Yippee, I'm going to be back in the reloading game.

D

Doyle

New member
I was just getting started in reloading using my buddy's equipment and location when he lost everything in a divorce. Then, I moved to MS and bought a house (temporary house until we can build a permanent place) that has zero room to set up any kind of decent reloading room. After doing some research and listening to some people on the forum, I've decided to build myself a portable reloading kit. The only kind of flat surface I will need will be a place to put a scale and some loading blocks.

For a press, I'm ordering a Lee Hand press. It should do everything I need until I get a permanent location for something better. Of course, I'll need dies, scale, caliper, various tools, etc. To store it all in, I've ordered a 26" Contico tool box.
 
Your buddy's wife had one heck of a lawyer.
Click to expand...

He actually got to keep the equipment. However, he lost a really nice detached 3-car garage. He moved into a small mobile home and then a small rented home. Last time I talked to him, he was trying to start reloading again but still had no dedicated place.
 
I cannot speak for others but I began handloading all by myself at 17yrs old and I had NO plans to stop just cause I had to move away to college.

I mounted my Lee Challenger O-frame press on to a thick 2x6 board and I laid it across the corner of my waterbed frame and I sat on the board. Ergonomically, it was less than "ideal" but it allowed me to load .38, .357, .45, .223 and my newest pet 10mm.

In summary, I feel most people make far too much of the "needed space" argument and might feel differently if they simply did it rather than dug for reasons why they "can't."

I'll also say that I loathe the Lee hand press but certainly, others disagree. Frankly, I would rather sit on a wood plank and operate a press with a lever. ;)

Terrific that you're jumping in -- we're here with you.
 
I agree with Sevens. Space is nice, but certainly not needed. I had a friend who got by quite nicely with a 3' section of a 2x8 board C-clamped to the end of a kitchen countertop. He screwed the press (don't remember the make/model- but he spray painted it John Deere green for some reason) to the board, had a Lee powder dump screwed to a 8" or so block of 2x6, and managed to keep everything in a footlocker (except board with press) when he wasn't loading.
 
When I get home today, ill snap you a pic of just how small my reloading "board" is. Small enough to clamp onto a nightstand and have room to spare. Stores on top of my tiny "stack-on" gun safe. I wouldn't go with the hand press personally, nothing wrong with it, just wouldnt want to use it. I bought the lee anniversary breech-lock "starter" set for 100$ from FSreloading, very happy with it, very light and small. Comes with absolutely everything you need sans dies(25-30$).

My casting stuff takes up far more room than my press and stuff, although my tumbler and stuff I like to run outside or at least in the garage, but you could simply just wash your brass in a bucket if you don't have space to tumble.
 
Space not needed ?? Space is not needed for the "hand to mouth" handloader with nothing for component inventory. So if you fit the "load 20-50 rounds and done" type, then space (lack of) is not an issue. Now for me , I precision handload .223, .308 , X54R , .300WM , X39 , 8mm Mauser , .40S&W , and 460S&W mag. I am also prepping for the next "handloader panic" and square footage gets swallowed up very quickly when you stockpile enough reloading components to load approx. 15K rounds. I like to think I'm planning for a happy retirement ;)
 
Nice to hear you are getting back into the hobby! I have my stuff at my parents garage(2 miles away) as our apartment doesn't have the room. Once we get a house, I can't wait to have everything at my own place.
 
Yeah, reloading doesn't require much physical space unless you're setting up for multi gun or something.
For many years, I also used a flat board that was mounted to the kitchen counter with c-clamps.
Now, I just use my computer desk for the press in the same manner, with a small book shelf next to it, for the support stuff.
Nothing wrong with using a closet and portable table, either.
No need for an entire room or huge bench.
A friend uses his coffee table in front of the couch.
 
Not too sure of your space requirements, but have you thought of something like this http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30240348/ ?

I have one of these in my kitchen (not for reloading) and it is a brute of a small table with a two inch top solid wood surface, 100% solid wood construction and wheels on one end so it can be moved when you need it to. You could permanently set up a press on it and you have storage shelves underneath for components, etc.

If you don't have an Ikea near you and don't want to buy online (@ $16.00 S/H, you might be able to find something similar at a local store.
 
That Ikea is a nice little table. I actually have a flat surface to use -but it has to be "temporary". I work at home so I have an office set up in one bedroom with a nice desk. I can move the keyboard away while I'm reloading and that will be a decent place for a scale, reloading blocks, etc.
 
