Which single stage press?

[mdi]

Your first purchase (in case I didn't see it) should be a Reloading Manual. Not a recipe book; a manual on How To Reload. I just found my ABCs of Reloading I packed away a few yrs ago, and I am again impressed with the completeness of the information. I highly recommend that manual as your first purchase, then you can decide on the press that will suit your reloading needs...

[sagegrouse715]

Thanks for the good advice.  I think I have that covered. I have already purchased the Hornady 7th ed. Reloading Manual and the Complete Reloading Manual for the .444 Marlin.  I have on loan Ken Waters "Pet Loads" and the "Big Bore Rifles and Cartridge" book.  I am "boning up".

All of my current reloading is being done under the watchful of a 40 year reloader until I graduate from my apprenticeship.  My mentor is very conservative in his powder charges and loads thousands of rounds each year.

[sagegrouse715]

Shootall:

Your bench sounds nice.  Maybe I should check Sam's Club out.  Here is my plan:

A steel framed bench with 2 pieces of 3/4 in plywood bonded together for the bench top.  The demensions will be 32x48. The bench top will be 42" high.  I will work from a stool or stand.  I will have 1 shelf 16" off the floor underneath.  I am going to have some unattached  8" deep wood shelves that will set on the bench top and go up approx. 30". 

My bench has to fit between my existing 2'x8' work bench and my gun safe. My basement space restricts the size of reloading bench.  I'll listen to any of your thoughts.

[1sourdough]

 I made 2 'work' benches using 2"X10"s for the top & treated 4X4's for legs. The rest of the framing was with 2'X4"s. I have 2 lower shelves with 1X? boards. I have one of these in the basement for reloading & gun work & one in the garage. You could make it as long or wide as needed. The height is important & they are very solid.

[Badnews Bob]

Shootall:

Your bench sounds nice.  Maybe I should check Sam's Club out.  Here is my plan:

A steel framed bench with 2 pieces of 3/4 in plywood bonded together for the bench top.  The demensions will be 32x48. The bench top will be 42" high.  I will work from a stool or stand.  I will have 1 shelf 16" off the floor underneath.  I am going to have some unattached  8" deep wood shelves that will set on the bench top and go up approx. 30".  

My bench has to fit between my existing 2'x8' work bench and my gun safe. My basement space restricts the size of reloading bench.  I'll listen to any of your thoughts.

I am not telling you not to do it but you might find 42"s a little high.  Most work benches you'll find are 36.5" tall, I measured the ones at work and at several stores and they were all 36.5".  My bench is 24" deep and 16' long 36.5" high, ( 24" mostly cuz I cut two 3/4" peices of plywood in half.) I am six foot tall and it is just right for working standing up or sitting on a stool. I have shelves 4' tall 16' wide and 6" deep about 16" above the bench.  I am very lucky that I have a large room to work in it is 12'x24'.   I also have a 27"x84" gunsmithing bench and a 32"x48" gun cleaning bench, A large safe and several shelving units are in there too. I am not done with it yet but plan to post pictures when I am.


BTW.......No wife.

[cybin]

First off--good advise--buy the reloading manual--maybe a couple of them--I have uses a RCBS Jr. since 1973 works great every time--I added a Lyman turret press from a guy I worked with--it didn't do well with 30-06 full length resizing. Works great for pistol though--if I was going to buy any additional reloading equipment--I would be hard pressed not to look at Lee--in fact I'm going to try to pick up some .223 dies at cabela's next weekend --lee dies really look good to me--don't have any right now--but have heard good things about them from a lot of people. All of the majors make good equipment, but as one of the  posters said--buy Lee cast and have extra money to buy more dies.

cybin

[Hairtrigger]

I think 42" is fine for a bench top. Prefer to stand while reloading.
You can always cut a bit off the legs later

[sagegrouse715]

Here is my thinking.   I am 6'2". My current work bench was built by my carpenter at  42" is heighth.  He suggested the higher heighth.  By making my loading bench this heighth, the two benches would mesh together.  I can work standing and not be bent over so much, or I can work off a taller bar type stool.

[rex6666]

I am 6'1" my work bench is 42" very comfortable standing or on tall stool
(look at sears for stool, santa brought mine)
i caught a bench top on sale at sears 11/2"x6'x22" neopreme then added
2' 2x4 on edge for strenght to mount vise, my frame is 4x4 and bolted to the wall.
I have been looking at Cabelas for loaders, they have a BCBS complete kit
for $369 i think and the Lee kit for $129. I think all you have to buy extra
is dies. I am very glad i saw this thread, I would have thought the lee was
a cheap set if i had not read all this
I am just thinking about getting into loading.

[Badnews Bob]

I figgered it would be fine for some people just thought I throw out the info so he could look around some just to be sure before building.

[flashhole]

The bench height issue is a big deal if you spend a lot of time at the bench like I do.  I intentionally made mine 45" tall because I never sit when I reload and a lower bench always resulted in a sore neck from hanging my head.  I'm 5'9" and the 45" height works perfectly for me.

The other thing I did with my bench was to straddle a 5/16" metal plate over the legs as the press mounts so the forces are distributed directly over the strongest part of the bench.  I get absolutely zero flex.  It's also nice having an island that I can access all sides.  The bench top is 2' x 4' and that is plenty of work surface.  The smaller size also forces me to keep it clean.

[drdougrx]

Interesting thread!  I do 99.9% of all of my loading on an ancient lyman Spartan...a buddy bought it used in the 80's and we loaded pistol ammo with a vengence.  Then we pitched in and bought a Dillon RL450....never really considered other presses as there's no need.