MEC Progressive

D

Dreaming100Straight

New member
I am thinking of upgrading from a MEC Sizemaster to a Grabber or a 9000G 12 gauge reloader. For now I am good with pulling that handle, but one of these days the shoulder will probably want me to add an automate. It will only be used for 2-3/4 inch target loads. I just missed bagging a 9000G for $300 for local pickup and believe I have a deal on a 9000 for $325 including shipping. Mu belief is the only difference is that the G has the 200 primer feeder.

Should I go for the used 9000, assuming it is in good condition? Any suggestions?
 
If you like Mec loaders you might want to spend the money and buy a new 9000E now. After fighting Mecs for years I finally bit the bullet and bought a Spolar. It is a mechanical marvel and trouble free. Yes it is more money. The Mec looks like it was designed by Rube Goldberg in comparison.
 
Mec's are all solid machines - not taking anything away from Spolar / but I wouldn't trade my Mec 9000 HN's for one either.../ a buddy has a Spolar and I've loaded on it a little ..it has some nice features/but its not better than the Mec hydraulics in my view.

The N in the MEC model means it has the new primer system vs the older chain pull system. The New primer system is a lot better in my view...but it can be retrofit on any Grabber or 9000 G that has the old primer system. The new primer system is about $ 85 now I believe.

Mec's 9000 E - is the automate ( electric base that actuates the machine )..and I'm not that big a fan of it. It seems to have a lot of quirks / I have a couple of friends that still use them - but they continue to have minor issues with them - springs, etc. that would irritate me. The plus on the E model is it takes up less room than the H ( hydraulic model )...and is more portable than the Hydraulic model.

Grabber...is a solid machine / its their entry level progressive press. The manual indexing isn't good or bad...I just like auto indexing on a machine where I'm going to want to shoot 10 - 20 boxes a week. My old Grabber models in both 12 and 20ga are still in service - one with a friend / one with my son. They're just a little lower volume than I'd prefer. If budget is the issue - then buy a new Grabber model with the new primer system.

9000 G ...manual machine / auto indexing is basically the only feature that improves over the Grabber - but to me that's a big deal.

9000 HN .. hydraulic / auto indexing...is Mec's top of the line machine that competes with Spolar, etc....its a great machine. Pump and elec motor sit on floor...and you operate the press with a foot pedal. You only need one pump and motor ...you install a manifold on top...letting you run 2 machines with a shutoff valve on the manifold for each side...so fluid only runs thru one side to one machine at a time. So you could have a 12ga and 20 loader side by side...and then swap out the 28ga and .410 loaders ...in my case, I leave the 12ga on bench all the time...( the 20ga, 28ga and .410 get swapped out on the adjacent side ).
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Invest in a new loader....most of the used loaders I see have all been "bubba-fied" ...and I seem to recall you went thru that on a sizemaster...with missing and broken parts..??

Buy whatever model you like ...use it / take care of it ...and sell it for more than you paid for it down the road -- or pass it down in the family.
 
Change out the handle

The nicest "upgrade" I have done on my old grabber??

Add the wood MEC handle, makes a world of difference vs. the old plastic bicycle handle grip they come with.

My shoulder is no longer sore after a long session with my grabber.
 
I was in the same position about 6 months or so ago and Big Jim Gave me some great advice too.

Long story short, had never reloaded and shoot a lot of trap, 5 stand and sporting clays so wanted to start reloading. I was torn between the Grabber and 9000 and with a lot of research and info from Jim, I ended up with the Grabber.

Honestly, it's a great machine and once I started to figure out the nuances of reloading, I can move at a pretty good clip with it. As Jim pointed out, it doesn't auto index so you have to manually rotate the turret. It adds a step and that of course will slow your reading speed down ever so slightly. You still have to insert an empty hull and wad either way and I incorporate those into one movement.

Overall, I couldn't be any happier with it and have reloaded about 750 rounds or so without many issues. Any issues I did have were mine, not the Grabbers.
 
Yeah. I should listen to Jim a lot more. He often gets it right and in fact told me to get a grabber when I bought the used sizemaster. If I had a grabber, I am sure it would fit my needs, as I rarely shoot a flat a week and usually half that.
 
9000

When I wanted a new progressive....I went with a 9000. No problems. It runs and runs and turns out very nice Shotshells.
Pete
 
Yes, you should listen to me more ..... ;) ....but then it wouldn't be as much fun to pick on you either....
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Another factor that I didn't really discuss above ...is space. The issue with the hydraulic is the motor and pump are heavy - and not really portable.

