Help me design my reloading/gun room!!

[Bullshop Junior]

After we moved into the new house and were looking around, we took a peek into the spare bedroom and SWMBO kinda srugged and said "you can have it for your guns, or whatever". Will I pay for this later. Probably. Am I complaining? NO!

So now I gonna fill it up. This is gonna be a on going project for a while, because I am broke, but thats ok. So what do you guys think I should do with it? I plan on moving the lower shelf in the closet up, and making a full gun rack underneith. For a bench, I plan on builting a big L bench that goes all the way along the back wall, and then most of the way back to the door so i have enough room for my reloading, swaging, and what ever else I may someday add plus gun smithing and cleaning. My casting is gonna get set up out side.

But I wanna hear what you guys think. Give me some good ideas so I can have the best reloading room so when I have to pay what ever it is she will someday try to hook me with I feel that it was worth it.


Looking in from the entry door.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/23/4apuba4u.jpg

Looking in from the door towards the other corner.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/23/susezyja.jpg

Looking towards the gun closet
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/23/pygyjyqa.jpg

From the back corner looking towards the door.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/23/9yjerevy.jpg

Closet door looking towards the back wall.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/23/dy4yve7y.jpg

Few shots of the closet

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/23/9uzy2ere.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/23/3a3e8amy.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/23/a7edu2uv.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/23/9y7azu4a.jpg

And finaly one of the wall from the gun closet to the back wall

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/23/6ybaja7a.jpg

So what do yall think?

[DeanWinchester]

If you can find some cedar to line that closet with......:)

[KYShooter73]

Here is mine all junked up. 2x4's, 2x6's, and wood screws. It don't move. Fastened to the wall also, but don't know if you could do that.

97450

[725]

Fun to design a dedicated work area. I'd be concerned about security with a glass window / door visible from the outside. If you can, bolt a safe to everything possible (floor /wall), and install security system.

[winchester85]

throw a few hundred pounds of lead in the bottom of the safe too!

[Bullshop Junior]

I plan on backing something big and heavy against that window, but havnt desided what yet.

[blaser.306]

throw a few hundred pounds of lead in the bottom of the safe too!

If I may respectfully dissagree! I would sugest this as a perfect place to lay several hundred LBS of the metal whitch we are all trying to rid ourselves of! Lay all the Zink that you want and sleep well! Do your best to not trap any usefull lead in the bottom of a safe, Unless of course you are trying to keep it "safe"

[TXGunNut]

I like the window in my loading room, I need all the light I can get in there. I do use blinds and curtains to keep prying eyes out. I have a NRMA reloading bench and another sturdy bench in my loading room. Sturdy shelves are important, a safe should come along soon as well.

[HeavyMetal]

I'd reinforce that closet and put a solid door on it with a double dead bolt and pull the center screw out of each hinge and add a pin that will protrude into the solid door, make sure some type of metal lines the inside of the door!

Nothing is impossible to get into the idea is to make it to much work to get into, LOL!

I might build a bench in the center of the room and anchor it firmly to the floor, the idea being you could mount press's all the way around it and simple move your chair to what you want to load next!

I'd also go out and find a place that repairs soda machines, these guys get a lot of plastic tubing on rolls, like large electric wire rolls, and some of them have some nice 3/4 plywood of almost furniture grade. Cut into quarters you can make a fold up ( or down) work bench in each corner that is out of the way when not in use, ( also removing the temptation to stack stuff on it) finished with a good stain and clear coat this looks very nice.

Basic book shelf's will cary loading information dies and such. Not sure how big this room is but consider a double door fridge as storage for powder on one side and primers on the other.

I got an old throwaway fridge years ago for just this reason and it was one of the best moves I ever made for such storage!

[kbstenberg]

I will be watching this. I am building a room in my polebarn for my casting and PC. Kevin

[Bullshop Junior]

Well....i had a piece of plywood laying outside that i had under the fuel tank on my truck on the way down from Alaska about a foot and a hf wife and five foot long that I was gonna make into a temporary bench. I had some old pallets I was gonna take a parts to use for legs and supports. Had to run into town, and went to hope depot to get a box of screws and desided to see what they had for bargan lumber.....ended up spending 8 bucks on a sheet of plywood some 2x4s and a couple 1x4s. They were having a lumber sale, plus the 80% off for damaged wood. They didn't wanna honer both discounts, but Amanda was with me and she can make people do things I can't.

