portable reloading setup

[rcoody]

How many here have a portable reloading setup they can use at the range, in the field or while traveling.

I have a crazy life. Travel a lot and may be relocated for weeks or months at a time.

I decided I wanted a portable reloading setup. I always take a couple of rifles with me but my reloads are limited. I usually load what I am going to shoot that range trip. Surprising how many ranges you can find if you look. After getting stuck without my favorite entertainment a few times I am going prepared.

Anyway I put together the following kit. Everything is manual and portable.

Harrell combo press. Has threaded and arbor press in one.
both threaded full length dies and Wilson dies for my favorite rifles
Sinclair hand primer
Ohaus 10/10 tuned by scott parker
Harrell premium BR powder measure
your various reloading tools

two things I haven't solved. Case cleaning and trimming.

I only trim about every 5 reloadings anyway so that shouldn't be a problem on a trip.

As for cleaning. I use an ultrasonic. We will just have to see if a neck brush and primer pocket cleaner only will make a difference with the loads.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

We have set up an enclosed trailer with a bench for trips to the range. Or we have gone without the trailer and just mounted the press to a saw horse. We do this when we go to our local range and can set everything up indoors. As far as the brass, brush inside the neck and primer pocket, and use alcohol with a rag on the out side. You can accomplish so much more on a range trip if you bring the loading bench with you.

Steve

 

[roop]

I have my press mounted on a roughly 16" piece of 2x12 screwed to the base of an old cafe table. The sort you see in diners with a center tube and a big round foot. It weighs maybe 30lbs and I stack boxes of bullets or bags of birdshot on the base for stability. I've never taken it to the range, but it has always been in the back of my mind that I could. I also have one of the old Lee loaders that you use with a hammer.

For trimming, you can use the Lee trimmer setup by hand, it is small enough to fit in your pocket. Depending on the caliber, it takes up less space than a lighter and chapstick.

 

[FEENIX]

These are old pictures but mine is a mobile set-up ..

 

[J E Custom]

Mine is a much smaller rig for the range. (I will try to post some pictures of it) nothing as elaborate and as nice as some on this thread.

I prep all of my brass for the rifle I am working with at home so that all I have to do is Prime, charge with powder and seat the bullets as I go through the process.

The carrying case has a Plexiglas front (To keep the wind off the scales while I measure the powder),
and a place for my powder measure (Bolted down). also storage for my hand press (For seating bullets) and a hand priming tool/press.

There is also a compartment for different powders and bullets.

The way I use mine is to take the prepped brass, Prime with the different primers as I try them,
measure the type of powder I want to try and weight each charge. then I seat the bullet and fire.

I will load one at a time and stop as soon as the load appears poor and move on to another combination. If a load has good SDs I can start testing different charges and other component's.
to see the trend without loading up a bunch of test ammo only to bring it home and un-load it.

I also have other tools for measuring COAL and a concentricity gauge and anything else I may need.

This is a handy kit if I am working up accuracy loads because I can make changes easily at the range once I see a trend.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Bravo 4]

I have a little setup for travel as well. For cleaning and trimming quickly I use a Lee zip trim. A few seconds with a green scotchbrite pad for cleaning the outside of cases and then use a Lee case trimmer and debur/chamfer just like this picture (obviously borrowed from Amazon):

 

[roop]

I have a little setup for travel as well. For cleaning and trimming quickly I use a Lee zip trim. A few seconds with a green scotchbrite pad for cleaning the outside of cases and then use a Lee case trimmer and debur/chamfer just like this picture (obviously borrowed from Amazon):

That's the lee trimmer I was talking about ^^^. When I first got into reloading I just used the trimmer without the little wind up motor by hand. At some point I figured out to chuck the lock stud up in my cordless drill, it works great that way and you don't need to mount it to anything. Then you can trim, chamfer and deburr all at once. The only problem with this setup is it depends on the flash hole to be centered to make a flat cut, but I've never decided if that matters.

 

[Trickymissfit]

How many here have a portable reloading setup they can use at the range, in the field or while traveling.

I have a crazy life. Travel a lot and may be relocated for weeks or months at a time.

