OPINION

For people that live in apartments, condominiums and other small spaces, reloading ammunition is challenging.

Most apartments are too small to house a proper reloading bench. Limited space also makes it difficult to store reloading components and equipment. Fortunately, there are some simple solutions that will enable you to reload ammo without sacrificing your feng shui.

The reloading bench is the most problematic item. It houses your reloading press, but it also stores powder, primers, reloading dies, case prepping equipment, scales, powder dispenser and tricklers. Unfortunately, a proper bench is simply too big for a small space. To improvise, you must also redefine the bench and its purpose.

If you live in a small space, it must be compact, but it must also be collapsible and modular so you can disassemble it, fold it up and put it away at the end of the reloading session. I failed to find such a thing at big box construction and tool retailers. As usual, I had to build my own. It was actually very easy.

My solution was a ToughBuilt collapsible work bench from Lowe's. Capable of holding 500 pounds, it has sturdy metal legs that collapse and fold with the push of a button.

My RCBS Rock Chucker press is a very heavy chunk of steel. The work bench holds it, but it is unstable because the press must mount to the edge of the bench top surface. The bench top is made of tough plastic, but a reloading press exerts a tremendous amount of torque when resizing bottleneck rifle cases. This causes the edge of the tabletop to flex way too much. Stability required reinforcing the tabletop with a more rigid surface.

The solution was simple. I bolted a 24-inch section of a 2x6 plank onto the tabletop. A small amount of the board juts over the edge to form a mounting surface for the press. Four bolts secure the plank to the middle and edge of the work bench. It does not flex even when full-length sizing bottleneck cases. However, it is necessary to pull up on the edge of the bench when resizing to keep it from tipping over. You can also put something heavy on the other end of the table. I pull up on the table. It's not inconvenient.

The bench top is spacious enough to hold your scales and other equipment, but I prefer to weigh powder charges at the kitchen table.

When the reloading session ends, I unbolt the press from the board and unbolt the board from the work bench. I collapse the bench and stash it, the board, and the press in a closet.

I keep the other items in plastic boxes. I store my primers in a metal ammo box which is waterproof and airtight. I store my powder in a large plastic tote with latches on the ends. For safety's sake, I don't store powder and primers in my living space. They stay in a locked storage unit about 10-minutes away. When I want them, I can get them.

Better yet, the ToughBuilt work bench also serves as a shooting bench. It's a good height to pull up a chair and shoot from bags or a cradle rest. Its locking legs and wide stance also make for a stable shooting surface. It's much better than the collapsible card table that I used to use.

I also mount my fly tying vise to the bench, making it a truly versatile appliance.

Reloading ammo and tying flies in a small living space requires unconventional tools and methods. A collapsible work bench is a highly functional solution.

Print Headline: Reloading ammo in small spaces

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