reloading range box

[practical_man]

not sure if this is the right place to post this question...

I'm looking for plans to build a reloading box to take to the range for load development. Smaller and lighter is probably better :)

I'll need to take a scale, powder measure, and single state bench mounted press. A couple of drawers to hold dies might be a good idea too.

Looking for ideas from you experienced reloaders and cabinet makers.

thanks,
john

[Bullshop Junior]

Why do you want a bench mount press? One of the Lee single stage hand presses is just as good, and much lighter and smaller. With a bench mount one, you will have to mount it on a board, and then clamp it on the shooting bench. With the Lee, you just hold it in your hand.

[mike in co]

skip the press and go with lee loaders and a good priming tool.....scale is your choice..but get a wind deflector.

[HeavyMetal]

I'll second the wind deflector for the scale no matter which type you buy!

Making myself a small "kit" to take to the range based on a Lyman Tru line Jr press, the compound linkage model, converted to take 7/8-14 dies. A little more complicated than Lee loaders but hammers and live ammo just bug the snot out of me!

Gonna copy the old Lee wooden press stand and add doors, I think, ONe c clamp should hld the whole show with no problems!

[machinisttx]

The Lee Hand Press works, but I'd really hate to have to full length size a large bottleneck rifle cartridge with it. It just doesn't have quite enough leverage for easy use.

IIRC, Huntington's sells a better designed and stronger hand press that is also bench mountable.

[geargnasher]

How about just making a Shuetzenvagen?

Gear

[cheese1566]

How about just making a Shuetzenvagen?

Gear

Nice!! It took me a minute and I almost Googled until it dawned on me!

[KYCaster]

How about just making a Shuetzenvagen?

Gear


Does Bruce B have a copywright on that?? Will we have to pay royalties to him????

Just askin'. [smilie=s:

Jerry

[mike in co]

Does Bruce B have a copywright on that?? Will we have to pay royalties to him????

Just askin'. [smilie=s:

Jerry


not just roalties, but consulting fees too

[MT Gianni]

I'm guessing it will be around 5 beers. You wil not find a more knowledge man, willing to share that with someone who is curteous and patient, while expressing the desire and ability to learn.

[lwknight]

You can carry your Eerzsplittenloudenboomer in your Shuetzenvagen too.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

lw,

I built one of those 22-378Wbees long time ago, except I went with the Ackley-style shoulder.

It was pretty cool...

Still got the reamer and dies, etc.

One of these days I got to do another one.

Rich

[deltaenterprizes]

Don't use 5/8'' plywood! I made a "heavy duty" range box when I first started shooting and could hardly pick it up empty and it took 2 people when it was full!

[WILCO]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jato321/2125276h.jpg

Holds all my gear & ammo easily. 3 compartments for storage on the lid with a carry handle. Real easy to move around. I've even sat on it a time or two with a cigar while watching others shoot.

[lwknight]

I have a couple of those roller tots like that. One for electrical related toolsd and the other for plumbing related. A lot of tools are common for both.
Anyway, I thought about one for range stuff. Just never got there.
So far I use ammo cans. One can just has light tools and stapler , sticky dots, and what not.

I think the tote would work out great. I could keep light tools, targets and chronograph in it. And still use ammo cans for ammo

[1Shirt]

Wilco's suggestion makes a lot of sense to me, as I can do little with a hammer, screwdriver, nails, screws etc, except to make a mess. Kind of like Bill Crosby said about him making shop projects in school, in the end he just put two grooves in the project and called it an ashtray. Did not see anyone recommend a Lyman 310 tool and dies, and a lee dipper set. I started loading with a 310 in 222 back in the dark ages, and still have a set or two of handles and dies for a couple of cals. With a 310, a set of Lee dippers, and one of the little battery operated dig scales, a can or two of powder, a hundred or so primers, and a fairly small tool box to hold the whole thing, think you could be well in business. You would of course be talking about neck sizing only.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[j4570]

I used the lee hand press. Usually take already primed, sized, and flared cases with me. then just load/seat what I need with the hand press. Not a big deal.

