Shotshell Press's

I was looking at different press's. One thing I noticed was that the Lee Load All only went up to 3" I would like a press that if I decided to make 3 1/2" shells I could. I hate being restricted.

I found this press....

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=443293

133.00 Bucks does not seem to bad for a shotshell press. Especially if you can already do 2 3/4 all the way to 3 1/2 withoug have to do any type of converting.

How many here load the 3 1/2? Is it worth it? Anyone have this press or know of some one that does??

What say you?


Thanks

2 things to ask yourself...you already know the answer to question #1. The second question would be a great bonus.

1. will I be hunting turkeys and mostt likely want or need the 3 1/2" shells?
2. can this press be adapted to reload 410's?

personally I'd just get the Lee and save the $90 to buy 3 1/2" shells if you ever wanted to. I've never once had a need to shoot 3 1/2" shells.

hawcer wrote:2 things to ask yourself...you already know the answer to question #1. The second question would be a great bonus.

1. will I be hunting turkeys and mostt likely want or need the 3 1/2" shells?
2. can this press be adapted to reload 410's?

Had not really thought that much on the 410's. Now that the .410 is going to be given to the boy for christmas, may have to look into loading for the .410. I am sure he will want to shoot the heck out of it..

that rcbs press looks ok. I've never used one but I love most RCBS stuff. Mec 600 jr mk 5 you can get dies for it to load any gage it also has a 3-1/2 inch conversion. It is probably more expensive I dont know I do know that i Have 5 mec 600jr presses. and I love them and would recommend them to anyone
http://www.mecreloaders.com/ProductLine/Product.asp

The Mec 600 jr is just a bit more than the RCBS....and seems to be the only press (anymore) that will load 410's with a die swap.

mec 600 jr you can load 10 ga to .410 and 3 1/2" shells with the
conversion kit

i dont like the 3 1/2" shells tryed a gun that was able
to take them and 1 shot was enough and i
can shoot 2 3/4" slugs all day without a complaint

but dont turn you back on your uncle when you got a box
of 3" slugs sitting on top of your bag and ep puts one in thinking its a joke
you pull the trigger on what you think in a 2 3/4" bridshot

I know there are lots of high quality presses out there equally as good as mec but i have my dads what i learned to reload on he bought it in the late 60s and I am still using it to load 20 gage shotgun shells I now have a total of 5 of the presses. they are a bugger to get set up but they are great once you get them there. they are a single stage press really. So if you are wanting to have an automatic operation they arent for you I Dont know about any of the auto presses ive never used them I find that I can load all i need with a single stage press. The die set will run you 102. us and some change If you watch you watch your sales and ebay you probably can pick one up for 125 - 140. personally i just give the extra 40 and keep my press set up I now have a press that i load 20 ga 12 ga 2=3/4 3" and 12 ga 3-1/2 inch 10 ga 3-12 and .410 i went to a scrap yard and bought a piece of 1/4 steel and bolted it to my table then drilled and tapped holes in the steel to mount my press then i simple remove the bolts and trade out the press depending on what i want to reload at the time.

camerl2009 wrote:mec 600 jr you can load 10 ga to .410 and 3 1/2" shells with the
conversion kit

i dont like the 3 1/2" shells tryed a gun that was able
to take them and 1 shot was enough and i
can shoot 2 3/4" slugs all day without a complaint

but dont turn you back on your uncle when you got a box
of 3" slugs sitting on top of your bag and ep puts one in thinking its a joke
you pull the trigger on what you think in a 2 3/4" bridshot

and you can find them for cheap i forgot that it dont have to be brand new to work

Like 30-06 said the MECs can be a pain to set up, there is a little black book I got years ago that helps a lot.

A hint once you get it set, leave it!! I found it easier to buy another MEC press than screw up one that I got set just right, so I now have four Steelmasters.

One is dedicated for 2 3/4, one for 3" and one for 3 1/2" and the last is set up for 3" slugs.

Some of the guys I hunt with shoot nothing but 3 1/2" shells, but I have to be odd and switch around. Most of the time I do fine with 2 3/4 and 3" shells for 99% of my shooting. I have shot most of my critters with 2 3/4" including turkey.

Where I like the 3 1/2 is for that extra reach and knockdown for decoying and passing geese. I have found that I usually can get within range for a 3" load for turkey.

If I am strickly hunting geese I take the 10 ga which is a 3 1/2 shell. We have a lot of passing snow geese and that 10 ga gives me enough reach to knock a few down before they realize that altitude is their friend.

I like my 870 Super Mag because I can switch back & forth. I usually keep a few 12 ga 3 1/2 shells in my loops just in case of a long shot at a goose.

I have been eyeballing the new Remington Versamax. I would love to see if one is too picky to load my home loads. I need something that does not kick the stuffing out of me like my 870 Super Mag does with 3 1/2 shells.

XbonesX wrote:personally I'd just get the Lee and save the $90 to buy 3 1/2" shells if you ever wanted to. I've never once had a need to shoot 3 1/2" shells.

+1 on that. The 3 1/2" shells are just a band aid for a piss poor patterning shotgun. With the right choke and the right load......you should never need anything more than a 3" magnum to take down anything you want to.
The 3 1/2's were intended for goose hunters who shoot extremely long distances with steel shot, and the turkey and coyote hunters got ahold of the concept and all the manufacturers ate it up like crazy. It turned out to be a great way to sell more shotguns, with a heavier price tag to boot.

I would say get the Lee Load All and save your extra money to buy a good extra full choke.

I got a browning bps 10 ga my son got a Remington xps super mag. i truly believe that his super mag kicks worse dont know that it shoots harder. I still love my 10 for turkey .and yes i know you can kill em with a 20 probably a .410 bore but like i said in a different post i want to put them down

oh yea and my problem with the lee is its plastic. I know it is a good loader and I know lots of people who have them and love them. But will it still be around like my mec almost 40 years later?

Reload3006 wrote:oh yea and my problem with the lee is its plastic. I know it is a good loader and I know lots of people who have them and love them. But will it still be around like my mec almost 40 years later?

Mine is.
It was a hand me down from my dad that he used the crap out of back in his duck hunting days. It still works just fine and I've been messing around with some turkey load developments on it.
My gears switched to my 20ga. about a year ago and I've killed 2 gobblers, 1 hen, and a coyote with it using 3" magnums and an HS Strut Undertaker choke. All but one of the turkey were over 35 steps as well as the coyote. That's pretty impressive for a 20ga. and I wouldn't hesitate to carry it anywhere, anytime.
For the most part........I just got tired of getting the crap kicked out of me by my 12ga. shotguns, so I went another route and concentrated on better patterns, lighter recoil. It's paid off big dividends with plenty of game to reward my efforts.

Ooops edit that.........2 coyotes. I forgot about the one I killed this fall but it was only about 15 steps away. Head shot and it never even twitched, just rolled him and dead right there.