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Old May 16, 2005, 08:19 PM   #1
flashhole
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Do your reload at the range?

I've had an urge to reload at the range for load development. I'm sure some of you do it. What kind of set-up do you drag to the range that is not bolted to the bench....press...dies...tools? How do you portage it....wheels...case? What would you do different if you had it to do over again?
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Old May 16, 2005, 08:23 PM   #2
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i've never done it but what about one of those hand held presses, i think lee makes one. i dont know what you would do about powder.
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Old May 16, 2005, 09:15 PM   #3
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I don't, but I saw a guy who did.
He just had a 2x4 that he C-Clamped to his tail gate (or the bench too, I'd imagine) with a single stage bolted to it. THe 2x4 hung about a foot off the tailgate, with the press out there. He had the scale on the bench and was loading somekind of big bore rifle round. He'd shoot a couple rounds, then let the barrel cool down while loading up a couple more.

I've also heard of people having small portable benches made up that they haul out to the range.
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Old May 16, 2005, 10:18 PM   #4
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Flashhole, I do most of my load development at the range. I made an adapter to mount a vice in my reciever hitch. before I bought my Lyman hand press, I used to use a Lee press mounted to a piece of steel I could clamp into the vice. It worked really well, but I am about 6'8" and got really tired of seating bullets on my knees. I prep and prime all brass at home and only dispense powder and seat bullets at the range. I set up scale and powder measure inside cab of truck so wind wont affect the scales. Dont overlook Lee loaders for range loading if they are available in the calibers you load for. I saw a really neat portable reloading setup made so the press and powder measure mounted to a removable top on a plywood box. Components and tools could be stored inside, and turning the top over stored press and measure inside. Hard to explain, but the craftsmanship put into this thing was impressive. Hope this gives you some ideas. Andy
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Old May 17, 2005, 02:25 PM   #5
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farmall - What kind of Lyman hand press do you have?
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Old May 17, 2005, 03:12 PM   #6
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We have an 'all weather shooting building' at our range with 3 or 4 firing points with benches and sliding windows out to 100 and 200 yard target frames. Behind is a bench you can c-clamp a press and plenty of room for scale, dump, components, etc. I pack all my stuff in a large box. Parking is directly behind the covered benches on the range and the house is at one end, only a few step away. The shooting room is complete with a hotel pack heat and air so that whenever its 20 or 105 (or raining or snowing) it is comfortable shooting. There's even an overhang to keep the weather from blowing in.
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Old May 17, 2005, 04:16 PM   #7
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Reloading at the range is commonplace with Benchrest shooters, both cast bullet and jacketed. I have seen this often when at that type of competition. I believe it is so they can reload the same piece of brass over and over (to eliminate the variablness of different cases). Many years ago special brass was made and sold just for this purpose. It was called "everlasting" brass. You can check this out in a "Cartridges of the World" book. Quantrill
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Old May 17, 2005, 05:12 PM   #8
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Echo Farmall. I do all brass prep and priming at home. I have a big plastic toolbox I drag to the range. It includes a Lee hand tool, Redding Competition seating dies for rifle and the Lee Speed Dies for pistol. Primers, case lube, and priming and K&M and Sinclair priming tools are there, just in case I decide I just have to try one more load after all my prepped cases are fired.

In the box I also keep a micrometer for measuring case head diameters as one of several pressure signs I watch for. I keep a caliper and a set of Stoney Point gages in there. I have a Lee kit of spare shell holders for the hand press. Lee sells the powder hoppers for their Perfect measures separately, so I have three of the measures plus a couple of spare hoppers. This lets me keep all the powders I might want to try in a given session in their own hoppers, held closed by rubber bands.

I bring a Lyman battery-operated scale and a modified transparent plastic cake cover to keep the breeze off of it. The modifications are a hole and straw for dribbling powder in, and a second hole for a pencil that I use the eraser end of to turn the scale on and off or to zero it. I keep spare pencils in the box.

