Nowhere but the garage

[KarmannGhia]

Same as others. My humble reloading set up (a couple of single stage presses, Lee dies, and a couple of old Lee AutoPrimes, etc...) are in the garage along with the usual garage stuff. I even manage to park a car in it.

I do store my powder, and primers in the house.

 

[rwsmith]

Now temperature WHEN shooting....

Temperature when shooting IS a factor. Some powders are finicky in cold weather. Extremely warm weather can increase the power of a round, so max loads could be a problem in very hot weather.

I do inside work, plus priming and powder charging, in my easy chair. I only go outside to use the press for the other operations.

If it's too cold or hot I don't go out there. A sunny day in the winter or evening in the summer usually is comfortable enough for me to work except in the most severe weather with an open door and a fan and I can dress warm in winter. Of course SC is a lot different from Utah. Usually extreme weather won't last more than a few weeks before some kind of break comes around.

Your approach sounds fine. Study, learn and get questions answered before starting.

Window A/Cs that will cool a garage are pretty cheap and more efficient than they used to be. Electric heat is expensive, though, except for a small space.. I'd try to find a gas heater of some sort as long as you have ventilation. The infrared heaters are worth looking at.

 

[chaparrito]

Two things I learned a couple of years ago when I started.
1. Whatever space you have you'll quickly fill up. I figured that was the case from watching my reloader pals take over entire workshops with their multiple presses and storage and benches and who knows what. I decided to keep it simple. One press on a bench about 24 deep and 48 wide. My only indoor space is in the laundry room, across from the washer and dryer. I went to the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store and for 20 bucks bought a used, VERY heavy solid mahogany two door base cabinet that had no top. I had some half inch oak plywood cabinet lumber and put TWO layers of it heavily screwed to the top for a work surface. The storage is adequate for my supplies. The sturdy top brings me to number
2. Make darn sure the top of your work surface is very sturdy. The repeated downward pressure of a press hanging off the edge is very destructive over time.

 

[SMSgt]

OP, a few suggestions.

Buy a Lee handpress to go with your single-stage press. They can be had for around $25-30 bucks. With it, you can do all your handgun cases prep work anywhere you like. Some may think I'm kidding, but I resize flare and prime my handgun cases while sitting in my Laziboy.

Buy a hand primer. I wore out a Lee model (not a bad thing) but replaced it with the RCBS model because it uses standard shell holders--Lee does not.

Mount your S/S press to a small piece of 5/8ths plywood. Then you can clamp it to something in the warm inside. Why work where it's uncomfortable if you don't need to? I clamp mine to the bar counter as it's too hot and humid to work in the garage.

If you're working in low humidity, be careful of static. One spark can make a mess of your day. Working inside will also keep all your components at "room temperature."

 

[BigBill]

I been planning a indexing octagon reloading table. I want to setup as follows,

RCBS ROCKCHUCKER PRESS
LEE OPEN SIDED SMALL PRESS(decapping)
Lee pro 1000 progressive 45acp
Lee pro 1000 progressive 38/357
Lee pro 1000 progressive 41mg, 44spec,44mag,45LC
Lee master reloader progressive for 308/30-06
Lee turret press 444, 45/70, 338wm, 6.5, 7mm, 85mm mauser.

I have all the die and shell plates. Then I can reload like popping popcorn. Everything with preset powder dispensers.

 

[SMSgt]

Then I can reload like popping popcorn.

There's a visual there that might not be good!

 

[wsleigh]

Just getting started as well

First, new here so hello everyone

I too am just getting started in reloading. And as others here, it will be in the garage. No heat, A/C, and stupid crazy temp swings (I live in Kentucky). I use a Kennedy tool box as my reloading bench. It's got a side box on it and I mounted a 1" thick MDF top to it. The drawers also make it easy to store all my parts and accessories. I keep everything in zip-lock plastic bags to help fight off damage from the humidity. It's a pain in the arse, but helps.

Most of my stuff I inherited from my dad. Including the 30lbs of powder/primers I recently found in a box that he had marked "books".... It has been sitting by my furnas for a few years now The press is an older Lyman All-American turret press. Luckily, my dad had already updated it. Also got about 15 die sets along with tons of misc reloading tools. Still need to look into a good scale and powder measure. Probably need to get some current manuals as well.

 

[KnotRight]

When I started reloading again the only place that I had was in my garage. When we built the house I insulated the garage so the humidly is not bad even living in the south on the coast but it got hot. For a year plus I used a couple fans. For Father's Day last year my wife bought me a Mitsubishi wall unit that heats and cools. Got an old lunch room table (the ones that weighs about 50#) and mounted everything on it.

All my reloading supplies is stored in a metal cabinet with a pad lock. Even added a security camera and contacts on the doors.

I enjoy getting out of the house to do my reloading and also work on my fishing tackle out there.

 

[riverrat38]

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 )

They are referring to the smaller plastic storage boxes with lids that you can buy at Lowes over on Aurora Ave.
Great for organizing small stuff like gun cleaning supplies. I also keep my beam scale in one.

Best,
Rick

 

[johnnymg]

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.

Reloading tends to be a "dirty" exercise so a garage/shed is the best place to do it. I can't image reloading in a house. I'm sure it's been done but I wouldn't rec it.

 

[Moe Mentum]

Reloading in a garage is fine, I would not store powder there in the hot humid weather. Other than that , Reload On !

 

[THEWELSHM]

I live in Florida and reload in my garage, nowhere I would rather be. I spray my press and dies with Hornady dry lube. No rust issues here

Thewelshm

 

[Frank46]

When I had an apartment just before getting married there was one very small room. Took two 3 drawer file cabinets and bolted down the top with carriage bolts. the top was two pieces of 3/4" plywood glued and screwed together before being bolted down. Locks on all drawers. Nosy landlord. Kept a little tv so's I could watch it while I worked on a gun. Frank