MEC 600 Jr Mark V vs Lee Load-All II (A fair comparison) 

A very good comparison of the presses. Thanks for making this video.

Great video I'm new at this you made it clearer. Thanks

Great review Thanks

Exactly what I needed! About to take the leap into reloading 😸

Thank you for making this video, you’ve given me a lot to think about.

Thank you for this comprehensive and well-presented video. Well done! Grace and Peace 😊

Bro your vids are legit, thank you! Subbed.

Thank you for your input!

Which ever loader you are using, just watching you all reload shells is therapeutic and relaxing.

Excellent run down, thanks.

I want to experiment with 20-gauge loads. I emailed Lee with a question about maximum shot size dispensed via hopper. They answered in a few hours, which says A LOT to me. BTW, Lee said BB (0.18") was the reliable limit, beyond that you wouldn't use the hopper. For $77 as I type this, I say done. Thanks for this video!

I owned a Lee Load All II for a while but switched to a MEC 600 Jr for one of the reasons you mentioned. Although it is more expensive, the emptying of the powder and shot is much easier on the MEC than on the Lee. If Lee could come up with a more convenient way to empty their hoppers, I'm sure more people would opt for that press over the MEC.

I 3d printed extra powder and custom shot bushings for the MEC. A 1 1/8 charge bar can then be bushed down to 7/8 and 3/4 easily. There's ebay sellers for the 3d powder bushings, you can get a whole set for the price of one in 3d plastic.

Great video thank you

Look for used MEC presses, they can be had around $100 all day and sometimes come with extras- hulls, wads, etc. I have 3 Mec's now, and all for the cost of a single new one.

Great review Audren cheers

Super video, thank you

Nice vid. I have the lee for shotgun and Lyman for cartridge

Very usefull. Thx 👍

Nice vid. I suppose I'll man up and give it a try. Probably go with the MEC as I have a couple of cases of good factory ammo and would be using the same hulls several times over.., so there's that. Just can't afford factory ammo prices for 28 gauge anymore, not on my meager retirement. Thanks...

Thanks so much!

Got it thank you

After a first casual attempt to load shotshells with the Lee Loads all 2 I am turning my attention to add shooting trap/skeet and I feel I need a more sturdier unit. So I'm now out doing due diligence for upgrading(?) to 600 Jr. Very good explanation. Thanks. I'm gonna subscribe..

Great comparison vid! Just a note that the Lee uses nylon bushings and slide bar, and, I think, nylon reinforced plastic for the other parts.

Good job, Sir💯💙💜💚

Des conseils très utiles. Merci!

This is a really great review. I think some part of the message is not to overthink things and don't try to "future-proof" you decisions. I am just starting out so the Load-All is fine for me, not even $70 on Amazon right now.

Good review I understand about quickly out growing the Lee. We are living in uncertain times. Think I'll get both . The price of everything is going up. If you use or enjoy something buy enough so you can continue to do so. Save money in the long run.

Thank you

amazing video!

I have loaded on both as well. The price of the Lee Load All is attractive for sure. I have 5 Mac presses and wouldn't change now for anything. The biggest complaint I have with the Lee Load All is with a fine flattened ball or flake powder I would get small amounts of leakage from the press onto the work bench. I do have one complaint about the MEC I wish they would offer a six-station single-stage press. This way they could offer their radius die as an option. I know the factory die is supposed to do that, but I find it much easier to adjust on the 9000GN than on any of my single-stage presses.

I have both, the MEC for 410 and the Lee for 20 ga. The MEC is my favorite. Setup of the MEC takes a bit of time, a couple wrenches and a screwdriver. But the precision when I am done with setup is magnificent. EMptying the powder and shot is easy. Customer service, bushings, other parts is easy. The powder leakage when using the MEC does exist, but is pretty small. The Lee can make some sloppy shotshells. but they feed and shoot in my 870. Powder leakage through the bushings is more than the MEC.The 20 gauge doesn't include smaller shot and powder bushings. Lee does not offer smaller bushings. This will exclude a lot of powders that are specified for 20 gauge loads. I was weighing powder with a powder thrower into the shells and then inserting the wad and shot. I had to contact a 3D printer guy online and work with him to get smaller powder and shot bushings. Elite set me up with powder bushings 0.075, 0.080, 0.085 and 0.090 and shot bushings for 3/4 and 5/8 ounce. The leakage on the Elite bushings is less than the Lee bushings. I have reloaded 000 buck on the MEC, putting the powder in then the wad and adding the buckshot off the machine by hand, then using a roll crimper. Much less expensive than buying them. I'm making a three 000 410 for about 35 cents rather than trying to find them for a buck or more.

