MEC 9000GN
 

I received the most unexpected and generous gift for my birthday; A shiny new MEC9000 GN Progressive loader. I am amazed how complex and well designed this machine is, especially after using my three 600Jr presses for nearly 50 years.
What I am interested in knowing is, does anyone have experience in using a 28ga 9000 press to reload 2 1/2" ? Is there enough adjustment in the machine to get the same well crimped hull I currently get from my 600Jr 28ga press?
Thanks, in advance for any advice.

I’m pretty sure shorty loading is off the table on 9000’s, most likely Grabbers as well and I suspect 650’s also . Which pretty much covers all the MEC progressives .

Well happy belated birthday Dad. May I suggest a call to MEC? I think they will do a conversion for you but you will have to ship it to them. I could be wrong- I frequently am. If they will do it it will be worth it.

Nice birthday gift for sure. The last time I checked with MEC converting to the short loads was no longer an option. If that has changed please do let us know Edgar.

I just bought a MEC 9000 in 28-gauge and to load 2-3/4" shells as chambered by modern guns. Just trying to learn here. I thought the original 28g shotshells were 2-7/8" and later standardized at 2-3/4". What guns were made for 28g shells shorter than 2-3/4" (considering the Parker chamber convention of 1/8" short for the intended shell)?

The "original" 28s were not 2 7/8". They were 2 1/2 shells, with many chambers, Parker included, 2 3/8". I have fired thousands of rounds out of 28 gauge Parkers with 2 3/8" chambers using factory and reloaded 2 3/4" shells over 63 years. I have not had any problems. To be fair, these guns were all 0 frame 28s. If they were 00 frame guns, I may not have been so willing to shoot big shells in short chambers.

Like Bill, I have fired thousands of rounds of 2 3/4" ammo out of my two, OO frame 28's with no ill effects. I know that many prefer to load and shoot 2 1/2'' shells and that is a matter of personal preference. To each his own.

Bill, Daryl, Frank, Randy, and others; I had to call MEC this morning to order a part and asked the gent I was speaking with if the press could be made to load 2 1/2", and he was pretty emphatic that the design wouldn't permit it. To an engineer, even a retired one, that sounded like a challenge. I've been staring at the press, run a few hulls through (and obviously spoiled them in the 'learning' process) and believe I have an idea which will require minimal work, without changing any of the press mechanics; merely substituting one 'modified' part.
I'll run it by the guy I spoke with, maybe on a Friday, knowing lots of people don't like thinking on a Monday.
Bill, I agree, in an 0 framed gun, digesting an extra 1/4" probably isn't an issue. That said, I have 1200-1500 short hulls and NPEs, and wads, and didn't really want to pack them away in the land of abandoned components.

Edgar,
Let us know how the modified part works out (pics would be great). Thanks.

Edgar,

I am attaching a link to Precision Reloading so you may see a brass spacer bushing. I use these on 600 JRs to load shells that are 1/4 shorter than what the press is set up for. They have 12, 20, and .410 (1/2"). They don't yet make a 28. But I'm sure with your machinist ability or contacts you could make them for 28.

Since the first three stations on the MEC 9000 only deprime and resize the metal, prime and dump powder, then seat the wad and drop shot, I believe after that station at the crimp starter station you could pull the shell, put the spacer under it, and put it back in its slot to move on after starting the crimp to the next two stations until at the last one where the shell and spacer would be dumped into whatever container. This would require making three of them to follow the 2 1/2" shells until they are dumped then remove the spacer and use it for the next shell. A few more actions but it would work. These spacers hold tightly to the shell and fit precisely in the MECs slots.

https://www.precisionreloading.com/c...!l=MM&i=SB2014