looking to reload in apartment. ideas? - The Firearms Forum

Sota · 10-24-2011, 06:40 PM

Gentlemen,
I am new to the forums here but not shooting.

I'm looking for recommendations on a reloading bench. I have seen where people have used a workmate type setup but no dimensions are given. I have a rockchucker from rcbs. Thinking of adding a rcbs partner press for bullet seating.
My questions are... How much surface area do i need for 2 presses and case trimmer? Ideas on a layout? If you have pics of setups would greatly appreciate seeing them.

Thanks for any help you may provide in advance.

bobpayne44 · 10-24-2011, 07:30 PM

check out this thread

http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=53106

woolleyworm · 10-24-2011, 07:32 PM

I have a small wooden desk with a reinforced top; works great for my 550 and RC both mounted. I'll take some pics and post later tonight.

Welcome to TFF Sota ! check out this thread for some great pics of benches :

http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=53106

JLA · 10-24-2011, 07:57 PM

Worm is the man to answer this question Sota. Hes an apartment dweller too.

Welcome to TFF.

Sota · 10-25-2011, 03:12 AM

Gentlemen,
I looked at the links you provided. Saw some awesome bench layouts. One i saw posted by Rembrandt i think, showed rails mounted in the bench top. Guess it makes it easy to swap to different equipment. Cool idea i think as i have a rcbs rockchucker, a 550 press, and soon to have a partner press.
I kinda like the rail system. My questions are How easy is it to mount the rails? Do the rcbs and 550 have same mounting holes or does the mounting plate account for the difference?

Sota
P.S.: sorry it is late and i'm little sleepy or i mighta figured it out someday myself.
Thanks guys for the help so far.

Bindernut · 10-25-2011, 10:53 AM

I know I had some pictures of my old apartment reloading setup posted here several years back but I can't find the thread anymore.
I used to use a gutted out 27" Console TV for my reloading bench. It had enough space for a basic reloading setup.

Here's another thread to peruse for ideas...
www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=93348

woolleyworm · 10-25-2011, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sota

Gentlemen,
I looked at the links you provided. Saw some awesome bench layouts. One i saw posted by Rembrandt i think, showed rails mounted in the bench top. Guess it makes it easy to swap to different equipment. Cool idea i think as i have a rcbs rockchucker, a 550 press, and soon to have a partner press.
I kinda like the rail system. My questions are How easy is it to mount the rails? Do the rcbs and 550 have same mounting holes or does the mounting plate account for the difference?

Sota
P.S.: sorry it is late and i'm little sleepy or i mighta figured it out someday myself.
Thanks guys for the help so far.

The presses use different mounting hole locations. Make a seperate base plate for each that mounts to the press, but uses the same rail location. The rails are not hard to mount into a bench top.

reynolds357 · 10-25-2011, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sota

Gentlemen,
I am new to the forums here but not shooting.

I'm looking for recommendations on a reloading bench. I have seen where people have used a workmate type setup but no dimensions are given. I have a rockchucker from rcbs. Thinking of adding a rcbs partner press for bullet seating.
My questions are... How much surface area do i need for 2 presses and case trimmer? Ideas on a layout? If you have pics of setups would greatly appreciate seeing them.

Thanks for any help you may provide in advance.

I would not be any help there because my reloading room is about the size of an apartment. It is a perfect example of slightly controlled Chaos. That first rule about having the work area neat and clean definitely is not followed in my loading room.

JLA · 10-25-2011, 03:34 PM

mine either.

Sota · 10-25-2011, 09:16 PM

Gentlemen,
I was just wondering.... Would a 2'x3' bench be big enough for all the needed tools for reloading or do i NEED something little bigger?

TIA
Sota

cycloneman · 10-25-2011, 09:44 PM

I think you could start with a 2 x 3. The more cart's you load the more space you will need. The more cal's you load the more space you will need. I dont know how many cal's or how much you plan to load so its hard to say. But you can certainly start off with a 2x3 and if you need more just add.

Are you only loading one cal and req one pound of powder and 500 primers to load 100 or so every 3 months.

Or are you going to load 6 different cals and use 10 different powders and need to store 10K primers and do this every month.

Your call

Also I reload a single stage at a time. So as i finish with certain tools they get put up and out of the way.

Hope that helps

Bindernut · 10-26-2011, 01:52 AM

If you've got your heart set on two presses, then 2'x3' is gonna get pretty cramped.

Here's a rough layout of how I had my TV Console reloading table set up. It was about 20" x 36" so pretty close to what you're thinking. This is a southpaw layout...if you're a right-handed, then you might want to situate things different than I had em.
I use two different presses (single station for rifle and a 3-station C-H for pistol), but I would swap them into the same location as needed.
The powder measure hung over the edge of the table far enough for me to charge everything in a 50rd tray.
Any dies, bullets, tools, etc that I wasn't using was stored in a couple of milk crates on the lower shelf of the table. That helped weigh down the table to stabilize it since it was a mobile unit.

