Compact reloading setup - suggestions

[flashhole]

I built this as a portable setup to haul back and forth to the range. Give me the option of using differnt powder measures. I recommend the Lee Auto Drum if you have the ability to mount it to your press. Remaining tools and components go in a tool box tote. Easy to break out and easy to store.

[dromia]

For a bijou powder dispenser this little doofur from Jeff Tanner is hard to beat. Originally made for black powder it works equally well with a smokeless. At just £25 it is a real bargain, the adjustable measure that you need to go with it is only another £10 - £12 if you don't have one already. Here is an independent review of it.

http://www.svartkrutt.net/articles/vis.php?id=43

[gwpercle]

For a variety of reasons I'm going to lose access to my reloading bench from Sept. until Jan. In order to keep shooting I'm only going to reload for three pistol cartridges: .38 Special/.357 Mag. and .44 Mag. Space is an issue. I have the dies and a small Lee press. I wanted to use Lee dippers but I can't get close enough to the loads I need. I now need a powder measure. (I've got a digital scale) I have an RCBS Uniflow with the micrometer adjustment, but am thinking about a Lyman 55 because it looks smaller and has a clamp built in.
Ideally I'd like to get all the equipment into a small box.
Any thoughts about this or any other suggestions?

Thanks,

Jeff

Make your own dippers or modify a Lee dipper to dip the powder and weight you want. I make mine from fired pistol cases , solder on a #12 wire handle . you can cut a case down or insert a foam disc to adjust weight dipped.
The 55 is a good measure , I have one , but use my dippers unless loading a large batch of ammo. I had a Lee dipper that dropped 7.7 of AA#5 , that was more than I wanted , one foam disc (from an egg carton )pushed into the bottom changed it to 6.1 grains....perfect !
My Lee hand press, dippers and everything needed to load ammo can fit in a gym bag or large tool box. Reload at the office or at home sitting at my desk.
Gary

[Artful]

[Echo]

Old Lee Primer Puter, empty case powder scoops, &cetera - I like the old Lee Primer puter's - sit in front of TV capping them cases. The newer ones look too clinky/fiddly to suit me - too much to break or jam... The Lee press is a good idea, mounted on a platform with spacers to accommodate a spent-primer catcher.
Can be c-clamped, or tough spring-loaded clamped, wherever. I put a hole in the back of this assembly for use with a 1/4-20 bolt to a T-nut under the work-bench, but it may not be necessary for your application. spent-primer catcher is a cut-off prescription bottle, not shown here.

[Green Frog]

Lil dandy and 3 rotors

+1 to this! I own a plethora of powder measures, but to be honest I HATE adjusting the Lyman 55s I own and tend to leave them set up for one load. If you want to save space, you can buy or make a bracket for the LD, carry the rotors in the reservoir when not set up, and you will be good to go.

Froggie

[W.R.Buchanan]

I can't believe that the Buchanan Precision Machine Hand Press was not mentioned in this thread? It is portable reloading at it's best.

Mine is in a LA Police Gear Bailout Bag http://www.lapolicegear.com/ along with a digital scale, a couple of dippers, and my old Lee Hand Priming Tool, plus whatever set of dies is needed.

To this I add a bottle of powder, some primers and whatever boolits I am testing. Good to go to the range for the Day.

If I needed to consolidate all my necessary loading equipment including boolit casting, I would have one bag with boxes of dies, and one bag dedicated to casting with a small RCBS Pot I've had since the beginning, a Ladle, and a Professor built Sizing Die Adapter that can be ran in my Hand Press. I would use a Coleman Backpackers Stove for melting.

The reason why I use tool bags instead of a hard box is that they can fit in places where a hard box can't go.

There is really no one real answer to this question,,,, but there are a myriad of ideas out there on how you can assemble your kit.

I suggest that you look at all of them and pick out the things that work best for you.

A BPM Hand Press should be #1 on your list.

Randy

[jmorris]

I can't believe that the Buchanan Precision Machine Hand Press was not mentioned in this thread? It is portable reloading at it's best.

I tried to convince myself I needed one when you built your first batch but since we moved its only 12 steps from my bench to my range. Looks top quality though.

[dromia]

I can't believe that the Buchanan Precision Machine Hand Press was not mentioned in this thread? It is portable reloading at it's best.

Mine is in a LA Police Gear Bailout Bag http://www.lapolicegear.com/ along with a digital scale, a couple of dippers, and my old Lee Hand Priming Tool, plus whatever set of dies is needed.

To this I add a bottle of powder, some primers and whatever boolits I am testing. Good to go to the range for the Day.

If I needed to consolidate all my necessary loading equipment including boolit casting, I would have one bag with boxes of dies, and one bag dedicated to casting with a small RCBS Pot I've had since the beginning, a Ladle, and a Professor built Sizing Die Adapter that can be ran in my Hand Press. I would use a Coleman Backpackers Stove for melting.