So anyway...im gonna go cut up some lumber and screw it together and see what my 8 bucks will get me

[sidecarmike]

Is there a college in your town. I've gotten some very nice factory built benches from the surplus store here. I paid ten dollars for this one. It's about 6 feet long and came with the 4 blue posts, top shelf and a full length power strip across the top. It came out of an electronics lab. This one is about as high as a normal desk.

97499

This bench is the same thing, but taller. I have a bar stool for this one, but get a backache using a press. I prefer the lower table. The workspace was damaged on this so I replaced it with a solid core door.

97501

[Bullshop Junior]

I cant decide if I should make the bench three foot wide, or three and a half feet wide...

[tommag]

If there is a pipe yard nearby, you may be ablle to get 4x4/2x4s cheap or free. (Dunnage from truck loads)

[btroj]

Dude, that is hardly big enough for a gun safe. You got screwed. Demand a bigger room!

Lots of shelves. Lots more than you think you need. Ever see empty ones in other peoples rooms?

A good sized bench helps and hurts. Flat surfaces collect stuff. A lot of stuff.

Make it fit your loading style. Put things in a spot that works for you.

Did I mention lots of shelves?

[Bored1]

My suggestion is to just grab some scrap wood, a buddy, and MAKE SOMETHING. I looked and looked and looked for almost a year trying to decide on a bench/room setup. Couldn't decide on one, didn't know what to buy, etc, etc.

Freebullet came over one day to help me figure something out, after getting the wood screws and finding enough scrap in the garage I had a working bench set up in less than 45 minutes.

JUST DO IT.

Is my bench pretty, no not really. But it was bassically free, outta scraps, and will break down when I move outta this rental into another place. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY IT GAVE ME A PLACE TO LOAD!

Another quick idea is get a cable spool (most places trash em) and flip it on its side to get started.

[Bullshop Junior]

I just threw a bench together so I can at least get some ammo loaded. 4.5' tall. 3.5 deep. 6.5 wide. About $10 in material.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/23/yqa5yga3.jpg

[MaryB]

I looked at the space I had and built to fit without worrying. Still need shelving, build a safe, a vent hood for casting...

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/maryalanab/2013-04-13_17-34-49_465_zpsece2b90f.jpg

[Bored1]

Looks a lot better than mine, both will serve the purpose!!!! Now you getta figure out way to "improve" it. First new thing I did was make homemade copies of the lee bench plates outta scrap 1x6s using bolts and wing nuts so I can swap out presses, the lam II, and so on!

[Bullshop Junior]

Not my best work. But it will be good enough. That piece of plywood is rather flimsy and I had to add a could L braces tothe frame to make it strong enough but it will work. Gonna add a shelf on the back and build storage underneith as well. And then when I can afford a bar stool, cut the legs down. I build it very tall since I'm 6'9" and have to stand up at it right now,..

[Bored1]

Until you get a bar stool why not stack milk crates up? GHETTOFABULous style!!! You can make damn near any furniture outta milk crates and cinder blocks. I still remember using 3 milk crates as a dresser for almost a year! God, now that I think about it, that seems like forever ago!

[str8shot426]

I just threw a bench together so I can at least get some ammo loaded. 4.5' tall. 3.5 deep. 6.5 wide. About $10 in material.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/23/yqa5yga3.jpg

"Necessity is the mother of all invention"

Always can upgrade when funds allow.

[Bullshop Junior]

The milk crates would be great of I had some mild crates lol.

[Bored1]

What about a bucket? Or beat metal trash with how tall you are.

[runfiverun]

I put a shelf in front of the window in my reloading room.
it leaves the top portion open to let light in but opens the space up to be useful.
I also went to the right of it with another floor to ceiling shelf about 14" deep.
for my closet I cut some 1"x8" into a notched sideway's W spacing them just far enough apart to let the rifle just about touch each other.
it also allows them to be parked at a 45* angle on the sides and at a 90* on the back row.
the space behind the rifles allows plenty of room for scopes and to put small items behind the guns [like a sleeve of primers or a 4-5 lb jug of powder]
above that I have shelves that will fit a grundle of handguns, gun cases, scope boxes, etc.

other than that the bench being too deep stops you from reaching stuff on the shelves above them.
it does however allow you to store stuff on shelves behind the loading gear.
I built a secondary shelf behind my presses and mounted all my powder dumps and a couple of scales right there I also keep stuff under there like my concentricity tool, an extra case trimmer, another balance beam scale, some die sets,,, whatever.

bench length and shelves are the priority's in every reloading room I have ever seen.

[PatMarlin]

Here's an idea for ya JR...

I'm just now setting up a new room for myself. This is my old $5 dollar goodwill office desk.

