NEVER TRUST A MEC BAR

[William Davis]

I could set MEC Bar up in my half Bridgeport size Rockwell mill but am better at boring on the lathe . I use the mill to tune powder drops on brass fixed rotor bonanza pistol measures. There clean the hole up with an end mill Adjust charge with depth measured with a indicator, rotors no longer available buy small ones off eBay & alter to suit

[Double Lab]

I know many here don't like them but I have used the adjustable charge bars for years with good results. Just saying.....

[J. A. EARLY]

Originally Posted by Daryl Corona

I know many here don't like them but I have used the adjustable charge bars for years with good results. Just saying.....

Daryl,

You are correct, and I have several for 600 JRs. But I have many MECs accumulated over the years and leave them set up for a specific load and mark that on the plywood base. So I just use the bars that come with the loaders and adjust them so they throw the correct amount of powder by changing bushings but the shot holes need to be adjusted to get the correct amounts. I have five 9000 machines and the adjustable bars at about $60 each are just a wasted expense for bars that I don't change.

I started this thread as a warning to the person who gets a MEC out of the box, and while they drop the right amount of powder for the load they want since they weigh it and change bushings, they should be aware that the shot side almost never drops even close to what they want as the payload, which results in the recommended wad not being the right depth and probably a pretty fast, maybe excessive pressure, load since most people don't test them.

[Double Lab]

The bottom line Jerry is that every reloader should have at least one reliable scale and learn how to use them. I have 4 9000 units 12,16,20 and 28, each with an ACB and I check powder drops frequently. Sometimes there is a difference between 2 lots of the same powder. Nowadays with the scarcity of powder one has to use what one can find. For me the ACB makes this task a lot easier.

[Stan Hillis]

Originally Posted by Daryl Corona

I know many here don't like them but I have used the adjustable charge bars for years with good results. Just saying.....

Me too, Daryl. I like them a lot on single stage loaders.