Anyone reload / work up loads at the range?

[GrizzLeeBear]

Was thinking about putting together some sort of set up that would allow me to work up loads at the range. I hate loading only 5 or 10 cases of 2 or 3 loads and then taking the 40 minute drive to the range to test them out. Since I can only really get to the range maybe once a week, it takes a long time to develop loads. I was thinking that I could get one of the little Lee presses and mount it on a board that I could c-clamp to one of the picnic tables at the range. This would only be used to seat boolits as I work up the loads. Take a bunch of prep'd. and primed brass, boolits and powder. I could start out with a couple starting loads already loaded and then work up the powder charges by loading 5, shooting them, up the powder charge, load 5, shoot them, etc. until I got to the max. that I wanted, accuracy goes away or pressure signs showed up. This would also avoid loading a whole bunch of different loads and finding out that you max out a couple loads below the top ones you have loaded and then have to pull a bunch down. Anyone (that doesn't have a range in their back yard) do this?

[Recluse]

I once rigged up a Lee Challenger on two pieces of 3/4" plywood screwed together and c-clamped it to my open tailgate. At one of my old favorite ranges many years ago, you backed your car/truck right up to where you were shooting. Worked out great.

Seems like fewer and fewer ranges will let you reload on the line or anywhere close to it anymore.



:coffee:

[GrizzLeeBear]

We can, as a matter of fact, back right up to the covered firing line at our range. The tailgate thing would work fine, but there are several picnic benches there as well. Also, I just thought about one of the Lee hand presses. That would be nice and portable, and you wouldn't even need to clamp it to a table. Anyone use one of these?

[DeanoBeanCounter]

I would recommend a Lee Hand Loader at the range. To tell you the truth, that's all I have. I don't have a mounted press at all.
The only problem with loading at the range is: How do you weigh the powder with the wind blowing and all?
My 2 cents worth.
Dean

[Le Loup Solitaire]

It is possible to load at the range or anywhere else;the only complicated step is the scale. I don't have an electronic scale, but would imagine the same problem would exist as with a beam scale .....the wind! Any breeze however slight sends the scale into wild hysteria. Bringing it into the cab of the truck or car and onto some sort of shelf/balanced box might work. Another option would be the use of dippers such as the Lee(s) or any size that you might make out of a used cartridge case, but this would limit you to one powder. Another possibility would be the RCBS Little Dandy system if you subscribe to fixed powder measures being as accurate as you would like them to be. It can be done successfully with some good planning. LLS

[FN in MT]

Check out the Sinclair site. They cater to the Benchrest crowd and they have several products for loading right at your bench.

I used to have to drive 30 minutes to the Range so can relate to your dilemma. I'd put together a few different loads and immediately see that a certain powder or bullet seemed to be THE one. I'd have to go home, load again, drive back, etc, etc.

Now I have a benchrest and a 100 and 200 yd setup in my backyard. With the bench roughly 60 feet from the loading table it makes the job a lot easier.

FN in MT:Fire:

[3006guns]

I'm lucky to have one of those ranges where you can load/test right at the bench....'course that's because no one's there during the weekdays. In my situation the little Lee hand press is just the ticket, although I'm seriously thinking about taking my long unused Tru-line Jr.....for nostalgia I guess.:roll:

There was a suggestion on one of the other forums about scales: Place a tansparent plastic storage box upside down over the scale, with a small opening for a powder trickler. Not an inconveinence really and the scale will settle down just like at home.

[BruceB]

When I first conceived the "Schuetzenwagen" (see: Castpics, Projects for photos), it was my belief that the ability to handload in comfort at the range would be a great advantage.

For me, it didn't turn out that way. Over several years, the number of rounds actually loaded in the van was miniscule. It turned out that range and daylight hours are too valuable to be spent doing something that can be accomplished at home in the dark hours. Given sufficient brass for a cartridge, loading at the range is a waste of my time.

