Reloading benches?

Crazy.kayaker

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I have a board that my reloading press is mounted to and I need some ideas on what I can use to reload on. Can't use the kitchen counter or dinning room table as I can't clamp it down on either that and the tables over 100 years old and I'd be shot with my own guns if I tried it. I live in a trailer so I need something that can be collapsed or isn't large to begin with and is weather resistant as I can only store it outside or under the trailer. I was thinking some saw horses but would wood or aluminum be a better choice or is there something better out there?
 
i picked up a B&D workmate at a flea market for $5.
i bought 4--3" clamps @ crappy tire
there you go--cheap solid reloading bench.

p.s. crappy tire has a lot of stuff on sale now

digital calipers for $17
workmate "shop bench" for $50.
 
I have one of the cheapo Jobmate ones from CT. Was thinking of using it for my Dillon SDB. What is the best way to mount it?

I bought a couple of bar clamps that I attach near the press. I have the press mounted on rough cut 2"x12"x30" and its so solid. I usually use a friends place but alas he's not comfortable with 1-2 lbs of gunpowder despite my assurances. Yet still wants to shoot my guns. Go Figure.
 
The collapsable tables will do in a pinch. I've tried one in a camp situation, major ground hog hunt.

I went to the shoot with 200 rounds of 223, thinking it was lots, live and learn. It was a drop in the bucket for what took place. This rancher had an infestation that was astounding. Enough.

Anyway, I needed to start handloading on the job. Went into town, we have a great little gunshop in Vernon that is well supplied, Del Selins.

Ran into a fellow there that extolled the use of a BenchMate for handloading under less than ideal circumstances.

He was right, it works, barely. If I had nothing else, I would use it again.

It just isn't rigid enough. I ended up makeing up a top for it out of 2 sheets of 36" x 36", 3/4" fir plywood, screwed and glued together, with two more pieces 6" x 24"screwed and glued to the bottom for the clamps to grasp. I then drilled and counter sunk holes through the top of the cover to match the plug holes in the Benchmate top and bolted the whole thing down tight.

This added a lot of rigidity and weight, but not enough weight.

I ended up putting up another piece of plywood accross the bottom bars and put a couple hundred pounds of weight on top. It was finally acceptable for handloading with a Hornady turret press.

The whole thing, other than the weight plate and weights is still collapsable. Its only real drawback is that with four legs, it needs to be either level or stabilised in some way.

You are talking about being limited for space, liveing in a trailer. It should work well there.

The nice about the extended top is there is room for the scale, powder measure and components as well as the loaded rounds.

There are other issues with loading outside that need to be dealt with, such as wind.
 
Card tables work well too - lots of space on them, easy to put up and take down, cheap as dirt.

Where are you finding a card table that doesn't flex like a wet noodle? Any card table I have ever been around, is far too flimsy for my tastes, to be used as a loading bench.
 
Where are you finding a card table that doesn't flex like a wet noodle? Any card table I have ever been around, is far too flimsy for my tastes, to be used as a loading bench.

X2, and you'd need to put 200 lbs of sand bags on top to keep it from tipping over as you pull the handle.
 
A little off the portability concept but I've got one of the old government wood desks and it is absolutely perfect. And it has drawer too.
 
When I'm reloading I absolutely demand rigidity from my reloading bench. Having the bench/table flex everytime you pull the press handle would be annoying and the kick-back or flex could have consequences for powder dropping and proper bullet seating. That could potentially affect accuracy. Check out some of the reloading videos posted on YouTube. Guys with progressive presses going right at it and their benches are so flimsy the table tops are actually bowing a couple of inches everytime a case is resized.
 
loading bench

Can-Tire offers a nice metal work bench that goes on sale periodically for not much.

I have one that became my lubing/sizing and case prep bench. It has a punch board back to hang tools and two drawers.

I installed a fluorescent light fixture on the overhang as well. Very useful and at the right height sitting ir standing for a short ass like me.
 
I wanted something sturdy so I went and put this together in my head. And for 50-60 dollars I built it.
P2260083.jpg
 
my computer dest is my reloading bench... my powder thrower is on the left an the press is on my right an my monitor sits rite in the middle...
lube your cases properly and you can size them with next to no effort.
 
This is what I will be using. I won't be reloading until next year when I can by supplies but my bench is a 200lb monster. Solid cast iron legs connected by two Maple stretchers. The top is a butcher block type of solid Maple. I've only sized a few spent cases for fun but it seems very solid, doesn't move at all.

pressbench.jpg
 
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