Q fer the reloader folks...

Brent, there are several versions of MEC bars:
  • The first ones had two holes, one determined the powder charge, the other the shot. The bars are marked to indicate the hole sizes. The bar of my first MEC delivered around 18-grs of Red Dot which worked for 12-ga target loads for many years.
  • The next version of the MEC bars enlarged the powder hole to accept the familiar interchangeable bushings. The shot charge was still fixed. Later versions added an elastic buffer (for steel shot) in the shot hole.
An original bar shouldn't be a deal breaker.
 
Your looking at an old reloader. I have one of the 600 jr reloaders from the 60's. The old charge bars were set up to use Red Dot and other powders of the time.
You can simply buy the new modern charge bars from Mec or a supplier and it will fit right in the old machine. Mec even sells replacement parts for the old 600jr. I still use mine.
Charge bar #'s are the 302 sreies for the single stage Mecs. 30278 for 7\8oz, 302100 for 1oz and 302118 for 1 1\8oz of shot.
If I'm not mistaken, the old "O" bar was 3 drams of Red Dot and 1 1\8 oz of shot.
 
For the price of a new one, I would add some "starboard" plastic for my base. I can get "drops" from marine industry in 3/4 for 10 bucks for a 24X24 or bigger.:D

I dropped some cash I earned in the bank account so maybe the "Father's Day Fairy" will leave that purdy Mossberg 930 next to my bed so I can wake up to breakfast in bed and see the gun... OKAY!!! Breakfast in bed is askin' a bit much but some fine eatin' biscuits and gravy are in order.

Brent
 
Go for it Brent. I paid about half the new cost of an MEC reloader for a used one, and after loading a box I have found only it needs a $3 part. That price Jim quoted you is a fair price for a new one (A local gun store quoted me $200 for one, and they are also reasonable on shippping if you want new.)
 
The "0" bar was the standard bar shipped on new MEC presses from the Super 250 on until the newer-style bars were introduced. It dropped 1 1/8 ounces of shot and - 18.5 Grains of Red Dot (3DE), 19 Grains of Green Dot (3 DE), 21 Grains of PB (2 3/4 DE) and severel other powders that are no longer available.

$100 seems a little high. You might be able to do a lot better if you look on Craigslist.

DC
 
Brent. I didn't even see how much they were asking for that one. You will almost certainly need a new charge bar with it and at least one powder bushing. I wouldn't go over $50 for it.

Most Jr.s come with a charge bar that drops 1 1/8 oz of shot and powder per bushings. Some use an adjustable charge bar made in Canada that I believe costs about $20. They can be bought on e-bay. Some of the guys like it and some do not. I have one but am not famililiar with it enough to know if I like it.

A nice optional feature is the EZ Primer feed.

You can get a nice deal on one off of Ebay, but the shipping can kill the deal, which is a reason to check Craig's list. Someone here, perhaps it was one ounce suggested I look on it and I found one the next day an hour's drive from me.
 
I will likely buy a new unit... I am of the sort who likes to know the history of an important item. Such as firearms... I quit looking at used guns many years ago.

With a new unit, I can simply post up what I am lookin' at, let the experienced guys look over the info and they will be able to verify... or not... that the item is infact what I am needing.

Brent
 
Ya'll love to spend OPM more than your own I am sure!:D
Wait 'til I blame the new gun and reloading addiction on my TFL buds!
Brent
 
I found that sometimes used reloaders are better than the new ones, they are broken in, and have the querks out.
 
Brent, Blame BigJim. The one thing these characters tried to teach me long ago, and they were balls on right, is the gun isn't the big expense. Its the ammunition and target fees.

So going with a new machine isn't a bad idea. If I valued the time it took to fix a few things on the used one, actually the time it took to figure out what in need of replacement parts were causing me grief, I would have done better getting a new one. (After playing with mine for a couple of days I found it needed two parts. I got them from from a local ammo supply distributor, who stocks all the MEC parts, for just over $7 and now it should work as slick as a new machine.)

The other very true law of shotgun shooting they imparted is that the wife, if they are not shooters, don't understand that you are saving money by buying supplies in quantity. It is a losing argument that recommends to me the virtues of cash purchases.

I prudently failed to mention, when I got home tonight, how I saved $20 on 20 rounds of trap by stocking up on them, as opposed to buying tokens as needed.

I like the part about spending OPM, but not spending their money on them but on me.

Re the adjustable universal charge bar, they currently run about $40. I think I like them, but if you change loads frequently powder bushings may be better. I read an interesting old post by BJP about reaming out bushings to get precise drops.
 
One caveat about the universal charge bar, you'll want a scale. For years I relied on the LEE and MEC charts for dippers and bushings. I've since learned that the charts are typically conservative. The universal bars (I've got 4 MECs with them) come with a chart, too; but, you'll be much happier fine tuning your loads with a scale. One reason is that shoot drops differently with respect to its size. MEC has/had a bar specifically for Skeet competitors that dropped 1-1/8 oz of #9s -- the standard 1-1/8 oz bar didn't. :eek:
 
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