In addition to that box I drag an MTM cleaning rack and tray and matching box full of cleaning gear. I usually bring a Hawkeye borescope and an Oehler 35P chronograph, just to round things out. I also have various rifle and pistol rests and sandbags that go along. Not to mention target holders, laser bore sighter, and, lately, a laptop for ballistic software. I usually have a spotting scope, spare batteries, spare printer paper, Lee de-capping tool and small hammer, and of course, a full set of gunsmith’s screwdrivers and wrenches. Somewhere is a tube of Loctite.

I should mention the bottle of ibuprofen I bring for all the aches and pains that come from lugging this stuff around. A fine, relaxing hobby I’ve made of it.

I’m thinking of getting a panel van.

Nick
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Old May 20, 2005, 10:01 PM   #9
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Flashhole, my press is a Lyman Acculine. Same pot metal as a Lee and in my opinion, no better or worse. It can also be mounted to a bench if needed. If I had to do it over again, I'd buy the Lee. Unclenick, by the time I get all my gear loaded, my wife usually has found a reason for not letting me go shoot. I keep as much gear as practical loaded in large ammo box, and when given permission by wife, I grab gun(s) and haul ass for the farm before she changes her mind.
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Old May 20, 2005, 11:27 PM   #10
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I have. I take prepped brass with me, and have a Lee Reloader Press mounted on a square of plywood to be C clamped to any handy flat surface. Need a scale, a Lee dipper set, and a trickler, and I am in business.

Think I saw the article mentioned earlier many years ago. One of the gun writers had a 155 mm shell box adapted as a complete reloading setup. It would hold everything he might need, and the press and measure could be mounted in minutes.
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Old May 23, 2005, 01:06 PM   #11
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When I'm working up loads for my rifles I take my RockChucker, dies and a scale. I can shoot 5 rounds, chrono and see group size at the same time.
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Old May 24, 2005, 02:09 PM   #12
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Reload at the Range

I did this for years.
I had a 1/4" steel plate about 2' x 1'.
Drilled 3 holes for my RCBS rockchucker.
Used a c-clamp to clamp it to tailgate of pickup.
Carried my scales and developed the load right there.
Then went home and loaded the rest.
Worked great.

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Old May 25, 2005, 02:51 AM   #13
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Lyman hand press

flashhole asked "farmall - What kind of Lyman hand press do you have?"

Not sure what farmall had in mind, but I have, and still use, the Lyman Tong tool also known as the Lyman 310 tool. It looks like a pair of nut crackers. A set of caliber dies (usually 4) are threaded into one arm or the tool one at a time to do the de-capping, resizing/neck expansion, inserting cap, seating bullet operations. These are no longer in production, but can be bid on on ebay ... a tool w/dies goes for anywhere $25 to $75 depending upon caliber, and number of interested buyers. It is useful for loading a few at the range, or spending a quiet afternoon reloading a couple of boxes of loads.

Good Luck, and ....

Happy Shooting !

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Old June 8, 2005, 08:48 PM   #14
farmall
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Flashhole, I just found a pretty neat article in the Jan 1980 American Rifleman, regarding portable reloading. Shows plans to build a box similar to the one I mentioned earlier. The guy is using hand seaters, but you could modify design to accomodate hand press, if desired. PM me and I'll photo copy & mail to you if desired. Scanning and Emailing are beyond my abilities!!
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Old June 8, 2005, 09:36 PM   #15
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"Do you reload at the range"

With no further defining parameters, I would have to say that I do all my reloading at the range. I've got 25, 50, 75, and 100 yard ranges plus a two stage CAS range off one side of my house, and a 500 yard range off the other.
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Old June 8, 2005, 10:21 PM   #16
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I reloaded at the range some when I was bench resting. However, I found my Lyman 310 Tong Tool even more useful when I was bushing in Alaska. Not carrying so much brass cut down on my weight a little bit.

Pops
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