Now, doing all the operations at the range, I run out of time!!!

[canuck4570]

This is my range box that I bring to the range for load development
http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/michelmongrain/IMG_0548.jpg
from the front you see the RCBS press, powder measure, powder funel,powder box
also the 1/4 bolt that level's the box
http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/michelmongrain/IMG_0549.jpg
from the side you see the powder trickler, 2 wood bar that are drilled to accept the casing
and far back hole are drilled to put the dies
the trickler is held firmly in place by a wood bar that press on it by 2 wing nut
http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/michelmongrain/IMG_0550.jpg
from that side you see the box for the powder measure and the tricler tube going to the powder scoope and a glass top to see from above you will notice also a door with a wood dowell to be shut keeping the wind from making false reading on the scale
http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/michelmongrain/IMG_0552.jpg
the door mentioned above is shut here
when I go to the range all my case are reseized prime and ready
the press is used to seat bullet and taper crimp if need be
any question? shoot I will try to answer them the best I can....

[Davandron]

@canuck4570 That is the sweetest box I've seen yet!

[Suo Gan]

Canuck, could you add another photo of your setup taken from the top? That is a well thought out unit. I studied the photos you have and think I almost got it. What is the plywood thickness? What brand of scale? Doweled? Biscuits? Butt Jointed? Thanks again.

[dk17hmr]

Here is a cheapy I built.
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f208/dk17hmr/box4-1.jpg
Think I had $45 into this with all the equipment and the plywood.

I will have to get a couple pictures of my other box when I get and post them up....its alot better with a LEE turret press, Hornady powder measure, it has everything needed....not as portable though.

[kelbro]

Very nice setups DK17HMR and Canuck!

[canuck4570]

Canuck, could you add another photo of your setup taken from the top? That is a well thought out unit. I studied the photos you have and think I almost got it. What is the plywood thickness? What brand of scale? Doweled? Biscuits? Butt Jointed? Thanks again.

http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/michelmongrain/IMG_0554.jpg
the plywood used is 5/8 thick
the scale is Pact model BBK 11
joint, the entire box is screw and glued together I think the most important is the glue
the glass to see the powder measure is plexiglass
the bubble you see come from a camping trailer used to level it when parked
and a nice advantage is that the press is equip with Hornady's lock and load bushing so this way if you seat and then tapper crimp or do seating and crimping separately it goes much faster
you don't see the screws head because they are countersunk and plastic wood is put over them after...
the small wing nut you see in front of the small hole at the left is to secure the powder funnel
one thing I will add is a small umbrella or shade because in the afternoon where I shoot the sun its the setup this umbrella will be removable for storage.....
you build all with screws and after you dismantle it and put it back together putting this time the glue....
more question just asked will be happy to help building one
Canuck4570

[JesterGrin_1]

I would have to say what you have looks great. If you made a box cover for it then it would be a nice bug out set up as well. :)


This is my range box that I bring to the range for load development
http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/michelmongrain/IMG_0548.jpg
from the front you see the RCBS press, powder measure, powder funel,powder box
also the 1/4 bolt that level's the box
http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/michelmongrain/IMG_0549.jpg
from the side you see the powder trickler, 2 wood bar that are drilled to accept the casing
and far back hole are drilled to put the dies
the trickler is held firmly in place by a wood bar that press on it by 2 wing nut
http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/michelmongrain/IMG_0550.jpg
from that side you see the box for the powder measure and the tricler tube going to the powder scoope and a glass top to see from above you will notice also a door with a wood dowell to be shut keeping the wind from making false reading on the scale
http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/michelmongrain/IMG_0552.jpg
the door mentioned above is shut here
when I go to the range all my case are reseized prime and ready
the press is used to seat bullet and taper crimp if need be
any question? shoot I will try to answer them the best I can....

[markinalpine]

I nominate this thread for sticky status.

Any seconds?

