My Portable Reloading Bench

When I first got into reloading I built a 36" X 24" loading bench out of 2'X4"'s and 4"X4"'s. Served me well for over 20 years and about 4 moves. After the last move our house now has two rooms that I use for reloading and gun rooms and collections display. The bench I use came from Sam's Club (big work bench). See the pictures.....
 

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My load area has a shelf put in at almost eye level, where I place my 505
powder scale, for easy reading and free of obstructions for easy adjustments.
I also make sure there is no "Air" moving in the room when loading,
something I leaned one hot summer day.......when I was getting different readings, some how ?? !!
 
I'm really happy to see how many people have made reloading work for them when having limited space! I had the impression that most reloaders had a big workbench and a spare room to work with, but it seems I need to reevaluate that impression.
 
Tilheyra said:
I'm really happy to see how many people have made reloading work for them when having limited space! I had the impression that most reloaders had a big workbench and a spare room to work with, but it seems I need to reevaluate that impression.
Click to expand...

Most of us started small and have worked our way up over the years.
 
Yannow, after about 50 years of reloading, I've accumulated so much stuff that I can hardly keep track of it or sometimes, even find it.
Your setup reminds me of how I started - I don't think Workmates existed then - but what I cobbled together was similar in scale, and it suited me just fine. I made good ammo, took a little longer to produce a big batch, but it worked.
Thoreau was a wise man when he wrote “Our life is frittered away by detail...Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let our affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand...Simplify, simplify!”
 
My press is bolted edgewise to 2 layers of 2x6, which are screwed to a couple studs in the garage. Very compact, recesses in between the studs, and I’ve decided to move it higher so I can load standing up. Not always room for a stool, depending on where the wife parks!
 
That works and looks nice as well. You can always use C clamps for the powder measure and even the press if you want them where you can move them from the bench. I use C clamps on my powder measure so I can move it off the bench when not in use.
 
mikerjf said:
My press is bolted edgewise to 2 layers of 2x6, which are screwed to a couple studs in the garage. Very compact, recesses in between the studs, and I’ve decided to move it higher so I can load standing up. Not always room for a stool, depending on where the wife parks!
Click to expand...

Golphin said:
That works and looks nice as well. You can always use C clamps for the powder measure and even the press if you want them where you can move them from the bench. I use C clamps on my powder measure so I can move it off the bench when not in use.
Click to expand...

My presses and sizer are bolted to an 1 1/2 X 8" oak board and a 2" X 8" pine board that are glued and screwed together. They are clamped to the work bench using 8 " C-clamps. Did not want to drill holes in the bench top.
 
Portable Reloading Bench

Back in the mid-70's, when I lived in an apartment, a friend & I made these three-legged portable reloading tables for ourselves.

I still use it when it's too cold or too hot in the garage for the bench mounted press.

I ended up filling the metal pipe legs with scrap lead bullets which added a little more heft to it's weight.

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BLUEDOT37 said:
Back in the mid-70's, when I lived in an apartment, a friend & I made these three-legged portable reloading tables for ourselves.

I still use it when it's too cold or too hot in the garage for the bench mounted press.

I ended up filling the metal pipe legs with scrap lead bullets which added a little more heft to it's weight.

.



.
.



.
Click to expand...


Like the turret press not many folks seem to use them today. Every one wants to talk about their Dillon.........
 
AJ said:
Like the turret press not many folks seem to use them today. Every one wants to talk about their Dillon.........
Click to expand...

I still use a Lee turret press for all my handgun ammo. Never could bring myself to "full auto" reloading. :p
 
Tilheyra said:
I have been thinking about doing something to prevent anything on the table from falling off. However, my thoughts have mainly revolved around some sort of foam thing to place along the edges. Maybe some sort of mat would be best.
Click to expand...

A piece of half-round molding all the way around the top.
 
Last edited:
The Lee Classic Turret. Great choice when space and budget are factors. I loved that press. I sold mine to a kid at work when I bought a progressive. If I had the room on my bench I would have kept it.
 
AJ said:
Like the turret press not many folks seem to use them today. Every one wants to talk about their Dillon.........
Click to expand...

It's not one that gives you the option to auto-index to the next die but I really like it over a single die press because I'm always doing work-up loads with different bullet/powder combinations.

Having all the related dies mounted at the same time saves a ton of time -vs- a single & having to constantly remove & replace dies.

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