It’s time to start loading some 6.5 PRC, and I thought this would be a great opportunity to showcase the MEC Metallic lineup of reloading gear! In this post, I’ll show some MEC gear I haven’t shown yet, and walk through the end-to-end process of reloading 6.5 PRC in the video below. Let’s get to it!

MEC Marksman

I’ve been using the MEC Marksman for quite a while now, and LOVE IT! From my unboxing/overview/setup post (when the MEC Marksman was NEW):

There’s nothing like a solid piece of iron. Cast iron tools and machines are a lifetime investment, and I love it when I look at a tool and see “Made in USA”. Recently MEC (the Mayville Engineering Company) made an interesting announcement. This company which is known for top-notch shotshell reloading gear announced they are getting into the metallic cartridge reloading gear business. The cornerstone of this announcement was the MEC Marksman single-stage reloading press. The MEC Marksman features ductile cast iron construction, an open-front frame design for easy cartridge access, a new floating shell holder design with a unique retention system, ambidextrous handle setup, and is made right here in the USA!

Here’s the video from that story:

Some Familiar MEC Equipment

I’ve also had the MEC Powder Measure, Tricker, Polish and Case Lube in the shop for a while now. I featured these tools in my Precision 224 Valkyrie Reloading start-to-finish story last year. From that story:

1. MEC Marksman Press – single stage reloading press with floating shellholder (optimizes concentricity), solid cast-iron construction, open-front design, and precision ground/fit ram.
2. MEC Brass Bright Media Polish – an additive for tumbling media (like ground walnut shells) that enhances case cleaning and polishing.
3. MEC Metallic Cartridge Case Lube – a lanolin-based spray on lube (my favorite type of lube) that you don’t have to mix yourself!
4. MEC Powder Measure – bench-mounted rotating drum powder measure with best-in-class 2 pound capacity and included steel stand.
5. MEC Powder Trickler – A solid all-metal powder trickler that enables perfect powder loads every time.

Here’s the video from that story:

NEW MEC Metallic Gear in the UR Shop

I recently got the the gear shown in the above picture (as demonstrated in the video), from left to right:

1. MEC 400 Vibratory Tumbler
2. MEC Rotary Media Separator
3. MEC Pan Media Sifter
4. MEC Digital Calipers
5. MEC 100R Digital Reloading Scale Kit

Putting everything together for this story was fun, here’s the end-to-end steps I showed.

Reloading 6.5 PRC End-To-End Process

As demonstrated in the video, for these “initial loads” I performed the following steps:

1. Clean cases with the MEC 400 Vibratory Tumbler and MEC Case Polish
2. Lubricate cases with MEC spray-on lube
3. Size and de-prime on the MEC Marksman press
4. Prime on the Primal Rights Compeition Primer Seater
5. Charge cases using the MEC Powder Measure, MEC Powder Trickler, and MEC 100R Scale
6. Seat bullets on the MEC Marksman (using MEC Digital Calipers to check overall length)

For more information and details on the end-to-end process, please see the write-up from the 224 Valkyrie Precision Loading end-to-end story.

If you’re looking for a great place to purchase MEC metallic reloading gear, check out these products over at Midsouth Shooters Supply:

Now I’m ready to go and shoot my first 6.5 PRC loads, can’t wait! I’ll have more information about components and load development for 6.5 PRC in upcoming stories. Don’t miss out on Ultimate Reloader updates, make sure you’re subscribed!

Thanks,
Gavin