LH your friend needs to download an owners manual for his MEC loader and read it as the crimping station is superbly adjustable on MEC's to produce great crimps. I got my 1 st 600jr when I was 12 years old. I bought all of them used for $40-60 ea except the 16 which I bought new. Currently have 3 12ga 600 jr's, 1 for 7/8 oz, 1 for 1oz, and 1 for all others. Bought them cheap enough that I don't change the bushings or bars just use a different one to change loads. Have all the bushings that a guy could need from 410 to 10 ga. MEC fan yeah, wouldn't have a 9000G for free. I regard shotshell loading as a enjoyable hobby that saves me money and gives me loads I can't buy.#5 shot in 16's is one of them. 7/8Oz of #9's at 1200 fps is my go to load for 16 yd trap and skeet. 700x,Red Dot etc AA gray wad and older AA hulls works great and don't beat you up. I'll admit to getting lucky in having accumulated about 700 16 ga WW AA style hulls but Rem and Fed also work fine. Most of the folks here would drop $50 to get there oil changed if they need too,why they can't rationalize a used MEC 600 jr for the same is simply beyond my ability to understand. Since shot has got so high priced a lot of guys quit loading and buy promo light loads which is fine but like any good deal they will dry up too. A well setup 600jr on the bench with all the components and hulls ready to go is the finest use of a rainy day while your crock pot is bubbling away. The satisfaction of loading your own can't be replaced by watching some liberal sh*t on TV and buying promo loads at Wallyworld, yeah I garden and have my own apple tree also. Magnum Man
