Show Us Your Reloading Bench

[Frederik Badenhorst]

Frederik, this is beyond Type A personality!! Since you are a doc, you must know what CDO is?! It’s not a dx that can be found in ICD-10 but it is the most extreme form of OCD, where the patient has to write his/her dx in an alphabetical order!!

Seriously though you have a very nice reloading and gun rooms. Just a thought...if you live in an earthquake prone area you might want to consider securing those rifles on the rack.

Regards,

yhc

@yhc I do have a bit of a bad case of OCD.

I will not go into details about this but it gives me sleepless nights just to think that my labels on some of the dies has different types of font due to a glitch in the computer program of the label maker.

When I get a new dies set I have to rearrange all the dies so that is goes from largest calibre to smallest.....or reprint all the labels.

 

[BeeMaa]

@BeeMaa , I think this is what your bride has in mind, as I live in an apartment, it has to be very neat...like in a closet.

That is quite the arrangement, but a little small and too tucked away for us.
I do like how you have the doors to hide your goodies.
She just wants something that when people look at it...it doesn't look like it belongs in a garage.
Not necessarily "fancy", but certainly nicely finished and neat.

I will say that I'm envious of all of you for even having a reloading room.
Regardless of its perceived condition, it works for you and that's what's important.
We will have one soon enough, when the world comes to its senses.

 

[BeeMaa]

@Frederik Badenhorst
I would be missing out by not complementing you on the gun room/closet.
And I think we all know it's not just the room, but the guns in it.
I bet everyone of your pictures has been blown up to max magnification to check calibers, model...etc.
It is a very nice collection, thank you for sharing it with us.

 

[PARA45]

@PARA45 It is the standard Hornady LNL Quick change bushings that I use for all my dies. One of the best things I have done since starting to reload. Makes life so much easier.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Thank you again for your reply.

Did you have to do anything different to your RCBS press to fit those bushings? My apologies, I guess I should have worded my questions a bit different. I see the usefulness of the bushing, and how it would simplify having all the dies set on the bushings and not worrying to adjust them all the time you go from caliber to another. Well thought out. I'm always looking for ways to simplify my life, and your set up I believe would do that.

 

[Frederik Badenhorst]

@PARA45 https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012999418
This is what you need....but make sure you press has the capability to be converted. I use the RCBS IV Supreme press.

 

[BeeMaa]

Thank you again for your reply.

Did you have to do anything different to your RCBS press to fit those bushings? My apologies, I guess I should have worded my questions a bit different. I see the usefulness of the bushing, and how it would simplify having all the dies set on the bushings and not worrying to adjust them all the time you go from caliber to another. Well thought out. I'm always looking for ways to simplify my life, and your set up I believe would do that.

@PARA45 https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012999418
This is what you need....but make sure you press has the capability to be converted. I use the RCBS IV Supreme press.

@PARA45
This is exactly what I'm planning on doing with RCBS and Lee dies.
You will need a press that has a 1 1/4"-12 thread to make this work.
The only presses I know that have this are the RCBS IV (Supreme) and Redding Big Boss.
Of course, Hornady makes presses will accept them as well.

 

[CBH Australia]

Thank you again for your reply.

Did you have to do anything different to your RCBS press to fit those bushings? My apologies, I guess I should have worded my questions a bit different. I see the usefulness of the bushing, and how it would simplify having all the dies set on the bushings and not worrying to adjust them all the time you go from caliber to another. Well thought out. I'm always looking for ways to simplify my life, and your set up I believe would do that.

I have a Hornady Lock N Load it comes with the bushing receiver and 3 bushings. I like Hornady dies as I like the lock rings. I don’t use the bushings I just screw the die in and out like I would on another press probably 6 cartridges or more I load for and have some old dies from others.
But, if you want a quick change consider the ForSter Co-Ax press, its simplest changeover of the lot. I haven’t been hands on but red enough to see the benefit and it does not require shell holders most standard cartridges fit n the supplied adjustable jaws.
I think it should work with most locking rings if adjusted right options vary.
They claim it makes accurate ammo being floating dies aid concentricity so Bullets are seated straighter I think the means.
A little dearer but shop around.

Yes the Hornady LNL has a 1-1/4 inch thread but I don’t know if it handles the big shells that need the big dies. The other big Press I saw was heavy RCBS or Redding , dunno Green.

So the Hornady have their LNL bushings, and sell them as spares easily sourced. The bushing has. Rubber O’ring and I see some movement each time the case is up. Good or bad I don’t know as they say the Forster has floating dies and that’s deemed good. . I guess if there is some clearance for a bullet Tom centre itself that may be better than a dead rigid press with the ram or die body slightly off centre as it will always force the ammo in that position maybe making I lop sided out of round if exaggerated .

Buying a Big 1-1/4 press and numerous bushings vs a Forster Co-Ax press, I think the Forster may work out cheaper and just s good unless you need to handle 1-1/4” dies,
Worth considering I think.

 

[Troubleshooter]

View attachment 339376

USMA84DAB: Those appear to be retractable wheels for repositioning the bench out of the way when not in use -- very nice! Where, may I ask, did you find those and how sturdy have they been?

 

[PARA45]

@Frederik Badenhorst, thank you sir for the valuable information. I'll look in to it.

@BeeMaa, copy, thank you sir for the extra bit of info.

