Nowhere but the garage

[jagger5]

Very interested in reloading. Even if I didn't shoot a lot, the hobby of it seems like it would be a blast (pun intended).


I am not a reload'r. I'd like to be. I have a lot of homework to do before I go out and buy the supplies. (Probably going to go with a single press then as I gain experience and wisdom, move to the progressive anywhoo...)

Until now, I've never really had a "dedicated" space to do it in my home. I just recent turned my carport into a garage (not heated)

Right to the point, is the garage an ok place to do it? How much does temperature play in the process? Are the same rounds going to come out different between reloading when it's hot and dry vs cold and humid? Do materials need to climatize to the room before starting. (I.e. Will mosisture and expansion/contraction occur and be an issue if I take out casings that have been in a warm house into a freezing garage?). I don't plan on storing materials out there.

If I did reload in winter, I'd definitely have a portable heating unit going. Though, Do I need to warm up the garage to do so?

Obviously, physics tells me that all of this will occur, but does it matter when it comes to reloading.

I live in Utah. 90's-100's in the summer. Winters usually stick in the 20's-30's. Except for inversions. Humidity is fairly low.

 

[arjay]

My latest reloading set up is in my garage and it works fine.I do store my supplies out there with no problems.It does get a bit chilly in the winter.

 

[Nevada Ed]

You only need a desk 30-36" long and maybe 18" deep.
You just need to find a place inside that makes every one happy.... even if it is the laundry room.
Loading outside in the winter time in Utah....sucks.

Good luck.

 

[Thomas15]

I have been handloading for a year and a half. My "space" is in our unheated garage which is in NE Pennsylvania. We have cold winters and warm summers and the humidity is high year round. Like the other poster, I don't do anything special with my supplies and it seems to be ok.

Last winter I did alot of loading in the garage using a kero heater. I was so miserable that last fall I stocked up a supply of ammo to get me through this winter (6500 rounds of 9mm and 2500 rounds of 45 acp). I load for myself and three others so I use between 1000-1500 rounds 9mm per month, sometimes more. I bought a revolver this winter and thus added 38 special to my handloading so I did spend some time in the garage this winter.

Just today I loaded 100 rounds of 38 spl., had my heater running (it was about 30 deg here) and it was ok except everything in the garage sweats when I run the heater.

So, having lived through 2 winters loading in the garage I have decided that this summer I'm going to build a small room in my garage, about 8X10, insulate it and install an electric heater. This shoud provide a decient space to work comfortably in the winter and I'm also going to put an air conditioner in the garage for the summer. I might actually insulate the entire garage so that I can work out there in the winter.

All this to say it is possible to handload in an unheated garage but it isn't the best. Still, I enjoy making my own ammo so I will do it no matter what the conditions. So I'm sure you will find a way to make it work for you.

OK, I know your not asking for advice on presses and tools but consider a turret press instead of a single stage. Unless you plan to load strictly for rifle, a turret press can run single stage and is faster for handgun loads. I have all three, single stage rock chucker, RCBS turret and a Hornady progrssive. If I were starting out and not sure I would like it I would find happiness in the Lee classic 4 hole classic turret press. It is almost as inexpensive as most single stage presses and can do so much more. That press in a kit with dies and everything needed can be less than $350.00 including a case tumbler and things like a digital caliber and loading manual.

If you belong to a club you should ask around there are probably 100s of shooters that handload in your area and many are good people that will be happy to show you what you need to get started. Being self taught I made many mistakes. You can self teach though. Lots of youtube videos and other sources of information, even forums like this one. BTW, since I started handloading, I haven't shot any factory ammo at all.

 

[Doubless]

I would recommend NOT setting up your reloading bench any place that is not humidity controlled. There are items that are steel, and steel rusts. Shucks: it will sometimes rust in an air conditioned home!

 

[gregintenn]

My father has reloaded in a garage for longer than I've been around and he's never had any problems.

 

[Thomas15]

I would recommend NOT setting up your reloading bench any place that is not humidity controlled. There are items that are steel, and steel rusts. Shucks: it will sometimes rust in an air conditioned home!

I do have to take care of my tools and take steps to prevent rusting. But for me it's the garage or nothing so I deal with it.

To the OP, I keep everything, all my supplies and reloading stuff in the unheated garage all the time, year round. Everything is stored in plastic containers or plastic shoe boxes. I have about 20 plastic shoeboxes filled with brass in various stages of prepardness. I keep my dies and steel tools lightly oiled and clean. My powder stays in a plywood cabinet in the original plastic containers. I put some of my boxes of primers in zip lock bags. Bullets stay in the cardboard boxes they come in.

I buy some of my reloading supplies from a fairly large reloading supply company in my area. The owner keeps his large supply of reloading materials in his unheated stockroom.

 

[Bkreutz]

I have never seen a plastic shoebox. Is that some kind of regional thing?

 

[Engineer1911]

I have never seen a plastic shoebox. Is that some kind of regional thing?

Ask your wife. Mine has about 39 of them arranged in the dressing room.

