Cyrus1988 Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 (edited) This is going to be a lot like a massive thread I started at the end of last year about the state of my final crimp on my Lee Loadall II in which everyone gave amazing advice and sorted me out. I’ve now graduated on to a MEC Sizemaster, picked a secondhand one up yesterday morning and spent the rest of the day fiddling about with it. When I got it home is was set up for loading 2 3/4” cartridges so I put some powder and shot in for a 28gram clay load that I currently make up on the Lee and it worked perfectly. However, the main reason behind this purchase was to load up 3” steel cartridges so I went about converting it to it’s 3” mode. Now the instruction manual is pretty minimal on this and after having a look online I couldn’t see any detailed instruction on carrying out the changeover so I just want to check with you guys I did it right. First thing I did was remove this bolt and move it down to the bottom hole: At the same time I moved the slider up to it's highest position before replacing the bolt: I then added the spacer ring under the priming station: This one I'm not too sure about, I added a spacer ring underneath the de-priming punch: So that was all the changes I made to the loader to do 3" cartridges. I then went on to load up some 3" steel cartridges that I have loaded up on the Lee Loadall II and even had proofed so I know they work. Bearing in mind that other than the changes I've stated above I didn't touch the pre-crimp and final crimp stations. I loaded a cartridge and when I crimped it on the final station it crushed the cartridge down just above the brass (pic further down). I thought it might of been me doing something stupid so I loaded another one and it did the exact same thing again. So I lowered the nut on the pre-crimp station hoping that might solve the problem: Loaded another cartridge and the same thing happened again so I adjusted the cam on the final-crimp station as far as it goes cock-wise: Loaded another two cartridges and still getting the same results: So now I'm thinking I've missed something when I was changing it over to 3" mode, I know the components in these cartridges fit together as I've loaded them on the Lee and they look fine. Am I missing something? Cheers. Edited May 3, 2015 by Cyrus1988 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 Can't be bothered to read all that but the swirl in the crimp means you have too much of the shell being crimped and it has no where else to go but sideways and the crushed base might be the result of that as it usually means too little volume in the case and something needs backing off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 (edited) I use a sizemater in 28 and it could be that you have two problems there. the crimp is too much but if those bits fit in the case ok on the other press then this case/ load must be being compressed down too much. there is tons of info about this type of thing on shotgun world. I think that there is a guy tagged " Curly no hair " that it a real expert of all mec things on that site. Clay game might help you. Edited May 3, 2015 by fortune Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaymo Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 You sure that you don't have it set on 'Northern Bird' mode as those case look exactly like some of the sights I saw on the beach last year..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 You sure that you don't have it set on 'Northern Bird' mode as those case look exactly like some of the sights I saw on the beach last year..... They do resemble a saggy tyre dont they. >> the cartridges I mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 Long crimp punch. I think 3" mode is the top hole / top bolt. If you lower everything it makes the shells shorter. If you look at your finished shells they have ripples at the bottom. The settings are too low! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 Yeah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saddler Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 MY Sizemaster came to me set up for 3" shells. I set it for the shorter 2 3/4" cartridges I use, by doing EXACTLY THE SAME with the main bolt as you just did The main bolt move WAS THE ONLY CHANGE needed to load 2 3/4" instead of 3"...no idea WHAT the spacer ring under the primer base is for (surely it's from the SHORT KIT?; but you need to make the press load LONGER not shorter...) It looks like most of what you changed resulted in less vertical height between the base & the dies, whereas you need to increase it not decrease it. THE quickest test to see what height a press is currently set for? Insert an empty shell on the base & run it through all stages, without powder/shot...if the press is set for 3", a 2 3/4" will barely be touched, if the press is set for 2 3/4" a 3" shell will look like the ones you posted above. OR, for speed, just run it through the last two stages; pre-crimp & crimp. OR Answer Option B - it's one of them defective Sizemasters made on a Friday afternon 15 minutes before they finish for the weekend. I'll give you £20 for it (...i.e. See my "Wanted ad." as I have a set of 10-ga dies & need a donor press!) The SIZEMASTER is my favourite MEC press, they run like a dream & make less operating noise than the models with sizer ring...and seem to make a better job of resizing hulls too. I like that the re-size collet can be adjusted to vary the sizing of the hull rim. I found out I needed to adjust it when some of the resized hulls would not fit into my case gauge...adjusted it a little in stages, measuring & testing, until the hull rims were back to correct dia. (I looked up on-line & saw how to adjust it, plus what the rim dia. should be...very easy job to do.) Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrus1988 Posted May 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 This is was I love about Pigeon Watch, thank you so much everyone that commented. Long crimp punch.I think 3" mode is the top hole / top bolt. If you lower everything it makes the shells shorter.If you look at your finished shells they have ripples at the bottom.The settings are too low! MY Sizemaster came to me set up for 3" shells. I set it for the shorter 2 3/4" cartridges I use, by doing EXACTLY THE SAME with the main bolt as you just did The main bolt move WAS THE ONLY CHANGE needed to load 2 3/4" instead of 3"...no idea WHAT the spacer ring under the primer base is for (surely it's from the SHORT KIT?; but you need to make the press load LONGER not shorter...) It looks like most of what you changed resulted in less vertical height between the base & the dies, whereas you need to increase it not decrease it. THE quickest test to see what height a press is currently set for? Insert an empty shell on the base & run it through all stages, without powder/shot...if the press is set for 3", a 2 3/4" will barely be touched, if the press is set for 2 3/4" a 3" shell will look like the ones you posted above. OR, for speed, just run it through the last two stages; pre-crimp & crimp. OR Answer Option B - it's one of them defective Sizemasters made on a Friday afternon 15 minutes before they finish for the weekend. I'll give you £20 for it (...i.e. See my "Wanted ad." as I have a set of 10-ga dies & need a donor press!) The SIZEMASTER is my favourite MEC press, they run like a dream & make less operating noise than the models with sizer ring...and seem to make a better job of resizing hulls too. I like that the re-size collet can be adjusted to vary the sizing of the hull rim. I found out I needed to adjust it when some of the resized hulls would not fit into my case gauge...adjusted it a little in stages, measuring & testing, until the hull rims were back to correct dia. (I looked up on-line & saw how to adjust it, plus what the rim dia. should be...very easy job to do.) Hope this helps This is what I was missing, bolt in the wrong hole, all sorted now. Just need to play about with the final crimp station now to get it perfect. Thanks again everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saddler Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 Yip - a night & day difference there! They don't take much time to fine tune, and I like mine almost as much as the PW375C...almost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 Yahoo. Bang-bang! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wigeon jim Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 All you need now is a geap finishing head! Jim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 Maybe wind the pre crimp down a touch and close up that hole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 Maybe wind the pre crimp down a touch and close up that hole My precrimp has washers acting like spacers to lock the precrimp. Its solid tight. But this is great advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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