Minky

Has anyone got any load data for Tecna N powder. I have some but have miss placed the data for all gauges that I had. thanks in sdvance

Q It sounds like you were sizing the case before the old primer was knocked out. Yes this is exactly the fault on this machine. I'm not depriming or repriming on separate tools. The machine is a Mec SizeMaster SM82 in 28 gauge. I misunderstood your question there. Q website shows how to set each station up. The thing is that there is no setting up on this operation. You put the case in the collet and then pull the handle. There isn't any alteration of adjustment. On this machine nothing has been changed/ modified, altered or damaged so not sure why this is doing this but the two washers have cured the problem... and why mainly on high brass.? The internal case dimensions are practically the same on high and low brass..? Second edit. ... if you've sworn at it.. beaten it... and all else fails get the instruction manual out and read it.!!! I moved the loader and took some pictures.... after I'd finished and put the camera away I noticed that round the back underneath the collet there is a locknut.?? Also the main central shaft that has a peg and roller that controls the collet linkage. All of this was pretty dry. Now I've got to find the manual and all the other paperwork. Or read it online. The saga continues tomorrow.

Right. I've spent a lot of time on this problem today. I've checked and measured loads of things and arrived at a solution. I accurately measured all sorts of types / makes of ejected primers. Most are "0.243 overall but when rotated they vary by a thou or so. I operated the unit with no case. No fault found here. I got a strong light and checked the collet area to see if there was a rogue pellet stuck in there causing jam up and that it was all lubed up. All clear. checked to see if there was a build up of spent primers under the ejection port of the collet. all ok. So then I cut a couple of cases down so that I could see what was happening down at the primer. This did result in where / what the problem was. The primer punch isn't low enough to pop the primer out before the collet unit closes up thus you're trying to over force close the unit.? The punch is more than long enough and the main amount of punch is halfway up the case tube. Now I don't quite know why this has suddenly become a problem because it isn't damaged or worn and it has been performing well. To get over this issue I removed the primer punch rod and fitted 2x2mm thick washers on the top thread stem below the top plate. this means that the punch pop's the primer out before the collet locks up. The primers pop out easily. I measured the case heads before and after the colet resized them and this was ok. The only slight difference to the operation was that I wasn't almost bending the handle and breaking the machine although the operation was done before bottoming the stroke out. Job done. ps. By cutting a case down you can see exactly that the case is located in the right place and the primer punch is dead central. I hope this is simple to understand and easy to do. I still dont understand why it is necessary though. I'll put some pictures up later.

Thanks for the image of the primer sizes. Later today I will look again with more care of the diameters and check the timing of the punch but overall some cases are fine and others aren't and it's only getting some out that three is a problem.

I was editing my post and missed that one. Nothing really visible as to sealing. I'll make more measurments and observations. It's not the end of the world to loose a few cases and when the primer is out they reload well. It's just as to why its happening and what's causing it.

I can understand that if I couldn't get a new one in but it's trying to get the factory one out that causing the problems. I'll get a vernier micrometer and measure one that is tight and others. Then I'll measure some different new ones. Thanks All good ideas and things to look at. Edit. 28 gauge cases. Various makes, Bournaghi, Eley high brass seem the worst. Primers from different factory once fired seem to be pretty consistent in diameter at 0.243" and the new ones (Winchester) are again ( 0.243" ) the new ones slides into the primer pocket quite happily with an interference drag. When I've extracted the spent primer the deprime bar and spike go through the case and primer pocket hole quite easily. It's almost as if the old primers have been sealed into the pocket with some sort of glue/varnish with such a grip that the bases can get bowed out.

Recently I've noticed that in once-fired cartridges some of the primers (all OEM primers) are in very tight primer pockets. No rust, just tight primer pockets. Forcing the primers out with one downstroke results in a slight bulge ring around the primer pocket or bowing of the cartridge base. Now, when I experience a tight primer, I back off the operating handle of my size master and rotate the case half a turn, and bring the handle down again. Some really stuck primers require rotating the hull several times before it will drop out. With this approach, I've found that most of the tight primers can be removed without distorting the hull'cases base and the amount of bulge, if any, is far less than just forcing the primer out with one stroke. It mainly sems to be high brass. I've measured different cases and every dimension I can. The collet has been checked for debris and well coated with copper slip. Strangely when the primers are shifted out a little bit they can easily be popped out with the tip of a screwdriver. Anyone got any ideas as to why.?

Remember Remember the 5th of November. That was a week ago now and you'll recall how that guy ended up.!! I was only saying to a mate the other day that if prices and shortages continue as they have then we'll have to go back to black (no racial slur here) powder and flint. Potassium Nitrate from the toilet facility. 😊😊😊😊 it takes on a new interpretation of shot to.... by chicken ......