You might call them supply boxes -- clear plastic with a white top that will hold a pair of shoes or brass.

 

[reddog81]

The only thing I'd be concerned with is the occasional high humidity and that is only because your dies and other tools might rust.
Humidity and heat will have minimal effect on your primers and powders.

 

[chief38]

Unless you can insulate your garage and get both heat and a/c in there I think it would be a bit too uncomfortable to reload on a regular basis. If you wanted to do it in the Spring and Fall I could see it, but no matter where you reload, I would NOT store your powder and primers in there with those kinds of temperature swings. They should be in a cool & dry place with consistent temperatures and low humidity.

When you are uncomfortable due to heat or cold all you will be thinking about is how fast you can get out of there - you need to concentrate on your reloading. Personally, I'd find another place inside your home and use a temporary set up that can be set up and taken down relatively fast. Reloading presses don't take up that much room and they can be stored under a bed or in a closet when not in use. Setting up with clamps takes only a few minutes.

When I first got married and lived in a apartment I had a small reloading bench with shelves underneath and wheels that I stored inside a closet. Just wheeled it in and out as needed and worked very well.

 

[gmiller0737]

My Loading bench & reloading equiptment is in My Garage I also store empty brass & My Reloading bullets there as well but Powder & Primers are stored in the air conditioned house, I live in Florida & in the summer it gets too hot to store stuff like that in there,when I load in the summer I load at night when it's cooler & raise the door & use a fan

 

[Bocephus]

Timely Post

I have sold my home where all my reloading, guns and tools are in a heated and cooled basement room and will move them to an unheated garage at the lake. Alabama is known for it's high humidity as well as high temperatures in the summer. Yes it has also been a cold winter. I plan on setting it all up and see what happens.

 

[old&slow]

My reloading and I've been exiled to the garage for years. I started out indoors reloading on a wooden desk. But the wife kept putting kids in the spare rooms.
Here in Ohio we can have temperature swings from 15 to 60 degrees in one week, like this week.
I don't reload when it's nasty & cold outside. I have plenty of time to load when the weather is nice in the Spring, Summer, & Fall. And I store my powder and primers indoors.
My set-up is a 6' x 18" bench top and cabinets purchased from one of the home improvement stores. Bench legs are made from 4"X4"s and 2"x4''s.
Cat litter buckets and / or plastic containers from one of the big box stores make good storage containers for empty brass, 50 cal. ammo cans for loaded ammo.
The kids have grown and gone, but I see no reason to move the reloading operation back in the house. Besides, when the weather is nice, I can open the garage door and enjoy the outside.

 

[Electraclyde]

I reload and store all equipment and supplies in my garage. Garage is completely insulated and is heated to 45 degrees at all times. I do kick it up to 50 when reloading. I only reload in the winter months. Temp in this part of Michigan range from -25 to 98 in the summer. Humidity is always VERY high. (We are surrounded by some very large lakes). I don,t have time to reload in the summer months and do not like high temps and high humidity. (Too cheap to install AC in the garage).

 

[Maddog 521]

I reload in my garage also. I load early spring and late fall. Those are the best time to get out of the "Texas Heat". I had to improvise, and use my shelving. It works just fine.

 

[Bkreutz]

Ask your wife. Mine has about 39 of them arranged in the dressing room.

You might call them supply boxes -- clear plastic with a white top that will hold a pair of shoes or brass.

I asked my wife, she says that she's seen them, but they are something you buy separate from the shoes and she's never seen shoes sold in them. When you say shoebox, all I can think of is the cardboard type. (Maybe my wife and I never buy expensive enough shoes )

 

[MichiganScott]

I reload and store all equipment and supplies in my garage. Garage is completely insulated and is heated to 45 degrees at all times. I do kick it up to 50 when reloading. I only reload in the winter months. Temp in this part of Michigan range from -25 to 98 in the summer. Humidity is always VERY high. (We are surrounded by some very large lakes). I don,t have time to reload in the summer months and do not like high temps and high humidity. (Too cheap to install AC in the garage).

One nice thing about reloading during the winter months in Michigan is you have nine months during which you can reload. Yesterday morning it was 8 degrees and today we've gotten over an inch of snow.

I have an 8x12 room on the second floor that I've dedicated to handloading. I just don't do it during the summer. The biggest problem is keeping the equipment from rusting. Like Electraclyde said, the humidity is high enough to rust glass.

 

[Thomas15]

I asked my wife, she says that she's seen them, but they are something you buy separate from the shoes and she's never seen shoes sold in them. When you say shoebox, all I can think of is the cardboard type. (Maybe my wife and I never buy expensive enough shoes )

You can get them at the dollar store for about a buck. Nice because they are all the same size and they are stackable.

 

[2tall79]

Rust inhibitors

I have reloaded in my garage for two years now. I live in a sea air environment and have never had a problem with rusting. I do treat all my exposed metal with WD40 Long Term Corrosion....see attached article. The only thing I do differently is keep my powder on a shelf in my bedroom closet. Good Luck

Comprehensive Corrosion Test: 46 Products Compared : Day At The Range