I recommend you stick with a good hull and other components, and you will get along fine. I like AA hulls (newer type), Winchester 209 primers, new style AA28 wads. I like 13 grains/Unique powder, with 3/4 oz of shot. Other powders that work well are 20/28 and Universal Clays. Get data from the powder manufacturer in their online reloading sites.
Unless you have a stash or a good supply chain of once fired hulls, I recommend you buy a couple flats of new 28 ga. AA shells, then use those hulls.
Be sure you are acquainted with your machine, and understand what's happening at each station. Crimps are often a source of frustration; MEC's troubleshooting section of the operators manual will be useful in these cases.
I also recommend that you install the loader on a bench or sheet of wood that can be clamped to a table or bench. Bolt the loader with wing nuts in large flat pan, such as a flat cake pan, above the wood to catch spills. On spills, it's not "if", but "when". Definitely don't set it up in a carpeted room.
Last edited by GF1; 08/31/15 04:40 PM.