ga. You'd have to grind the shell holder bigger to hold a 10ga, being careful not to grind into the primer hole. Then the two washers under the shell plate holder have to be ground smaller so the 10ga shell goes into the holder. I did it with a grabber. And I trimmed the shells to 2 3/4.

My days of fabrication are past . I had thought of seeing if someone I know would be wiling to turn one into a 10 gauge . But I suspect by the time it was all said and done I could just buy a PW LS-1000 and at PW the extra $35 to make it a 2 7/8" for what the 9000 plus alterations would cost .

Paul, if you mean the air cylinder that rotates the shell holder, I have an extra one you can try. If you mean the hydrolic cylinder, if you have the new style, they can be repaired. I have a real early 9000H and went through 3 revisions of the hydrolic cylinder till I got the latest type because they would leak oil. I've had no problems for years.

I've got an old friend who he and his wife shot competitive skeet heavily for thirty years . When they got out of it they had four hydraulic 9000's and two hydraulic pumps . They had the 12 and 20 connected to one and the two little guns connected to the other pump . I was actually surprised when he told me how much he liked the 9000H for the 410 .

It's not the cylinder - the pump looses pressure when it warms up. It goes from 700psi to under 500psi at around 150 shells. It's still up to speed anything over 500, but under it starts slowing down. It goes very slow on the down stroke. I'm not sure, but believe if the big nut on the pump is removed a washer can be installed to put more pressure on the spring. It's kind of like me - getting old and slow the more I do.