Since Hodgdon acquired RCBS, I have almost sent them an email three times inquiring about a return to shotshell reloaders. Each time I just figured there was a reason RCBS got out of shotshell reloading, and the reasons probably still applied. This is good news, I suppose, but I am unlikely to buy any more reloaders.

 

Why would they introduce a loader when Mec dominates the affordable market and the RCBS loaders were virtually discontinued for poor sales?.

 

Well he didn’t flat out say that one is coming out but what I heard was a hint that it may. I would think that they would do market research before saying go. Go listen for yourself. The episode is from last Sunday the 4th of August and it’s in hour 3.

 

They already had a shotshell reloader, the Grand. It was only available in 12 and 20, and the conversion kit to go to the other gauge was expensive.

 

It'd be funnier if Joel Hodgson had hinted at a reloader based on Tom Servo.
MST3K fans will know.

 

FWIW - I owned an RCBS Grand and IMO, it was damn fine reloader that was very underrated.

The only reason I sold it was that I had a chance to pick up a Dillon SL900 for a great price and did not need 3 machines. I confess, the fact that the Grand was being discontinued factored into my decision to let it go.

Anyway, I thought it was a very well made machine and it's too bad it was discontinued.

 

RCBS failed at putting Grand or Mini-grand out. Market research done. Mec loaders work if people read and comprehend instructions. Hornady dropped everything but the progressive. Lee failed, nice idea but it wouldn't size steel base hulls. P/W failing, haven't seen a new one in years. Spolar fine if you want to blow your retirement money to load 10 flats an hour. My Mec 650's, Texan RT and Herters 390 doing fine. Nice to know they're trying, but effort better served getting affordable powder available.

 

PW failing? they have a 2 year waiting list to get a new 800 plus.. what is your definition of failing?

 

The only thing they could do that'd work would be to reintroduce the Grand, and price it 30% less than a 9000G. But to do that it'd pretty much have to be 100% chinese made.

Otherwise there really aren't any holes in the shotshell reloader market, esp at a time where reloading is on the decline and many people who shoot 12ga at clay targets are just buying factory shells. Even MEC finally realized they were filling holes that didn't exist when they discontinued the 650.

MEC completely owns entry level to mid range. PW owns high range, but they seem to have disappeared. Spolar owns ultra high range. The Hornady and Dillon were always the redheaded stepchildren of the shotshell reloader market, as was the Grand.

 

Even MEC finally realized they were filling holes that didn't exist when they discontinued the 650.

The 650 was designed for brass based hulls that didn't need resizing if they were previously fired in your gun.

The proliferation of inexpensive steel based hulls marked the demise of the 650.

MEC simply responded to the direction of the market when they discontinued this hybrid-looking loader.

To me, it always looked like a Grabber on a 600 Jr frame.

If resizing wasn't needed, the 650 is an excellent loader that produces a shell that looks as good as one from any other loader out there.

 

I'm still doing some reloading on a RCBS Grand 12 ga. Works great and makes a good reload. So far it has been supported by RCBS for parts and info.

 

I have 3 MEC’s, 1 9000 and a 8567 Grabber that I purchased over 25 years. The other 9000 a pneumatic, I bought 10 years ago. I had a Junior I bought in 1972. The Grand I have had for 20 years. It is a far superior machine over the MEC in almost all aspects except resizing. I also have 2 Super Sizers to compensate for the lack of one on The Grand.

 

MSRP was over $1k in 2014, so they were more expensive than pretty much anything but the Spolar at the time.

 

08:00 through 09:00. "you never know."




Thanks for the link!

 

If RCBS can make a progressive shotshell reloader with a price between the Mec 9000GN and the P/W’s but without the year or two year long waitlist, I think they will sell like hot cakes.

Ultimate Reloader did a series of videos on the RCBS Grand. It looked like a good press:

but those videos are now 10 years old.

When the ATA Grand moved to Sparta, RCBS had a booth there. At the time, I was more into metallic reloading. I can’t remember if they had a Grand set up on a bench back then or not. RCBS might have been there for just the first year or two tops at Sparta. I felt like a kid in a candy store.