I have now removed the Spar-T press from Der Schuetzenwagen and peddled it to NVCurmudgeon, who uses it on a regular basis....quite different from its "passenger" status in the van. A vise now occupies the former loading bench, and it gets more use than the turret press ever did. (The first press, visible in the Castpics shots, was an All-American...too tall for the existing headroom.)

Loading at the range may work well for someone else; for myself, it was a good idea that didn't work out.

(There have been MANY changes in Der 'wagen since the early photos were taken. I really should get some updated ones posted.)

[pdawg_shooter]

My range is in my back yard so I do it all the time.

[GrizzLeeBear]

Bruce, while it didn't work out for you, the Schuetznewagen was WAY COOL! I don't plan on doing a complete reloading setup at the range. Only need to be able to measure and dump powder and seat boolits. All other case sizing, priming etc. would be done prior at home. The simpler the setup, the better (less stuff to forget at home). Once a load is decided on, I will just load the larger batches at home as usual.

3006guns, the clear plastic box is a great idea! Even if you just put it over the scale to let it settle down after putting the powder on it.

As far as wind goes, I wouldn't do load work ups on a real windy day anyway. Makes it hard to tell if its the load or the wind blowing the groups.

[Maven]

Grizz, I tried the small Lee press mounted on a scrap of 2 x 6 (with a place for the Lee "Perfect" powder measure too) that I C-clamped to one of our loading benches. It worked rather well for neck-sizing the cases, but FL sizing was much more difficult and seemed to strain the press. I also tried the Lee Loader with a dipper appropriate to the powder and jacketed bullet I was using and a handful of cases as per Richard Lee's suggestion. The "kit" for that Lee Loader (primers, bullets, a Lee case gauge & trimmer, powder funnel and 10 empty .243Win. cases) fits nicely in a milsurp ammo can. Btw, I preset the powder measure via a [powder] scale beforehand.

[Wayne S]

I do all the case prep work [size and prime] at home, i take a card board box with me to shield the scale from the wind, the lee press is what I use now, mounted on a 2 x 6 with some "C" clamps.
i did make a portable mount for my Rock Chucker, but got tired of hauling the heavy thing around plus taking if off and putting it back on the bench

[Larry Gibson]

I load at the range and out in the "field' quite often. Most of the time all of the case prep is done at home so all that is needed is to throw the powder charge and seat the bullet. I use either the Lee hand press or a old Pacific C press "C" clamped to the bench to seat the bullets. Powder is thrown using a Lee powder measure. I know the settings from "start" to "max" loads as I weight the charges and record the settings at home before going to the range. Sometimes I use a scale at the range but the wind will mess with it unless it is protected. A large cardboard box on it's side does well with light winds (up to 5 mph) but above that it isn't worth the effort. I carry the above along with bullets, powder, extra primers, dacron, loading tray, dies, deprime die, Lee hand primer, set of Lee shell holcers for the press and primer tool and other accouterments in a MTM box with one tray. The use of such saves much travel and set up time at the range as it shortens the number of trips or at least you can get more done in a given number of trips.

For complete loading in the "field" I use Lyman tong tools, Lee loaders or sometimes the Lee hand press with NS dies. I sometimes use Lee pwder measures but mostly the Lee powder thrower (C clamped to table, etc.) after knowing what the charge setting is. The lee thrower is 100% repeatable in it's settings. Just record the proper setting weight of pwder thrown desired, set the thrower micrometer to that setting and it will throw that weight. As with all throwers, consistency of operation is necessary for uniform charges.

Larry Gibson

[jhalcott]

I have reloaded at the range. I used a small Lee press and an electronic scale . The scale was protected with a box. I'd take a large bag of prepped and primed brass, a box or 2 of bullets and what powders I intended to test. I found (as did bruce) that I was spending to much time at the range. I have since gone to reloading a series of cartridges at home and testing them when I get the chance. I have many good loads worked up over the years and now just check to see they are STILL viable. IF you just want to play at the range ,it's a OK idea. I've even carried 5 cases on a week end ground hog hunt , loading as I needed to using a Lee kit.

