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Old fart's reloading bench (show us yours)

1 by CDFingers
This garage was built in 1927 to hold a T-model Ford. I get to enjoy the luxury of leaving things and coming back to them, unlike folks who reload in their kitchens or back porches. In the late 90's I was teaching up in Redding, driving home seventy miles after work. Sometimes I didn't feel like going all the way, so I'd drop into the Olde West gun shoppe. Snagged that Orange Crusher there and still have it. Over the years I have really learned to love the process of making loads and so on. Was cleaning up yesterday and found box of 50, .45LC. Must consider generating some more empty brass. The brass in this box has been shot four times for sure, maybe five. If I'm lucky, I'll split one. ;-) .45LC brass lasts many shots.

I called this the old fart's bench because when you look at it you can see these worn old school tools and so on. I don't know how many of you have benches you can leave alone, or what. Let's see your scene.

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On edit, I wanted to share that I use wooden containers when I'm working with powders. Never get a spark, they don't break when you drop them, and they look cool.

CDFingers
Crazy cat peekin' through a lace bandana
like a one-eyed Cheshire, like a diamond-eye Jack

Re: Old fart's reloading bench

3 by wings
Weird. I clean my .45 in a garage of similar vintage. At least I don't have a Mosin problem.

One of these days I'll get into reloading, but almost certainly not casting for reasons. So the reloading discount isn't quite as good for me. In the meantime, my stash of factory Colt remains cheaper than most JHPs and if I only buy .45 ACP on sale then it's as cheap as 9mm. Just not as cheap as it was in 2020.

Old fart's reloading bench

5 by INVICTVS138
Finally got my reloading area set up at my new house. I’ve got my gun / reloading area behind a code locked door in my basement so I can also come and go on reloading & gun smithing projects.
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Finished up 100 .38 SPL I& I’ll probably load up another 100 of those & 100 .357s before I head to the range later this week to try out the S&W 327 R8.


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Re: Old fart's reloading bench

8 by tonguengroover
INVICTVS138 wrote: Sun Nov 06, 2022 10:27 pm Finally got my reloading area set up at my new house. I’ve got my gun / reloading area behind a code locked door in my basement so I can also come and go on reloading & gun smithing projects.
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Finished up 100 .38 SPL I& I’ll probably load up another 100 of those & 100 .357s before I head to the range later this week to try out the S&W 327 R8.


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Looks very organized.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,”

Re: Old fart's reloading bench (show us yours)

10 by tonguengroover
Well I figured I needed a dedicated loading bench ( doesn't everyone) so I found this one and it's got some fabulous Acacia hardwood top on it. It's 48" x 30".
Wish I had more room for a bigger one but I have two tables in my small workshop. I think it will work. Very solid steel frame and rubber castor wheels that lock. So ya know, no static. We wouldn't want static would we?
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,”
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Re: Old fart's reloading bench (show us yours)

11 by INVICTVS138
tonguengroover wrote:Well I figured I needed a dedicated loading bench ( doesn't everyone) so I found this one and it's got some fabulous Acacia hardwood top on it. It's 48" x 30".
Wish I had more room for a bigger one but I have two tables in my small workshop. I think it will work. Very solid steel frame and rubber castor wheels that lock. So ya know, no static. We wouldn't want static would we?
Off to a great start! I think a dedicated bench is the way to go.

I started with a tiny one in my first house, then moved to a giant corner built in work bench unit in a rental for a few years, then back to a tiny one, then a custom huge one (that is too big to fit in my current basement) now I’m back to a decent size but shallower one. My wife even bought me a nice adjustable bar stool when we moved in. I’ve had a lot of iterations…

The key is staying organized.


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Re: Old fart's reloading bench

13 by tonguengroover
INVICTVS138 wrote: Sun Nov 06, 2022 10:43 pm
CDFingers wrote:How much were the dies for the big guy? ;-) Is that a bag taped with blue tape to catch the spent primers?

CDFingers
Yup. I’ve learned that that’s the only way to keep them from ending up all over the basement…


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Why is your press on an extended piece of wood?
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,”

Re: Old fart's reloading bench (show us yours)

14 by INVICTVS138
tonguengroover wrote:
INVICTVS138 wrote: Sun Nov 06, 2022 10:43 pm
CDFingers wrote:How much were the dies for the big guy? ;-) Is that a bag taped with blue tape to catch the spent primers?

CDFingers
Yup. I’ve learned that that’s the only way to keep them from ending up all over the basement…


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Why is your press on an extended piece of wood?
2 reasons -

1) allows me to more easily reconfigure the bench if I need to switch to lubricizing press, different press, etc. just unclamp and set aside.

2) gives more overhang for my preferred powder measure (ancient Lyman one) to be able to charge all my cases in the loading blocks efficiently. Plus the “clamp” on the powder measure is thinner than most benches.

I’ve gone back and forth in directly bolting to the bench or on a board. Both seem sturdy enough, but I like an overhang. If you aren’t sold on clamps, I have bolted the board extension on previous benches as well to give the overhang.


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Re: Old fart's reloading bench (show us yours)

19 by INVICTVS138
CDFingers wrote:This is as close as I get to an organized place in my multi purpose reloading shack. Harbor Freight had a sale on those bins, so I screwed them to the wall and labeled some.
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CDFingers
I was once told … if you see a disorganized loading bench … run the other way!!!

Yours is in CA so I think I’m safe here in ohio.

But you sir, have impeccable tastes in beer, I’m a big fan of stouts & porters myself!


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