I've been reloading brass for years, have a Dillon 750 for that, but I just recently got into loading 12ga with Goose season upon us here. I bought the load all on a recommendation from a friend based on what I said I wanted to do. I've loaded 1250 2&3/4 BB shot rounds with it using Longshot powder. It works. Longshot sticks to the plastic powder bushings (not static cling, it cakes on and has to be scraped off mechanically), that took some time for me to solve, but I ended up going with the next size up powder bushing then throwing about 20 powder charges to let the powder build up, once that happened it throws pretty consistent charge weights.

I don't have a shotshell press yet, but I'd really like it if there were an equivalent to the Lee Hand Loader for metallic cartridges. Resize/decap your whole batch of hulls; recap the whole batch, drop powder with a dipper/funnel and seat wads for the whole batch (off the press), drop shot with a dipper for the whole batch, then precrimp and crimp back on the press. The 7/8-14 thread in metallic cartridge presses is too small for 12 ga., however, so it would be a whole new product and it seems unlikely Lee would want to compete with themselves. I agree, an easy way to empty the hoppers on a Lee would be a very welcome change. Maybe something that could be made as an aftermarket modification for the press? In all other ways, the Lee wins over the MEC to my eye. I need to get one (but even worse, I need a place to shoot that isn't an hour and a half away -- I've only had the chance to shoot about three boxes of shells through my 870 since I got it four years ago).

Great video! Im waiting on my LEE 20 gauge press. My son just started shooting shotguns and figured id give it a try, mainly for low recoil target rounds. I currently reload metallic for several rifles. It seems like shotshell reloading is more confusing with wad, hull, primers, and powder choices! Haha. Maybe im just over analyzing. What are your thoughts on using the vague loading data which comes with the Lee press....that seems pretty simple assuming i have the correct powders called for. With the data provided by Lee wads and primers dont really matter. I did order a shotshell manual also. Thanks for you great videos.

I have ended up subscribing.

I use two lee load all one for 12 gauge and one for 16 gauge

I have pacific 155 12/20ga got tried of switch components bought a lee load all for 12ga its slower but does a good job, also have a mec 600 jr for 28 and 410 the final product are all good just the speed is the only difference.

Is a six or eight crimp better for trap and skeet. ??? I’ve noticed when purchasing/buying factory ammo… game loads tend to be 6 crimp and target/ trap-skeet loads tend to be 8 crimp. Can you explain or maybe hopefully do a video on 6vs8 crimp? Thank you for your time and video

I have just started reloading and have the Mec 600 jr. You are correct, it takes a bit of tweeking to get it right but is good to go after you do. I use mine for .410 and will be getting another for 28 gauge. And yes, you are better off sticking with one type of hull. I am using AA and Federal, AA’s work best. I am only loading 2 1/2” and sometime this winter when I have all the 2 1/2” hulls loaded I will do some 3”. Not really looking forward to that because of the tweeking required for the 3” then the re-tweeking to go back to the 2 1/2”. I use mostly 2 1/2”. There is a company “ creative loading solutions” owners name is Rod. They make a neat tool (gauge specific) for trimming first shot hulls to correct length. You only need use it once. Its an extra step but I love that tool, makes for perfect crimps. Since I am not trying to set records for shells loaded it gives me a chance to inspect each hull. Rod is great to deal with and very helpful. Take a look at his RU-vids

I am looking for my first press and wanted to know which version of the mec you recommend. I mostly upland hunt and shoot trap with my 20ga

Ive been using a lee for over 15yrs for 12ga. I have a mec 600 for 410 and a friend gave me a mec for 20ga.

