I've outgrown my space... how are you guys doing ???

[Magnum Wheel Man]

well like a knucklehead, I added 8-9 more new cartridges to my reloading over the summer... I'm now approaching 70 different cartridges... & I'm looking at a major overhaul of my man corner in the basement... all my shelves are over full, I tried last rearrange to run my cartridges & brass in order from 17 K Hornet to 50-70 Gov.... but have now added one bigger... custom 53 caliber, & 7-8 inbetween... time for a new shelving unit, for ammo, brass, & lead...

... I guess I'm OK on both my primer stoage & my powder storage... good thing those are versitile enough to use for several cartridges...

a couple of the new ones for me are...

6.5 Jap
44 Bulldog
44-40
53 caliber custom

I know there are several more... just remember them right now...

how are you guys doing, containing all your stuff...

BTW... really hate buying Federal primers in those huge boxes

[deepcore]

Bought bigger pants...

What's your situation under your bench?
I went sky scraper style and organized from the ground to the ceiling.
Since packaging increases the square footage on products I do what I can to get rid of the package (like the packaging of dies) and put them in organizers.

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I try & keep my lead on the floor ( actually just off the floor ) & stored in ammo cans, labeled by diameters & sorted small to large...

if I made a special rack for my dies, & tried to keep them in order ( all 70 or so ) I think I'd have my hands full... right now I store them in original boxes stacked 14-16" high on a shelf, kinda going from smallest to biggest

hate those round die boxes too, as they end up having to be on the top all the time

[deepcore]

I installed those magnetic tool holders wherever I can (side of my bench, sides of shelves, even the ceiling beams in my garage) and anything that can and makes sense sticking on them I do.
Frees some drawer space.

[mrbro]

I'm now approaching 70 different cartridges

[flashhole]

I have my entire basement and make good use of the space. Have only one primary loading bench with 4 presses but have 3 additional benches dedicated to specific tasks like brass prep etc. Have dedicated powder and primer storage areas with appropriate storage containers/bins and two large armois that store components. Not cramped at all but I only load for 6 cartridges.

[oneounceload]

Personally, I wouldn't bother with that many cartridge types as I would never have the time to fully appreciate shooting them.

To answer the question - Gorilla racks make a nice work space when set side by side - one unit will give you 2 racks approx 19 x 48 and they can be coupled together giving you a 8' long bench. Two units set in a "L" formation give you a corner to boot - one end for storage underneath for bullets, brass - all the heavy stuff, and then you make wall shelves above for die sets, scale, - all the light stuff.

One bench top becomes the work and prep area the other is where the presses are set up

[FrankenMauser]

My bench is made from Oak door jambs and a reinforced, hollow-core fiberglass door. As such, it's pretty light, and needs some "help" to keep it in one place. It was designed to be a piece of movable furniture, rather than a semi-permanent fixture. -- Many thanks to Crankylove, for sourcing the (scrap) materials, fine-tuning the design with two other benches, and building this one to my specs.

You can get an idea of its construction in this photo (from when my Dillon's link arms locked up):


As you can see in the photo, I store as many bullets as I can (and the Rock Chucker) on the lower shelf of the bench. I keep them in open-top boxes, so I can slide them out to the front to peruse my inventory (rather than crawling under the bench). Any over-flow goes on the shelves where I store my dies and reloading books/manuals.

Powder, primers, brass, loaded ammo, cleaning supplies, lubricants, and many other things are stored in the area on the other side of the door in the next photo (it's stable at about 30% humidity and 65 degrees, year round -- I'd prefer lower humidity, but being stable is good enough for me). Right now, I'm only using about 40% of the available shelve space, and about 50% of the available floor space. The towel rack was left by the previous owner. It comes in handy for hanging tools from neodymium magnets.



In addition... I have quite a bit of empty space right now. I gave away several pieces of furniture, and had everything packed up in a storage unit, so we could sell our house. That won't be happening, now (too many reasons); so I'm slowly getting the reloading room put back together. Even once everything is unpacked, 60% of the reloading room will be available for expansion.