Gents, you all are awesome. For those who have posted pictures of their benches, a big thank you. There is so much to learn and I see several improvements for my own bench, thanks to the pictures provided. It may end up costing some $$$, but I believe it will be well worth it. I love this place!

 

[tedthorn]

USMA84DAB: Those appear to be retractable wheels for repositioning the bench out of the way when not in use -- very nice! Where, may I ask, did you find those and how sturdy have they been?

I have purchased several sets of those wheels for applications in my shop with a 600 lb capacity off of Amazon for just under $40 for a set of 4

 

[Frederik Badenhorst]

@PARA45 In my opinion, before even starting your reloading bench try to envision what you want out of it. Then start planning.

Ps

If you want to make life really easy for yourself go and visit this website: https://inlinefabrication.com/

 

[PARA45]

That is a great web site, and thank you!

 

[Ridgewalker]

WOW! After seeing Frederik Badenhorst’s I’m not showing my dump!

 

[BeeMaa]

@Frederik Badenhorst & @PARA45...In Line Fabrication is awesome.
Those are the mounts I'm looking at for my bench.
They also have a wide selection of accessories to go with it as well.
Although I'm not positive if I want to sit or stand while I reload.
Getting that sorted, along with bench height will be my first order of business.

 

[BeeMaa]

WOW! After seeing Frederik Badenhorst’s I’m not showing my dump!

If it works for you, that's all that matters.
C'mon post a picture...I promise not to laugh.

 

[PARA45]

If it works for you, that's all that matters.
C'mon post a picture...I promise not to laugh.

You have too now, we all have shown our dumps, becasue nothing compares to @Frederik Badenhorst bench. LOL.

@BeeMaa, I built my bench with the dual purpose in mind, depending on my mood to either stand or sit while reloading.

 

[BeeMaa]

You have too now, we all have shown our dumps, becasue nothing compares to @Frederik Badenhorst bench. LOL.

@BeeMaa, I built my bench with the dual purpose in mind, depending on my mood to either stand or sit while reloading.

I was thinking of a bench about 37" (94 cm) and sitting on a stool about 32" (81 cm).
But then I might want to use it for cleaning the rifles, so sitting might be better.
So a 30" (76 cm) table and adjustable office type chair to fit.
Opinions?

Thing is, I can almost always make a bench shorter.
Making it taller...that's another story.

 

[Frederik Badenhorst]

I think whatever works for you is awesome. I started reloading as a 16-year-old, in a family where no one reloaded. A Lee anniversary kit was in actual fact my 16th birthday present. I grew up in South Africa and my reloading bench was an old butcher's block that I bought for $18. It is still serving me well when I go to visit my parents. That little set up opened the world of shooting and hunting to me. Over the years I learned what I need and how I would like my set up to be like if I had to start afresh. I think each person's set up is unique and I learned a lot from how other people do things. There is always something new to learn.
It doesn't have to be neat or pretty. It just needs to work for you, and that is all that matters. In my case, so many things in my day to day existence and work is unpredictable, a constant barrage of shades of grey. My reloading room is something I can manage and control. I can minimize the grey and revel in the black and white of the order. Please post pictures of your reloading rooms.

 

[shootist~]

I was thinking of a bench about 37" (94 cm) and sitting on a stool about 32" (81 cm).
But then I might want to use it for cleaning the rifles, so sitting might be better.
So a 30" (76 cm) table and adjustable office type chair to fit.
Opinions?

Thing is, I can almost always make a bench shorter.
Making it taller...that's another story.

37"(ish) tall sounds like a good height if you mount your press flush (not raised) and you use a stool.

IMO a 32" stool might be too high, however. I like my feet on the floor for good leverage, plus I'm up and down more than you might think.

For reference my bench (post #34) is only 31" tall, which was always a bit low for the down stroke of the reloading press. So when I replaced my 25 y/o Redding T6 press with a T7, I mounted it using the mid-height Inline Fabrication riser. This raised it 4.5". Perfect.

My stool is 24". (I'm 5' 11").

Whatever you do, make your bench as long as possible. You can never have too much surface space. (I used to run a Dillon 1050 progressive loader and also loaded four shotgun gauges, so even at 8' long there was a lot of musical chair.

Another good thing to have (not shown in my pic) is an L shaped return attached to the end of the bench. This is the surface area for my cleaning station. Trash can goes underneath.

 

[BeeMaa]

37"(ish) tall sounds like a good height if you mount your press flush (not raised) and you use a stool.

IMO a 32" stool might be too high, however. I like my feet on the floor for good leverage, plus I'm up and down more than you might think.

For reference my bench (post #34) is only 31" tall, which was always a bit low for the down stroke of the reloading press. So when I replaced my 25 y/o Redding T6 press with a T7, I mounted it using the mid-height Inline Fabrication riser. This raised it 4.5". Perfect.

My stool is 24". (I'm 5' 11").

Whatever you do, make your bench as long as possible. You can never have too much surface space. (I used to run a Dillon 1050 progressive loader and also loaded four shotgun gauges, so even at 8' long there was a lot of musical chair.

Another good thing to have (not shown in my pic) is an L shaped return attached to the end of the bench. This is the surface area for my cleaning station. Trash can goes underneath.

Thank you, that was very helpful.
We are not that far apart in height, I'm 5'10".
I'll take it into considerations.