I would wheel this out into the living room when I was reloading. I usually had a few things spreading out onto the coffee table too. Couldn't fit it all on the table top.
When I was finished, it got wheeled back into a corner in my bedroom.

10-24-2011, 06:40 PM	#1
Sota Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 6	looking to reload in apartment. ideas? Gentlemen, I am new to the forums here but not shooting. I'm looking for recommendations on a reloading bench. I have seen where people have used a workmate type setup but no dimensions are given. I have a rockchucker from rcbs. Thinking of adding a rcbs partner press for bullet seating. My questions are... How much surface area do i need for 2 presses and case trimmer? Ideas on a layout? If you have pics of setups would greatly appreciate seeing them. Thanks for any help you may provide in advance. -->

10-24-2011, 07:30 PM	#2
bobpayne44 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 57	Re: looking to reload in apartment. ideas? check out this thread http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=53106

10-24-2011, 07:32 PM	#3
woolleyworm TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: SW Fort Worth Contributor Posts: 4,883	Re: looking to reload in apartment. ideas? I have a small wooden desk with a reinforced top; works great for my 550 and RC both mounted. I'll take some pics and post later tonight. Welcome to TFF Sota ! check out this thread for some great pics of benches : http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=53106 __________________ . What are you gonna do, talk the alien to death? -- (on Sigourney Weaver's worry about Guns in Aliens) "Safety is something that happens between your ears, not something you hold in your hands." "I carry a small gun to compensate for my huge Blue press." .

10-24-2011, 07:57 PM	#4
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,315	Re: looking to reload in apartment. ideas? Worm is the man to answer this question Sota. Hes an apartment dweller too. Welcome to TFF. __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

10-25-2011, 03:12 AM	#5
Sota Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 6	Re: looking to reload in apartment. ideas? Gentlemen, I looked at the links you provided. Saw some awesome bench layouts. One i saw posted by Rembrandt i think, showed rails mounted in the bench top. Guess it makes it easy to swap to different equipment. Cool idea i think as i have a rcbs rockchucker, a 550 press, and soon to have a partner press. I kinda like the rail system. My questions are How easy is it to mount the rails? Do the rcbs and 550 have same mounting holes or does the mounting plate account for the difference? Sota P.S.: sorry it is late and i'm little sleepy or i mighta figured it out someday myself. Thanks guys for the help so far.

10-25-2011, 10:53 AM	#6
Bindernut Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: ND, USA Posts: 2,446	Re: looking to reload in apartment. ideas? I know I had some pictures of my old apartment reloading setup posted here several years back but I can't find the thread anymore. I used to use a gutted out 27" Console TV for my reloading bench. It had enough space for a basic reloading setup. Here's another thread to peruse for ideas... www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=93348

10-25-2011, 03:34 PM	#9
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,315	Re: looking to reload in apartment. ideas? mine either. __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

10-25-2011, 09:16 PM	#10
Sota Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 6	Re: looking to reload in apartment. ideas? Gentlemen, I was just wondering.... Would a 2'x3' bench be big enough for all the needed tools for reloading or do i NEED something little bigger? TIA Sota

10-25-2011, 09:44 PM	#11
cycloneman Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 7,401	Re: looking to reload in apartment. ideas? I think you could start with a 2 x 3. The more cart's you load the more space you will need. The more cal's you load the more space you will need. I dont know how many cal's or how much you plan to load so its hard to say. But you can certainly start off with a 2x3 and if you need more just add. Are you only loading one cal and req one pound of powder and 500 primers to load 100 or so every 3 months. Or are you going to load 6 different cals and use 10 different powders and need to store 10K primers and do this every month. Your call Also I reload a single stage at a time. So as i finish with certain tools they get put up and out of the way. Hope that helps __________________ Who are you going to serve today? Last edited by cycloneman; 10-25-2011 at 09:45 PM..

10-26-2011, 01:52 AM	#12
Bindernut Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: ND, USA Posts: 2,446	Re: looking to reload in apartment. ideas? If you've got your heart set on two presses, then 2'x3' is gonna get pretty cramped. Here's a rough layout of how I had my TV Console reloading table set up. It was about 20" x 36" so pretty close to what you're thinking. This is a southpaw layout...if you're a right-handed, then you might want to situate things different than I had em. I use two different presses (single station for rifle and a 3-station C-H for pistol), but I would swap them into the same location as needed. The powder measure hung over the edge of the table far enough for me to charge everything in a 50rd tray. Any dies, bullets, tools, etc that I wasn't using was stored in a couple of milk crates on the lower shelf of the table. That helped weigh down the table to stabilize it since it was a mobile unit. I would wheel this out into the living room when I was reloading. I usually had a few things spreading out onto the coffee table too. Couldn't fit it all on the table top. When I was finished, it got wheeled back into a corner in my bedroom. Attached Images Last edited by Bindernut; 10-26-2011 at 01:57 AM..