Home Forums Reloading Shotshells Progressive reloader

I have used a 6oo Jr for over 40 years and feel it may be time to go progressive. Which press do you folks recommend? I will be using it for 20 gauge 2.75" target loads.

I have the mec 9000 and am fairly happy with it. Ihave it in 20 gauge but I also have the 600 Jr in 12 gauge. In my own experience with the 9000 at times it can be finicky. I've had problems with the depriminig station. It did not push the old primer out all the way and would jam the shell index and powder and shot would spill all over. the people at mec were very helpful and with a new (slightly longer) depriming post holder that problem was fixed. Then I had a problem with the charge bar not sliding freely to drop the powder and shot in the right place. here again with the help from mec, we traced the problem to a dimpled washer that wasn,t staying in place. No major problems and when it is working it is a wonderful machine. My father in law has two mec 9000's one in 20 and one in 12 gauge. I know that he has said his 20 gauge is more finicky than the 12 gauge, and has talked to mec for assistance also and they were able to help him out as well. I guess the bottom line is we both are happy when they work good, but you need to realize there may be some tweaking involved to get it working the way you want it to. I would not hesitate to buy another mec reloader and as a matter of fact I am starting to snoop around for a .410 reloader and it will probably be one of their single stage models just because of the number of shells that I will be reloading shouldn't be that high, and the investment is alot less.

I have a Ponsness-Warren 800 Plus w/ 12 & 20 ga. tools. I bought this one 10 yrs. ago. They were out of production for a while when they brought out the Platinum 2000, but I see that they recently started making them again.

I started with PW by buying a used single stage 375C Duo-Matic that I got when steel went mandatory. At the time I also had a MEC 650 progressive to load 12 & 20 ga. target shells. Then a trap shooter friend sold me his well used but also well maintained PW 800 Plus. I soon found that loading 20 ga. with the Duo-Matic was almost as fast as loading with the MEC and for small batches was easier to deal with the Duo-Matic than switch tools in the 800. I soon sold the MEC 650 to help pay for a hydraulic foot control unit for the 800.

I still load 3" 12 ga. field shells and 20 ga. target loads with the Duo-Matic and volume 12 ga. target loads with the 800 Plus. I've loaded more than 100 K 12 ga. rounds with the 800 Plus and never replaced anyting but a couple of springs and numerous wad fingers. The PW customer service has always been prompt and knowledgable. As far as I'm concerned thay have my shotshell reloading business for life.