I do need another radio down there. It's too quiet.

[orionengnr]

Wow. I barely find time to shoot once a week, gather/sort/tumble brass and load enough for next week....and to be honest, while I am set up to load for about seven chamberings, in reality I spend about 85% of my time loading and shooting .45 acp.

The remainder goes to .45 LC and .41 Mag, with a very occasional 50-round foray into .380 and 10mm. I am not complaining--I enjoy every moment of it.

If I ever retire, I hope to load for the others, which include some rifle calibers. That day is up the road a bit.

If you can actually load for 70 chamberings, and have the time to shoot them, you are truly blessed. Or maybe cursed.

I load in the garage, and my space looks a bit more crowded, although in reality, a better word would be condensed. I have a fair amount of cleaned, ready-to-go brass, all in GI cans, stacked neatly.

[Lost Sheep]

Magnum Wheel Man
I've outgrown my space... how are you guys doing ???
well like a knucklehead, I added 8-9 more new cartridges to my reloading over the summer... I'm now approaching 70 different cartridges... & I'm looking at a major overhaul of my man corner in the basement... all my shelves are over full, I tried last rearrange to run my cartridges & brass in order from 17 K Hornet to 50-70 Gov.... but have now added one bigger... custom 53 caliber, & 7-8 inbetween... time for a new shelving unit, for ammo, brass, & lead...

I was in a similar situation on a much MUCH smaller scale than you last year (last several years in fact). June of 2010 I decided to repopulate my loading bench with the best stuff I could get (afford) and retire everthing (EVERYTHING) that did not contribute to my activities.

In short, I populated my bench with the stuff I WOULD HAVE CHOSEN 35 YEARS AGO if I had known then what I know now.

I am very happy now. Much happier than I was before, living with compromises and accommodations..

I am now in the process of trading off all the stuff that did not make the cut.

You are by far a more active loader than I am (only 7 calibers, and almost all are handguns), as I am just a casual hobbyist by comparison. But my outlay was only $500 for my "perfect" loading bench and I am recovering that as I trade or sell my rejects (retirees).

But I think the same principle applies.

Now may be the time to build your "Climax Bench" the peak of your reloading evolution. The ULTIMATE reloading bench that fits YOUR NEEDS perfectly.

Think about it. If your reloading needs have evolved and stabilized, don't you owe it to yourself to rid yourself of the compromises you made in the past? Don't you want to free yourself from the limitations you had to accept when you were younger and poorer? Don't I sound like a salesman?

I promise. I am not trying to sell you a bill of goods. I am just being evangelical. I guess I am a just a true believer. A zealot. Guilty.

It appears you have reached a turning point in your reloading life. Use it.

Good Luck

Lost Sheep

[Brian Pfleuger]

I feel your pain, my friend. The area I have dedicated to reloading is the only area I have for ALL my guns and gear.... It's about 6ft by 6ft. I could use at least..... 3 times that much area.

[Jim243]

Summer shooting seems to lead to all kinds of junk ending up on the bench as well as new purchases, casses everywhere once used and new, bullets taken out to try and boxes, boxes everwhere and no place to work. If I get one more reloading manual or referance book my shelving unit will collapse.

So your post made me think maybe I needed more space, I have had a third press in storage for years now, just no place to set it up. Do I need it setup, no but it would be nice. Storage seems to be my problem more than work space.

It is definitely cleaning time so I can reload when the snow hits the ground, now to just get off my butt.

Maybe I will be finished by the first snow flakes. (LOL) Still have some shooting to do.

Good Luck
Jim

[Mike40-11]

Well I started off the spring with a whole new room for my reloading gear. About a 10x15 bedroom I gained when my son moved out. Moved in my loading bench, 2 shelf units and picked up another 6' bench from Harbor Freight since I had the space.

All neat and organized, set up with everything indexed, filed and sorted.

6 months and a few thousand rounds later I've got crap piled and scattered from one end to the other. I can still find most of it. Eventually. Time to re-disorganize.

