Reloading room ideas

5831 Views 35 Replies 16 Participants Last post by Huge29, Dec 28, 2016

Huge29

Discussion Starter · Nov 21, 2015

I have our custom home to be completed here in the next two months. I am acting as the general/owner-builder. I have a pretty nice reloading bench, but I think I will take it to the next level as I have all kinds of basement space to use; even a room all of my own that is about 200 SF. The bench is the higher style, but I am thinking maybe a regular desk height to use a regular chair possibly.
So, would you mind sharing your man cave reloading room pics? It is officially an unfinished basement, but I plan to finish out at least this one room fairly quickly and can likely take advantage of having subs on hand to just finish one more room... Part of it will incorporate my cartridge collection (up to about 500 cartridges so far) as well as the full reloading area. Let me know of your ideas and what you have. I had in mind a bench that may be the full length of the 15' wall possibly. Only have an RCBS single stage so far. Thanks guys!

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bowgy

· #2 · Nov 22, 2015

Well there is this old thread> http://utahwildlife.net/forum/18-firearms-reloading/16717-reloading-bench-pics-ideas.html

Mine is in this thread, I would post it again but the pic is not on this computer.

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Bax*

· #3 · Nov 22, 2015

Id say the one silly thing that I would like to have is a lip on my bench to help keep stuff from rolling off when I accidentally drop a case or bullet. No pics, but a change I'd like to make.

DallanC

· #4 · Nov 22, 2015

Here's my bench, built it a few years ago. Really like it. Those gaps in the back near the center divider are for power cords.

The press is located on the right edge. That is reinforced with several 2x6's to stop any flex. Its rock solid.

-DallanC

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longbow

· #5 · Nov 22, 2015

Awesome bench DallanC. I like the pegboard idea.

You really need to stock up on reloading supplies though.

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DallanC

· #6 · Nov 22, 2015

longbow said:
Awesome bench DallanC. I like the pegboard idea.

You really need to stock up on reloading supplies though.

Hey that IS a can of Varget sitting there, thats all anyone needs right? :mrgreen:

I laid out my plans to fit 2 8lb cans of powder one above the other on a shelf, not that I have any right now LOL! I really only reload for about 8 calibers, so I don't need a super elaborate setup... thats not to say I wouldn't build such a thing if I ever won the lotto lol

Right now the bench is a disaster, I haven't needed to reload in 8 months so its slowly accumulating clutter as I work on other things. Next big storm where I'm stuck in doors I'll clean it up and start reloading again. My boy's shot through most of his 7mm08 ammo, I tumbled his brass so thats GTG, need to tumble all my pistol cases and get them ready.

I really like these for work lights, they are cheap but put out alot of light, and are easily aim-able for whatever I'm doing. I stick them up high aimed down to my work surface.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20169658/

-DallanC

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Al Hansen

· #7 · Nov 23, 2015

I just had a new house built and one of the basement bedrooms became my new reloading room. I had the floor epoxied and man is that nice. Very easy clean up. I also had it wired for a small t.v. for music or hunting shows. I put in a small bar height table to put the t.v. on and magazines to sit and read. I went to Costco and bought some of their plastic shelving for added storage. Just a few ideas if your starting from scratch. I wish the room was a couple of feet bigger. I took the old bar stools from the old house and put them at the bench and the table. Loving it.:grin:

bowgy

· #8 · Nov 23, 2015

Here it is again, still messy, but I was working on cleaning that room over the weekend.

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Critter

· #9 · Nov 23, 2015

It's amazing how a reloading bench becomes a catch all during the summer and then winter sets in and we all need to get back to the bench so that we can shoot all summer again.