 

I will toss in my opinion here.
I have owned RCBS progressive machines for metallic cartridges....Have had a Dillon 650 and two Mec 9000
We had at one time 6 RCBS Piggtback units (Still have 2 )
Currently have 4 Mec 600 Jr..... 1 Pacific (Hornady) 366 and a Pacific 266....Also have a Bair 260
Every press made has little quirks and idiosyncrasies that will toss the operator a curve ball every so often....
The more complex the unit, the more chance of having issues.....
With things.
Except for the Two Mec 9000 presses ....All of the current machines were bought used....

Without exception every one had been messed up (Adjustments so far off) such that reloading a usable shell was not going to happen.

The more complex the machine is....the more issues there are going to be.

The RCBS Grand was/is a great machine.....But it has a lot of delicate parts that can and do break if the operator is not running the machine correctly.......
Over engineering is the reason..

The MEC 600 Jr is simple and yet people still screw them up...Then complain that the thing is junk.....

I bought two of my 600 Jr that were all messed up......and the manuals were still tucked in the box likely having never been read.

The user manual should be ragged and dog eared from reading the pages and learning all the little nuances of the machine.....
The idea that the manual is not needed is the reason so many presses wind up on ebay .....

A press like the Grand is a great machine.... (I helped a friend get his running after his Bro in law FUBAR'd it)

RCBS like all outfits can't deal with bad PR ....It costs them $$$$$$$$$$$$$....First thing so many folks do after they screw up their machine is get on social media and call smack......This will in many cases drive potential customers away.....

When I read these posts I cringe.....Pure stupidity .....Read the book and follow the instructions.....But the book winds up in the closet while the machine gets loused up and then it too gets tossed in the closet and labeled a POS.

Ah yes.......And so it goes
An ebay find for very little $$$ can be brought back to health in short order and serve as it was designed to do.....

Read the book.....The guy that built it knows how it works.......

I digress...

Rant off

 

There's an awful lot of truth in this post and I've found the same is true for jammomatic handguns I've purchased.

 

I agree and have a supporting point. My MEC650 had been running perfectly for years. I had to move and along the way something on my 650 changed. One of the nuts on the crimp station loosens, fell off and completely changed my crimp depth when I got it setup in my new place. Talk about frustrating. I bought it used with no manual so I went k line and found it. However, it is surprisingly lacking in detail on how to properly adjust the crimp station. So, I called MEC expecting to leave a message and hope they would call me back. Within 20 seconds of calling, I had a guy who talked me on to how the proper setup. 5 minutes after hanging up, I was back to making my perfect shells after almost launching the thing into the trash 20 minutes prior. MEC customer support is outstanding!

 

Yes, the Mec and RCBS (whoever owns it now) customer service was/is outstanding. Models for manufacturers to emulate. Mec 650 instructions were clear and concise. I still load with Lee hammer tools when my ex isn't beating me over the head with the hammer. Yeah, lets not go there with operators not reading instructions and going to a 6 foot breaker bar to make the machine work. Some folks can't figure out how a church key works. I have loads of RCBS loading dies. No beef here. Unless someone reinvents the wheel, I see no sense in selling a new press when reloading is dying. Hmm, Lee load fast upper and Mec 9000 collet lower?. Make it out of metal, not recycled plastic GI Joe or Stretch Armstrong dolls?. Dunno, if I could figure it out I'd be rich!!. Maybe.

 

Many years ago I bought one spolar that led to others. Had all the presses mentioned and several of them. I don't even think about other brands. Just one less thing to deal with. I do still have a selection of MEC single stage presses that I kept. Every once in a while I may use one for something. But seldom. I thought the grand was a good machine.

 

I reloaded on Mecs for 50 years, they are nice machines. I picked up a used Grand 10 years ago, loaded with it for 3 months and sold the Mecs. I now have 3 of the Grands, two 12 gauge and one 20 gauge. I have still been able to get parts I needed. I recently rebuilt a 12 gauge Grand for a friend that bought a used one and it's running great now. I hope they do bring them back though.

