Handloading room suggestions/ideas. New build.

JesseJ

JesseJ

Hammer Time Executive member
I have mentioned lately that I’m in the middle of a new home build. It’s now actually nearing completion. Along with a the new home, comes a new shop, gun room, reloading facility. There was a time that I thought I knew all the answers and my way was always best. I’ve aged enough to realize that other folks have ideas and plans that MAY equal mine. 😉.
So id like the hammer brain trust to all talk about what y’all like and dislike about your current set up, and what you’d do differently.
I may have handicapped myself on size. I’ve set aside a. 12’x12’ room. This is for handloading only. Single stage press for precision rifle. Window on one end to shoot out of. This room will be for consumables storage, and handloading hardware, assembly line, only.
8’ ceiling.
 
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Man! I'd probably fill that to the gills!
Mine's 12x20, but that's loading shotgun (3 machines) + cleaning bench, loading bench (rifle), progressive pistol, and a small workbench/tool box. No window. I have to go outside to shoot.
 
Mine is 12x14x12 foot ceiling. My retirement reloading room will be twice that size minimum. That said, I have two single stage, two progressive, three large safes, custom shelving for storage, etc.

My suggestions and things I’ve learned over the years. Two single stage presses is better than one. Build your second single stage on a wheeled cart (I used a welding cart). When reloading, I set one press up with crimp die and another with bullet seating die. The wheeled cart can be positioned for optimal performance without out wasting movement.

I also built a rifle cleaning cart on casters so it can be moved easily. I keep my cleaning supplies under the work area. Keeps everything organized.

Smart storage is critical.

Lastly…..don’t scrimp on your actual reloading bench. Build it stout to limit any movement. Mount it to the wall and floor….make it bomb proof.
 
I like a lot of what @jrebel has to say here. If it were me, I think I’d mount both presses up on the bench. I now use a bench top press mount from Inline Fabrication. So much nicer than being on the front edge of the bench. Build a deep top. At lease 30” deep, and plenty wide. Also, I would build it sort of high. My current bench has drawers under the top. Very nice to keep all the commonly used tools close at hand, and not cluttering the top. My gripe is that the drawers drop low enough that my knees won’t fit under the bench. Just my two cents. Wish I had a 12x12 room and the ability to shoot from the house. 🤔
 
Ohhhh. One more thing I just thought of. Magnet mounting strips everywhere so you can have tools easily accessible and organized. I have 5 magnetic tool strips in my reloading room and could easily double that. Super convenient.

And they are cheap.

www.harborfreight.com

18 in. Magnetic Tool Holder

Amazing deals on this 18In Magnetic Tool Holder at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
www.harborfreight.com www.harborfreight.com
 
jrebel said:
Two single stage presses is better than one. Build your second single stage on a wheeled cart (I used a welding cart). When reloading, I set one press up with crimp die and another with bullet seating die. The wheeled cart can be positioned for optimal performance without out wasting movement.
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There’s one that hadn’t crossed my mind. Love it.

If everything goes as planned, I should be able to get 1100 yards out the window. I’ve been workin on the “range” for about 3 years now.

as this progresses, I will add a few pictures.
 
My reloading "room" is a 5'X8' space under the stairs in my basement. I've made it work for years and every inch is being used. That said, my wife is freaking out that if something goes wrong, with all the stored powder, I'll blow the house to pieces. She may have a point. 🤭
While I make my Hobbit hole work, PLEASE do a better job than I did in planning YOUR loading room!
"1100 yds out the window", is flat out ridiculously amazing Jesse!
 
littlebighorn said:
My reloading "room" is a 5'X8' space under the stairs in my basement. I've made it work for years and every inch is being used. That said, my wife is freaking out that if something goes wrong, with all the stored powder, I'll blow the house to pieces. She may have a point. 🤭
While I make my Hobbit hole work, PLEASE do a better job than I did in planning YOUR loading room!
"1100 yds out the window", is flat out ridiculously amazing Jesse!
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I’ve been where you are for a long time. Cramped. My instructions to the wife and kids has been, if it catches on fire, RUN!

25th anniversary this summer. I’m gettin a reloading room, she’s gettin a house…..

For transparency, my new reloading room is not attached to the new house. It’s about 200 yards away. The whole thing is 26x42’. Small bathroom, 10x15’ walk in vault, a small bedroom, and a 26x20 “rompus” room for the rest of my outdoor paraphernalia.

If I can get it finished, she may not see me for a while!
 
JesseJ said:
Thank you. I hope I can hold out and get it completed.

I could see a few of my HAMMER Friends comin for a visit for a few days of cookin & eatin, shootin, & camaraderie.
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That looks incredible Jesse! You still have lots of work ahead, but your plans look like something that most of us can only dream about!
It does appear that you will need to do some branch trimming to get to 1100 yds but that's simply amazing.
 
After boss lady and I built our house 7-1/2 years ago—and stayed married! 🤣—I swore I was going to be carried out of this house horizontally. That was before I started reloading.
Learning about this is making me want to do it again, though!
You’re going to love shooting where you load, Jesse. If I could rotate the house about 60 degrees clockwise and take out some trees, I still wouldn’t get 1100 yards. But I would get a lot more than the 100-120 I have.
Might try to incorporate some of these ideas into my basement reloading area.
Looking forward how this unfolds for you…
 
cbjr said:
That is awesome! As far as tips: have you reloading bench angled slightly to the back. That way cases or spilled primers don't end up all over the floor!
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I swear the gravitational field increases near a reloading bench!
I put a piece of 1/4 round on the front of the bench. You can still rest your arms on it since it's rounded. another thing to use is edging. Basically a 90 degree cap that goes over the lip of the bench.
 
Jesse,
Corner benches have worked good for me. My loading area is 12X12ish. Use of shelving really keeps the available space free. Menards has the steel type shown here that are very sturdy. You cut 1/2-3/4 plywood for the shelve tops.
IMG_2521.jpeg
Menards Shelves:
IMG_2523.jpeg
Edging cap:
IMG_3156.png
1/4 round:
IMG_1905.jpeg
 
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