I started by mounting my press on a piece of wood which I would "C" clamp to the kitchen table. Supplies and other tooling were kept in a cardboard box and brought out as needed. I still have the little Lee C frame press I did this with. Welcome back. I'm returning myself after a long absence. I've been studying up on what's changed before actually producing anything, and updating old manuals and so forth. A lot has changed since 1990 when I last reloaded anything
 
The only issue handloaders will have with a "temporary" press mount is if they will need to load larger rifle or magnums. Resizing stubborn once fired NATO .308 brass or the bigger mags on a clamped down temp press station won't cut it...
 
Good to hear your back in the game!

I load almost exclusively with my hand press. I am really glad I bought it. It just suits my situation very well. Lacks some versatility in some respects but still a great bit of kit.

I hope to get a more comfortable spot where I can relocate my turret press to. Warmth being one criterion!!
 
as you can see, my actual press(loading bench) takes very little space. I think it's less than 24" on either side.

but unfortunately, all the stuff that goes along with reloading, (like bullets,powders dies and all kinds of junk) takes up a ton more space. not to mention all the loaded ammo your going to have, I keep mine in a couple 50 gallon Tupperware bins.



I could be much more effective with my space if I needed to be though. and if only doing a couple calibers, I don't think you would need much storage.
 
Nice setup there Skizzums. I'll probably only be loading 4 calibers to start. Of those, the two rifle calibers (.260 and .35Whelen) won't be a regular occurrence. Once I get loads dialed in that I like, I'll be able to load an entire years worth of each in one good session.

That leaves my "shooting" calibers - .38/.357 and .44. It should be pretty easy to keep the clutter from getting out of hand with only those.

If I ever find a pistol scope that I like at a good price, I'll stick it on my .223 Encore pistol barrel and pick up a set of dies for that as well.
 
Thanks for sharing your experience.

Doyle, I am with Sevens, 10-96 and skizzums.

Everything I need to load (except components) fits in 3 toolboxes:

Pictures, here:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=82912&d=1343695489
or post #8 here
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=497054

One is 23" x 10" x 10" and contains my press (Lee Classic Turret), mounting system (a 2"x6" board, carriage bolts and wing nuts that I clamp into a portable workbench or anything handy) the primer feeding system and a small "4"X8"X1.5" fishing tackle box to contain all the small parts & tools and . There's room for a couple of manuals in there, too, but I store them on my bookshelf, with one next to the computer.

The second (15"x8"x8") contains all the gunpowder handling parts. Scale, funnel, 2 Lee Auto-Disk Powder measures and a set of Lee's measuring scoops/dippers bullet puller, calipers and my loading safety glasses (as opposed to my shooting glasses).

The third (15"x7"x7") contains seven sets of reloading dies, mounted in their turrets inside their plastic storage cylinders, ready to plug into the press and use.

With my folding workbench, I can set up my reloading room anywhere in just a few minutes.

I spread a dropcloth (to keep from losing primers, live or dead, or small parts and to contain any powder spills), unfold a collapsible workbench and load to my heart's content.

My setup over the past 40 years has consisted of a press bolted to a short 2x6 clamped into a folding workbench (or just wedged into the drawer of an end table), dies, a scale, a couple of powder measures and a number of other miscellaneous tools.

My curret setup is as follows:

Lee Classic Turret Press
7 Die sets (all mounted in their own quick-change turrets plus one flat die box of unmounted dies
3 Auto-Disk powder measures (2 standard and one Pro)
bullet puller (not shown, it is in my range bag)
calipers (not shown, they are on my desk)
Primer Pocket cleaner
Case mouth Chamfer Tool
Safety glasses (shooting glasses would do, but I keep a dedicated pair)
Powder trickler
Powder Funnel
A set of Lee Powder Dippers
Tweezers and other small hand tools
A half-dozen loading manuals (don't keep them in the toolboxes, though)
Dropcloth (not in the toolboxes, either, but covering them
Lee Safety Prime for large and small primers (Lee Primer Dispensers for use on the press)
I think that's about it for the toolboxes.

With the folding worktable, I can set up anywhere (including going over to a friend's house) with just three trips (two carrying the gear and one carrying the components). I make more trips to the car preparing to go to the range.

My vibratory case cleaner does not fit in the toolboxes. But then, you don't really need one. Mine was gift from a friend who thought my brass should be shinier. It does look nicer, but doesn't shoot any better than when I just wiped it down with a towel.

Lost Sheep
 
Sheep, I won't use a tumbler at first. I plan to deprime using a universal decapper and then wash my brass (lots of good Youtube videos on washing brass without a tumbler). Your setup looks very similar to mine except I think I'll be able to fit in into 2 boxes - the big toolbox I ordered to hold equipment and a plastic tote that will be used to store components. I've got cabinets in the garage set up that can store brass and bullets without hurting anything.
 
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