Mark :coffeecom

[canuck4570]

JesterGrin 1
you have given me a great idea
has said previously the sun its the set up during the after noon where I shoot
will make a tubing cage attached to the box and will slip a canvas corer over it when needed and the front will be a bug net with zipper giving me access to everything, tubbing and canvas will be removable for storage
it will keep the sun off and the bug also.... great

[1hole]

That's super box/system but it would be more cabinet work than it's worth to a slob like me. I just mounded a little Reloader press on a short piece of 2x4 (RCBS Partner might be better), ditto the mount bar for a Lee "Perfect" measuren and C clamp them to a shooting bench. I put everything in a 5 gal. plastic paint pail and snap the lid on it. (Another such pail holds my targets, stapler, pasters, rest and sand bags, the pail top is padded and serves as a shooting stool.) A buddy uses virtually the same system but uses a hard sided suitcases he paid maybe $2 for at a local thriftshop, his tools are in proper sized boxes in the case but he also uses a pail for his range box and stool. (And I use a simular cheap suitcase to store my chronograph and related range items.)

[practical_man]

Canuk4570,

That is a great setup. Can you add some dimesions to the pics? Dimesnios for the press are probably most important.

A set up like that might also get me in out of the garage to load when it's cold -- like today.

Thanks,
John

[JesterGrin_1]

Canuck plus what I feel is a Huge plus is if you make a cover you can put it in the back of your truck or whatever and since it is under cover knowbody knows what it is. You know out of sight out of mind. :)

But I guess that is why if I make something with a cover to keep things mine I make the outside of the box as darn ugly and old as I can not something brand new lol. Heck I have gone so far as to paint something and let it get a bit tacky and throw dirt on it lol.


JesterGrin 1
you have given me a great idea
has said previously the sun its the set up during the after noon where I shoot
will make a tubing cage attached to the box and will slip a canvas corer over it when needed and the front will be a bug net with zipper giving me access to everything, tubbing and canvas will be removable for storage
it will keep the sun off and the bug also.... great

[canuck4570]

Canuk4570,

That is a great setup. Can you add some dimesions to the pics? Dimesnios for the press are probably most important.

A set up like that might also get me in out of the garage to load when it's cold -- like today.

Thanks,
John
OK will take pics and will put all dimensions you should see it posted by tomorrow night if everything goes well......

[Boondocker]

Canuck that is one sweet setup. You just encouraged me to use up some scrap plywood I have laying around. It used to be nice to do my load developement here at the house and shoot in the back yard. They built houses on the mountain behind me and the ended testing at home the nerve them folks have doing that.:-D

[canuck4570]

http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/michelmongrain/IMG_0548.jpg

OK the bottom is 17 3/4 X 17 3/4
the piece that olds the funnel is 8 1/4 X 8 3/4 deep
piece holding the press is 9 X 8 3/4 deep
righ side and left side holding the press are 8 3/4 deep by 11 hight
front of scale box is 6 wide by 4 1/4 high
you will notice that there is a small piece of wood on the bottom piece that quide the sliding door and in the back a bigger one take whatever you have

http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/michelmongrain/IMG_0556.jpg

piece on the left of powder scale is 6 1/2 X4 1/4 high it is the one with the hole for the powder trickler

http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/michelmongrain/IMG_0557.jpg



piece in the back of powder scale is 4 1/2 X 4 1/4 high

http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/michelmongrain/IMG_0555.jpg
sliding door is 9 1/2 X 4 1/4 high

http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/michelmongrain/IMG_0558.jpg

back is 7 1/2 X 10 high

http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/michelmongrain/IMG_0559.jpg

the piece right in front of you that hold the powder measure and funnel plate is 5 3/8 X 9 high

the other measurement like the pieces holding the trickler well you make them according to you equipement
when building adjust pieces so the fit correctly if you need 1/16 of a inhe do so and also if you have a different powder scale adjust accordingly.....
I am certain you are all capable of doing so
good luck and if you have a question go I will help the best I can
Canuck4570

[Firebricker]

cunuck, That is a slick setup nice work ! FB

[chrisx1]

Awesome box there canuck! Great job!

[canuck4570]

thank you all

[legend]

Sweet box!!!