Progressive VS single stage

[Elk Hunter]

I went to Ponsness Warren presses thirty years ago and never looked back. I gave away a couple of my MEC presses and felt bad for the people that I gave them to. The last three MEC presses burnt up in a fire in my shop in 2015. The insurance didn't pay me much for them but then again I didn't think they were worth much.

Of course your mileage may vary.

Just my $0.02 worth.

[Mike of the Mountain]

Geez, what's with all the hate for MEC 600s?? I run them, 1 each for 2 7/8" 10g, 2 1/2" 12g, 2 1/2" 16g, 2 1/2" 20g, 2 1/2" 28g, 3" .410. Even use a Lee Load-All for 12g black powder. Also have a MEC Sizemaster and a MEC Hull Conditioner. All run like a raped ape. I have a Spolar Gold with heads for 12, 20, 28 and .410 if I need high volume production. None of the MEC were purchased new. I won't get in to the metallic presses. If you keep the MEC presses clean and all the linkages lubed there's no problems. Biggest issue I have is the wad guide fingers breaking. Cheap and simple fix though.

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Mike Koneski

Geez, what's with all the hate for MEC 600s?? I run them, 1 each for 2 7/8" 10g, 2 1/2" 12g, 2 1/2" 16g, 2 1/2" 20g, 2 1/2" 28g, 3" .410. Even use a Lee Load-All for 12g black powder. Also have a MEC Sizemaster and a MEC Hull Conditioner. All run like a raped ape. I have a Spolar Gold with heads for 12, 20, 28 and .410 if I need high volume production. None of the MEC were purchased new. I won't get in to the metallic presses. If you keep the MEC presses clean and all the linkages lubed there's no problems. Biggest issue I have is the wad guide fingers breaking. Cheap and simple fix though.

Nothing wrong with the single stage MEC’s and I actually prefer them for bismuth , buckshot and slugs . I like the MEC single stage for those applications better than the PW 375C . I’ve never fooled with the Spolar machines but I’m sure they’re nice I’ve just got an almost forty year affection for PW 800’s . Geeezzzz as to metallic presses I’m using the same PW Metallic II I got almost forty years ago although I’ve also got a big CH-4D for the 505 Gibbs a Lee 1000 for the 357 Magnum a pair of Lee Loadmasters for 10mm and 45 ACP and finally an a RCBS 4x4 I’ll eventually set up exclusively for the 30 Carbine round . The Lee 1000 and RCBS 4x4 were purchased used as I wouldn’t have paid new for the RCBS as an exclusive cartridge unit . I did most certainly however got the pair of Loadmasters to set up for a single cartridge exclusively . As I’m sure you surmise by now I DO NOT like changing over progressive presses from one thing to another .

[Mike of the Mountain]

PW and Spolar progressives are awesome machines. When I would load shells for practice and tourneys for 12g, I'd have my son or wife set the wad on the wad guide and we could crank out 1000 shells an hour when we were in sync. The MECs are great but I only do maybe 4 boxes at a time so the high volume doesn't matter especially when all of my MEC presses combined cost about as much as the current cost of 1 Spolar toolhead gauge change!!

That all said we do have a client here who has a PW for sale. I'll get more info from him. Think he said around $300.