Purchased a LoadAll II long time ago when the base was still cast metal not plastic. It sat gathering dust until just a few years ago when I started loading slugs. Most shotshells are still priced fairly low as ammunition goes so there was never much incentive for me to reload since I stopped skeet shooting where you run thru a lot of ammo toute de suite. I have a good recipe for Lee sabot slugs & have churned out quite a few until I ran out of primers. Slugs & buckshot are pricey & it's definitely worthwhile to load your own. Obviously can't use the shot hopper for slugs & I prefer to weigh each powder load so don't use the powder hopper either. I've seen mods done on the hoppers so they can be emptied without tilting the whole shebang. Can be as simple as cutting an opening lower down on the compartment which can be plugged while in use. Earlier this year I lucked in & scored a MEC 700 at an estate auction, don't recall the price but it was a steal vs buying new. Haven't used it yet but for sure it's a nice rig. Once I'm able to get primers again I can do my own comparison, LoadAll vs MEC 700. To be honest I think for most folks the LoadAll will be a good investment. There's a conversion kit available so you can load 20 gauge with it.

Honestly...I was VERY AFRAID to reload shotshells, I was like this is toooo much to do, when people explained the steps without ACTUALLY SHOWING the Process.....Now after watching tons of vids and seeing and following along ...Now seeing that it's only about 7 steps to reloading! Now making it more understandable l, now and If others can do it and be successful in reloading...then so can I. I am eager to buy the Lee Load all 2! And get the converters to convert to different gauges....RU-vid VIDS ARE VERY HELPFUL as a start8ng point!

The lee all will wear at the arms over time I saw this watching the Shotgun scientist

I just had a thought to greatly accelerate reloading speed with either the MEC 600 Jr or on the Lee Load All II: How about filling each station on the press with a hull so that you're continuously feeding shells instead of going one at a time? Yes, this would necessitate buying a second resizing die for the Load All II, but am I wrong about this as an idea that could actually work to possibly double your rounds per hour?

Can you only load one type of ammo? Like is there a way to swap a piece and loak both 12 guage and 20 guage with the same press? I'm pretty new to all this and ammo is expensive lol.

I reload Remington sets and gun clubs I have 3k hulls. I usually use RXP12 Remington wads with red dot. I can not find either wads or powder. Can you please suggest an alternative wad and powder combo I can use in my Remington hulls. Thank you for your time and consideration. Respectfully Ned in Western NY

Pardon me, but have you ever used a " universal" charge bar with your mec600? These charge bars use a screw adjuster to push a block to make the powder or shot measuring chambers larger or smaller, and thus remove the need for bushings and different charge bars. They don't have the rubber insert to prevent shot shearing, though..

The problem with LEE is simple: bad crimp from last station ... It needs new shape but factory sells is as is.. cheap but cheap :D

I think the Manual Re-Sizer is just too much of an inconvenience.

Most people who have the load all say the powder drop is not accurate all the time . They keep said they need to tap or bang on it to make sure the powder drops . That’s a real problem to me .

The brass base on my shells is .5 inch high and when I full length size the shell it gets stuck in the sizer. What am I missing

Which is better for loading no lead options? We can't use lead for hunting in California , tungsten and bismuth shotshells are very expensive. Especially in .410.

I'm on the fence now. I have a mix of 12 ga. shells I've scrounged over the years. Is it really that big of a deal to tweak the MEC for different shells? I really want to like the Lee Load All II, but it looks like such a toy compared to the MEC.

With the Lee I find the powder charge is very inconsistent.

I have LEE load all ... Some tuning and it is quite usable .. But mec gives better crimp. Lee was easy to get in Poland, but mec ... no.

If I get a mec will it load #6 shot steel consistently ? If so what size bushing or bar should I get ?? Also will it work with Alliant steel powder thinking about buying one

Where to you live Canada or Australia????

I bought my mec at $!82 .

Hi...what happened to the 6 month brined fish tasting video?

Biggest problem is Lee won't make a 410 version....they are really missing out on a lot of money

There is no comparison. One is a reloader. One is a toy...

I jumped in with Lee and learned and made and still make great rounds. But recently I did buy a mec 650 for the advantages Lee does not have. Note I will not be getting rid of the lee press.