12 Gauge Shotgun Shell Reloading - Lee Load All

[mookiie]

all,
i am thinking of getting into shotgun shell reloading, mostly for trap shooting, but also maybe some home defense type loads.

Can anyone recommend a good powder/pellet weight/size combination for trap shooting clays?

Can anyone also recommend some good shot/ powder for home defense loads?

I was considering the Lee Load All could anyone share their experience/tips for using this machine?

thanks

 

[cfullgraf]

A MEC 600jr will do a better job and last longer. It is the standard for lower volume shot shell loading.

 

[drsfmd]

The Lee is about the worst shotshell reloader ever made. Look for a used MEC 600jr for about the same price. It's an exponentially better machine.

Regarding loads, buy the Lyman shotshell manual... it's got everything you could ever want to know.

Buy factory loads for self defense. You don't want to have to explain your own loads to a jury if you ever needed to use them.

 

[oneounceload]

Another vote AGAINST the Lee, and FOR the MEC. I started with a Lee about 35 years ago or so - loaded about 6 boxes and realized what a mistake that was, got the MEC and have never looked back (except to upgrade to other MECs)

Determine what type of loads you want, go to Hpdgdon and Alliant and follow the recipes, knowing you can sub clone wads for OEM with a great savings

For trap - 1oz loads running 1200 fps, Remington hulls or Win AA Claybuster or Downrange clone wads - powder? Red Dot, Clays, Clay Dot, Promo, and others - read the website

 

[mookiie]

i only shoot less than 1000 shotgun rounds a year and probably closer to 500, for this volume do you still feel the mec jr is a better option? for 50 bucks i feel the lee will meet my needs from reviews i have read.

 

[drsfmd]

Even for 1000 rounds a year, the MEC is a better choice. Folks that shoot a lot don't usually use 600 Jrs... they use Spolars, Ponsness Warren, MEC 9000's. and other high end reloaders.

The 600Jr is made for someone in your situation. Besides, it's metal, not plastic, and you can pick them up cheap used... I bought one for $25 off the sales board at my local club.

 

[mookiie]

They look to be going in the 75 - 100 dollar range including shipping. lucky you

 

[drsfmd]

On ebay perhaps... but the routinely change hands at local gun clubs for $50 or less... I just happened to stumble into a particularly good deal minutes after the guy had posted the for sale flyer.

Even at $75, it's worlds better than the Lee... you just have to trust those of us who have been down that road.

 

[Uniquedot]

Besides, it's metal, not plastic

It's metal if he buys an older press, but the newer ones have plastic crimp dies and plastic crimp starters. I have had the older better made 600 jr's, but got rid of them after buying my first sizemaster. If you can find a used mec sizemaster model sm 77 for a good price you should jump on it and update it with a multi-scale universal charge bar. If you plan on loading new hulls you should add the Lee load all as it loads new hulls far better than the mec is capable of doing. I have experimented with the old brass and the new plastic crimp starters for the mec and they just cannot produce a shell from a new hull any where near as pretty as the little load all does. The load all also loads fired hulls to look as good as they did when new, but the mec will make them look better than they did when new and even though the Lee loads new hulls better it's still nice to know the crimp can be "locked in" using the mec if desired. If you were to buy a new reloader above the cost of the little load all i would recommend a PW 375c over the mec because of all the plastic that wears out on them and the shells don't look nearly as nice as the ones loaded on the older presses, but then again that universal charge bar just might offset that.

 

[drsfmd]

It's metal if he buys an older press, but the newer ones have plastic crimp dies and plastic crimp starters.

You are correct. I was referring to the chassis. I should have been clearer on that point.

If you were to buy a new reloader above the cost of the little load all i would recommend a PW 375c

Yes, that's a better machine than the MEC, but it's a LOT harder to find and more expensive... I've never seen one offered for $50 or less...

 

[oneounceload]

Those nylon crimp starters are still far better than the pot metal and cheap styrene that the Lee is made of

OP - for two flats a year I wouldn't bother - I would buy what wally world or similar has and be done with it

BUT if I wanted to make some loads that aren't readily available - like 12 gauge 3/4oz loads - give me a used MEC for 75 bucks every day

 

[cfullgraf]

They look to be going in the 75 - 100 dollar range including shipping. lucky you

A $75-$100 used MEC 600jr will probably still be worth $75-$100 down the road. A Lee Load All probably won't be worth a plug nickel once it is out of the box.