The reason why I use tool bags instead of a hard box is that they can fit in places where a hard box can't go.

There is really no one real answer to this question,,,, but there are a myriad of ideas out there on how you can assemble your kit.

I suggest that you look at all of them and pick out the things that work best for you.

A BPM Hand Press should be #1 on your list.

Randy

I have one and concur with Randy that it is the best and most versatile hand press out there.

[W.R.Buchanan]

The whole point is that it is the best Portable Reloading Press ever produced, and I have no problem saying that as I know I can back it up, and so far no one as questioned that fact.

For a guy who is strapped for space and can't set up a bench it is a great way to go, and can do nearly everything a Rock Chucker can do including sizing boolits and doing light case forming, as well as sizing and loading virtually any caliber rifle case with the possible exception of the very longest Black Powder rounds.

I had to revise my Portable Reloading Kit as my tool and it's case was too long and wouldn't fit into the LAPG bag. So I got this neato Cabela's Bag (on sale a couple of months ago.) it is now the Portable Reloading Kit, and has enough space, pockets and slips to house a complete kit with everything you need to load several different calibers.

You'll note that the end zippered pockets are the right size for a Standard Die Box and there is one on each end. The main cargo area has enough room for my press in it's case, along with a 1lb. bottle of powder my Digital Scale, Priming Tool, and lots of other stuff as well. There are also External Slips that can house Paperwork for recording your work.

With any system like this,,, the entire success of the endeavor revolves around the ability to consolidate everything you need into a space that is big enough to hold what you need, and yet small enough to fit into the space you have available for it.

Typically with kits like this,,, Speed of Operation is not the primary concern, Portability is. However with most of them they are not that much slower than a Mounted Single Stage Press. Since You wouldn't be loading hundreds of rounds of ammo at a time, the actual speed is of no consequence.

I have one customer who has been loading all of his .223 and .308 Match Ammo on one of my presses while sitting in front of the TV at night. His groups are as good or better than those loaded on his RCBS Summit Press, and he is also checking them with a concentricity gage to make sure they are right before a trip to the range. He is also using this tool to test different loads at the range which was the original intention of the tool. It saves multiple trips to the range when you don't achieve Nirvana the first time.

You don't need a bunch of space to reload ammo,,, you just need the right stuff.

Randy

[jeff423]

Thanks,

As mentioned in my original post I already have a conventional, single stage press that can be clamped to a table/board/counter top/stool. etc. that is small enough for my needs. I have also decided on a Lyman 55 powder measure so now my setup is complete.

Jeff

[dragon813gt]

The press hasn't been mentioned because it's in the hands of only a few people. Give it some time and if will rightfully earn it's place at the top of the list. I own one and will agree that it's the best portable reloading press you can buy. I need to put a small kit together for myself.

[Green Frog]

I see you have already made your decisions and I respect them, but I had typed this up, so I figured I'd go ahead and finish it up with my thoughts on the subject.

I've collected/accumulated a shelf full of powder measures including several Lyman 55s. I like how they perform but have to admit it takes me an inordinate amount of time to set them. I much prefer to use fixed rotors if I'm doing "standard" loads as you describe. After they've been checked with a scale, they do not change! If you think you will be varying your powders and loads, the Model 55 will be fine. One of the micrometer style might also work well.

I would be comfortable with either a 310 tool and three sets of dies or a hand press like the Lee or preferably one a little more upscale like the one from Buchanan. I have the late, lamented HDS model that his replaces, and I'd probably go with that and 3 sets of carbide dies. A tiny electronic powder scale, a hand priming tool (I like the early style Lee or the Lyman made for the wax bullet loading kit) and of course my components, and I'd be good to go. Oh yeah, this would be one time I'd like to have one of the "universal" shell trays to hold my cases as I load them... one tray to handle all three calibers.

With this setup, I could set up in a hotel room, on my kitchen table, or even in my camper and load good ammo with perfect safety and comfort. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I own and have used all of the items mentioned in the manner described and can definitely recommend them as working well. YMMV

Froggie

[Clark]

For me to type, I have to move the scale out of the way. It is sitting on a hump and just lifts up.



Previously I had those presses in my Honda Element, but I just gave that car to the daughter.

[almostgem]

For me, while I could take up more room, I decided on using a Lee triangular workbench, with a lyman turret press. I have separate turrets for each caliber I reload, and use a Lee disc type powder measure. I have a step stool beside me that holds an electronic scale to verify loads. The foot print is small, but not really portable with concrete blocks to keep the bench steady. The stand has places to hold extra bins, and a place for my vernier caliper to check OAL. I should probably build a little shelf on one side for plastic ammo boxes for completed rounds.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[flashhole]

I'd be replacing those bricks with loaded ammo as ballast to hold it down.