Thoughts on minimal-space loading setups?

[CHS]

Particularly, your posts seem to give the impression that your intent is to set up your relaoding gear in a variety of locations about your house. I can only surmise that part of your quest is the ability to sit with others while you reload, or even attempt to watch kids or TV, or carry on a some other heavily distracting activity while you are reloading.
This is what's called A BAD IDEA.
Your attenion needs to be focused on what you are doing when you are reloading. At least when it comes time for powder and primers & bullet seating. You should NOT be deliberately seeking to facilitate a situation where you can be distracted and make a danger mistake involving gunpowder.

I didn't mean to give anyone that impression. That's not what I want at all. I just need portability because I don't have a single good area where I can do the reloading as well as the storage of the gear.

I used to do my 12ga reloading on the kitchen counter with no distractions. But my 12ga press is mounted to a board and can be easily stored in the garage when I'm not using it. It doesn't need the stability that a normal cartridge press needs.

I'm really just looking for the portability that I used to have with my 12ga press

But yes, I totally agree with you on the distractions, and I've never once thought to myself that doing something else while reloading (like watching tv) would be a good idea.

[ar15barrels]

I'm actually going to be casting at a friends house.

There's your solution.
Find someone who you trust that would appreciate being able to use the 650 himself.
Setup the press at his house.
Go over there when you need to load.

[CHS]

There's your solution.
Find someone who you trust that would appreciate being able to use the 650 himself.
Setup the press at his house.
Go over there when you need to load.

It's starting to look like my only real good option. It's just more inconvenient. But yeah, it's probably what I'll end up doing.

Plus side = He's got a Dillon 550

[bruceflinch]

I have also used a Black & Decker 'Work-Mate' style table. It really works well. It's very stable and is hard to tip over, plus it has a sort of step that can be used to rest your feet on. The legs are built heavy enough to be able to withstand the pressure/weight of reloading.
It also folds up so storage is minimal.
I used one for shotgun loading, but it should also work well for metallic.
The link provided earlier shows a nice set up, that would work very well.
It was plenty large enough, but it also can expand. All this and you can still use it for it's intended purpose.........a portable work bench!
I simlpy used 'C' clamps to mount the loader.

The guy I bought my 2nd, 650 from used this method, worked well.

I have a Rockchucker as well as the 2 Dillons. IMHO, the Dillons don't really take up that much more space. It's all the accessories that take up the space.

[fairfaxjim]

I needed a portable solution for my Dillon Square Deal B, and some storage too. I ended up with mounting it on the lower half of a Craftsman rollaway tool chest.


The mount is a home brew using some small scrap pieces of aluminum structural strut material along with a couple pieces of angle from OSH. I was trying to maximize the work table space available, but a strong mount would have worked too.

The drawers are great for keeping pretty much everything organized. It has two locking casters, but I am going to put together some sort of system to lock it to a wall or doorway when in use to gain a little bit more stability. I may just try some "wheel chock" type of caster pad first. It does work suprisingly well. I picked up the tool chest on a sale at Sears, was really easier than building another bench, and I didn't have anyplace to put it permanently.

[Revoman]

There is a portable stand for sale in the firearms parts & accessories section here.
Might be worth a go.

[Snapping Twig]

Do you have a vise on your bench? Most do, so here's a thought and oddly enough, it's the way I do it.

Get some 2x4 or whatever size is correct for your press, sizer, etc. and make a "T" with screws and glue. Mount the press on top of the "T" and secure the bottom of the "T" into the vise whenever you reload/size.

My bench looks like a garden variety repair station, until I reload. Putting the tools of the trade away keeps nosy neighbors and anti's in the dark and allows total use of the bench for any project.

My vise is a 5" and perfect for this operation.

[ar15barrels]

Get some 2x4 or whatever size is correct for your press, sizer, etc. and make a "T" with screws and glue. Mount the press on top of the "T" and secure the bottom of the "T" into the vise whenever you reload/size.

That's really not solid enough.

[Rule .308]

It looks like you have it figured out already but I would like to add that the HF work station thingy that you have pictured in your first post is an absolute piece of crap. I bought one pretty darn cheap on sale one time and when it came time to put it together it was such a poorly designed, ill fitting piece of crap I through the entire deal right into the dumpster. I am a mechanic and father of 3 for 25+ years so I am by no means a newbie to dealing with mechanical puzzles of all sorts.

[nick]

Someone here custom-makes small setups, I just saw the thread yesterday. Check out the marketplace.