 

[mookiie]

just for perspective how many who have recommended the MEC have also used the lee load all at one time!

 

[drsfmd]

I started with a pair of Lee's in 12 and 20 many years ago... I learned my mistake pretty quickly. They were thrown out (I couldn't in good conscious sell them to someone else) when my parents moved out of the house I grew up in.

 

[cfullgraf]

just for perspective how many who have recommended the MEC have also used the lee load all at one time!

When I started loading shot shells 25 or so years ago, I followed the advice given to me and bought a MEC600jr.

I now have four, one each for 12 ga, 20 ga, 28 ga, and .410 bore.

Never regretted not trying a Load All.

 

[Uniquedot]

Those nylon crimp starters are still far better than the pot metal and cheap styrene that the Lee is made of

Mec took the nylon crimp starters from the Lee, but they didn't design the segments as well and that's why they don't produce shells from new hulls as pretty. They also wear out on the mec where they attach to that ridiculous little ball so they can rotate for alignment. And the Lee crimp die is made from the same nylon as the crimp starters where as the mec crimp starters are made from a harder less slick glass filled formula that wears out and cracks. It's not a very good idea to have a camming crimp die with an adjustable steel plunger helping to wear it out. I still say only an older mec is worthy. As far as the load alls go i have and use four of them on a regular basis for new hulls and even use them for proven loads that are ideal in internal height in fired hulls sometimes. One of them is from 1975 and one of them is from 1981 while the other two are somewhere in between so while they are built nothing like a mec they are decent loaders as long as a proper load is being loaded. All four of the load alls put together don't weigh as much as my sizemaster and that makes them portable as well.

 

[huntsman]

I used a Load All II in 16 gauge for 15 years with no issues, I'm just a hunter and would load maybe 5-15 boxes a year, since 1999 I've used a Load All II in 12 gauge with no issues.

 

[blarby]

The lee load all is about the best shotgun shell loading system ever made.

It comes with just about every bushing die you'll ever need for powder and shot- for free.

Its $50.

I've used mine endlessly now, and it hasn't quit.

Changeover to 16 and 20 gauge are fairly easy, and cost only $18.

I can make shells as fast or as slow as I want them.

A MEC is great, but a progressive press does NOTHIN, ABSOLUTELY NOTHIN for you if you want to load defensive shells like buckshot or slugs.

Even if you went with a single stage, unless your wrist likes 180* repeated movements, you will be much happier with the one side to the other style Lee at the volume you intend to use it, with the loads you desire to load with it.

Fancy shotbottles and auto bars are nice, but ya can't load buckshot through 'em, or slugs for that matter.

Most of the folks who complain about the loadall really never set it up right, or crimp the shells so damn hard they bend them... its good engineering, but it don't fix stupid.

The other issue comes down to the changeover of powder/ shot , etc. I'd still rather my lee. 95% of my varied load types all use the dsame powder charge anyway...you will find that to be the same eventually if you want to. Dont wanna dispense shot ? DONT PUT SHOT IN IT. Very simple solution. Need to get the bushing out, but dont wanna drain the powder and shot ? Slide a playing card through the slot....again, very simple.

Get the loadall, you will not be disappointed.

If you NEED to load 3k birdshot shells a month, then get a progressive, by all means.

Otherwise, take all that money you'd spend on a mec, and all of their $10 a piece bushings, and buy tons of powder, primer and lead.


BASHERS SUCK- GET A LIFE !

 

[drsfmd]

Otherwise, take all that money you'd spend on a mec, and all of their $10 a piece bushings, and buy tons of powder, primer and lead.

I know you really meant to say $3 bushings, right?

 

[blarby]

Thats all ya got ?

Fair enough, if you can get them for $3...

So, for the full set.... Lets see, 24 bushings *3 dollars... $72 !

Not to mention that you actually have to get all of them, if you want them.

So lets do a price comparison on new tools.

Lowest price I can find a mec 600 Jr mark V online right now is $145 not including shipping.

145+72 = $217.

Loadall II..... Still $50 !

If you wanted to use the prices for used units, sure...... apparently everyone thinks they are garbage and worthless " or worth a plug nickel " So I guess you should be able to get them for basically free, right ?

