How big is your reloading room?

[Mechaneck]

How much room do I really need to set up a reloading room? I searched this forum and didn't find the answers I was looking for. Although I did find lots of good info on bench design.

I am getting ready to section off part of a 12 foot wide attic storage room to set up my future (hopefully very near future) reloading room. I've never reloaded before and I want to make sure that I have plenty of room but don't want to give up any more of my storage than is necessary. This will be strictly a reloading/guncleaning/tinkering room. My safe is in another location.

I know I'll need room for a good bench and some sturdy shelving. Would 10'X12' or 12'X12' be sufficient?

Also, Can anyone point toward a good site for info on room layout?

Thanks,
Keith

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[Mark W.]

My "Toy Closet" is 5.5' x 8' in it I have a 6' long reloading bench. A 5.5' long rifle rack with ammo box storage shelves below. On the oppisite wall is a shelf 5.5' long that holds my range box a couple of large wood rifle travel boxes and below a bunch of misc gear for photography and camping. Under the reloading bench is a cabinet with 4 drawers that holds my camera collection. The balance of the area under the bench has my tumbler and media storage. On the remaining short wall I have a floor to ceiling storage shelf with a 15" x 36" gun cleaning bench.

SO you 10x10 would be plenty. Unless you have more then 50lbs of powder 5000 bullets 20 sets of dies 30 rifles and 10 handguns and 30) collectable cameras and all the crap that goes with them from tripods to cable releases.

My telescope and all its gear also store in the room.

Organization is the key and is an armored door with multiple anti theft features built into the room,

 

[deadshot2]

You really don't need much room at all. When I was single I loaded out of a footlocker used for storage and a B&D Workmate for my "Bench". The first law of Reloading is that your "Setup" will expand to take up all available space. I now have mine set up in an entire bedroom of my 4 bedroom house. Since there are no kids in the house anymore it just seemed natural.

It really isn't how much space you have for reloading, it's how well you use it. In between my Workmate and Bedroom "shops" I had some space on a garage workbench I used to use. All of my equipment that needed to be bolted down was merely bolted to a piece of 3/4" cabinet grade particle board (High Density). Then, when I needed a press I attached it to four securing points consisting of some T-Nuts on the bottom of the bench. Changing presses was a matter of removing the four bolts, putting the one I wasn't using on a storage shelf on the wall, installing the other press, and reloading. My Presses (single stage, progressive rifle/pistol, and shotshell progressive, each had a base that matched the securing points (I drilled them all at the same time and used one of the bases for the pattern to drill the bench. That insured that the holes would all fit). Even my case trimmer had it's own base. With a system like this one can even store their unused items in a Garden Shed or Storage Locker if they have absolutely no room in the house.

 

[Spitpatch]

You've got plenty of room.

 

[mjbskwim]

12X12 and I have 3 presses on only one side. To the left of them is the supply store shelves that are 24"x36" with all my bullets,brass and dies.
To the right is a 10' bench for smith work (that I think I can do myself)
My safe and a file cabinet are in there also.

 

[Mechaneck]

Thanks guys. That helps.

Keith

 

[ripcity]

Mine started out with only using a part of my bench in the garage. Now it's the whole bench, which is 12 feet long. Who knows what it will be a few years down the road.

 

[bballer182]

Currently a 3 level, 5' long, 3' deep, bench. But will be upgraded here shortly to a whole wall of the garage.

 

[kev350]

I'm just getting set up myself I have a 5 foot wide by 10 long area. I use the old cabinets and counter out of my kitchen so lots of storage.

 

[RVTECH]

I always had a set up in my main shop but I would find I slowed down in the winter due to the time involved to get a fire going to get it warm. I set up a desk in a corner of my bedroom but now I am outgrowing that. I am going to remodel a extra outbuilding on my property to be the dedicated gunshop/reloading room and It will be insulated and finished on the inside with a gas stove for quick warmup!

 

[deadshot2]

Mine started out with only using a part of my bench in the garage. Now it's the whole bench, which is 12 feet long. Who knows what it will be a few years down the road.

That will depend on the size of your garage

 

[mjbskwim]

That will depend on the size of your garage

Kinda like gold fish,they grow to the size of their pond.
So do you have enough parking outside the garage?

 

[aflineman]

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Or this one

 

[mjbskwim]

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Or this one

View attachment 42081
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Those are like the cool wood working benches the guys with tiny garages in the city make.
Really if you only do a couple calibers,this would be perfect.
Set up for your hunting rifle and your carry gun

Some can afford to do several different calibers and shoot lots.Or have the time to
These are perfect for reasonable folks

 

[bballer182]

Those are like the cool wood working benches the guys with tiny garages in the city make.

hahaha Yeah definitely good for one rifle hobbyist/hunter or maybe a one pistol and one rifle.

 

[deadshot2]

Kinda like gold fish,they grow to the size of their pond.
So do you have enough parking outside the garage?

Sometimes you need extra parking for when the friends come over to either load or kibitz.

I wonder if anyone ever thought of opening up one of those shops like they have for pottery? One where you bring your own primed brass, bullets, and powder. Rent dies and go to a "loading station" that has a single stage press, a scale, funnel, and a caliper.

Coffee and sandwiches available for after you're done (and washed your hands). No Booze though.

For the "operator", they could offer special services like Chronograph and pressure testing in a test barrel for a fee.
Might even become a good source for powder/primers/bullets/brass.

Apartment Dwellers might just love something like this.

 

[HotRod61]

I wonder if anyone ever thought of opening up one of those shops like they have for pottery? One where you bring your own primed brass, bullets, and powder. Rent dies and go to a "loading station" that has a single stage press, a scale, funnel, and a caliper.

Coffee and sandwiches available for after you're done (and washed your hands). No Booze though.



Apartment Dwellers might just love something like this.

Albany gun club has something like that if I'm not mistaking. Maybe someone from the club could chime in who knows more.
HotRod

 

[mjbskwim]

The local cowboy shooters let friends bring their own brass and bullets and just pay for the powder and primers.The press is all set for cowboy action loads.

I have offered my shop to a couple friends.All they have to do is leave me some ammo.No takers yet
Don't really want unknowns at my abode either
I would ASSume the insurance for a business like that would be kinda high. Selling it would be one thing,playing with explosives might draw a red flag.

 

[deadshot2]

I would ASSume the insurance for a business like that would be kinda high. Selling it would be one thing,playing with explosives might draw a red flag.

Probably wouldn't be any more than that of a gun range, maybe even less because they really wouldn't be firing the ammo. Waivers would be a given as to personal injury.

Just to be accurate, smokeless powder isn't really an explosive even though it carries the 1.3 Explosive ID under UN recommended guidelines. It's actually a solid propellant that undergoes deflagration instead of detonation.

Black Powder on the other hand