Dream me up your perfect medium and big bore reloading bench- including all tools

[Daryl S]

My funnels work just fine up from .264 up to .50 cal. Its red plastic, so might be Hornady. It has several spouts of different inside dia. But l just use the one with 6"drop.
Ive become enamoured with Hornady case lube. I rub a finger onto the little tub, then spin a case between the fingers. Usually can lube 3 cases before replenishing the lube on the index finger. To remove the lube, I lay a piece of cotton, paper towel or cloth towel on one hand, then place up to 10 sized cases on the material, throw the other 1/2 of the towel or cloth over the cases, the roll the cases between my palms. Very fast and efficient in removing the lube from the cases.
My old RCBS Uniflow measure continues to throw accurate charges with many powders. With the really slow and coarse powders, I weigh the charges.
Further about the Lee crimp die. The cup and core bullets do not need a cannelure to be crimped. This is due to their "collet" system of crimping. I have shot many thousands of bullets crimped in these dies, which did not have crimp grooves. Never buckled a case, not one.
Steel jacketed bullets likely need cannelures.

 

[alby]

https://australiantacticalprecision.com.au/product/reloading/case-annealing/the-ugly-reloading-equipment-ugly-annealer-brass-cartridge-case-annealer-australian-version/

I use one of these for annealing, a bit of setting up shell holder, gas torch and speed then away you go.

 

[AJ Peacock]

I forgot a couple of small but important things.
Case lube: I have had the best results finger-applying Lee's water based case lube. I also have Imperial Case Wax which is petro-based and it does a decent job also, but the Lee has worked better for me. To stay consistent, I use Lee with Lee dies and ICW with all other dies, but one day I will probably switch to Lee for everything. Don't mix case lube!
Primer flip tray: a must no matter how you prime; I like the RCBS square tray.
Powder funnel: I'm not sold on the fancy funnels; plus, there's none made that will work for anything over 338 (I think there's one that goes up to 375). I'm happy with my Lee plastic funnel.
Special dies: RCBS straight wall Africans are 3-die sets with separate die for case mouth expansion; you want this for all your straight-wall cases. If you can only get a 2-die set, buy a Lyman M die of the appropriate caliber for expansion- Redding and RCBS sometimes have these also. NOE Bullet Molds sells expander plugs for a Lee die body up to 470 cal. If Lee makes a Factory Crimp Die for your cart, buy it and use it no matter what your main die set is. Get a universal decapping die to remove primers separate from the sizing step if you are using and expander die or plug.

Check out the Area 419 funnel kit. It is awesome and has funnel heads from .17" to .50"

I've been using the Imperial sizing wax for all my bottleneck resizing for something like 30 years, it is incredibly good.

AJ

 

[Russ16]

I use a universal plastic RCBS funnel. It has worked up to 45 cal I haven tried anything bigger.

Imperial sizing wax is my go to. I clean cases after sizing to remove case lube. About an hour in the Dillon vibratory.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

I have a rock chucker and have the hornandy quick detach adaptors on my dies. But id like to speed things up a bit. Thats why im looking at other options.
Ill use the rock chucker for case prep once i upgrade. Just dont know what i want.

I’ve had this setup for years, it’s fast for changing dies especially if you have to go back a step to fix a boo boo..
The only failure I’ve ever had was attempting to make a 19 garin case and I forgot to anneal that particular case. Broke the dies adapter clear off. Just unscrewed it , put another on and away I went.
Gumpy

 

[Tanks]

I just moved to a new house and converted the single car garage to a reloading room. Not everything is in there as I have about a lot of powder in the cabinets of the other garage. Most of the bullet, shot and case inventory is at storage as I don't need tens of thousands in here.

I have to organize and clean up, but this is what it looks like now. Mark IV Revolution automatic press for pistol, .223 and .308. Spolar Gold shotshell loader with a hydraulic system and finally Area 419 turret press for those cartridges that require the utmost care.

The RCBS Matchmaster scale goes where the plastic tub is. I have an Annealing Made Perfect machine and Giraud Power trimmer set up on the other side of the garage.

 

[AZSkibo]

My bench is setup (L to R) as follows:
RCBS AM II for big stuff (.375ct mostly)
RCBS Rockchucker (30+y.o.) for anything accuracy related and all hunting loads
Case tumbler, case trimmer, neck turning reamer.
Dillon 650 for pistol calibers, 5.56 etc.
Over the bench is powders. On my right wall is all ammunition in ammunition cans to protect from humidity and dust.
Under the bench (heavy 72” rolling tool chest from Rhino Metal I distress) are all my reloading tools, dies, case holders blah blah.

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

Amazing info. I'm going to be doing some additional research. I am going to be loading .500ne, .470ne, .416 rigby and am in thr market for a .450ne and/or a .450/400. Being able to set up a turret and never screw with it sounds like my style. I am with Rookhawk and am not a piddler. Once I get a bullet and load that works, i'll never change it I don't believe.

I have watched 3 or 4 reloading videos out there that take you step by step. It will be interesting to learn all this.

I have to figure out a collapsable table to use if I can. I don't have room for a big set up.

 

[AJ Peacock]

Amazing info. I'm going to be doing some additional research. I am going to be loading .500ne, .470ne, .416 rigby and am in thr market for a .450ne and/or a .450/400. Being able to set up a turret and never screw with it sounds like my style. I am with Rookhawk and am not a piddler. Once I get a bullet and load that works, i'll never change it I don't believe.

I have watched 3 or 4 reloading videos out there that take you step by step. It will be interesting to learn all this.

