[deadpair]

I have a MEC 9000 with an auto mate on it and am having trouble with consistent power drops using red dot. sometimes the vary by 1/2 to 3/4 of a grain.I have tried a baffle and that did not help. thinking of going with the tall bottle for the powder or maybe putting a drier sheet in the powder container to rule out static. what have other people used to solve this problem. I am about ready to get rid of the loader and try something else to load on.

 

[FLIP]

I will take the loader but all you have to do is slow down,wait at the bottom of the cycle,watch that the charge bar screw goes all the way left, it will work fine

 

[Merlyn]

It is not your loader. Static electricity is one culprit. Speed and duration of the downstroke is another. Remember that the powder drops into the charge bar on the downstroke and empties in the shell on the upstroke. Either of which, to short in duration can vary powder drops. Powder clinging to the drop tube indicates a static problem. Good luck , and a combination of causes might be happening. Im sure there will be more suggestions to your problem....merlyn

 

[skeetfield]

Try a dryer sheet around the outside of the bottle with a rubber band around it..

 

[Jon Reitz]

deadpair,

I feel for you, as I have battled with the same thing on & off for years. Everything posted so far are things for you to look at and consider, and many more suggestions to you will come on this thread. I'll add a couple..

1 - Don't use a rubber grommet on the shot bottle side (right). It can catch, but only sometimes.

2 - Snug both bottles, but then back them off just a bit.

3 - On the upstroke, be sure to push that handle back. (Yes, I now the unit giving you fits is on an Automate, but 9000Gs without them will do the same thing).

4 - I use the tall bottles on both sides, with a bottle support. Swap them out every now and then because the graphite on the inside of the shot bottle seems to provide a slippery lubed surface to allow the powder flakes to fill or flow.

5 - Wash the bottles, particularly the powder bottle, with some dish soap. Rinse in cold water, and naturally allow them to dry totally.

6 - Watch the screw in the bar go all the way to the left, and then all the way back to the right. This forces you to spot any drag in the bar.

7 - Promo will be even worse than Red Dot just due to the inconsistency regarding Promo powder.

8 - This is the last one. Go up one bushing size, say a #31 vs. a #30. That would increase your powder drop a half a grain or so, which puts you a little further up in the "range". Then, when your powder drop is light by 3/4 of a grain as you stated above, (and yes, I agree with you on that), the shell still has enough velocity over a chrono to do what you want/need it to do.

Good hunting. I will watch this thread with interest.

Jon Reitz

 

[wrd]

I hang a dryer sheet inside a tall powder bottle. Leave a little outside and tape it to the bottle so you do not lose it. I use Promo or Winchester Super Handicap and this seemed to help.
I found the plastic baffle to be a problem and I now use the metal baffle.
For some reason that I have yet to figure out, I get a light drop when the bottle is full and a heavier drop when the level is lower in the bottle. I am talking a couple of tenths either way. Generally, I can get a drop of one tenth either side of my goal. Keep in mind that no mere mortal can feel a difference between two or three tenths of a grain of powder.
When you first fill the bottle or tip it back to change bushings, you fluff up the powder. The machines vibrations will settle it down but I find that takes about 20/25 cycles.
Make sure that the bar screw goes all the way to the left.
If the bar ever fails to return to the right completely, try loosening the bottles a tad.
The vibrations of a 9000/Automate combo are much more consistent the a hand cranked 9000 so the results should be more consistent.
Hopefully this will be a long thread and we will all learn something.

 

[slayer]

Don't worry about it. That small of a variance will make no difference in your shell speed.
. Shake your powder bottle before pouring Bill

 

[4th. down]

All good thoughts here.

Also try a red plastic baffle for the powder - Downrange makes them for the MEC.

 

[CharlieAMA]

I grounded my 9000H and it helped with the static. Alot of people will say that grounding it is alot of BS, but it works for me. We don't have any humidity here in the Texas Panhandle. Also what Rick said, check the tightness of your bottles.

 

[deadpair]

I checked the travel of the bar and the shot and powder bushings are a lined with
the bottle openings so I think all is good there.going to try the tall bottle for powder and also the dry sheet trick. if these do not help the problem look for a mec with an auto mate for sale, I will buy a PW and forget the mec, i have had several of those in the past and never a problem like this.I will keep you posted

 

[AveragEd]

My 9000E on an AutoMate II is grounded and I don't use a baffle. MEC doesn't recommend them and the one time I caved and tried one, I had about 40% of a flat of shells sound like sick ducks. I weighed the unfired shells and cut open the ones weighing significantly less than the rest. I had some with as little as a few flakes of powder.

A look at my loader showed the cause. That baffle, being plastic, was not grounded and it was packed full of powder. An electrostatic charge can develop when two materials slide against one another and the added friction of the powder flowing through the baffle was the culprit.

The baffle went into the trash and I haven't had a blooper load since then.

Ed

 

[Jon Reitz]

What Ed said..

 

[billn]

I have no problem with my MEC 9000G 12, with and adjustable charge bar, I still use the powder baffle in the 12 with no problems. I use Clay Dot powder.

I had with the 410 9000G dropping light loads , talked to MEC and they said to not to use the powder baffle, took it out and had no more trouble with light drops. I use Alliant 410 powder with AA and Remington shells.

 

[Quack Shot]

If the weather is dry, a humidifier may help a bit. No need to do overkill, just enough so the air isn't as dry. If you decide to try grounding your press, be sure to install a 1 MegOhm resistor in series as a current limiting device. It's a mandatory component for anti-static devices in most environments.

 

[Vince McNamara]

All MEC loaders using the Automate are grounded when you plug the cord in.

 

[Full N. Fuller]

Be sure your drop tube is clean.