I screwed down a new top and shelf hutch made out of my old pine lumber left over from my mill. Reinforced where it's needed and it's not bad. File cabinet sets under the far end.

[Bullshop Junior]

Looks like we have the same press Pat lol

[PatMarlin]

That has been my favorite load development press since I bought it. Keep the Classic Cast Single in the shop. Keep the 550B for running numbers.

[freebullet]

Glad to see you already got something setup.

My advice would be to cut the legs down so you can use a dinning chair, you proly have one of those already. I've found I get much better case prep production and less back aches & fatigue by sitting in a normal chair. Also remove the 2by that runs across the front and use it for support elsewhere. Like under the front edge with the bolts of your press going through it for extra flex prevention. Then you can sit up close to the bench and really crank out prepped cases.

[220]

http://madmick3006.com/ahngallery/upload/files/2013-08/5234cec3.jpg
http://madmick3006.com/ahngallery/upload/files/2013-08/3754e055.jpg
This is my 3rd and last design, each has been an improvement over the previous bench.
Mine is 450mm (18") wide, previous benches were wider but it was dead space simply collected ****. 18" is more than wide enough in fact I think 12" would do at a pinch.
Slat wall above the bench is the best storage solution I have come up with, I can swap between hooks, shelving, bins or numerous other options.
Wish I could claim the insert design as my own but the idea came from here,
http://www.rifleshootermag.com/2011/01/04/ammunition_benchs_022607/
I went for 3 inserts and it is more than enough room to have 3 people using the bench at the same time. My bench top sits on a box frame constructed from 1 1/4" RHS that is bolted to the floor and wall.

[Bullshop Junior]

Glad to see you already got something setup.

My advice would be to cut the legs down so you can use a dinning chair, you proly have one of those already. I've found I get much better case prep production and less back aches & fatigue by sitting in a normal chair. Also remove the 2by that runs across the front and use it for support elsewhere. Like under the front edge with the bolts of your press going through it for extra flex prevention. Then you can sit up close to the bench and really crank out prepped cases.

Actually, we don't own a dining chair, or I would have repurposed it.

This is just a temporary bench. My final bench is gonna be 2.5 foot wide, 3.5' tall, and then 10' long, going into a L that will be an additional 6' long. Then the bench I built here will go outside on the deck for a casting bench.

[w5pv]

Build it with twice the amount of benches you think you will need/with plenty of shelves.I built my benches with 2 x 12 's.Look at the pics of the other guy's loading/storage and you will see why I say build twice as much as you think you will need. I do all of my smelting out side under the carport.

[Bad Water Bill]

Find a cabinet shop that makes kitchen counter tops. The cut outs for the sinks are generally available for next to nothing and are 3/4 thick. Great for stiffening your top and using on the back and sides for a VERY rigid bench.

Lay the cutouts side by side and cover with a piece of formica when money is available. Very easy to clean and if you use a light color to keep the area brighter.

Can be used for shelves etc for little money.

Now how about some dimensions of the room,window closet and doors?

[DRNurse1]

Nice start, but I must have missed the Own vs Rent answer. That makes a HUGE difference. I built a roll around island type thing when I was renting so I could park it in a locked closet when not in use. I liked it enough to bolt it to the wall when I 'bought' a house.

+100 on building more than you think you will need and making a 'walk in safe' out of that closet. Any humidity issues where you are at?

I also like the repurposing ideas for formica and dunning lumber.

[Bullshop Junior]

My drawings suck but here is the layout.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/24/y6adanar.jpg

[Bullshop Junior]

Very high humidity here.

[Bullshop Junior]

One thing I know, that ceiling fan had got to go! Dont like smashing my face into every time i turn around from my press

[blackthorn]

I assume you are renting? If so, build everything so that it breaks down into manageable pieces for moving. My bench is 2' deep with an 8" shelving unit that sits on the top at the back. My scale sits on the middle shelf at eye level and is situated so that it is never in shadow. My bench is 1" plywood on a 2x4 frame reinforced with 2x6 laid flat where necessary. The front right corner is a 4x4, the top of which has holes drilled into it, set so that I could use one of the old "whack-a-mole" Lee loaders. An angled hole is drilled so that punched-out primers can fall through into a tin can. I also screwed two of the old style, self contained, file card files to the under side of the bench top on one end to hold the loading dies I use most often. The whole setup is 4' long and is used strictly for reloading. I have a second, taller work bench (2'x7'), and a "roll-away" cleaning station (2'x3') along with lots of shelves.

