Mec's are nice loaders but heavy sizing they can fall short. Mec even recommends sizing with a Mec Super sizer as a separate step.
I had trouble chambering some Cheddite 10 G Hulls in my Ithaca Super 10 the other day. Looking carefully the cases rim was bent just a bit off square from the brass. The Mec 600 JR uses a very small size ring that’s not machined very smooth. When it gets dirty you have to pull hard on the handle to size and grab the case and twist it off the punch. Plus nothing to hold the hull square with the size ring when sizing - de-priming. Cheddite hulls have very thin brass. No doubt all the pulling and pushing out of alignment bent the rims. Never saw that problem with Federal Hulls which use better brass.
Now I size 10's with a Full Length 10 G Ponsness Warren Die in my PW 375. Prime then punch the Sized/Primed case out of the die with a Delrin rod dropped in the case, pushed with the PW's knock out rod. Then back to the Mec for powder wad shot and crimp. Cured the problem. The PW won't crimp short 10 cases the Mec won’t size short 10 cases It's a 2 press job.
Seems to me if you can get the 8's sized properly off the Mec it will do just fine priming charging and crimping.
Charlie I use a "drift" too but it's made of Delrin (plastic) rod turned to fit, and the inside the hull part I have relieved just a bit with a center drill to avoid pressing on the primer when punching out of the die. If anybody needs one I can make them easy.
William Davis
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