MEC 's new Single stage Press

survivalshop · January 30, 2017

On 1/7/2017 at 10:10 PM, planeflyer21 said:

I wonder if the floating case holder sort of "wiggles" the case out of the sizing die, as opposed to brute "yanking" of a fixed holder, allowing the brass to stay put instead of flowing.

10 hours ago, planeflyer21 said:

I still think it's this.

Wiggles may not be the correct word for it . The Case , be it inserted into the Die for sizing or retracted after sizing , is under a bit of pressure , less on retraction , but still under pressure , add to that that the inside of the Neck of the casing is actually being finished sized on retraction of the case from the Die .

Wiggles may sum it up in a way , but more likely its a realignment of the case or with the floating Shell Holder ,permitting realignment , where as a fixed secure or locked in Shell Holder , its not permitted to do this aligning & any out of alignment of the case , its being forced through it .

If you have a Dillon , with the Tool head , you will notice ( maybe by design ) that the whole Tool Head floats & may accomplish the same thing as a floating Shell Holder , with an added benefit of all processes , be it sizing , Seating of the Bullet or what ever form of Crimping is done .

I wasn't going to purchase a concentricity gage , but may now , just to see if the case is formed abnormally in some way . The one I 'am looking at is the Sinclair one . I have a couple extra Dial indicators & this can be purchased with out one , for less $$.

planeflyer21 · January 30, 2017

Okay.

"Multiple degrees continually self-aligning shell holder."

survivalshop · January 30, 2017

:laffs: Ya thats it !

survivalshop · January 31, 2017

I ordered the Sinclair concentricity gage from Brownells with the Dial indicator , it was on sale for $ 99.99 & free shipping . The reviews read that the Dial Indicator is Chinese , but I have a good one to replace it with if I don't like it & if it fits .

Curiosity is not cheap sometimes .

Edited January 31, 2017 by survivalshop

survivalshop · February 14, 2017

Well I have found an issue with my new MEC press when installing my new Forster Match Seating Die . After setting the Die up & seating my first Bullet into a 308 Case , I felt the same type of rubbing as I did with the RCBS Die & found that the 308 Case was binding in the Die . If you look at the pictures of how a Forster Seating Die works , it has a spring loaded guide for keeping the Case & Bullet aligned in with the process of Seating the Bullet .

It looks like the Ram of the press is not aligned with the Die , if I keep the Shell holder with the Case feed opening toward me , it binds& scraps the side of the case , if I turn the Shell Holder 180 deg. , so the opening to insert the Case in the Shell Holder is in the back , the Case is moved out or over to allow the Case to move or slide so as not to bind .

After this I started to look it over a lot closer , & sure enough , that Ram will not line up with any Brand Die I own or Shell Holder for that matter . I tried four different Shell holder from three different manufacturers . I emailed MEC with my issue & will let update this thread . That will teach me to get one of the first ones off the production line .

This is also probably why I was scraping the Bullets in the RCBS Die's Roll Crimp ring .

Also brings back mrmackc 's words on his experience with MEC .

Edited February 14, 2017 by survivalshop

survivalshop · February 14, 2017

MEC is sending me a return label for shipping ( Email ) & when they get the Press back , they will send me a new one. Hope they look at it first .

survivalshop · February 15, 2017

Got the Shipping Label & it will be going UPS in the AM .

sketch · February 15, 2017

Hope this new one works brother you put in most of the rnd that they should have before putting it on the market!

survivalshop · February 15, 2017

Whats real funny is , most of the Brass sized is dead on with my Concentricity Gage , some are way off , different brands , I find that odd . I have heard of issues with RCBS of late also , suppose to be made oversea's .

I did get one of the first ones , the ones they sent to the writers , probably got the once over .

planeflyer21 · February 15, 2017

15 minutes ago, survivalshop said:

Whats real funny is , most of the Brass sized is dead on with my Concentricity Gage , some are way off , different brands , I find that odd . I have heard of issues with RCBS of late also , suppose to be made oversea's .