[runfiverun]

as tall as you are I'd re-think the 3'-5" height.
my benches are 43-44" high and you are 4" taller than I am.
that 43" height allows me to sit at a bench mounted press or stand at an elevated press or both on either.
3'-5" is gonna kill your back and not allow you good vision when working on stuff.

[Bullshop Junior]

I renting.

Lamar, the bench I built last night is 54" tall at the top of the wood. I built it to be used standing up since we dont own a chair in the whole house

[Monttexan]

Well, we're getting ready to move the OTHER direction, only not as far! Montana. SWMBO saw this thread and we've been discussing it. We have a good lower kitchen cabinet left over unused from when we remodeled our kitchen a while back. It has 2 doors, and a couple drawers in it and could be a good support for one end of a bench. It has no top on it now and no shelves inside, but that's easy.
24.5 deep X 41 Long x 36 tall. You have to road trip down here to Robstown to get it. Drop down through Cuero, Goliad, and Refugio and then down 77 to us...about 2.5 hours. You need to do it fairly quick though....we're in final packing mode, looking to get a U-haul rented toward the end of the week if all goes well. Shoot me a PM with a phone number and I'll send a photo of the cabinet from my phone. We have some other scrap wood laying around that might help. For that mattter we have some used appliances we'll be looking to sell too! :wink: Totally serious about the cabinet and wood offer however.

PM Sent

[Bullshop Junior]

Well...I just made a boolit, with a mold that I got from a member here, a hot plate, a cap off the end of a ujoint and a pair of pliers.

Set two boolits I recovered from my 45 colt in the ujoint cap and set it on the hot plate. Got it melted, picked up the cap and poured it in the mould. I know, it's not perfect, but the mold was cold. Can't wait to get a pot and lead and really start casting again.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/24/yva6ane5.jpg

[Bullshop Junior]

Well....I was gonna size up some 270 brass to try out my bench, and out of my 3 sets of dies that use that shell holder, I don't have a shell holder for that case head.

So I sized about 100 45 colts up. Worked good. Then I found a lone 454 case in with my 45 colts, so I sized, belled and loaded it with the boolit I made for a function dummy in my Puma 92 454. SLICKEST BOOLIT I HAVE TRIED YET. They just fall right into the chamber from the lifter. I couldn't be happier. Should be good on pigs too :D

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/24/e9u9edan.jpg

[btroj]

Doesn't get much better, does it Daniel?

[Bullshop Junior]

Much enter?

[btroj]

Enter, better, close enough. Dang iPad.

[Bullshop Junior]

Lol. I figured thats what ya meant. Pretty happy with the mold, considering I made a wrinkle less boolit with broken parts off my pickup lol

[DCM]

Like R5R said don't block the entire window, natural light is a big plus.
Anotheer +1 on bigger than you think you need. Stuff multiplies!

[buckwheatpaul]

Im in the process of building a 14' x. 28' .... just lay out your man's cave in a way that works for you.....I am building and "L" style reloading bench...it will be screwed to the wall.....you will need plenty of light....there was a thread a week ago about a member building some great wall units....if you pm me I will see if I can find them for you.....a safe will be good (I prefer bolted to the slab). Dont be afraid to make your mark on it and build it your way......for you......it will be a work in progress and you will enjoy it!

[Bad Water Bill]

We still do not know if JR will own or is he just renting.

Makes a world of difference as to what he can do .

[Bullshop Junior]

I'm renting bill. I believe i Said that a few post up

[DRNurse1]

Good plan, Daniel.

I made the top of my bench out of a 4x8 sheet of 3/8 B/C plywood cut in 2 x 4 foot sheets and glued together. I bolted the top to an old cabinet so I had a locking space below my bench. Watch the swing on the doors when you mount your press. wheels underneath and the top made the bench 41 inches off the floor.

I used a 2x4x8 stud to 'hang' the cabinet with the new top on the wall by cutting the stud lengthwise (ripping) on an angle (I used 45*). I mounted the lip down part on the bench under the plywood top and the lip up part on the wall (with long deck screws to hold it in the studs).

It was there for 2 years before we moved and a thin coat of spackle and paint made that wall new again. I sill have the bench. I added a second press at right angles on the corner and a 1 1/4 inch pipe under the presses to the floor to support the additional stress when I moved.

That closet will make a secure gun cabinet with a little work. Don't forget to ventilate to keep the humidity away from your guns.

[dieguy59]

Just my $0.02, I would add lots of strong shelves or solid bookcases. I am constantly tripping over clutter that I don't have room/time to store or sort. Hard to be productive in clutter,or maybe I am just flawed,haha.