Anyone, Besides Me, Have A Range Reloading Kit?

[TrappedinCalifornia]

I have the following in a 50-caliber ammo can, updating as things wear out or something better comes along...

• Lee Hand Press
• RCBS Reloading Dies (typically, .30-06 and .308; but, occasionally, one or more other calibers) and a Lee Loader (usually in .30-06, but I have a number in a variety of calibers)
• RCBS Hand Priming Tool
• 5-0-5 Style Scale (I still use a 5-0-5 at home, but currently have an Hornady Lock-n-Load 500 mechanical scale in the kit.)
• Several Lee Powder Scoops
• RCBS Powder Funnel
• RCBS Powder Trickler (an older one)
• Lyman Metal Calipers
• Lee Cutter with case length gauges in several calibers
• RCBS Deburring Tool (an older one)
• RCSS Case Lube and Pad (older one)
• Lee Primer Pocket Cleaner

This set up allows me to 'experiment' in the field. Although I don't do much of that anymore as I've pretty well settled on what works in my firearms, the shortage of powders and bullet weights is kind of forcing me back into it. I mainly do it for the hunting guns (bolt and lever action); but, will work up a few loads now and again for a semi-auto and handguns if I'm trying a new powder. Throw in a rag for various reasons. Then, in a separate ammo can, I'll place a pound of powder (sometimes two, different powders), a 100-pack of the appropriate primers, and a box (or 2 or 3) of bullets and I can reload while at the range or where I'm shooting. (I have an older, F1 Shooting Chrony, but am looking for a replacement for the kit.)

Anyone besides me have such a kit? If so, what does your kit include?

[bruce381]

not me yet but at the range the old timers clamped a press to truck tail gate and loaded 5 then shot then loaded 5 then shot all day long. i thought to myself some day I want to do that. Thats load development in real time

[DGoodale]

Not a dedicated kit but have worked up some loads at the range. The major issue I ran into was getting an accurate charge due to wind/breeze on the scale. I finally quit due to that issue.

[divingin]

I've been working up to it (though I, to Erik Cortina's chagrin, only neck size when possible):

Press/dies:

Bald Eagle arbor press
LE Wilson neck sizing die
LE Wilson chamber seater

RCBS universal hand primer
Lyman Brass Smith funnel with correct adaptor

Pre-thrown powder charges in 1 dram glass vials (I use 50-ct test tube holders for transport; others just toss them in a plastic bag.) Wind plays havoc with weighing, and I don't trust people around me with expensive stuff like scales and measures.

I don't really do that much though. Still easier to figure out what I want to work on and load at home.

Bruce: A friend told me a tale of a guy who would shoot all day on a single piece of brass, reloading it for each shot. Though the guy apparently made it easier by running a tight chamber, using very little neck/chamber clearance, and not resizing at all.

[bigbossman]

The hard part would be keeping the scale out of any breezes or vibrations

[tomrkba]

The hard part would be keeping the scale out of any breezes or vibrations

What about using a scoop?

Lee Reloading scoop kit with data

[bigbossman]

What about using a scoop?

Lee Reloading scoop kit with data

Yes, that would work..... but scoops vary in charge weight by a few grains. That would make it tough to dial in a specific load.

[Imageview]

I have a portable reloading kit, although I don?t tend to bring it to the range. It?s couple lee handloaders, several Lyman 310 tools, a hand roll crimp tool, a hand primer, small digital scale, lee scoops, a small mallet, and a Buchanan hand press. All fits in a backpack, allows me to reload just about anything anywhere. Because I?m not loading volume and space is at a premium it?s basically replaced my presses for the moment.

[uechikid]

No, but I have a range in my backyard.

[ar15barrels]

Not a dedicated kit but have worked up some loads at the range.
The major issue I ran into was getting an accurate charge due to wind/breeze on the scale.
I finally quit due to that issue.

This is exactly why benchrest shooters use a high quality powder measure and load by the clicks of the measure and not by the actual weight of the powder.

For example, read this post:

https://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/load-data-for-6mmbr-dasher.3828950/post-36306569

If you hang around some benchrest shooters, you will hear them talking about adjusting clicks and that's usually in reference to the powder measure.

[bubbala]

https://leeprecision.com/lee-loader-9mm-luger

Taught a guy to use one a while back

[smittty]

I found it too difficult to weigh powder outdoors. Any bit of wind upsets the scale, and I don't see value in bringing my powder drop to the range.

I do like portability for indoors, and stowing away when not being used.

[sghart]

I put my scale inside a cardboard box to block the wind.

[smittty]

I put my scale inside a cardboard box to block the wind.

Might work for light wind but only if you're a table or shooting bench.

Try that off your tailgate or back of an suv and the wind rocking the vehicle still affects the scale making to unusable.

I'm not talking about dippers or powder drops, just scales.

[TrappedinCalifornia]

For those complaining that 'the wind' makes a range kit virtually unusable, I have a question.

Do you normally 'work up' loads and attempt to verify their velocity, accuracy, etc. in high winds when shooting?

I don't think of a range kit in terms of necessarily feeding my ability to shoot on a given day. I think of it in terms of experimenting with new loads or new bullets.

It's a little like guys who take fly tying kits with them when camping, then complain that the wind doesn't let them create the best looking imitations. If the output is for show, tie 'em at home. If they are for catching fish or experimenting, as long as the fish don't object... We already know that some of the most effective flies are those which look like they've been run over a dozen or more times.

The same thought process would seem to hold true for reloading in the field. If accuracy is the overriding purpose, pick your time, place, and mitigate. If 'plinking' or just shooting something is the agenda, how 'accurate' and 'precise' do you really need to be?