[joeb33050]

I live 100 miles from the range, and shoot every Wednesday.
I load 25Record +10SS with each of 2 to 4 loads, thus 70 to 140 rifle cartridges.
25 = 5 sets of 5-shot targets, with 3 SS for fouling between sets of 2 targets in a 15 minute relay. 3 foulers, 10 for record, clean, 3 foulers..........
Less than 5 5-shot groups and there's not enough information.
Yesterday it took from 9AM to 12:30 PM to shoot 70 shots. Less talk and I could have shot more, but the BS keeps the barrel cool.
Nobody needs to accuracy test by reloading at the range, more brass is the answer, load at home.
I shoot SS rifles, loading 1 at a time at the range, no press required, just 1 cartridge case. Also shoot bolt guns loading 1 at a time. These for fun, not to work up an accurate load.
Get more brass. Load at home.
You'll screw up loading at the range. Want to see my finger?
joe b.

[dragonrider]

Do it often, the firing line is inside and we have benches, so I c clamp my press to the bench, set out a scale, powder etc. Don't do any sizing or priming at the range just bring the brass already prepped.

[KYCaster]

Stubby index finger,
Tappin' out your code.
Stubby index finger,
Lookin' like a.......toad!


Does anybody remember the name of the movie that's from? With Mickey Rooney as a legendary telegraph operator.

Jerry

P.S. Sorry JoeB, the devil made me do it!!

[Old Ironsights]

Depends. Generally not, but when I was trying to come up with a load/powder/wad/filler combo for a .410 Slug, there was no practical way to do it otherwise.

Make 5 on the bench with the Lee Loader, shoot them, tweak, try 5 more, etc.

[NSP64]

Stubby index finger,
Tappin' out your code.
Stubby index finger,
Lookin' like a.......toad!


Does anybody remember the name of the movie that's from? With Mickey Rooney as a legendary telegraph operator.

Jerry

P.S. Sorry JoeB, the devil made me do it!!

Evil Roy Slade 1972

[Ricochet]

Joe B., what's the story behind that finger?

[NSP64]

Grizz, I used to take a shoe box cut one long side off and put it over my scale to keep the wind off. I also prepped the cases at home then did the load workup there, been thinking of doing again.:drinks:

[Ed Barrett]

A method I have used for range reloading, is to use one case, this takes case variation out of the equation. I shoot, deprime and neck size the case with a hand held press and a collet sizing die, open up the neck (bell) with a set of calibrated needle nose pliers, prime the case with Lee primer, charge the case with a pre-measured powder charge in an old medicine bottle, seat the bullet with another hand held press and die.
By this time the barrel has had a chance to cool, and you are ready to shoot again. With cast loads I have been able to get several hundred shoots out of one case, the primer pocket gets loose from priming and depriming and then the case gets dicarded. When you get a little older the empty medicine bottles start piling up, so you can have different powder weights and different powders in labeled bottles.

I have found this to be a good method for working up a load for each rifle. Once you get the load, then you can load a large batch of ammo at home and tell everyone this rifle just shoot those tiny groups right out of the box.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Yep for my single shots.. 38-55 and 45-70 and 44-77 . Primed brass, my lyman 310 TONG, a powder measure, a scale, powder,a couple clamps and lots of greased boolits. Wads, wood dowel, COW, ( trying to remember all the odds and ends in my plactic range reload box...).
Just whatever you can think of ...
Mike God Bless you.

[GrizzLeeBear]

Lots of good info. guys, thanks! Larry, I like the idea of getting the powder measure settings before hand, that way you don't even need a scale. I do have the Lee Perfect powder measure, but I think my Lee Pro Auto disk could be handy for this, too. I have the double disk kit, so I can get up to about 40 - 45 grain loads in .3 gr. or less increments, which should be enough for just about any loads for cast boolits. Like you said, I could figure out at home the disks that gives me the loads I want to work with and then its just a matter of changing the disks as I work up. Also thought of getting one of the small electronic scales. I'm sure I would still have to protect it from the wind, but it would still be easier than a beam scale at the range.

