Reloading at the Range

[JayCee]

Here's a couple of pics of my reloading setup for the range. I was shooting 45 Long Colts yesterday...



All the tools pack up into a tool bag, and the components (powder, bullets, cases, reloading manual, primers, etc.) go into the "dry box" which doubles as a wind box for the scale. Makes for a handy setup for testing loads right at the shooting bench (or anywhere else for that matter).

[iraiam]

That thing in the center looks like a little press, what kind is it?

[JayCee]

It's a Huntington Compac press. I used a Lee Hand Press for a while, and it's a good press, but it was a little springy, particularly during the crimping operation. The Compac is a lot stiffer.

[hodaka]

It's too windy here most days to even consider reloading in the open. Nice set up though.

[Ozzieman]

https://www.huntingtons.com/store/pr...roductid=19293
Nice setup, I am particularly interested in the press.
Do you have it mounted on that small piece of wood and is that enough to stabilize it?
I see from the poor drawings on their web site that the top stays stationary with the die and the bottom comes up to the die with a shell in the shell holder.
How well will it work with rifle cases like 5.56 and 30-06?
At 150$ it looks like a very good tool for the range.
Thank you.

[JayCee]

Hodaka, it's windy here too, but I put a piece of plexiglass over the mouth of the dry box, and that keeps the wind from jostling the scale.

Ozzieman, The press is mainly meant to be used as a hand press, so the wooden base really just holds it upright so I don't have to keep picking it every time I insert a new case into the shell holder. I haven't sized any rifle brass on it, since I mainly shoot handguns. I've sized up to 454 Casull brass on it, and it's no problem, although I usually put sizing wax on the large diameter cases even though I'm using carbide dies. I found the press on eBay for much less than the advertised price.

[jmorris]

I used this setup before I had a range out the back door at home.




The cake pan, with the scale in it, is what I used to measure the powder charge.

[Reloader2]

I do all my reloading in the shop. With my shooting bench 50 yards from the shop there is no need to move the equipment up there.

[Clark]

The range where I shoot and reload by myself is BLM land with fossils sticking out of the hill sides and sand in the bottom land.

I reload in the vehicle, but to make room I set down lots of rifles with bipods on the flat. If a windstorm blows sand and dust into those rifles, it can be a real mess.

And then there are the muddy days.

[g.willikers]

Very nice.
A fellow at one of our local ranges had a complete reloading and cleaning operation inside his van, bench and chair included, along with an exhaust fan and a refrigerator for lunch.
Quite a set up.
I didn't notice if it had a place to take a nap, though.
Without going to that extreme, yours will do very well.

[Mike / Tx]

I usually leave the scale at the house.

I pre-measure my powder ranges using the scale here, and note what the settings are from low to high on the stem of my Uniflow. Most times I am only working with two powders at the most. The settings end up looking something like this, 48grs = 3+ 3 1/2 turns. 54grs = 5+ 2 turns.

The numbered lines are easy to see with a bit of sharpie work, and once I hit the solid number I can go in quarter or less turns for each increment. If I find something good at a particular setting I simply jot it down and weight it out at the house for a more refined test next trip out.

Works out great and the winds isn't much of an issue.

[JayCee]

Mike, that's a good system, and I've done something similar myself on occasion. But I wanted to have a complete set of reloading tools that I could grab any time I wanted to do some reloading someplace other than home, so the scale was an important part of that setup.

[Mike / Tx]

But I wanted to have a complete set of reloading tools that I could grab any time I wanted to do some reloading someplace other than home, so the scale was an important part of that setup.

I hear you. A while back no the daughter and I built us a shed out in the pasture at the farm to do our serious load work out of.



It ain't much, but it does allow one to set up and load with everything needed and no issues with the wind. You load on the back shelf, then simply turn around in your chair, chamber, and fire out of the front.

[gunslinger2000]

Hadn't actually thought about the topic. LOL. As a muzzle loader, loading at the shooting bench was normal. I use the individual caliber Lee loaders so no press is necessary. Use the powder measures provided so usually left the scale at home. gunslinger