I would love to use my PW 375 — how do you load 2 1/2” shells with it?

2 1/2 Press
 

My recommendation is find yourself a used Hornady 366 and you can easily make a wonderful 2 1/2 reloader. I have two 2 1/2 inch reloaders a 12 and 16.

I have a pair of MEC 600s 10 & 16 both with short kits. Lack of sizing is a handicap though. Sizemaster would be a better choice, particularly if you need to load Cheddite hulls.

I size de-prime & prime short hulls on P-W 375 machines. Eject then Complete the load on the 600s. Would sure like to do it all on the Ponsness Warrens. Looked a lot at my PWs think I could convert them to short never tried. 10 would be easy, just trim the 10 G hulls to 2 3/4 instead of 2 7/8. No need to modify the press & could still load 12 other side of the head. . 2nd PW 16 dies share a head with 20 dies, don’t want to loose 20 G ability.

Any tips appreciated .

William

Ron Iam lucky to have bought a case of 500 early Remington plastic shells for my 16s and reload those. I have had good luck with Remington hulls from Precision, green high base and the black Remington hulls.

A rimmed cookie sheet mounted under the loader is a good way to control runaway shot

I use new Cheddites and scavenged RSTs (Cheddites) already 2.5" in length. Have to use a MEC Super Sizer since the metal is paper thin. Get multiple loads from each one on a MEC 600 Jr. with the short kit.

I believe Reloading Specialties still makes a Primer Pocket Peener that works to fix the pocket or you can use the manufacturer's primers.

The Cheddites Rims are thin MEC 600 will bend them if the small ring is not perfectly clean. I had trouble closing my 10 G guns sometimes. Finally traced it to bent rims. The Ponsness Warren die supports the case during sizing & as designed eject on the loaded shells mouth preserving rims shape.

Problem is PW 375 is not easy to set up for short. I made a Delrin knock out rod that lets me eject a primed not charged case from the inside without touching the fresh primer. That works but is slow.

Brass sounds good but has it’s own set of issues, one that keeps me from brass is cost to load large Volume. 10 I run 400 at a time. 40O brass cases cost more that a good Parker 10

I hit the mother lode 2 1/2 inch 16 Cheddites can live with short case life until they run out.

William

Mec 600 with short kit, 16 ga. I use RST hulls and Herters/cheddite cut to 2 1/2". I used to get those crushed hulls occasionally until finally getting the right adjustments--now I don't want to change back to 2 3/4" hulls. Probably have 3-400 black RGL 16's, but don't want to change the loader over to 2 3/4"

Jim -- I have a PW 375 that I could easily get another set of dies for. I just didn't know there was a way to load 2 1/2" shells on it. Is it a simple adjustment of the dies or do you need to order some kind of kit or additional parts? I didn't see mention of anything on their site ....

Have talked to PW about short loading. They would not consider it. Somebody else may have a different or more recent reception to the question.

I see several obstacles, all could be overcome, I think. Dies are too long. New taper crimp dies are shorter = easy fix. . Press operates on the upward stroke, It would have to go higher if the hull was shorter, linkage issue, could be complicated . May be possible to lower the head instead. Trim 1/4 inch off the vertical rods.

Primer seating is on the downward stroke. Altering the linkage to move higher or head lower may cause issues on the down stoke function.

I have short taper crimp dies & a junk PW 600 that has the same operating rods as a 375 get a bad weather spell this winter may take one of my machines apart and give it a try.

William