If I wanted a portable machine / where I didn't have a dedicated space for my shop inside my home where its heated and dry ...I'd go with the Grabber or the 9000-GN.../.... I'd set up the loader by bolting it to a 2" X 18" plank....I would clamp it to a workbench in the garage or to a portable work bench or even a set of sawhorses ....fill containers / load 20 boxes or whatever I needed..../ I'd dump the shot back in a bag / dump powder back into its container....put a king size pillow case over the loader...and put the loader back on a shelf or in a closet ...until the next time.
 
To break the choices down financially (a 12ga or 20ga are same price / then the 28ga or .410 are a little more ) :

Grabber $ 400 ( manually index ) / 28ga or .410 are $425
9000 GN $490 ( adds auto indexing ) / 28ga or .410 are $540

Auto Mate $ 1,040 ...( electric / auto indexing )
9000 HN $ 1,030 ...( hydraulic - with pump and motor )

Once you have the automate base - you add another loader for $ 500 each for 20ga / or $540 for the 28ga and .410 ....

Once you have the hydraulic pump and motor - you add another loader for
$ 550 each in 20ga ...or $600 for 28ga and .410.....

Prices are current - that I pulled from ReCob's Target Shop online / good folks, easy to deal with ...but lots of places carry Mec loaders..
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So auto indexing is a $ 90 issue...in a 12ga or 20g loader....

The Auto Mate is more portable than the Hydraulic ...but in my view, the hydraulic is a better option / but only marginal issues between the two systems.
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Spolar Gold press ( 1 gague ) is $ 1,650
Add Hydraulics option is $ 1,295
To add - tool heads for another gague $ 325 each....

So one gage, hydraulic is $ 2,945
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If you wanted to reload all 4 competition gagues ( 12, 20, 28 and .410 )....

Spolar Gold Hydraulic would be $ 3,920

Mec 9000 HN hydraulic would be $ 2,780

Mec Automate ( electric ) would be $ 2,620

Mec 9000 GN ( auto index / manually operated ) $ 2,060

Mec Grabber ( manually index / manually operated) $ 1,650
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Not that everything should come down to cost.../ but we know it does with dreaming.../ sorry my friend...:D
 
If I understand this, if you were to want to load multiple gauges in quantity, the 9000H is the better deal since you can run multiple reloaders off of a singel pump. Is that right?

I doubt that I will ever need that and will likely just shoot downsized 12 ga reloads; mainly 1 ounce.

I checked Recob's and their prices and shipping are good.

As for being picked on, when you are truly great one expects the masses to be critical.

For now, portability isn't a problem since I have room for a work bench in the garage, but it may be an issue in a few years when we retire to a smaller home.
 
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Yes, you only need one pump/motor ...for the 9000 HN's...

You can only run one press at a time....the other one, if hooked up, needs to be shutoff ...( no fluid going from pump reservoir into that machine's hose)... so the shutoff valve is on top of the pump.
 
Congratulations, I think you'll like it a lot !

( and if you don't ....I'll send you $ 200 - maybe even $250 to help on the freight ... / and you can ship it to me !! )...
 
Sure, I have enough loaders....but I could always use another one at half price....if you don't "bubba" it up too much...

I would give it a loving home...( and give it to one of the kids...)...
 
I got the 9000GN Thursday and, while having trouble with the primer feeder, I like it. Even hand feeding primers while carefully loading with the automatic advance disconnected, the sucker is fast. Not only is it fast, but I have been checking the powder drops and they are within .1 gr more or less, with the exception of the first drop. It was .4 gr over weight.

Of course it is even faster when the auto advance is connected, but I thought to go slow at first.

Concerning another problem I had setting it up, I called MEC on Friday. He was very patient and helpful. The problem was fixed in a jiffy. I suspect to fix the problem with the primer drops I will need to tweak the drop tube, but before doing so I will call the same guy at MEC.

By Edit: I guess I won't call MEC about that. After the family was down for the night, I wandered out to the garage, grabbed my largest screwdriver, and tweaked that drop tube so the primers drop perfectly.
 
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After using a MEC progressive, I have learned to listen for the sound of the primer dropping and to visually check for a primer in the hole in the turrent, because if one fails to drop and you stroke the machine, you have a real mess on your hands.
 
As you cycle the press....you want to watch a couple of things....

a. make sure the charge bar moves all the way from the right to the left...

b. as the shell plate rotates ...look in the space between stations 1 and 2...and make sure a primer dropped into that detent ( and that it is not upside down ) - before it moves out of sight and drops into the primer seating mechanism under the shell in station 2.

c. make sure there is shot in the shot cup ...as the shell moves from station 3 to 4....

and you'll be fine....
 
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