Where to reload?

[ThomR]

My wife and I recently relocated to Reno. We are staying in a rather small apartment and I honestly don't have anywhere to keep my reloading stuff. For now all of my reloading stuff is in the back of my SUV.

We park our car in a 9 level parking garage, the top level is blocked off and there are only a couple vehicles on the 8th floor. I'm thinking about buying a small work bench that would easily fit in the back of said SUV and driving up to the 8th floor when I want to reload.

I could keep casting boolits the old fashioned way with a ladle, but I don't believe I could powder coat. I would just have to do the 45/45/10 tumble lube method.

I need to also figure out a way to clean my brass. I do have a tumbler, but that would drive my neighbors nuts, and I don't want to try to run it off of the power outlet in the back of my car.

The Carson Rifle and Pistol Club hosts IDPA matches twice a month and I would like to get involved with them. As such I don't want to buy ammo for the matches if I don't have to. I bought a box of 40S&W today from wallyworld and cringed the whole time.

[richhodg66]

Lee loader and kitchen table?

I'd go crazy if I had to live long in an apartment. Good luck, hope you figure something out.

[am44mag]

My wife and I recently relocated to Reno. We are staying in a rather small apartment and I honestly don't have anywhere to keep my reloading stuff. For now all of my reloading stuff is in the back of my SUV.

We park our car in a 9 level parking garage, the top level is blocked off and there are only a couple vehicles on the 8th floor. I'm thinking about buying a small work bench that would easily fit in the back of said SUV and driving up to the 8th floor when I want to reload.

I could keep casting boolits the old fashioned way with a ladle, but I don't believe I could powder coat. I would just have to do the 45/45/10 tumble lube method.

I need to also figure out a way to clean my brass. I do have a tumbler, but that would drive my neighbors nuts, and I don't want to try to run it off of the power outlet in the back of my car.

The Carson Rifle and Pistol Club hosts IDPA matches twice a month and I would like to get involved with them. As such I don't want to buy ammo for the matches if I don't have to. I bought a box of 40S&W today from wallyworld and cringed the whole time.

The case cleaning issue could be fixed with an ultrasonic cleaner. Then again, I don't see cleaning as an absolute necessity. I like the look of clean brass, but I can't recall ever having an accuracy or reliability issue from dirty brass. I reloaded for years before I started cleaning my brass. As for actually reloading, I know of a lot of people that just do it in their kitchen or living room. I believe they clamp the press to a table, or have a little cart that they can move around that they attach everything to.

The casting is the tough one to figure out. Do you have a patio or any kind of private outdoor area? The parking garage solution might be the best one depending on your situation. You might get a few odd looks though. The nice thing is, you could probably dedicate a day or two to casting and be set for months.

[ThomR]

The case cleaning issue could be fixed with an ultrasonic cleaner. Then again, I don't see cleaning as an absolute necessity. I like the look of clean brass, but I can't recall ever having an accuracy or reliability issue from dirty brass. I reloaded for years before I started cleaning my brass. As for actually reloading, I know of a lot of people that just do it in their kitchen or living room. I believe they clamp the press to a table, or have a little cart that they can move around that they attach everything to.

The casting is the tough one to figure out. Do you have a patio or any kind of private outdoor area? The parking garage solution might be the best one depending on your situation. You might get a few odd looks though. The nice thing is, you could probably dedicate a day or two to casting and be set for months.

I went a long time without cleaning cases as well. The first time I cleaned brass was with a small plastic tub, some water, and dish soap. I put the lid on and shook it around for a few minutes. The only problem with that is drying the cases.

I do not have a patio, balcony, or any private outdoor area.

Maybe I can make a name for myself in the IDPA world and get an ammo sponsor.

[Jake McCracken]

Is this apartment a permanent thing or just temporary?

If it's temporart I'd talk to some of the people at the club you're interested in. Im sure someone there has some space and an outlet to let you cast and load up some.

Maybe the club even has some space for you to use? I know our club and even a few guys from there would be glad to help someone out in a case like yours. Especially if there wasnt a cost involved...

