Home Forums Reloading Shotshells Looking for a loader to do all gauges??

I am kicking around the idea of getting into reloading. Is there any reloaders out there that can load all gauges? I am looking to load mostly 16ga down to 410. Looking for a quality loader. Any suggestions?

As far as I know die changes are necessary for different gauges on all brands of loaders. Could be wrong. Costly and a PITA to change out.

I use MEC's. For smaller gauges, "Sizemasters", "Progressives" for 12g.

Single stage machines can be found cheap. You will see significant savings reloading 410, 28, and 16g. Not much in 12 and 20 but with all you are loading custom ammo to your specs.

For me it's an enjoyable pastime and addicting.

For what it costs to buy a mec setup, at least basically IMHO after having changed dies on MEC a few times... its cheap enough around 200 or so a pop to just buy in dedicated calibers.

I just bought a sizemaster in 12 ga at a resale shop along with some components etc.... for a 100 dollar bill.

If you try a one press for all gauges, you will be frustrated by the time it takes to change and adjust the dies. It will be much easier in the long run to look for used presses in each gauge which will stay properly adjusted unless you decide to change from 2.75 to 3 inch.

In my experience you would be better off with different loaders for each gauge. In the 410, which I tried to load for once, the basic mec loader is probably the most user friendly. The hulls are so tall and "skinny" that they try to fall over in a progressive spilling shot everywhere. If I had to load for 410 it would be on a mec 650.
Good luck,
Rick

Thanks guys! Info is greatly appreciated.

I hate MEC loaders, they're what I learned on .....

And mostly what's available new or used (even on Ebay or similar).

I have Pacific(Hornady) presses, about seven of them in all gauges including .410, 10, 16 and 28! Got them off of eBay.

Been a long time since I "shopped" eBay for parts for shotshell presses, but it was doable. My sixteener is a DL105 I have for just in case I ever need it, not that I shoot anything in that gauge.

Was fairly inexpensive to also set up a twelver and a twenty-gagger in that DL105 press too.

My preferred model is the DL266 however (which will also use DL155 dies, which is where the 10ga dies came from)

But like everyone has pointed out, get a press for each gauge (of course staying with ONE BRAND will simplify parts shopping immensely!).

I use Ponsness Warren 375 loaders. They are a great press for different gauges. You can have two tool sets on your press. You have to drain your shot and powder remove four bolts and rotate the tool head 180 and install bolts. Also have to change the wad guide. Lots of good info on shotgunworld

ShotgunWorld.com?


I used to go there somewhat regularly (not recently).

Next to eBay, was the best source for finding all my Hornady-Pacific presses and parts. Met a few fellows who also collected Pacific presses.

One collector said he had 33 presses!

No doubt there'd also be collectors (if a newbie spent enough time there learning who they are) who run MEC, Ponsness-Warren or other presses ...... !

Indeed check it out.

I use a MEC 600JR that my Dad bought 40 years ago. Still works great after 1000's of 12-guage loads. It is single stage, but I can load a box of shell in no time.

Like others said, savings in 12 and 20 not so great. But 410 and 28 guage would be significant.

I would also add my vote for having one press for each gauge. I have a MEC 600 jr that has loaded lots of 12 ga and still works great. I bought .410 dies for it, but changing them out is really a pain, especially if you only want to load 2 or 3 boxes.

Single stage presses like the MEC 600 jr are easier set up and adjust.
If you buy a used one, check the inside of the dies to make sure they are not coated in rust.

If you shoot a lot, reloading can be fun. You can customize loads for the task at hand. I was able to crank out some very light 7/8 oz target loads for my boys when they were smaller so they could enjoy shooting the 12 ga. Now their wives enjoy shooting the same light loads

Here are some current 12 ga light target load prices that I found after shopping around a bit:
25 # lead 8 shot = $37.00 (400 1 oz loads or 9.25 cents per shell)
4 # Red Dot powder = $45.00 ( 1,647 shells @ 17 grains per shell or 2.7 cents per shell)
1000 primers = $29.00 ( 2.9 cents per shell)
500 wads = $9.00 ( 1.8 cents per shell)
I figure the hulls are free.
Total is about 16.65 cents per shell or $4.16 per box of 25.
Hopefully I did the math correctly

trapshooters.com has an online calculator that you can play with.

I started loading 45 years ago on the Mec 600 Jr. Sold me on them over the years have bought used ones in different guages. I guess I only had to buy the 10 and the 16 new.This kept things simple. I have a plastic lure box from Cabelas that hold all the Mec powder bushings that I picked up here and there from dealers second hand stuff or going out of business sales. The bars for 600Jr are the 302 series and all interchange between guages where they overlap. Yeah simple and I like them ,parts no problem. I had a Mec 9000G once for awhile it went away. The 700 is okay to. You asked, precision repeatability not rate of production for me. If money wasn't a factor those Ponsness Warren 375 machines are impressive. good luck Magnum Man

Spolar

..... for those not aware of this .....

Spolar
RCBS
Ponsness-Warren
Hornady-Pacific

All use the same style AND SIZE of bushings! And are inter-changeable with one another!

In other words, one can mix and match bushing with one another!

Only "diff" is some busings from some companies are aluminum vs steel for other makes.

This feature however, does not work with MEC! If you use MEC, you can only use MEC bushings [and bars].