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swbuckmaster

· #10 · Nov 23, 2015 (Edited)

I picked up a reloading bench from harbor freight for about 150 bucks. There are different ways to set them up. Just do a search on the net under harbor freight reloading bench.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

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Huge29

Discussion Starter · #11 · Nov 26, 2015

That epoxy does sound nice, just worried about it being so cold all of the time and maybe looking too specialized of a room to where people looking to buy the house years down the road would wonder what in the world to do with it, but you can always carpet over it. My brother just bought a floor epoxy company...
Could I use Formica counter top and just heavily reinforce it from below and be strong enough?
I am thinking one wall at desk height and maybe one at bar height so I can use drawers on the desk height possibly. Not sure how to tie the two heights together yet, maybe all just desk height?? Thansk for sharing the pics, it is good to see how tight things get as you add more and more tools, so Ill be sure to have lots of space with about 30 linear feet, it should work going from my current 6'.

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NHS

· #12 · Nov 29, 2015

DallanC said:
Here's my bench, built it a few years ago. Really like it. Those gaps in the back near the center divider are for power cords.

The press is located on the right edge. That is reinforced with several 2x6's to stop any flex. Its rock solid.

-DallanC

Your bench looks like the powder section of Sportsmans Warehouse on 7200 S.

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KineKilla

· #13 · Dec 3, 2015

Here is my bench prior to me putting all my supplies on the shelves. I built it using the NRMA plans then wired it to have outlets and overhead lighting (built the hangers out of black pipe). It stands in my garage.

I'm still working on my Man Cave but it is located on the other side of the wall that my reloading bench is attached to. That album is here....

http://s174.photobucket.com/user/KineKilla/Tico/Man Cave/story

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toasty

· #14 · Dec 3, 2015

Jealous of that man cave, it is bigger than my house. Love the high ceilings for animal mounts and the beautiful wood work.

KineKilla

· #15 · Dec 3, 2015

thanks for the kind words toasty. It's been a lot of work over the last few months but I've enjoyed doing it all myself and learning as I go. The room is only 660sf but the 14' ceilings make it feel much larger.

Huge29

Discussion Starter · #16 · Dec 5, 2015

Awesome Kinekilla! What is that countertop? Looks like walnut, yet more exotic... Is it all done or still under construction? Is this part of the house or shop or what? My favorite part is the window casing of rough lumber, that is sick! I made my window too big and too low or I would copy you!

35whelen

· #17 · Dec 5, 2015

all these benches put mine to shame. i need shelves and compartments. i only load 5 cartridges

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KineKilla

· #18 · Dec 7, 2015 (Edited)

Huge29 said:
Awesome Kinekilla! What is that countertop? Looks like walnut, yet more exotic... Is it all done or still under construction? Is this part of the house or shop or what? My favorite part is the window casing of rough lumber, that is sick! I made my window too big and too low or I would copy you!

Don't want to thread hijack, but yes it is Walnut that I glued up and am finishing myself...just waiting on my copper sink to arrive. The room is still very much under construction...big items left to do are: HD Projector, Fixed 120" screen, Walnut Bar Top to match the counter tops, Bar front skirting (probably faux stone) then a bunch of odds and ends. This is a room that is roughly 1/3rd of my detached garage that the previous owner used as office space for his home business.

As for the reloading bench, I've found that organization is really the key. I've tried to organize my stuff so that case prep supplies are in one area, powder, projectiles, etc. In order from left to right. The organization allows me to keep track of where I am in the process and stay on track throughout so make sure you have plenty of shelves, bins or other.

If you want/need any suggestions or ideas during design or construction just shoot me a PM. I'm always willing to help people where I can.

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wyogoob

· #19 · Dec 9, 2015

I have ADD so I need a large reloading area for a case trimmer, laptop computer, TV, meat grinders, cutting boards and sausage stuffers.

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wyogoob

· #20 · Dec 10, 2015 (Edited)

I have a bench of sorts, 13.5' long, that I use for reloading sometimes, mostly seating bullets or sizing magnum cases that my hand reloader doesn't like. Most of my reloading stuff is portable so I can just clamp it to the table in the kitchen, camper, motel room, portable shooting bench, your garage, or the benches at the range.

All my reloading "things", except powder, are stored in Rubbermaid boxes.

My old bench was set up for making fishing rods. Back then I could turn and dry the coating on two rods, as long as 13 foot, at the same time. Now it's a mess:

.

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