But if its a permanent thing, you may want to invest in a shed a generator and a small piece of property. Lol

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[rancher1913]

rent a storage locker and set up in there, get one with a light and a outlet. could probably do casting and powder coating out front of the locker on a nice day

[ThomR]

Is this apartment a permanent thing or just temporary?

If it's temporart I'd talk to some of the people at the club you're interested in. Im sure someone there has some space and an outlet to let you cast and load up some.

Maybe the club even has some space for you to use? I know our club and even a few guys from there would be glad to help someone out in a case like yours. Especially if there wasnt a cost involved...

But if its a permanent thing, you may want to invest in a shed a generator and a small piece of property. Lol

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I'll talk to some of the people at the range next weekend. Maybe I could trade one of them some lead for the use of their shed.

[JBinMN]

Hopefully a member here who lives near or in Reno will see this & you not only can make a new handloading buddy in person, but maybe he/she can also help out until you find a more permanent solution to your situation.


G'Luck!

[reddog81]

Anchor the press to a wooden board that can be clamped to your kitchen table.

Brass will dry out in a day or two depending on humidity levels. I just rinse mine off and let it sit on a towel in my basement. If I need to ensure that it's dry in a day I place it next to an air register. If cases become embedded inside other cases it takes a long time for them to dry out.

[Walks]

Would you really want to cast & load right out in front of a storage locker. Who knows what type of people would walk by, watch what you're doing. Maybe call the Cops or wonder how to break into your locker.

[Hick]

I bought a Walmart "desk" (the kind you put together) that is 36" wide and put it in the corner of a room and bolted a piece of 2 x 12 wood on top. It easily holds my powder measure, scale, RCBS press, Lyman 450 lube sizer and boxes of dies. That's my whole reloading room. I store the components on a shelf in a closet.

[WarEagleEd]

ThomR,

I don't know what press you use, but Lee makes a small footprint, three-legged reloading stand as does Frankford Arsenal, though it has a larger footprint (but more horizontal space) and uses ironing board-type legs. The Lee runs about $110 and the FA about $150. You can find them here. You could mount your presses to boards and clamp them to something like a Black & Decker Workmate. Skimming over the reviews on Amazon it appears that "they don't make 'em like they used to," but you might find a nice used one at a yard sale or a pawn shop.

Just my $0.02

Ed

[ThomR]

I'm thinking about buying one of these and bolting a 2x12 to it and attaching my reloading equipment to it.

[Walks]

No they sure don't make them like they used too.

I saw one at the True Value. I could lift it off the ground with two fingers of my bad hand.

The one I bought when they came out in 1976 is built like a tank and still tough enough for an elephant to dance a jig on.
That new one; I'd be afraid to set a paper plate on. Looks like it made out of tinfoil.

Got a friend using that Frankford arsenal stand with a RockChucker for 15+yrs. Works great.

[rancher1913]

Would you really want to cast & load right out in front of a storage locker. Who knows what type of people would walk by, watch what you're doing. Maybe call the Cops or wonder how to break into your locker.

people live in them, keep the door closed and its no different than your house. desperate times call for desperate measures

[flyingmonkey35]

You could also invest in a small motor home or trailer. Something you could park in the garage.

And turn it into a mobile workshop.

Or look for a small club that has a space you can use.

I wish ya luck.

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[ThomR]

I can't park a trailer in the parking garage.
I just wish I had a truck so I could mount the reloading press to the tailgate.
If I manage to make this work out in the parking garage I'm probably going to buy an inexpensive progressive press. It would be nice to be able to sit down at the press for an hour and load enough ammo for a month.

[MOA]

Well, Reno being what Reno is, I don't think I would do anything outside where anyone could see what I was doing or what equipment I had.......oh, this guy is reloading......oh, this guy must have guns, I wonder how many.........I'd be doing what I be doing behind closed doors and closed curtains, until I had me a place out of town where my neighbor is at least two lots away. Most storage units now if you read the lease prohibit liquid and propane fuels or any thing flamable from being stored along with guns and no doubt reloading primers and powders.

[ThomR]

I might end up taking my reloading setup to the gun range and reload there. Less chance of someone freaking out.

[bob208]

I lived in 2 apartments both I set up my loading bench in the corner.