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what reload equipment works best for the range ?
I think all I would need is a way to seat the bullets
I could have the cases pre-sized at at home
my existing scale is portable enough
wouldnt be loading enough to need a dropper -? or would I ?
just doing a few to follow up if needed after a ladder test -
which would allready be loaded up at home
I allways end up wishing I had a few more rounds
of a certian charge weight -
sure would be nice to make up a few more right there
what all do I need ?
A piece of cardboard to block the wind while you're dropping powder.
If it were me, I'd bring the powder (obviously), scooper, funnel, pre-primed cases & bullets. I can't help think a press will come in handy at some point so I'd be making up a portable. Maybe a Lee Challenger (cheapo) mounted to a piece of plywood & a C-clamp?
If the plywood was about 12"x12"x3/4" thick you may not need to clamp it.
You're asking about something I've considered for a few weeks. You & I both know no matter what you bring along, there's always something you need sitting back home on top of the bench...
Frank in Fla
You didn't even go yet and you forgot the seater die.
Well there is more than one way to skin a cat.
You ask "What works best at the range," and the answer is what ever works best for you. i do almost all of my loading at the range. It is just a far better way to do things, and once your set up, you will find it is just as easy to do it at the range as it is at home.
Yes you can pre size cases, or you can size them at the range. I like a turet press, as it simplifys things, but they are usualy heavier, and bulkier. Many Benchrest shoots use a RCBS Partner press, to do sizning and an arbor press with Wilson seater dies to seat bullets. I have a nice turet set up, and a arbor press, rcbs parter press, I use both. You could get buy with one press, and screwing in and changing dies as well. A good idea is to use imperial case lub for FL sizing, or dry graphite for neck sizing. You can clean off your imperial case lube with carb cleaner on a rag, or alchohol.
You can pre weigh your charges at home, and place them into plastic or glass vials, and dump them into your cases. Most people that do this find vials that fit into ammo boxes wher the rounds would go. this work great if you are short on cases. Many 600 and 1000 yard benchrest shooters do this. As far as your scale you can build a wind box for it to sit into, using a glass door so that yuou can see through it and that it doesnt attact stadict. I have found that small battery powered pocket scales work well. If you can find one that has a duct cover that will alow you to have a pan under it is ideal. (Like the one in Blue advengers photo.) Some will take the dust cover and cut a hole in it just big enough for a case to fit through. They will tare the scare with the case empty, and then throw powder, and weigh it through the hole in the cover. A good repatable powder measurer is a real life saver. Using a culver style measure alows you to have reference points, and increase and decrease powder by x amount easy. They are a bit pricy but worth their weight in gold. This is what most point blank benchrest shooters use. The cheapest way to get into it is using a LEE "perfect" powder measurer. It does a good job of throwing accurate charges, and has an easy to use adjustement. It is a drum style measures similar to Forsters benchrest moderl, and Reddings 3BR wich can be found on some benchrest shooters loading stash.
The biggest problem with loading at the range is caring the stuff all around, If you get a nice 3 drawer tool box, to keep all of your stuff in sure helps alot. Other things that are great to have at the range is a good hand primer. I have several Lee hand primers, and they are good. I also use a Wilson case turner, cary it in the box as well. I find that I like to trim my cases after every 3 firings. A few small hand tools are esential such as primer pocket reamer, a case mouth de-buring tool, and a nylon brush to clean out case necks. Some will bring cordless drills, and chuck these items up, for fast work. I just use a old Lyman handel to screw the tools in. You can clean you brass there as well, some use "Never dull" and tare a piece of it off to clean thier brass, some use brasso wipes, or crazy cloth. I just use a piece of 0000 steel wool. A good laoding block is a real help, most ranges you can find in the trash 45acp ammo boxes, and if you pull out the styrophom or plastic trays , they make execeleant loading blocks for your 22/250, 243, 308, 6br, 30/06 etc.
Other things to throw in your box, is a set of allen wrenches, a leval, lense cleaning pen or cloth, spare parts, like ball bearings, pins etc, A few microfiber towels. A bullet puller kinetic hammer. A bottle of rubbing alchohol, or carb cleaner. Brushes, patchs, jags, bore solvent, bore guide, rem oil, Jb bore paste. A magnifing glass, flash light,pape rand pen, Clamps, a board to mount your press to, and what ever else you may need. I also clean my guns at the range, I have two cleaning rods one with a brush, and one with a jag.
Hopefuly this gets you thinking.
"The biggest problem with loading at the range is caring the stuff all around, If you get a nice 3 drawer tool box, to keep all of your stuff in sure helps alot" - 82boy
That's the main reason I haven't started range reloading. It's alot of stuff to carry on range day as it is. 4 rifles (typically), cleaning kit, tools, ammo, targets, lunch / drink box, spotter, etc, etc,....
If you come up with any kind of buggy cart to carry your equipment, don't keep it to yourself. I see several of the old timers at my local range that have some pretty unique carts to haul gear. Some are pretty creative and all of them look too heavy.
Good luck with your venture.
Frank in Fla
Any of these work?Quote:
Originally Posted by fgw_in_fla
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...23/intern7.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...tracks_015.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...3/IMG_9382.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...lout_H2_1a.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...mentaspx-1.jpg
http://www.fotolode.com/images/sabersix315/p1020762.jpg
http://www.fotolode.com/images/sabersix315/p1020761.jpg
http://www.fotolode.com/images/sabersix315/p1020760.jpg
I have taken this set up to the range before. These pictures were taken at our range clubhouse, when I was doing load development.
I made a bunch of presized and primed brass and took it with me, so all I had to do was weight powder, charge cases, and seat bullets. It is not that big a step to take a full set of dies and reload the same few cases over and over.
It sure makes load development a lot easier if you have everything right there.
Sean
Actually, the Peterbuilt looks like it might do the job. As soon as I have an extra $1,450,990.97 laying around I just might go that way. Thanks for the recomendation!....Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue Avenger
Frank "The Pack Mule" in Fla
Frank go here http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trks...at=0&_from=R40
I have seen a few of these at matches and they seem to work great. The guys using them get all their BR stuff to the bench in one trip. I've been considering one for myself.
I saw a BR shooter a few years who bought a used Ford Econoline panel van and converted into his range ride. The driver's side had a wooden work bench fastened to the floor and shelving underneath for a drawer style tool box. All of his reloading stuff and gun cleaning stuff was dedicated to that side. The passenger side had a crate that he put his rifles and gear in.