[CrustyFN]

I still have a bit of room left. I have two presses and one sizer. I only load four calibers.

[Kevin Rohrer]

My 11.5' bench is full to overflowing with presses and other goodies, so much so I am installing a "new" Phelps" in a temporary location and will remove it when not in use.

My components shelves are also filled to overflowing, and that doesn't include the 22 ammo cans full of empty press and loads I plan on adding next month. I am downsizing my other hobby just so I can free up some shelf space.

[Rimfire5]

I only load for 5 rifle calibers and 5 pistol calibers but I have loaded more than 7000 rounds since August 2010.

I have managed to outgrow my original reloading space twice and how have used about half a 10x12 room for reloading and so far have been alble to keep the other half for gun cleaning and gunsmithing.

My reloading space has doubled but my gun safe space has tripled. Luckily the safes started in the basement or they would probably be there by now courtesy of gravity and overstressed floor joists.

[TXGunNut]

My bench is pretty flexible. I only have an old ss press and a very early Dillon 550 bolted to it, other items are screwed to a 2X4 and held in a vise or C-clamped to an adjacent bench. If I feel crowded I just take a break and clean up a bit...think I need to do that pretty soon.
Thanks for the Dillon pic, FrankenMauser. Reminded me that replacing those bushings is a chore! My bushings were getting a bit sticky and after seeing your pic I hosed them and the ram down with Hornady's One Shot Gun Cleaner & Dry Lube. May not be the recommended method but man it was sooo smooth after just a few cycles! Loaded up 700 rounds before supper and remembered why it's called a 550.

[4runnerman]

I know how ya feel. I started with a press in the laundry room (8 x 16 foot)..Now i have a Washer and Drier in my reloading room. Sort and stack seems to work for me.

[Ideal Tool]

Hello, Magnum. I've got the space..practically the whole basement..BUT what I am having a problem with is all the danged cast-bullets and moulds..try working up loads for three or more diffferent cast bullets for each of several rifles and revolvers in various calibers..and you'll slowly go nuts trying to remember just where everything is!

[tape]

yes as in my gun safe, I have 14 guns in their factory cases stacked next to the safe. I know this is nothing compared to some of you guys but I hate to buy another gunsafe but I really need one. My current safe is a 20cuft Centurion I just bought last year.

[tape]

FrankenMauser, you do realize how fortunate you are having all that beauitful empty space you got there. I would bet money it fills up FAST!!!

[Don P]

Boy am I glad I 'm only re-loading 5 calibers. I'd have to empty the den to re-load 70 calibers and then go out and buy 64+ different caliber guns.
The wife would definitely shoot ME to put a stop to that idea real quick.

[spacecoast]

I reload 8 handgun calibers (if you consider .38/.357 and .44 spc/.44 magnum two calibers each) with a hand press and and do it all out of my desk, which also contains a computer, bookshelf, memorabilia and other items. I store bulk supplies in various places around the house and use the deep desk drawer for the most-used stuff, including small tupperware containers for powder (I hand-dip everything). I've reloaded 13K+ rounds in less than two years. When the drawers are closed you couldn't tell it's a reloading station at all, at my wife's insistence.

You'd be amazed at how economically space can be utilized when necessary.

[TXGunNut]

I try not to add more than one cartridge a year, if that. Figured out long ago each new cartridge costs me hundreds of dollars by the time I factor in component and equipment costs. It also often takes dozens of hours at the bench and more than a few range trips to figure out how to load the cartridge, some take much longer. Getting into casting was another huge demand on funds, spare time and space but resources were well worth it. I have enough new cartridge projects to keep me busy for at least a year but can't guarantee I won't try something new this year. But 8-9 new cartridges in one summer? You're my hero Magnum Wheel Man! Can only imagine the fun you've had.
I solved my gunsafe space issues by purchasing a jobsite toolbox by Knaack, acres of space for handguns and unscoped long guns. I use the extra space for bulk bullets, makes good ballast as well. Also a good place for storing papers and other valuables that haven't made it to the safe deposit box.

[jmorris]