CAUTION WHEN USING ADJUSTABLE CHARGING BAR

You must always adjust the charging knob IN to get your final weight, never out.
Why, the threads are not against the charge, and WILL cause weights to go heavier. Your powder charge will increase in powder charge, always start heavier and adjust down to your final weight, never back off your charge to get your FINAL weight. Backing out the charge knob is dangerous, remember always adjust in for final weight.

Gary Bryant.......................................Dr.longshot

 

There are two different charge bars depending on the year of manufacture.
Each one uses opposite adjustments.

http://www.multiscalecharge.com/manuals_CCS_DDS.php

 

I could never trust the adjustable bar, so I quit using them. I also quit reloading, my Mec hydro is now used by the kids in the mid west. Roger C.

 

That adj bar is the only one I use, No bushings, I use a digital scale and weigh everything.

GB..............................DLS

 

I've used my adjustable for over 10 years and wouldn't go back to the MEC bar. It takes a little time to tweak it but once it's set for a particular gauge [12 gauge] it's right on.

 

Somewhere in my "hideout" there is a box full of MEC bushings. Like getting used to a release trigger it took some time to be a booster of the adjustable bar. The more up to date bars have a copper colored spring gadget at each end and the rubber insert on the shot side. I did have one troublesome bar that was not flush on the top and bottom surfaces when new but a few passes across some sandpaper fixed that. As zazmonster says once set mine stay right on until I change the setting.

 

I had an adjustable and I wouldn't give a dime for another. I suppose there OK if you are going to load one load forever but if you load more then one you are always having to tinker with it and it's a pain in the ass. I figure out what bushing I need for the load and I'm done.

 

Thank you for the thread, I'll watch it carefully in the future.

 

Hello I have some problems with my bar that does not slide well (dude) is there a book that deals with settings and incidents with a press Mec 600 M5?

 

Are you using the zinc insert on the shot side? I have the adjustable bar for a sizemaster & grabber. On the sizemaster no problem, smooth as butter but the grabber did not slide well unless I used the plastic inserts. The zinc insert on the grabber either stood up a little bit high or if I pushed on it the bottom piece of metal that adjusts open or close would stick out a little. I took a dremel and sanded off some of the bottom metal piece. Also took an electric sander "lightly" to the top on the shot side. If you don't want to sand or file things down a little try one of the plastic inserts since the have a little more give to them.

 

Like I said and the Adj. Bar directions say, always turn the Adjusting Screw IN for final settings, Use Good Common Sense
The final adjustment is reducing the Charge weight to your specs, then tighten the set screw AFTER getting your charge weights, whether it is the Shot or Powder on your scale. geesh

If you do not have common sense you should not be loading shells..

GB............................DLS

 

Here is how I set my charge bar.
Place it on a piece of glass or other perfectly smooth surface.
Weigh out your shot or powder you want to use.
Pour it into open chamber and close until level with top of charge bar.
Lock the tiny set screws
Install in press and check, double check, with scale

Those tiny Allen head lock screws won’t allow anything to move.

 

I have used a UCB since my days of loading with a 600MEC...... I have always takes steps to remove "play" from adjustments but have never used the lock screws....... I always do check weights to insure uniformity and have never had weights vary outside of normal ranges...... plus or minus a tenth or two is my standard..... I am not at all saying one should not use the advice given above and at some point will probably try myself just to see if there is a difference...... I have in deed read some of the horror stories posted on other forums about the terrible performance some have using the UCB. Perhaps some units are simply built better than others??? Or perhaps I am one lucky SOB..... Larry

 

I do agree as the adjustable bar is a little on the sensitive side to get the drop weight exactly as you want it but it's well worth it. I would never go back to the bushings or the factory bar.

 

Adjustable charge bar is OK for the denser powders but ran into trouble while loading Tite Group. It's extremely fine and could not get consistent throws even using the powder baffle out of a Mec 9000.

 

LCH, I am loading Titegroup in some Nitro27 hulls and also in some Clevite hulls this week. I load on a 9000H and I am using the UCB with the metal powder baffle........ 18 grains in the Nitro hulls and 19 in the Clevite. I loaded the Clevite first and adjusted the powder from a 21 grain charge down to the 19 grain setting, then when I started with the Nitro hulls I adjusted down to 18grains......... both of those charges in test weights were plus or minus 1/10 of a grain with except for one of the 18 grain charges that was 2/10 grain light........... I make sure the powder bottle stays at least half full and make sure while loading to take the cap out of the bottle.. Its my belief that the finer the powder the more it acts like a liquid and dropping charges out of a sealed bottle might perhaps have an influence.
The other powder I use the most of is the Vectan AS, instead of the fine grains of the Titegroup it is a thin fairly large flake. I use the same procedure for setting the charge and end up with basically the same results......... Larry