I looking to buy a MEC 600 Jr to reload 2 1/2" 12 gauge shells. I have a couple older guns with 2 1/2" chambers and it's almost impossible to find ammo for them. I've reloaded rifle ammo but have never reloaded shotgun shells.

Is there an adjustment mechanism on that press to be able to reload 2 1/2" shells? I intend to roll crimp the shells with an antique crimper.

If you are roll crimping them, you can deprime/resize, charge, drop wad and shot on just about any 12 ga press. MEC builds a great press, and has great customer service if you need parts/repairs/help.

I have a MEC600 JR for 410 and really like it. I fold crimp until they wear out and won't crimp anymore then I trim and roll crimp them. I really like a roll crimp.

Thinking through the operation the only step to adjust would be the powder/wad/shot station since you are roll crimping. The wad fingers and wad seating stem are adjustable for depth so I wouldn't see it being a problem. Once beyond that station you would not use the pre crimp or final crimp since you are roll crimping.

I load sub 2.5" through 3" 410 on it.

If you had a means to deprime/resize and prime by hand you wouldn't really need a press since roll crimping other than the speed and convenience.

http://pdf.textfiles.com/manuals/FIREARMS/mec_600jr.pdf
the crimp would be the issue it is adjustable , but you may have to shim it for further than normal adjustment

as others have pointed out roll crimp may be the better option then length matters a lot less

Thanks, Gary. There are plenty of old tools on eBay to deprime the shells. Is there a case resizer on the market separate from a press? Thanks for the help.

Thanks, Pete.

Mec makes a off press shot shell sizer https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1833782021

Your welcome. Like you I had loaded metallic cartridges for years, but only got into shotgun reloading this past winter since the supply of 410 had become about no existent and I lucked into a 5 gallon bucket of hulls. I have been saving my 12 gauge hulls, because I have been shooting clays regularly and eventually figure I will start loading 12 too.

Thanks, Pete.

I remember buying 20g at Walmart for $4.00 a box. Cheap Remington loads. Grouse have a glass jaw and it doesn't take much to knock them down.

I went ahead and ordered the MEC from Midway.

I have a 600jr for my wife's 20 guage and a sizemaster for my 12 guage. I don't like the 600jr very much. It's "fussy" and slower than my sizemaster. That being said, it will reload a decent shell. Best thing you can do with any of them is get an automatic primer feed. Well worth the money.

The 600 Jr had rave reviews, that and a buddy owing one are what tilted me to it. I like the auto primer feed idea. I'll look into that.

I have the Texan progressive reloader for 20 gauge and .410. Works great for 2 3/4, it could do 3" with a shim. The MEC will be great for you!

MEC also produces an adapter kit that will allow you to easily convert to 2 1/2 inch. It mounts on the base in place of the black steel plate that positions the case at each station. I have one on my 16 ga press. It works quite well. 16 ga Model 12 guns are notorious for ejection problems. Originally they were chambered 2 9/16, 20's were 2 1/2. The 20's don't have the problem. After a few years their chambers were extended to 2 3/4 but for whatever reason the ejector and ejection port were not changed. Hangups will still occur. Remington Game Loads (black hull) will help somewhat though not a total fix. I just got the adapter kit and a couple cases of RST 2 1/2 inch shells and my son and I are good to go. I have never had any luck doing my own roll crimping, poor consistancey and time consuming.

Ordered the press from Midway USA yesterday and had a shipping/tracking number this morning. It was almost $80.00 cheaper than Cabela's.

Thanks for that information Paul. I have a 1914 model 12 in 12 gauge. When I was kid it functioned flawlessly.....until it encountered its first plastic hulls. From then on I was plagued by empties hanging up in the action. After several years I had the extractor recut a bit and that has solved the problem. All this time I thought it was a problem specific to my gun.


Posco: I think you will be pleased with the 600. I have an old 762R Grabber and can easily crank out a hundred rounds an hour as long as I pay attention to what I'm doing

White17, 1914 was the first year of production for the 12 ga guns. Nice piece to own. My oldest is a 1919 12 ga 30" full. Sometime after 1935 it was sent back to the factory and a 26" plain barrel choked WS-1 was fitted to it and serial numberd to the original so it's a factory 2 barrel set. WS-1 (skeet 1) was not cataloged or available until 1935. You had the extractor recut not the ejector? Were the empties not coming out of the chamber or hanging up on the forward edge of the ejection port. If they hung up in the chamber, failure to extract, I could see a worn extractor. If the hangup was the case mouth failing to clear the ejection port I could see the ejector being the issue. Never thought about recutting the ejector lip. I have a couple spares, I'll have to try that. Thanks

Mine is a 30" full. Five digit serial number.
It's been so long since I had it worked on I can't actually recall whether it was the extractor or ejector now that you mention it.
The cases would extract from the chamber but not always flip out of the gun. If I remember correctly they were clearing the ejection port but just didn't seem to have enough ooomph to get loose from the ejector itself. I had to reach into the case mouth with a finger and flip them out