Steve, for the # of shells you plan to shoot, cutting 2 3/4 plastic shells down to 2 1/2" and loading on a MEC progressive is not bad. It does require the 16 ga overshot card, but no other modifications to your press. Light loads made this way have less percieved recoil than most factory 2 1/2 shells. Others may disagree, but I have found light 7/8 oz loads will break any clay that I have the ability to hit.

This ain't a dress rehearsal , Don't Let the Old Man IN