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Posted: 6/30/2012 8:07:25 AM EDT
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I am considering building a portable reloading setup. I remember seeing some in the 80's (yea I am that old) that guys were using to take to the range do load development "at the range". They were a wooden box type setup with opening doors the allowed for the removal of the items. Reloading on the range is totaly impractical for me as the ranges here in the mountains of Colorado seem to be challenges with a constant 20-30 mph cross wind. I am looking for a similar set up so that I could pack it up and go and with maybe the addition of a couple of C-clamps start reloading from a kitchen table somewhere away from home. Dare I say a SHTF type scenario (Yes I am from Colorado and currently evacuated from my home due the the Wild Fires so this is a afterthought for the situation that I am currently in an not some Walther Mitty thing).
Anyone have plans or pictures of such a setup that they would not mind sharing? As always anyone's thoughts/suggestion are welcome. |
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I am in the process of planning the same thing. My goal is to take the press with me to reload when I am on a trip or to demonstrate in a classroom type setting.
There are portable stands that can be bought, and the reloading pic thread has some small portable workbenches that have been converted. Neither of those options seems ideal to me, so I am thinking of building a stand. Before I say how, let me say some of the things that I am considering in the design. 1) It needs to be strong enough and stabile enough to support a Dillon 550B. 2) It needs to be broken down small enough to fit in a car trunk. 3) It needs to support the extra tools that go along with reloading. In my mind, the plan right now is to use some angle iron to build a 2'x2' floor plate, four legs, and a small table top (maybe 8"x8"). Since most of the pressure on the press is in the down-stroke, I am thinking that the rear legs should be vertical and the front legs angled. The height will be a compromise between a user friendly height for loading and an efficient angle for the legs (I am guessing 45 to 60 degrees will be the optimum for keeping the stand from tipping over. Once I have the frame built, I should be able to bolt some 3/4 plywood into the floor plate and table top. With the press mounted on top, I need a place to mount the lathe trimmer. I am thinking about bolting it to the left front leg. That way I can place a case in it with my left hand and operate the crank with my right hand. I have the case prep tools screwed into that lathe now. I think that drilling and tapping holes in the angle iron will be better than leaving the tools in the lathe. Less chance of cutting myself on the flash hole debur tool. Maybe drilling and tapping on the right front leg........ The scale is sensitive, and it needs to come along for the ride also. A tool box or tackle box should fit on the floor plate and hold the scale, primer flip tray, primer fill tubes, bullet puller, etc. etc. The biggest question is going to be best way to assemble it. Off the top of my head, some bolts and wing nuts should be easy enough to keep the legs attached at the top and bottom. I am wondering if I could weld a bracket that holds them though. Since they would all be at some kind of angle, the top and bottom plates should keep them all snug. I am sharing my thoughts, and hopefully they help guide your process. When I get around to building it (very soon) I can post back the results. I would appreciate your results as well, with whatever design ideas you have. This is a theoretical work in progress....... |
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I have just such a box. But I generally use a bunch of plastic storage boxes to haul everything.
A LEE hand press works and a RCBS Partner is a popular bench press that can be mounted on a stand that gets clamped to a table. Hand dies and an arbor press are another option, but aren't really a great idea for general purpose loading. |
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My setup is a 2x8 with bolts for the press ran through the bottom and countersunk flush. Powder measure is also screwed down to the board. C-clamps on each end.
It's as stable as whatever I clamp it to. Right now it's on a TV cart with wheels that I can push around the house. Works pretty well, just a bit cramped at only 2 and a half feet long. |
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Quoted:
I have just such a box. But I generally use a bunch of plastic storage boxes to haul everything. A LEE hand press works and a RCBS Partner is a popular bench press that can be mounted on a stand that gets clamped to a table. Hand dies and an arbor press are another option, but aren't really a great idea for general purpose loading. I have seen the LEE hand in use (on YouTube only) but question its longevity longer term. I have the RCBS Partner and have done alot with it so the plan is to develop the set up around that press. |
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See if this helps generate any ideas. German is a very competitive shooter as well as one of the nicest guys you ever want to meet.
He gives very freely of his wisdom. http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2009/12/reloading-range-reloading.html Cheers |
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Quoted: See if this helps generate any ideas. German is a very competitive shooter as well as one of the nicest guys you ever want to meet. He gives very freely of his wisdom. http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2009/12/reloading-range-reloading.html Cheers Nice link. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
I have just such a box. But I generally use a bunch of plastic storage boxes to haul everything. A LEE hand press works and a RCBS Partner is a popular bench press that can be mounted on a stand that gets clamped to a table. Hand dies and an arbor press are another option, but aren't really a great idea for general purpose loading. I have seen the LEE hand in use (on YouTube only) but question its longevity longer term. I have the RCBS Partner and have done alot with it so the plan is to develop the set up around that press. You'll not wear out a LEE hand press unless it's the only machine you use for hours every day for a couple of decades. I can't begin to count the barrels of cases that have been deprimed in mine, and I've used it to load a considerable pile. |
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