I decided I wanted a portable reloading setup. I always take a couple of rifles with me but my reloads are limited. I usually load what I am going to shoot that range trip. Surprising how many ranges you can find if you look. After getting stuck without my favorite entertainment a few times I am going prepared.

Anyway I put together the following kit. Everything is manual and portable.

Harrell combo press. Has threaded and arbor press in one.
both threaded full length dies and Wilson dies for my favorite rifles
Sinclair hand primer
Ohaus 10/10 tuned by scott parker
Harrell premium BR powder measure
your various reloading tools

two things I haven't solved. Case cleaning and trimming.

I only trim about every 5 reloadings anyway so that shouldn't be a problem on a trip.

As for cleaning. I use an ultrasonic. We will just have to see if a neck brush and primer pocket cleaner only will make a difference with the loads.

I like your setup. With the Harrell measure, you should weigh charges at home to figure out how many clicks you want. Not all that hard to do, and will save you a lot of time down the road. Then simply write the data into your log book for the charge. You really want to figure out a way to level the scale for accurate readings. I use a battery powered Pact at the range, and simply set it in a cigar box. Main issue with the LCD screen is being blinded by the bright sun light. I use a piece of tinted plexiglass for a cover on the box. I picked up a piece on flat aluminum plate, and welded another plate to the bottom simply to make it easier to clamp it to a bench. On it I have a couple Forster tools to deburr and clean primer pockets. I even use it at the house to mount my Wilson trimmer. Should have made another one! I tried two or three different stands for the Harrell measure, but ended up with my own design. The Harrell wants drop tubes, and a small wood cigar box is the best thing I've used (I use mostly 4" and 6" tubes dedicated to a case neck size). Fred Sinclair has them all.

Believe it or not, I put all the reloading stuff in one large cigar box (about 15"x18"x10") with a K&M arbor press. The plate is loose as I have never bothered to find a location for it. I use a K&M priming device, and once I remove it from the box it stays in my back pocket. The next thing for my setup will be something like a Black & Decker Workmate (somebody make an aluminum one). Don't need a big one, and 18" x 24" is plenty big enough. Still want to keep everything light.
gary

 

[rcoody]

I like your setup. With the Harrell measure, you should weigh charges at home to figure out how many clicks you want. Not all that hard to do, and will save you a lot of time down the road. Then simply write the data into your log book for the charge. You really want to figure out a way to level the scale for accurate readings. I use a battery powered Pact at the range, and simply set it in a cigar box. Main issue with the LCD screen is being blinded by the bright sun light. I use a piece of tinted plexiglass for a cover on the box. I picked up a piece on flat aluminum plate, and welded another plate to the bottom simply to make it easier to clamp it to a bench. On it I have a couple Forster tools to deburr and clean primer pockets. I even use it at the house to mount my Wilson trimmer. Should have made another one! I tried two or three different stands for the Harrell measure, but ended up with my own design. The Harrell wants drop tubes, and a small wood cigar box is the best thing I've used (I use mostly 4" and 6" tubes dedicated to a case neck size). Fred Sinclair has them all.

Believe it or not, I put all the reloading stuff in one large cigar box (about 15"x18"x10") with a K&M arbor press. The plate is loose as I have never bothered to find a location for it. I use a K&M priming device, and once I remove it from the box it stays in my back pocket. The next thing for my setup will be something like a Black & Decker Workmate (somebody make an aluminum one). Don't need a big one, and 18" x 24" is plenty big enough. Still want to keep everything light.
gary

yep

that Harrell powder measure is a work of art. I have been using the lee perfect powder measure. those bearings really make a difference. Took a little practice and patience to get the drop consistent. I found a tap at the top and a tap at the bottom works for me. Just practiced dropping charges several times just to get it down. this past weekend I loaded 10 rounds. Weighed and tared each case then dropped the powder charge and weighed the case and powder. logged it all. I used my gempro and the variation was only 0.04 of a grain from high to low. I am happy with that. Yes I do record my settings.

That Harrell combo press takes threaded dies and has an arbor press built in. Been a long time since I used Wilson dies but I bought bullet seating dies for everything and neck sizing dies for my bolt guns. just wondering how these loads will be different than my regular stuff.

