12 ga reloading press two and three quarter to three and a half inch

fightinghamster

fightinghamster

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Super GunNutz
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Newfoundland
Looking at getting into shotgun shell reloading and I’m wondering if y’all can recommend a press capable of reloading 2.3/4 inch shells 3 inch shells and 3,1/2, I use 2,3/4 for small game and range trash 3 inch in my older duck guns and 3,1/2 in my wife’s and friends duck guns, was looking at a Lee load all because all my rifle/ pistol reloading gear is Lee but I don’t what to have to modify it for 3,1/2, so what do you all recommend
 
Get a MEC 600 JR set it up for 3" then get a short kit[booster seat] so you can switch to 2 3/4" in seconds with no adjusting. Call it a day you don't need 3 1/2" really.
 
mbogo3 said:
Get a MEC 600 JR set it up for 3" then get a short kit[booster seat] so you can switch to 2 3/4" in seconds with no adjusting. Call it a day you don't need 3 1/2" really.
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I was going to go this route but on my way to see a friend , they where having a scrap metal day and I spyed a Mec 600 next to a pile of junk. I stopped to pick it up and ended up talking to the fellow. He gave me 3 part bags of wads and another shot bottle. One press is setup for 3” and the other for 2 3/4”. I never had the urge to use 3 1/2” shells even though my shotgun will handle them.
 
I have 4 shotshell presses and none will load 3.5in shells. I did try on my Pacific DL105 & managed to load a couple but wasn't worth the effort for me.
 
MEC 600 jr I call it a day at 2 3/4 inch don’t see a need for 3 inch or 3 1/2 inch. I also don’t see much use in loading 12ga shot these days as I can pick up field loads cheap enough. Slugs/buckshot and .410 are mainly what I’m loading now.

3 inch and 3 1/2 make for a very uneven shot columns(too much shot to bore diameter) that tend to blow holes in patterns the shot in the back of the column blows through the shot in the front of the column. I have found loads in 2 3/4 that I could wack a turkey out to 40 yards with easily(95% in a 12 inch circle at 25 yards).

I may die to recent findings with standard steel shot(soft iron really)start loading steel for my old girl.

The MEC 600jr is a excellent press and will do both 2 3/4 and 3 inch from the get go you will need to adjust if you switch hull types and will definitely need to switch it up with shell lengths. These can generally be had used pretty cheap I got my first one for $40 a decade ago and my most recent one I got for $60.
 
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