doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com MEC .410 collet sizer failure

Just a heads up for the .410 fans out there.

Before I launch into this, I'll state that I'm a big fan of MEC reloading tools. For the buck they represent good value and good serviceability. Parts availability is also good.

But, like guns, they are just machines. They have design compromises, and they break down.

The collet sizer system does not have an infinite life, no matter how well it's lubricated or how it's adjusted. I'm on the third one in my 1981 model Grabber 12 gauge unit and the number of cycles on each before failure I consider to be satisfactory. The advent of steel head shells such as the 'Gun Club' does not help longevity of this component.

I selected a 'Sizemaster' when I started shooting .410 in any volume. A guy needs a way to resize, and this seemed like a good unit. Many people use a progressive in .410, but I've elected to stay single stage.

The flaw in the design just became obvious. The collet failed after about 7,000 loads.

The flaw is that while 7,000 shells have come off the press, the sizer has cycled 6 times that or 42,000 times. Only once per shell is the sizer under load, but the spring steel in the collet flexes every stroke of the press. 'Snap'.

I load AA, the factory shells measure .474, my loads measure .475, and the SAAMI drawing shows max .477 -.009 tolerance. Adjustment was perfect, lubrication was not neglected.

If I had it to do again, I'd get the 600jr and a 'Supersizer'. That way, one sizer stroke = one shell.

Great news 7000 rounds

Did you get another collet to replace the broken one?
https://www.mecshootingsports.com/sizemaster-parts
Item #10F

The cost of the 7000 shells versus the cost of the collet
should put this into perspective.

Give them a call and they might send you one for FREE
MEC Reloaders

1-800-797-4632

reloadersales@mecshootingsports.com

Mike

Yeah, Gamaliel carries all the parts way cheaper than MEC.

$40, but I had to get some other stuff to get my free shipping.

So, no big deal. It's just annoying at only 7K cycles.

Looks like about half a penny per shell just to resize, but you know going in that everything about the .410 is expensive.

And yes, in 'the old days' they might have. MEC has gotten very big now and the loaders have become just one part of their empire. I'll not [censored]. I'm still a happy MEC user.

Yes, I use the SuperSizer and a Texan MII progressive.

And you have my grandparent's dining room table!

I have replaced one in 25 years on my 9000G, I load roughly 2000 per year. The new HS AA's can be tough to resize but the two bigger problems are #9 in the fingers and good lube.

bill

Like a lot of guys here, I've used both the single-stage MECs and their progressive Grabber over the years. My solution for too many cycles on the collet is to simply deprime/resize every shell first. I then remove the little bolt that controls collet function from the back of the press's main shaft (in back of the base itself) and then use it as you normally would with one shell being moved through the next four stations. Doing so has you doing most of the reloading with a de-activated collet. When done, pop the bolt back in. The older style of bolts have a hex-head while newer ones take an Allen wrench, etc. to remove.

Hum. That's a good concept for the Sizemaster.

I'll look into that.

Thanks Robt.

Reloading .410's = tedium pretty much anyway you say it and because of that have simply reverted back to my original MEC 600Jr. Not at all disagreeing w/whot SJ is saying & I too am a big MEC fan.

I get through it by periodic epic reloading sessions where I'm in no big hurry and load a number of flats sufficient for my planned shooting for the next season. Sometimes I may run out, but its NBD to run another couple of hundred rounds. I plan on 15 minutes/box when all is said & done [inclusive of tedium breaks, boxing loaded rounds and topping off shot & powder bottles &c.] and generally avoid mistakes at that easy pace, but even so one gets the occasional pellet jam in the drop tube and the momentary delay always results in some mess being made. I have never found it expedient to be in a hurry when loading .410's.

True enough. The 410 is a bugger even for the big loading companies.

Pal of mine once had an intermittent problem with a PW loader.

He called the company for advice.

They asked 'When does it do it?'.

Answer: 'Whenever I'm not looking'.