[Amiller86]

Hi my Mec collet on the 9000E will mushroom gun clubs about 1-3/100 which I don’t mind too much but same rate on my federal papers and I can’t stand wasting those so I went and got one of the best forum members here to sell me a Mec case conditioner that I’ll run the papers through first. But I tried running AAHS the other day and it mushroomed 5 out of 7 so I stopped and switched to GCs. I run a bore brush through it and grease it. When I had a 9000gn I’d feel the stroke hit a bump and I’d know it’s the hull not dropping on the collet and I could force it down but not on the Automate it just plows through them. Maybe I have a bad collet? I never took one of those apart but maybe I should try.

 

[flashmax]

Collet is bad, has a pellet behind a petal or lifter has obstructions below or dirt inside drop section.

 

[1straightshot]

Your shell is not bottomig out in the sizer. Try taking the lifter out of the sizer. Swab it with gun cleaner and dry it completely. Then use a 45 cal. brass brush down the hole followed by a dry patch. Works for me when I have the same problem.

 

[Jim Porter]

Above info is good. I had a piece of shot behind one of the petals and the outer ring. It was hard to see. Finally found it with the use of a flashlight. That fixed it. As stated you might have a shot or trash on the tube that is inside the sizer..pull it out and clean it. It can be trash between the petals of the sizer. And, you know this i'm sure, but be sure that you don't have too many spent primers in the catch tray under the press. That can stop the sizer tube from coming down enough and a hull will be ruined.

 

[Little B at BS]

All of the posts above contain great information.
This may be more information than you want to know but here goes.
Go online to the MEC site and find the troubleshooting videos.
I would suggest you watch videos 4, 7, 15 and 23.
If after watching these videos you still have problems or questions I would give MEC a call. The only dumb question is the one not asked!
By the way I love the Federal papers also.

 

[Bob_K]

Don't forget to check Station 3 to make sure the wad fingers are in good shape and the wad guide is properly lined up. The rod that holds the wad guide is also the rod the lowers the fork that lowers the shell lifter.

 

[Little B at BS]

If you do have a bad collet I have done a temporary fix on one by taking it out, putting it into a vise and pounding a round tapered punch down through the top of the collect to stretch it out and allow a hull to drop down like a new one. However, I suggest a new one is the best fix for the long run.
Be careful and don’t damage the threads on the collet with the vise!😉

A good way to clean the finger slots is to get a cheap set of automotive feeling gauges and insert them in the slots and vigorously move them up and down in the slots.

 

[1straightshot]

Above info is good. I had a piece of shot behind one of the petals and the outer ring. It was hard to see. Finally found it with the use of a flashlight. That fixed it. As stated you might have a shot or trash on the tube that is inside the sizer..pull it out and clean it. It can be trash between the petals of the sizer. And, you know this i'm sure, but be sure that you don't have too many spent primers in the catch tray under the press. That can stop the sizer tube from coming down enough and a hull will be ruined.

A good way to clean the finger slots is to get a cheap set of automotive feeling gauges and insert them in the slots and vigorously move them up and down in the slots.

As Jim stated about the stray Pellet etc. Is great advice. I use a dental cleaning kit from the dollars store*. It comes with a dental pick and Angled mirror. You can visualize all the nooks and slots without taking apart anything apart or twisting your neck. Better than poking blindly around.
* No guarantee the Dollar Store is a dollar anymore.

 

[Grizz56]

Just encountered same problem 2days ago. Had a stray pellet smashed under lifter and between petals!!! Used light, mirror, an pic. Let us know what u find .

 

[Jim Porter]

BY THE WAY...you and another responder mentioned FEDERAL PAPER HULLS. I load a bunch of those to and on a MEC 9000. The sizer I have would put "marks" on the hull above the brass. It didn't hurt anything but it didn't look good either. I talked to the MEC specialist while at the Grand. I said I had a problem with Federal Papers and he said and I know what it is. HE DID! He pointed me to a sales sheet that a new/different collet finger section. He said that MEC had noted the problem and had "relieved" the finger section just for paper hulls that would contact the hull just above the brass. It sells for about $75. I apologize that I don't have the part number....but MEC does. A phone call makes it happen. And a credit card.
Oh, and it has no effect on plastics.
Inquiring Minds Want To Know...remember that?
Jim

 

[halfmile]

Mec Maintenance kit has a nice double ended pick and a tube of collet lube with brush, in addition to a wrench and holding tool.
Money well spent.

HM

 

[Frank C]

sometimes the shell (almost always) a gun club doesn't fall to the bottom of the deprime size station, if you feel any extra resistance when pulling the handle, check the bottom of that shell.....

 

[flashmax]

sometimes the shell (almost always) a gun club doesn't fall to the bottom of the deprime size station, if you feel any extra resistance when pulling the handle, check the bottom of that shell.....

That would work. Except. He is running an Automate.

 

[claybrdr]

I've gotten in the habit over the years to "help" the case to the bottom of the collet. Thumb and forefinger pushing down, mindful not to be caught by the deprime punch.

 

[John Henry]

Don't forget to check Station 3 to make sure the wad fingers are in good shape and the wad guide is properly lined up. The rod that holds the wad guide is also the rod the lowers the fork that lowers the shell lifter.

with it only happening 1-3 times per hundred, this is a very good possibility. Just raise the wad guide about 1/8 inch, and that problem will go away!

 

[ezz555]

My vote is on the shell not dropping all the way down. Make sure you don't have the collet adjusted too tightly.

 

[DFW_Bill]

I experienced a similar situation using my MEC 9000E in 28 ga., with the hull tilting and hanging when the machine cycled. I adjusted the wad guide to exhaustion and finally changed the existing collet for a new one. It is difficult to tell a collet is sprung unless you have a new one to see the difference in hull clearance. No problems since replacing the collet and I adjusted the new collet as open as I could for my guns.

 

[timb99]

Also make sure you are getting the shell in ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT when you place it in the station.

My problem was none of the above.

It was me "just not quite" getting the hull in all the way to the right, and the edge of the hull was hanging up on the collet fingers on the left.

When I cycled the reloader, the hull wouldn't drop all the way in.

Operator error!!!!

 

[marbax]

All the possible problems have been posted, also make sure your spent primers aren't stacking up under the collet.

 

[Amiller86]

This has been the best responses to a thread I’ve ever had and I want to thank everyone so much! I have made so many adjustments including raising the wad guide 1/8” and going to a flat primer tray and dumping it every 50 or so and cleaned the collet and greased it a few times. I went 100 straight GCs and not one mushroom and I thought I fixed it but went to AAHS and bam two straight mushrooms right off the bat… I then had my father help me push the right button as I pushed the left and pushed the AAHS hull down and it didn’t mushroom any with me doing that. Plus I can’t believe how much I adjusted my machine to try that load. Way over crowded. I’ll go to AACF if those HSs hit really well tomorrow. I also have a mokemate on the way so if I have to very carefully guide AA’s down that isn’t too bad. I am only trying to find a plastic case plastic wad combo that patterns at the same POI of my papers with the two piece champion wads to practice 27 yards with. My fig8 wads pattern much lower than the champions so I’m trying AA with AA wad next.