I have 2 gempros and an ohaus jewelers scale accurate to 0.02. The gempros really like to be plugged in for a while before using. The Ohaus doesn't care. It might work well on batteries. I really want to put together a package that doesn't require any electricity where I can use it anywhere. I do a lot of boondock camping out west. Plan to do a lot more when I retire. Take the truck camper and just go. Electricity and running water are scarce to say the least.

Speaking of Workmates. I am a construction superintendent and travel constantly. I live in my camper. My main loading bench is a workmate. Here it is with my co-ax mounted on it. and my old charging station

 

[Jerry M]

a wooden base, a two inch galvanized pipe with flange end caps with bolt holes.

mount one of the flanges on the wooden base,
screw in the pipe,
cut the top flange so that the bolt pattern matches the hole pattern on the bottom of your press. Bolt the press onto the top flange and start reloading. You can take it apart if necessary.

Good luck

Jerry

 

[Gunpoor]

There was an older competition shooter that was a member of the gun club/range I belonged to in Kansas when I lived there, and he had a reloading set-up that folded out the side door of his van equipped with an arbor press and all the equipment needed to load on site.

As far as case cleaning is concerned, dirty brass is more a detriment to your dies than causing inconsistency with your loads. You could take some fine grade steel wool with you and if a case looked more than tarnished you could wipe it real quick with the steel wool. The cases don't have to be shiny to function perfectly.

 

[Trickymissfit]

yep

that Harrell powder measure is a work of art. I have been using the lee perfect powder measure. those bearings really make a difference. Took a little practice and patience to get the drop consistent. I found a tap at the top and a tap at the bottom works for me. Just practiced dropping charges several times just to get it down. this past weekend I loaded 10 rounds. Weighed and tared each case then dropped the powder charge and weighed the case and powder. logged it all. I used my gempro and the variation was only 0.04 of a grain from high to low. I am happy with that. Yes I do record my settings.

That Harrell combo press takes threaded dies and has an arbor press built in. Been a long time since I used Wilson dies but I bought bullet seating dies for everything and neck sizing dies for my bolt guns. just wondering how these loads will be different than my regular stuff.

I have 2 gempros and an ohaus jewelers scale accurate to 0.02. The gempros really like to be plugged in for a while before using. The Ohaus doesn't care. It might work well on batteries. I really want to put together a package that doesn't require any electricity where I can use it anywhere. I do a lot of boondock camping out west. Plan to do a lot more when I retire. Take the truck camper and just go. Electricity and running water are scarce to say the least.

Speaking of Workmates. I am a construction superintendent and travel constantly. I live in my camper. My main loading bench is a workmate. Here it is with my co-ax mounted on it. and my old charging station

if you look around at machine guarding, you will often see enclosures made of extruded aluminum with extruded steel attached to it. I found piles of it years back, and then had to buy it by the semi truck loads later. I always had a bunch of short pieces laying around that were soon to be sent to the junk yard. Anything under two foot long was soon to be trashed, but perfect for my needs. Even later a buddy of mine told me that he knew of a source for the stuff close by! I first made an adjustable powder measure stand out of the stuff. Took every bit of a half hour to come up with a better stand. It just evolved from there. Even later a shooting buddy of mine had an Ohler 35, and setting it up right was super time consuming. I made a bracket out of the stuff to mount the whole gizmo, and be ready to shoot in ten minutes or less. I had to buy the stuff, as we need lengths over four foot long, but still came in under a $125 finished (give or take $25). The gist here is to look around for what fit your needs and go with it.

The source for the aluminum workmate escapes me, and want one really bad. Always on the hunt.
gary

 

[Clark]

On wheels

In vehicle

Bolted down

On desk


--not shown; 1) at public range, 2) in front of TV in living room, 3) Other people's homes

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

Get a trimmer like this one you chuck it in a drill spinning the brass you can trim it chamfer it and clean it with 0000 steal wool. You have to buy the corasponding kit for your caliber but there both cheap. They also make a better three jaw chuck to hold the brass but I have not sprung for it yet so I can't comment on how well it works. This will solve all your remaining issues of reloading on the go.

Lee Case Trimmer Cutter Lock Stud