I did get one of the first ones , the ones they sent to the writers , probably got the once over .

There was a BIG f-ing stink a few years back. People buying Rock Crusher kits had presses cast in China. People were NOT happy about that.

survivalshop · February 15, 2017

Press is in UPS's hands & got a call from an engineering company for MEC this morning & talked about my issue , I told him I may have found the issue & it may not be the Ram . When I removed the Press from the bench I got to looking at the Threaded insert for the Die's , that is pressed or something into the Casting of the Press Body & it looks Cocked in the Press casting . Don't know if it moved or was that way from the get go .also has a wear mark right above that high side , like the Die Lock ring has worn a spot .

He also told me he is going to pull a Press & give it a once over before they send it to me today .

Edited February 15, 2017 by survivalshop

planeflyer21 · February 15, 2017

1 hour ago, survivalshop said:

He also told me he is going to pull a Press & give it a once over before they send it to me today .

/\/\/\/\ This, right here.

survivalshop · February 20, 2017

The sized brass from this press that I finished loading on the Pacific Press were odd to me , some were perfect , almost all the LC once fired had about 0.002" run out on the Brass & the same with the seated bullet , almost perfect , but most others brands were over 0.005" & some went to 0.017" ,which is almost bent , at least thats the way it felt going into the Forster Seating Die .

I don't quite understand this , why would they all not be way out , in terms of run out ? I will have the new press tomorrow , so I can see how this works out with a new true press .

What will be interesting , is shooting the true run out ammo to the ammo that is way off , just to see what , if any , difference in grouping , velocity , ES & SD . All ammo is the same weighed charge , same primer , Bullet & COL .

Why the LC brass came out Ok is a brain scratcher . Makes me think I did something differently or wrong or right , just strange . input , not that it really matters , unless the new one does the same :lmao:

MikedaddyH · February 20, 2017

SS, it seems that this press was a lesson.

MEC should stick to shotgun shells.

Is it too late to trade this press in on one of their shotgun shell reloaders ? Jmho.

planeflyer21 · February 20, 2017

17 minutes ago, MikedaddyH said:

SS, it seems that this press was a lesson.

MEC should stick to shotgun shells.

Is it too late to trade this press in on one of their shotgun shell reloaders ? Jmho.

But then he'd have to get a semi-auto shotgun to justify it. Oh, yeah.

SS maybe you should trade this one in one a MEC shotgun shell reloader.

survivalshop · February 21, 2017

New one came today & is smooth , Threaded insert is flush all the way around & it sizes the LC once fired brass to with in 0.001" , run out , on all my test brass & then the seated Bullets ( 155SMK ) all had a run out less then 0.001" ( the needle barely moved ) , which actually could be Bullet or brass imperfections , especially with the Brass , so I think I will keep this Press .

I also found that the run out on even the ammo loaded on the other press & on the Pacific Press , lost on average 0.001" Bullet run out ,after Taper Crimping , not saying for sure that a Taper Crimp will straighten out some of the Bullet alignment , but its looks like a possibility . I will have to try the Lee FCD out & see what it does . Interesting .

The Concentricity Gage has made me a monster ! The sleeper has awakened ! :laffs:

Edited February 21, 2017 by survivalshop

sketch · February 21, 2017

Awesome!

MikedaddyH · February 21, 2017

SS, you got lucky ! My question is , why couldn't they get it right the first time ? An inexperienced reloader would not have noticed the flaws which you were drawn to.

survivalshop · February 21, 2017

I got one of the first production ones out there . I got unlucky & got a defected one or one that made it past inspection . Who knows , they were very fast in replacing it & top notch Customer service , as good as any of there big name Manufacturers I have dealt with . I have had to send Dies back , parts breakage on my Bullet sizer & small other thing with reloading with the Big Name Manufacturers , so I wont hold it against this Manufacturer .