I have to figure out a collapsable table to use if I can. I don't have room for a big set up.

When I lived in an apartment, I used a Black and Decker Workmate to mount my press. It worked for a few years.

AJ

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

Not a bad idea. Or I could just make one with hinges...

 

[AJ Peacock]

Not a bad idea. Or I could just make one with hinges...

I can't remember where, but I recall a hinged table that was mounted inside a closet. He had all his reloading 'tool boxs' stacked in front of it. To use the table, he removed the boxes, hinged to table (down I believe) with 2 hinged legs and used it that way. Of course this is a specific installation. He said this was his 'reloading room/closet'. I saw/read about this many many years ago when I was using the workmate. I also would use the workmate for other hobbies/purposes (I still have it 35 years later, but it's not used much, as I have proper benches now).

AJ

 

[michael458]

My apologies for the mess, but I am here every day working on various projects...........

My Redding Single Stage that does all the really big cases, I have loaded even 600 OK on this press with ease, and many 500 NE...........

This Dillon is set up for the small primer cartridges, 223, 300 BLK, 7.62X40..........

Brass cutting and then trimming..............

Two RCBS Chargemasters........

This Dillon handles all the large rifles.............

I love the RCBS Powder Measure for the smaller cases and especially the ball powders............Although right now I am using some RL 10X in it for 223

Some years ago I discovered it was much neater to deal with bulk bullets in these containers. And on the bottom also good to separate and store RTL (Ready to Load) brass, meaning prepped and primer, just add powder/bullet.

I have another room set up on the indoor range that I load all handgun cartridges. On this side I have a Dillon set up for 45 Colt..... and another RCBS Powder measure......I also have a second big Redding set up to load NE and Large cartridges right on the Indoor Range.

On the other side are two more Dillons set up in 45 ACP and 9mm.....

Most of the handgun loads are with more serious bullets, although occasionally we will load up some cast 45 ACP and 45 Colt loads.........

We do not like dirty brass, so all fired brass gets a good wash and dry.........

 

[farmer_john]

My apologies for the mess, but I am here every day working on various projects...........

My Redding Single Stage that does all the really big cases, I have loaded even 600 OK on this press with ease, and many 500 NE...........

This Dillon is set up for the small primer cartridges, 223, 300 BLK, 7.62X40..........

Brass cutting and then trimming..............

Two RCBS Chargemasters........

This Dillon handles all the large rifles.............

I love the RCBS Powder Measure for the smaller cases and especially the ball powders............Although right now I am using some RL 10X in it for 223

Some years ago I discovered it was much neater to deal with bulk bullets in these containers. And on the bottom also good to separate and store RTL (Ready to Load) brass, meaning prepped and primer, just add powder/bullet.

I have another room set up on the indoor range that I load all handgun cartridges. On this side I have a Dillon set up for 45 Colt..... and another RCBS Powder measure......I also have a second big Redding set up to load NE and Large cartridges right on the Indoor Range.

On the other side are two more Dillons set up in 45 ACP and 9mm.....

Most of the handgun loads are with more serious bullets, although occasionally we will load up some cast 45 ACP and 45 Colt loads.........

We do not like dirty brass, so all fired brass gets a good wash and dry.........

Nice. What are you cleaning cases with

 

[michael458]

Nice. What are you cleaning cases with

I have a Frankford Arsenal Rotary and use the Frankford Arsenal cleaning solution. I do not use pins or anything else........

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

Michael, you have won the internet for today with that reloading setup, I couldn’t possibly hope to have an area that clean and organised
Gumpy

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

This die set is .264 Win Mag but I use the same setup for the medium bore .338 Win Mag:

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

My apologies for the mess, but I am here every day working on various projects...........

My Redding Single Stage that does all the really big cases, I have loaded even 600 OK on this press with ease, and many 500 NE...........

This Dillon is set up for the small primer cartridges, 223, 300 BLK, 7.62X40..........

Brass cutting and then trimming..............

Two RCBS Chargemasters........

This Dillon handles all the large rifles.............

I love the RCBS Powder Measure for the smaller cases and especially the ball powders............Although right now I am using some RL 10X in it for 223

Some years ago I discovered it was much neater to deal with bulk bullets in these containers. And on the bottom also good to separate and store RTL (Ready to Load) brass, meaning prepped and primer, just add powder/bullet.

I have another room set up on the indoor range that I load all handgun cartridges. On this side I have a Dillon set up for 45 Colt..... and another RCBS Powder measure......I also have a second big Redding set up to load NE and Large cartridges right on the Indoor Range.

On the other side are two more Dillons set up in 45 ACP and 9mm.....

Most of the handgun loads are with more serious bullets, although occasionally we will load up some cast 45 ACP and 45 Colt loads.........

We do not like dirty brass, so all fired brass gets a good wash and dry.........

I gotta ask - are ypu just hobby reloading a couple of thousand rounds a week or is this a business or? I am in AWE.

 

[michael458]

are ypu just hobby reloading

Yes......... I am not in the business of hand loading...... or selling anything related. We used to do a lot of shooting here, test work, pressure/load data and so forth..........Not so much now, but still rather active on the range a few days each week. Have a 50 yard indoor range as well. Always piddling about with something.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

@markouellette has a pretty impressive reloading setup with lots of stock and well kept
not sure if he replied on here

 

[yamoon]

Walked into a local pawn shop in 1968 they had a RCBS Rockchucker kit, press, scale, powder measure, & 2 sets of dies, $75. Still using them 58 years later. Buy quality, they will last a lifetime.
Mike