Powder Measurement with a MEC

[Jack Kuzepski]

My presses are only 600 jr's but I found that the baffles do make for more consistant powder drops from both MEC bars and adjustable bars

[Bill Murphy]

Are we referring to the metal baffles at the bottom of the reservoir? I have never seen a powder tube that doesn't have one of those installed.

[Carl G. Bachhuber]

Over the years I have collected a lot of MEC bushings. If I can't find one that gives the weight I want I hone+polish until I get what I want. To establish weight I run the loader as I would use it so it sees all the banging about it would normally get and I run 5-10 shell strings. Also I have found that the MEC baffle gives less variation in weights with some powders, but not all. You will just have to try it with your load and see what gives the best results. With some powders I can get maximum deviations of .2 gr, with others it can be as bad as .8 gr.
C.G.B.

[J. A. EARLY]

Originally Posted by Randy G Roberts

Jerry I've never used a baffle. Do you believe they yield more consistent drops?

Randy,

Yes, I do. The powder baffle is has a plastic end and does away with the rubber grommet.

[J. A. EARLY]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Are we referring to the metal baffles at the bottom of the reservoir? I have never seen a powder tube that doesn't have one of those installed.

Here is one.

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Are we referring to the metal baffles at the bottom of the reservoir? I have never seen a powder tube that doesn't have one of those installed.

PW tubes and MEC bottles are not one in the same . PW always put a baffle in both tubes when they were straight . Now that PW has gone to a more bottle looking thing I dunno if they still have baffles .

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Carl G. Bachhuber

Over the years I have collected a lot of MEC bushings. If I can't find one that gives the weight I want I hone+polish until I get what I want. To establish weight I run the loader as I would use it so it sees all the banging about it would normally get and I run 5-10 shell strings. Also I have found that the MEC baffle gives less variation in weights with some powders, but not all. You will just have to try it with your load and see what gives the best results. With some powders I can get maximum deviations of .2 gr, with others it can be as bad as .8 gr.
C.G.B.

When I first started loading shotgun shells about forty years ago I was using PW loaders exclusively . I had a pile of PW powder and shot bushings and back then I wanted exact drops so I had someone make me some blank bushings and I’d drill team them to get what I wanted . Now I’m using all MEC loaders and I use the closest bushing I can find a little over or under is okay .

[J. A. EARLY]

[QUOTE=Carl G. Bachhuber;402971]Over the years I have collected a lot of MEC bushings. If I can't find one that gives the weight I want I hone+polish until I get what I want.

I've found the plastic ones on ebay to be the cheap solution to have the size you need. Lots of sellers there. One guy selling 24 bushings for $48.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/12591444462...3ABFBM0o7ygKBj

[Carl G. Bachhuber]

I suppose it depends on the plastic being used. I would worry about static sticking powder to the bushing. This can be a problem with some powders and plastic bottles.
C.G.B.

[Double Lab]

Originally Posted by Jerry Harlow

Here is one.

That's the one I use. I also have the red plastic one with the spring loaded seat and they work just fine. I've found that no matter what you use the key to consistent drops is dependent on the vibration of the machine and the dwell, hesitation for lack of a better term, on the powder drop and the methodical rhythm of the loading process. I hope I got that point across. I shoot with a fellow who will, out of any 100 round, have at least 3 or more bloopers. I suggested that he follow my method and now he is down to almost zero problems.