Somedays, I am not sure if I reload so i can shoot, or shoot so I can reload..

Anyway I am looking at shotshell loaders to feed an 1100 20 gauge and want to see what y'all might think.

Since I am shooting an autoloader, need I worry about how the press resizes the hull?

Thanks for the thoughts.

drigeba wrote:Somedays, I am not sure if I reload so i can shoot, or shoot so I can reload..

Anyway I am looking at shotshell loaders to feed an 1100 20 gauge and want to see what y'all might think.

Since I am shooting an autoloader, need I worry about how the press resizes the hull?

Thanks for the thoughts.

Don't know about the MEC, but my Loadall has a ring that resizes the base. It has always worked for me. I use it for a Browning Sweet 16, as 16 ga is harder to come by & more expensive.

I have the lee and like it. Though Im new to reloading shotgun. I purchased one in 12 gauge on amazon, new, free shipping [prime] for $45 about a month ago, and I bought the 20 gauge conversion for $20 extra. also free shipping. So far it works like a champ, but im just punching out generic loads. Maybe if I was more pedantic about it like expert professional shooters, I would look into something with more versatility. But for under $70 , brand new. Im not complaining one bit.

Just wish they wouldnt have stopped selling it for the 410. That would make it a complete LoadAll for me.

I think Whitey was trying to get rid of his shot shell equipment.

Ask Whitey is definitely the right answer.

I got rid of what I had left in a package deal at my neighborhood yard sale last spring. I don't know which is better as I never got a chance to try anything out.

its gone up 7 dollars since Christmas. but for he price I dont think you can beat it. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NT ... UTF8&psc=1

If you know you'll be doing lots of loading, the MEC is a better machine that will make you more productive. If getting in with minimal cost to try stuff out, there's nothing wrong with the Lee or the ammo it will load.

I was facing the same dilemma 6 months ago. A gentleman at my wife's church, recommended I buy a used Mec Jr instead of a new Lee. He said it would cost about $20 more but it would be well worth it. Well, he was right. I love my Mec. I bought it off of eBay for under $80 and it loads like a dream. I've never loaded with a Loadall so I can't tell if it is better or not, but watching youtubes of people using it, I can tell you that the mec is faster and much easier to unload shot and powder after a session. I've made it through my first 25# bag of shot (+/- 400 shells) and don't regret buying used.

If this is your first time reloading, my advice is don't go crazy hunting for powder. When I started, whenever I found local shot shell powder, I bought it because of the shortage. Well, the shortage seems to be tapering off now and I have found some reliable source that restrict powder purchases to keep the hoarders at bay, only problem is I now have 5 pounds of various types of powder. I know, things could be worse and I'll have to keep a stiff upper lip shooting through my powder inventory In hindsight, I should have cooled my jets and tested powders a pound at a time and stick with the one I like best. Best of luck with your decision, let us know what you ended up with.

ncbluedot wrote:I was facing the same dilemma 6 months ago. A gentleman at my wife's church, recommended I buy a used Mec Jr instead of a new Lee. He said it would cost about $20 more but it would be well worth it. Well, he was right. I love my Mec. I bought it off of eBay for under $80 and it loads like a dream. I've never loaded with a Loadall so I can't tell if it is better or not, but watching youtubes of people using it, I can tell you that the mec is faster and much easier to unload shot and powder after a session. I've made it through my first 25# bag of shot (+/- 400 shells) and don't regret buying used.

If this is your first time reloading, my advice is don't go crazy hunting for powder. When I started, whenever I found local shot shell powder, I bought it because of the shortage. Well, the shortage seems to be tapering off now and I have found some reliable source that restrict powder purchases to keep the hoarders at bay, only problem is I now have 5 pounds of various types of powder. I know, things could be worse and I'll have to keep a stiff upper lip shooting through my powder inventory In hindsight, I should have cooled my jets and tested powders a pound at a time and stick with the one I like best. Best of luck with your decision, let us know what you ended up with.

Look at it this way - you'll have some powder left over for the NEXT shortage....

ncbluedot wrote:I was facing the same dilemma 6 months ago. A gentleman at my wife's church, recommended I buy a used Mec Jr instead of a new Lee. He said it would cost about $20 more but it would be well worth it. Well, he was right. I love my Mec. I bought it off of eBay for under $80 and it loads like a dream. I've never loaded with a Loadall so I can't tell if it is better or not, but watching youtubes of people using it, I can tell you that the mec is faster and much easier to unload shot and powder after a session. I've made it through my first 25# bag of shot (+/- 400 shells) and don't regret buying used.

If this is your first time reloading, my advice is don't go crazy hunting for powder. When I started, whenever I found local shot shell powder, I bought it because of the shortage. Well, the shortage seems to be tapering off now and I have found some reliable source that restrict powder purchases to keep the hoarders at bay, only problem is I now have 5 pounds of various types of powder. I know, things could be worse and I'll have to keep a stiff upper lip shooting through my powder inventory In hindsight, I should have cooled my jets and tested powders a pound at a time and stick with the one I like best. Best of luck with your decision, let us know what you ended up with.

If you found a complete MEC for $80 you did great. I would have bought that over the LoadAll too. But those deals are far and few in my experience. Usually your looking at closer to $200 for a complete Mec.

there are some on ebay right now with bidding still under $100, I found this buy it now for $125 http://www.ebay.com/itm/MEC-600-JR-MARK ... 1e99d22167
But most seem to be selling for and bidding out around $140 +/- which is still over 2 times that of the LoadAll.
All I can say is, I have the LoadAll, and I have no problems with it and like it ..

Hey, I also have a ammo box of really old Herters shotgun reloading dies , 12, 16, and 20s , for a single stage press. maybe I could put those on ebay and someone would buy those off me ?? They are in good shape. hmmmm...... They were my Gramps

I had to go back to my auction records to make sure I wasn't pulling a Brian Williams. I was definitely in the first chopper...so to speak.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/141501700382

Everything was complete, even though it it looked like it had been in storage a while. It cleaned up real nice. It only came with one charge bar (118) and one bushing (34), so I made some additional purchases of 6 more bushings and a 1oz charge bar. I broke one of the shot bottles with a funnel, so that doesn't count. One of my many noob mistakes.

I've been happy with the two Lee Load-Alls I have, one in 20-gauge and one in 12-gauge. I've been using them for years and they produce perfectly serviceable ammunition. One advantage they have over the MEC Jr. is they come with a complete set of powder and shot bushings that allow you to load any conceivable combination of loads right out of the box. MECs come with a charge bar for one shot load weight and 3 powder bushings.

I've put my reloads through pump, O/U, and semi-auto shotguns with no issues at all and their appearance is almost indistinguishable from new shells.