 

It is not just loading presses either.
The other half wanted a juicer a while back....I looked over the online reviews and there was waaaaaaaaaaaay too many juicers with "IT IS JUNK....Throws juice all over"
We bought one that had very bad reviews......"IF" you follow the instructions it works sweet....
If you do not follow the setup steps it can and will spray juice and pulp all over the place.....
The book points out this fact quite well....Big RED letters too.....

This machine has been wonderful...But we read the book.....And the manufacture was right....Miss one step in aligning the parts.....You are gonna be cleaning up a mess....

 

I wonder if the 366 would be more popular if Hornady didn’t batch them and they were more available. I love mine and have one setup for each gauge now.

 

The 366 is a great press....Pretty simple and has minimal issues......
The one thing I want is to be able to get any hull in the shell plate out to inspect it at any time.....

The 366 does not allow that....At least not easily.....
The 266 is not quite as fast....But the linear operation is nice....
Actually my fave press is the MEC 600JR.

All mine are set up with the adjustable shot/powder bars and I found the early style tube fed primer feeder with the manual shuttle to place the primer in the priming station and installed them on all the 600 Jr's

Very efficient and smooth......
The primer tube filler from the 366/266 works well to fill the tube on the 600 Jr......
Easy little job to fill the primer tube.....Primer can be set any time the handle is lowered....To suit each shooters preference .....

 

2 year waiting list. Might as well buy a Mec in that time.

 

there is a reason that 50 year old PW's are still hammering out perfect rounds today.. and that is why people will wait 2 years to get a new one.
fwiw,
PW makes all the new upgrades so that you can apply them to older machines.
I have 3 machines.. my original 800B has all the newest upgrades..it is over 40 years old and runs smooth and easy..parts are not expensive and the customer service is amazing..

 

If Hodgdon owns RCBS now, are they going to continue to provide parts/service to the grand?

 

I’ve had good luck with mine. Needed a few things over the years and they have always provided parts at no cost.

 

I really don't see reloading going away.....
Yessss...The cheap loads available at the "Mart stores" pencil out cheaper at times....BUT.....When you go to buy some and the shelves are bare.....OOOOOOPS ?????? And the trap shoot day is tomorrow....????? Now what.????
Supplies are at hard to get at times....Stock up when the stuff is available.....Having a couple barrels of good hulls stashed away...Several bricks of primers on the shelf and a buttload of various powders as well as wads....You are all set....

The Mart store is fresh out...No problemo....Run out a couple boxes for the shoot day and have a good time....
When the Mart store has stock again...do the math and if the numbers ($$$$$$) look good, buy a flat or two.

I do not like having to depend on the stores having stock.....This is 2024 things are not like they were in 1970...or even 1990....
Be self sufficient .....

Loading supplies last a loooooooooooooong time.....Tens of decades on the shelf if stored in a cool dry place (Not in the 110F garage) Normal household temps works..

I have powder that was made in the 1960's and is in metal cans....Still sweet smelling and shoots great....

Presses that are kept clean and rust free (Cover with an old pillow case to keep dust off when not in use) will last several lifetimes.......I have a very early 600Jr .... Paint is worn from decades of love....Still makes great loads..

Just saying......

 

Deets, RCBS always provided excellent customer service to me. No issues, an example how customer service should be "worldwide". The "Grand" is discontinued. Suggest keeping it well mainained and lubricated, buy spare parts that could wear or break, and copy instruction manual as spares too. Don't wait for the day when spares are only available on e-bay. No reason a press can't work for generations if properly cared for.

 

I owned and used a MEC 9000 and finally PW....hated the PW requirement to press up under pressure until you hear the click. I bought a used RCBS Grand and loved it....built solid like a RCBS RockChucker and easy to use...all the pressure is on the down stroke and not much at all compared to PW. I now have two of them. As others have stated, even though discontinued by RCBS, they still continue to support parts for the most likely to break items which are few. I hope they bring it back at a price to compete with MEC and PW.....don't need a Spolar at their price point.