28 gauge MEC 9000 loading problem

[Cold Spring]

Brand new MEC 9000 progressive press in 28 gauge. I'm loading once fired Remington STS hulls with 3/4 ounce of West Coast #8 shot that's bright and not oxidized nor tarnished. Alliant 20/28 powder and Claybuster 5034-HS wads.

I'm having trouble with shot bridging in the shot/ram tube on station #3. Probably 1 of 4 shells, the shot will hang up in the tube ..... some shot drops into the wad but the rest will hang up and falls later when the shell indexes to station #4. The shot tube is clear, no obstructions. A friend suggested putting a teaspoon of talcum powder in the shot canister and shaking to coat all the pellets, but that didn't help.

I'd appreciate any ideas.

[Quigley97]

Frank, I have a new MEC 9000 in 12 ga. I had a similar problem with the drop tube for the wads. Took the tube off the machine and looked inside and there was paint build up inside the tube. I guess they dip the parts for painting. I used a small round file and cleaned the paint drops out and that corrected the issue.

[bob lyons]

I had the problem with a new 410 650 mec
Very frustrating, I cleaned the tube out with cleaning rods and patches. Also took it apart. Seems to be some hope of coating on it. Worked good for awhile, but starts again after about 4 boxes.
The 410 takes me 2 times as long to reload a box, they are very fussy.
Waiting for the responses to this.
Frank the browning and model 42 have been getting a through work out. Thanks they are both are great guns, and they are very addictive.
Bob

[Kevin McCormack]

Frank I had the exact same problem with the exact same press and loading dynamics. Mine were with both powder and shot. I used 800X powder and had continuing issues with powder bridging in the drop tube which I eventually partially solved by running a very fine thin copper wire up to a water pipe in my gun room overhead to dissipate static electricity, which all the reloading gurus diagnosed as the problem.

So far as shot bridging, it occured much less frequently, but became most annoying. I solved that by "washing" my shot (Lawrence brand #8 Magnum (high antimony) with powdered graphite I bought cheaply from the local locksmith. I would pour the whole 25 lb. bag of shot into a plastic bucket and churn it around thoroughly with a plastic spatula then sieve it and load it. I eventually found that the automotive engine reassembly product "Motor Mica" worked just as well. During my reloading career loading 12, 20, and 28 guage the latter was the only gauge that continually gave me problems. All my presses were MEC progressives, which proved to be very good machines.

[J. A. EARLY]

Heck, the 9000s are a pain in the butt for they always screw up (really it is the nut behind the handle). Knowing that the shot hangs up, while the shot drop tube is still inside the hull, whack it with a wrench, stick, screwdriver, or whatever is handy to make the rest of the shot fall. Works for me.

[JAMES HALL]

Had same problem. Someone at Mec suggested baby powder. It works just as Kevin's remedy.

[Pa SxS]

Wack the shot tube like Jerry does before the tube leaves the hull. Graphite or mica may help. Sure makes a mess!

[Mike of the Mountain]

I'll lift the handle to just keep the tube in the top of the hull before I push the bar over on my 600, Jr. Makes it easy to see if all the shot dropped. That may not work on your 9000G but it works on the 600, especially the .410.

[Andy]

I hear that using a cling free dryer sheet run through the tube will help for static for the powder. I have used that for handgun on the funnels etc so powder doesn't stick. As far as Kevin's idea about static, I saw a forum somewhere once where the poster used a vinyl record anti static gun to zap his tube periodically which kept the powder dropping. Seems an expensive fix, but if you have one laying around or see one a flea market it's an idea

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Milty-Zer...6&gclsrc=3p.ds

[Chris Pope]

Same problem with shot hanging up in my Mec Jr 600 28 ga. Remedy for me is to rattle the handle back and forth after dropping the shot. It's a pain in the butt, but it works. I appreciate the other tips above and will try some of them also.
I must say static electricity is another issue and has always concerned me. Why we don't have more explosions reloading shotgun shells and pumping gas is beyond me...easy to become complacent.