$0 or, lets say $0.05 + $0.00 for bushings= $0.05

Mec JR : $75 + 72 = $147 ! Thats assuming you don't need any new parts right away, or fairly soon..as most used mecs do.


Hmmmmm............................ I can buy a lot of powder , primers, and lead for that............ probably as much as the OP is going to use in a few years, at the rate he's planning on loading.

Ya, That damn lee.

It really sucks......

I can make about 3 boxes of buckshot shells an hour on my lee.

How many can you make per hour ona 600 Jr ? Bout the same.

On a fancy progressive Mec ? Bout the same. They dont drop buckshot...... you still have to take the shell out and place the pellets. No time savin there.

Again, if all you load is birdshot... one type, 1K at a time...sure. Everything has its place.

If not......... don't throw the economical alternative under the bus because it does make you all wet down under like your fancy machine that you brag on the internet about does.

Lee made shells work exactly the same, time after time, as the ones on a mec do. I recouped the cost of the Loadall within the first few hours I owned it making buckshot shells.

 

[Uniquedot]

I know you really meant to say $3 bushings, right?

The bushings are only three bucks, but the bars are over fifteen each now for the mec. I love the load alls for the things i use them for. All of mine are the original metal based versions, but what i consider to be the best single stage loading press is the mec sizemaster (older version) with a universal charge bar because you can have perfect loads and it's very fast for a SS press and the collet sizer is better than anything else out there and it has a true primer feed. I still would not be without my load alls because i load a few thousand new hulls a year and it loads them much nicer.

 

[oneounceload]

The lee load all is about the best shotgun shell loading system ever made.

Except your Lee cannot be adjusted for hulls of varying length - at all - the MEC can. And anyone who has reloading shotgun long enough knows all hulls vary somewhat in length. You cannot adjust, add or eliminate wad pressure with the Lee - something that is necessary when changing loads and using different wads and powders.

The Lee is made of cheap plastic and pot-metal, their bushings cannot be replaced by a Universal Charge bar if desired. The handle does not provide equal and even torque across the work are when reloading - this can lead to wads not being properly seated

 

[cfullgraf]

A MEC is great, but a progressive press does NOTHIN, ABSOLUTELY NOTHIN for you if you want to load defensive shells like buckshot or slugs.

FYI, The MEC 600jr, the suggested alternative to the Load-All is not a progressive shot shell press.

 

[drsfmd]

1) The MEC comes with a bar, and you only need that single bar unless you want to make some non standard load.

2) The MEC comes with three (as I recollect) of the most common bushings. Depending on the powder you choose, you'll likely never need more than it comes with.

3) Cheaper isn't usually better.

 

[Uniquedot]

1) The MEC comes with a bar, and you only need that single bar unless you want to make some non standard load.

2) The MEC comes with three (as I recollect) of the most common bushings. Depending on the powder you choose, you'll likely never need more than it comes with.

The mec comes with one bar for one shot charge and three bushings that cover popular target loads for that single shot weight. A universal charge bar runs about forty bucks nowadays and covers more loads than all the shot and powder bushings combined.

Except your Lee cannot be adjusted for hulls of varying length - at all - the MEC can. And anyone who has reloading shotgun long enough knows all hulls vary somewhat in length. You cannot adjust, add or eliminate wad pressure with the Lee - something that is necessary when changing loads and using different wads and powders.

The Lee is made of cheap plastic and pot-metal, their bushings cannot be replaced by a Universal Charge bar if desired. The handle does not provide equal and even torque across the work are when reloading - this can lead to wads not being properly seated

Wad pressure isn't too much of a problem on the Lee but it takes user effort to learn to seat with enough pressure without using too much in those loads that require it for proper crimping. The mec of course is adjusted and then the machine takes care of it without any effort from the user other than normally pulling the lever. The Lee also requires the same user effort from the user for different hull lengths. There are no problems with seating wads as that station is in the center of the loader unless you were just talking about the learning curve with the feel issue.

The nylon Lee uses is a very slick plastic that does not wear easily and that's why mec started using it for their crimp starters... along with others like hornady too.

As far as the pot metal thing goes... well that happens to be the same stuff Dillons most popular presses are made of. I'll bet that if you started a thread titled Dillon presses are made of pot metal that someone would come along and show you a link explaining the differences without you having to google anything for yourself.