$hit happens & they took care of me as good as you can get . This is my first MEC product & since it has already proved to me it has great potential for a reloader . I will be doing a lot of testing with my new Concentricity gage on different factory loads , Match that I have & different Reloads for comparison , but this Press & maybe the Forster Match Seating Die seem to be a good combo .

I did do some of my older Hand loads & as my other thread showed , most were 0.004-5" Run out , on average , to get 0.001" on average has to have an effect on Bullet performance , this is a whole new path to go down for me , might not pan out to prove anything , but I can't help thinking , any time you get a Bullet not dead nuts aligned with the Bore or Lead , it has to have some effect on its performance .

I'm breaking out the big boy for testing , the Krieger/Criterion 20"HB .

Edited February 21, 2017 by survivalshop

98Z5V · February 22, 2017

On 2/21/2017 at 6:53 AM, survivalshop said:

I'm breaking out the big boy for testing , the Krieger/Criterion 20"HB .

I like to hear this!!! :lmao: Let's get it rollin'... :banana:

survivalshop · February 22, 2017

3 hours ago, 98Z5V said:

I like to hear this!!! Let's get it rollin'...

Between testing the 16"HB & the 18" Hybrid , she has been a safe queen & needs some air . :laffs:

survivalshop · February 22, 2017

There is a difference from the first Press in a couple of ways , the threaded insert for the Die's & the Clip that retains the floating Shell Holder .

Look closely at how the ( in this case an old RCBS Green Machine expander body for a Little Dandy Powder Measurer ) Die Body is tilted in the Threaded Insert & the clip that retains the SH is not straight across .

This is the New press , with Shell holder & a Redding Bushing type , Full length Sizing Die

And a photo of the Threaded insert for the Die's ( old )

New

I cleaned & sized about fifty LC today & they are in the Tumbler with SS ,as I type . These will be my test bed to compare with ammo loaded on the Pacific , both with fixed Shell Holder & Floating .

sketch · February 23, 2017

Very significant diference in those side by side!!

survivalshop · February 23, 2017

I sized 50+ once fired surplus LC 308's yesterday & all came out with very little run out , very consistent for brass supposedly fired from a worn out Belt fed . They are so nice & pretty after the SS tumble .

I first thought that that Threaded insert moved from Sizing 308 LC surplus Brass , but the paint on that Insert was not disturbed as it would if it moved after it was painted , it just looked like it just was missed by Quality Control . The Engineers emailed me yesterday to ask me how it was going , nice they do a follow up .

survivalshop · February 27, 2017

Finished loading 52 rounds for testing that were completely loaded from start to finish on the new MEC press , Redding Bushing, Full length sizing Die & Forster Match Seating Die & Taper crimped , none of them had a run out over 0.002", most as tested were in the 0.001" range constantly , I tested some Milspec 308 ( 7.62x51 ) both LC & some of the Copper washed Russian crap & none were under 0.005" run out .

Looks like I shot up all the Match ammo , its where I got the Match brass from I guess , strange I can't find any Chrono . data , but I only had five rounds each from various manufacturers to test . I did find some factory WW , Nickel Case & a Black Bullet ( Moly coated ? ) , I got from 0.0025 - 0.005" run out on just five of them & all but the one had 0.005" run out .
I started to test my older ( if you can call them that ) Hand Loads & some of them went any where from 0.005-0.011" run out . These were loaded with 175 Gr. Nosler Match , 168 gr. Nosler Match , 168 gr. Hornady Amax & 168 gr. Hornady Match Bullets loaded . I'm kinda wondering if it the Bullet can have imperfections & some of the run out deviations ,it could be , but I just can't see it all being the Bullet , because when the case neck is tested for run out before seating the Bullet ,the run out is about the same after seating the Bullet .

I think this New MEC , with its floating Shell Holder , combined with the Dies being used , makes a more detailed loaded round , now I wonder if my old Pacific Press has anything to do with the large run out in the loaded round & case Necks , after all , all these reloads were loaded with a fixed Shell Holder in the Pacific Press , but not with the Forster Seating Die .

As far as how it shoots , well that will hopefully happen tomorrow .