[jerrold]

Bench Rest group shooters do it almost exclusively.[smilie=1: I don't see why a caster:castmine: who uses smokeless powder can't do the same. The only caveat is the BR community uses good quality powder measure rather than scales almost always.( that is what I saw when I used to shoot BR)
I have a box that I made with 5 drawers, two on bottom three on top, each about 4in. deep and a top like a mechanics tool box that will hold every thing I need to load at the range. A table about 2 ft. by 4 ft. that has folding legs that I set up with cleaning cradle, press (RCBS partner), powder drop (Harrell's) and arbor press when needed.
Since I use Holy Black dropped into a volume measure I intend to try that at the range some day.
too early for :drinks: too late for:coffee:

[jsizemore]

I have my Forester coax press mounted to a piece of 2x6 and I screw or clamp it to a table or bench. I have 2 Harrels powder measures, but my friends Redding and Lyman 55 powder measures with the powder baffle keep right up with em. Check what the high and low limits for your powder is with your scale at home before you go. I can do everything at the range except tumble the brass. If your in the operating range of the powder, there ain't a whole lot to clean anyway.

[Beekeeper]

GrizzLeeBear,
For as many years as they have been available I have used a Jig that slides into my trailer hitch.
Long shaft , tailgate down,same height, flat top with a RCBS junior press mounted on it .
Been able to load everything ,never moved the truck yet.
Leave the press off and use the flat plate to load shotshells with a Lee loader.

Works for me

beekeeper

[supv26]

My range is in my back yard so I do it all the time.

Same here! I can shoot anywhere from point blank to 500+ yrds and then some. I have never measured the total distance I have to shoot but I know if I wanted to try a 1000 yard shot I would have the space!

I just load up a few and take them to the bench. I shoot them, check the target and go back into my shop and load some more. I also have another real nice shop that is right next to my "shooting range" that I would like to set up an indoor area to shoot. All I would have to do is put up some hatches that I could open and then shoot from inside.

[GrizzLeeBear]

:kidding:supv26, pdawg_shooter,

Didn't you read the last sentence of my 1st post? Didn't want to hear from you "range in my backyard" guys cause you're a bunch of spoiled brats![smilie=l::brokenima:bigsmyl2:

[BD]

The only time I reload at the range is once I think I'm at "the load" for a full house jacketed bullet. Then I'll take 5 new brass out of a lot of 100, the rockchucker, dies, a B&M, a case trimmer and a dremel to the range.

I'll load and shoot the five cases 10 times for group while running the OAL out looking for that really sweet OAL. I inspect the brass carefully while doing this. Then I'll section one case to have a look see. If all is good I'll load and shoot the other 4 five more times while watching the brass and primer pockets carefully. Then I'll section another case. If things are still looking good, (common with a lower pressure neck sized only load like the 6.5x55), I'll keep going with the other cases as far as seems reasonable.

If I make it that far, I'll happily quit while I'm ahead at 10 loadings on a 270 WBY, or a .223 load using LC brass. If something gets my attention earlier than 10 loadings I'll stop and section a case. At the end of this process I'll know if I truely have "the load". I'll know when I need to bump the shoulder back, (or full length size), and I'll have a good idea what my case life should be, and what the limiting factor is to watch for.


I've tried this processs by loading the same case over again at home. Until I remember to actually bring it along ten times while working up other things it takes about a year.
BD

[35remington]

I shoot a lot of reduced loads and small calibers, and have taken lately to hauling the Lee Classic Turret to the range with the PAD and dies set up.

For a lot of small caliber stuff this works fine. Speed of loading makes loading at the range worthwhile.

Any other way loads too slowly, and I'm better off pre loading at home. This way I can stop following dead ends pronto and concentrate on what works.

If I'm at the range I plan to try a lot of different things, and loading slow don't make sense. A good part of the time should be shooting.

[pjogrinc]

The only time I reload at the range is at the hunting shack actually. I have left an old Lee hand loader there, minus dies. Reload dirung the BS sessions at night.