Q fer the reloader folks...

TheKlawMan said:
I read an interesting old post by BJP about reaming out bushings to get precise drops.
Click to expand...
Most of us who've been loading with MECs have some bumped bushings that have a plus sign, or two, scratched on them. I'm happy to say, those days are long behind me.
 
Hi, Zippy. I am still not sure if I like the Universal Bar. It seems fine, until it drops a powder load .3 grains over the setting.

As to conservative settings, I couldn't understand why when I got it the settings were so high above the recipe the seller had been using. After messing with it for a ridiculous amount of time, I read on line that powder drops were accurate or as much as a half a grain light.

It took me a while to get used to the Lee Safety Powder Scale that I bought. but it is fairly accurate (I think).

I am not sure but think the problem with occasional heavy drops (just one was 1.3 grains heavy. all the rest have been within .3 grains of the lightgest drop. eg. If a recipe calls for 15 grains, I set it so that most drops are between 14.0 and 16.0.

I just realized that the "Pro Check" was bent from use and it occassionally bumped against what is called the "Wad Guide Bracket". That bump may have thrown things off. I will see as I got a new "Pro Check" for <$6. If you recall your old MEC Jr, the Pro Check is that black piece bolted to the charge bar.

I looked at the MEC bushings chart and until I read an old post of BigJim's, concerning what you call "bumping", I wondered how you got an accurate drop if the bushing wasn't quite the right size.
 
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Ok, I'll take the blame ....;) ...
"Trust me, I'm here to help ...:rolleyes:" ....
"and the check is in the mail ...:rolleyes:"

Personally I like the bushings over the universal charge bars / although I have not tried them in the last 20 yrs or so ...I thought there were prone to coming loose and kind of "fussy" ...and the bushings are just easy and straight forward to use.

I've also installed a new collar that holds the charge bar ...with a hole in it / covered by a plastic disc (cover) ...so to change the powder bushing all you have to do is unscrew the cover and drop a new bushing in. Quick and easy...although once you have it set / unless you're always changing powders - or different hulls or something - its no big deal...
 
TheKlawMan,
My friend, are you using a powder baffle and the proper washer with your universal charge bar?
Sorry, it's been about 20-years since I used a 600 Jr -- "Pro check" sounds familiar but I don't recall what it does.
 
Zippy, our friend. You may have nailed the problem. The pro check thing wasn't the problem, but I am glad I replaced it as it was bent.

The brass washer isn't there! I am not clear on how this may be causing undue pressure on the rubber seal. If the diameter of the brass washer is small enough that the baffle's feed neck, which is under spring pressure, seals against the washer and not the rubber seal, that would release an inordinate amount of pressure on the seal.

The instructions for installing the washer are at http://multiscalecharge.com/products_powderbaffle.php

The istallation instructions are to "Remove Rubber-Grommet from powder opening, just above the Bar and place our Brass Washer, with the sharp edge facing down, on top of Bar. Put back the Rubber-Grommet on top of Brass Washer.
• Screw Powder Baffle all the way in.
• Screw Powder bottle onto Powder Baffle.


I wonder if a common brass washer from Home Depot will fit. If not I can order on from Canada.
 
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The ProCheck keeps the wad guide in position when dropping the powder.

When the bar is slid to the left dropping the powder charge the ProCheck keeps the wad guide in position for the seating of the wad.

Other wise you have to hold or push the wad guide down for wad seating.

After the wad is seated, moving the bar to the right(dropping shot) allows the wad guide to move up and out of the way so the shell can go to the crimping station.
 
I couldn't find a washer at HD. I will just order one. Meanwhile, it is working pretty well with the powder baffle removed. Maybe I should have taken BigJims advice and gotten a new reloader, but by the time all is said and done I should know the machine inside out.
 
Jaguar. What you say makes sense. I noticed that sometime my wad guide doesn't move to well. Perhaps. I will play with it and see if it is binding for any reason. Am I correct that the Pro Check is supposed to be tightened down?
 
Just finished another box and things are smoothing out. The pro check is working as Jaguar said it. N Ow I am all loaded for Father's Day at the trap field with my Wife, Son, and Daughter. This should be . . . different.
 
Nice to see some more folks falling under the reloading spell.............Soon your houses will be over run with cases of wads, sleeves of primers and buckets of empty hulls.................:D
 
I can't understand it -- my wife doesn't think the pantry is a good place for bags of hulls and empty shot shell boxes. :rolleyes:
 
I made the mistake, ONCE, in my youth of washing hulls in the washing machine.........to ANYone contemplating this action, stop now unless you want a divorce
 
1-oz,
You know you're an addict when your range hulls go directly into net laundry bags. I've only know one shooter who did that, and she acted like the rest of us were crazy for loading nasty, dirty hulls.
Back in the day, you did bag your laundered hulls, didn't you?
 
For shame, oneounceload. Even I know that dirty hulls is what the China cycle of the dishwasher is for. What I still can't figure is whether or not to add rinse aid.
 
They're even louder in the damn dryer..............mesh bag or not........THAT was a "momma lesson" I don't want to repeat...........:D
 
That is why you use the dish washer and set it on heated dry or so I have been told. The trick is they have to be stacked so they stay open end down. Depending on the size of your upper rack that means you need around 900 hulls if you are going to pack them in tight. That or the George Foreman shotsheel hull stacking rack available in handy 50 and 100 hull sizes. When not in use to shine up your hulls it makes a mean fish fry rack.
 
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