It's a dificult situation when a dog is coming to the end of the line. I've got that with an elderly spaniel. Several people have said to me to put her down but we get round the odd accident and the finicky fussy non eating but Every morning she greets me with a wagging tail and we have had many years of good hunting partnership behind us. She isn't in pain but I know the inevitable is coming and when I know the time is right I will do my duty. A lot of these homes don't keep them long before they knock them on the head. Old and difficult ones that they can't afford to feed for long are dispatched. they keep advertising for people to adopt a dog that was bought as a toy during the pandemic and are now being dumped.

He had choices. What's happened to the poor dog.?

If you go on youtube and look at the Mac ( can't pronounce the welsh) here....

Ooh, you are awful., but I like you. Get behind me SATAN. Frying bacon. Ooh and there was me being good. Not thinking about some sort of fry up. Still perhaps ole Greta thunberg will go down there and rip into them for burning down all that forestry and creating more global warming. Just think of that bacon frying over an open fire. 😊😊😊 Edit. I did notice that all of the tents look the same regulation issue. And that being next to fires with all that burning ash falling on them will be like colanders when it rains. Been there, done that.! And with a polish / Russian winter just round the corner, god help them. There for the grace of god go we.

There's correct caution and then there's paranoid fear. That amount of tarnish is neither here or there. The cartridge case only expands to seal the burning gasses from from inside the chamber. I found a dropped cartridge that had probably been on the ground for possibly a year or two which was really rusty like a crud rust. I decided to see if it would work and the next time we were throwing a few informal clays I put it in a rough old wet day gun. It went bang the same as you would expect and the clay dissapeared in a puff of dust. Just clean them off with an oily rag they'll be ok.

Edit..... in fact I have a Tayside reloader set that was promoted in about 1973 and the set is all simple hand tools. The instruction sheet states that it is possible to load a box a night.!! A bit different to my Mec 9000.

Well it is but it all depends on how many you shoot. That's about how my father and grandfather used to load in the late forties and into the fifties. They knocked the primers out with a bike spoke over a block of wood with a hole drilled in it. Made the wads with a wad punch using thick felt and cardboard boxes. The powder and shot were scooped out and they had a hand operated roll turn tool. No one went out and bought a thousand, no one shot clays, (can't eat clays),. When they went out every weekend they probably only carried 20 cartridges between them and every shot had to count. Also back in those days no one had fridges or freezers so they only shot what they could eat or sell. So it's all a matter of balance. As long as they go bang and the target falls they do the job required.

I thought that I could see it but it turned out to be soon old granny taking her dog for a walk with her path torch. 😊😊

I was only joking because a kind soul had advised me that it was very hazardous to play with unknown items.! which is very true.

Thanks for that info. it gives a starting point to see what's what. Stand well back and light the blue touch paper. 🙂

Thanks for the offer of posting the charts but I've got most of the info already. It's just load or two on the 78 powder. E.g. how many grains of powder to what loads as a starting point. As I previously stated there doesn't seem to be much info on this powder out there.

Thanks for the helpful replies. We do understand the risks and potential dangers of reloading materials of unknown origin. We are experienced at reloading both rifle and shotgun. I have found several references to loads so we can investigate these fired in a 3" Magnum in a work mate with a string line. Keep your powder dry though we might need more info. It's such a shame that everything that we develop in this country we seem to throw away. .... engineering, motor bikes, cars, tractors, aeroplanes, computers, jet engines, you name it and we chucked it away to some other country. How can it be sensible to have countries like italy and Spain produce the magority of shooting components. Still I suppose that some people like to go Morris dancing or some sort of prancing about. the other day a small bore target shooter told me that he had,had six misfires in 2 boxes of 50 rounds of ELEY MATCH. That's crazy bad. It's embarrassing. If anyone has any loads keep em coming.

Our surgery was pretty much like these and poor service overall but recently it has gotten a lot better. Not perfect but better. Last year I slipped and suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon but because of covid couldn't get any treatment. A couple of months ago I rang up, spoke to the receptionist and got a face to face with my doc who sent me off for an mri on my spine and an appointment to see a private consultant. This happened along with x rays and an Mr I scan of my ankle. So far so good. A month later and I am waiting on him to contact me with a date for a repair operation. Hopefully I will be able to walk properly again instead of walking with a painful limp. So maybe light at the end of the tunnel.

well as requested here is a picture of the cans. It's something I've never come across and I can find no mention of this powder online. The price label on the can would be comparable with probably the 80s. There is info on 80-82 series powders but no mention of 78.? Back in the 70s the price of a can of 80 or 82 was about a £. now that's inflation to what we pay now.

Looking for a 4.10 die kit for Mec 600. newer version

Sorry, I incorrectly stated that it was 79 !! Whereas it is #78.

Yes I do understand this angle and the dangers of messing about with unknown materials. There is a surprising amount of old stuff still out there. Both myself and my mate have part cans of 80 & 82 series in the stock's of old stuff that we never got round to finishing off. We would just like to see if anyone has ever heard or seen this powder because there doesn't appear to be any note of it online in relation to 60-62 80-82