Author Topic: Reloading while in school? (Read 956 times)

henry1 · « **on:** August 13, 2006, 09:07:40 PM »

Hey out there. I will be attending U of WY this fall in Laraime and I am bringing a few of my favorites with me but I need to reload for them while im up there. Im pretty sure that you cant reload in the dorms. LOL! So i was wondering if any of you have ever, thought about, done or have any ideas or input for that matter, on reloading on the tailgate of a pickup truck.? I mean i dont know where else i would do it at. Thanks guys. and dont be affraid to speak your mind please!

Grumulkin · « **Reply #1 on:** August 13, 2006, 10:31:59 PM »

You could use a Lee hand press and load inside your pickup. If you're trying to resize a big case, you'll develope strong hand muscles but for cases up to 30/06 size, you shouldn't have much of a problem though it's a bit slow.

If you get a set of Lee powder dippers, you could even get by without a scale.

victorcharlie · « **Reply #2 on:** August 14, 2006, 03:06:14 AM »

One of my friends mounted his reloading press on a 2 X 12 and clamps it on the tailgate of his truck and loads at the range........I think in your situation this makes perfect sense.........

Questor · « **Reply #3 on:** August 14, 2006, 03:39:59 AM »

Clamping a press to a vehicle is done frequenly by travelling trap shooters who follow the ATA matches. I see presses mounted on RV bumpers frequently at those matches.

jgalar · « **Reply #4 on:** August 14, 2006, 04:54:19 AM »

Where are you going to keep your powder and primers? I would think that with the current security issues getting caught on campus grounds with gunpowder could lead to your expulsion if not a FBI investigation and possible jail time.

Don Fischer · « **Reply #5 on:** August 14, 2006, 06:08:50 AM »

Im pretty sure that you cant reload in the dorms

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Your probally not aloud to dirnk, have loud parties or sex there either. Never saw that stop a collage kid.

mjbgalt · « **Reply #6 on:** August 14, 2006, 06:40:42 AM »

actually, sadly, the sex part is allowed and is considered a personal decision and they give you a checklist of things your roommate should know...how to signal that sex is going on in the room is one of them...so they don't walk in...you're supposed to leave something stuck to the door or a note or something...the beer part is still a no-no...

too bad an orgy is less of a concern than a reloading press. lol

-Matt

DWTim · « **Reply #7 on:** August 14, 2006, 09:35:54 AM »

I'm sure their student handbook clearly states the Board's view on weapons and haz-mat items... Yep, it's in the code of coduct, prohibited items, Section A, Part 5:

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5. Illegal or unauthorized possession of firearms, explosives, other weapons, or dangerous chemical/biological agents on University premises.

S.C, Part 3 might also apply if you don't thoroughly clean out your powder hopper between loads (unless your shooting professor says so):

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3. Making or communicating false alarms or threats, tampering with fire extinguishers, the intentional mixture of harmful or hazardous biological/chemical materials for purposes other than those under the supervision of a University faculty/staff member.

longwinters · « **Reply #8 on:** August 14, 2006, 02:38:41 PM »

I would be curious where you are going to keep your guns.

Had a suite mate once that got ticked off at another guy after one of our intramural basket ball games. Went out to his car, got an M-15 and a big military style knife. When we came into the living room, he was sitting on the couch with the clip (loaded but sitting on the couch) and squeezing the trigger while having the rifle aimed at the "bad boys" front door. He got sent away for a while. A month later the shrinks released him saying that he just had a bad temper. Last time I heard, he was house sitting and watching some peoples kids while they were gone for a few weeks to Florida. I think that may have turned the college off to having weapons on campus . . . imagine that.

Long

henry1 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 16, 2006, 08:26:57 PM »

Hmm, the storage thing is a biggie! I supose that i could just buy enough to load a 100 and leave the powder in the truck? Or do you guys got any ideas? Cuz im fresh out now. I got the loading part dwn but am still kinda stuck. Thanks a ton for all the input!

victorcharlie · « **Reply #10 on:** August 17, 2006, 02:08:29 AM »

After your there for awhile you'll probably meet someone who lives off campus and might let you store your powder and primers there.....

As you truck will be on college property, storing it in the truck probably isn't a good idea either.

Have you thought about shooting the .22lr more while in college and just buying enough ammo for a range session?

MINNESOTA DICK · « **Reply #11 on:** August 17, 2006, 05:15:57 AM »

Check out a local gun/shooting club. Join them and see what you can work out for reloading and gun storage. I am sure the local shooters would be glad to help you out.

henry1 · « **Reply #12 on:** August 17, 2006, 08:35:08 PM »

Thanks guys. Hey VictorCharlie, do you know how your friend clamped the bord on his tailgate? My tailgate on my old ranger is about 4 inches thick, i guess youd just get some large clamps right? Thanks guys! I really appriciate it!

BigJakeJ1s · « **Reply #13 on:** August 18, 2006, 03:52:38 PM »

I'd be very careful about that, you could end up denting the tailgate pretty easily. I have a superduty, not a ranger, but there isn't any ledge or anything to clamp to that wouldn't collapse under moderate clamping pressure.

On the other hand, if you had two 2x8's long enough to hang over both ends of the tailgate, then you could use long bolts or threaded rods with wingnuts to sandwich the tailgate between the boards. You could mount the press to the board on top. Doing it this way would spread out the pressure on the tailgate to avoid denting it. Use a rubber mat or something between the outside (bottom) of the tailgate and the bottom board to keep it from sliding around and scratching the outside of the tailgate.

Or you could mount a wood plate to the tailgate with toggle bolts or some such (in holes through the inner skin of the tailgate), and use t-nuts or threaded inserts in the wood plate to mount the press to to the board when you needed it. The plate would stay on the tailgate full time.

Andy

dakotashooter2 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 18, 2006, 05:52:28 PM »

Do you have a receiver hitch on your truck. If so get a bracket made to mount the press on. Or maybe you could get together with a couple of other guys who need extra storage and rent storage off campus and set up in there.

henry1 · « **Reply #15 on:** August 18, 2006, 08:02:38 PM »

Those are some good ideas guys! I think tomorow im going to try some stuff out on it and see what i can do. Thanks for the input fellas and if you think of anything else then throw em up cause im open to anything!

victorcharlie · « **Reply #16 on:** August 19, 2006, 03:15:47 AM »

The 2 X 12 ran the length of the tailgate. He used big c clamps and put a piece of 1 X on the bottom so he didn't scratch his tail gate. If I remember right he clamped on the side of the tail gate, not the front.

You might try clamping on the top of the bed.....like a topper is clamped.......if you did this you might get by with a 2X6 or what ever gives you enough clearance so you don't scratch you truck.......

Come to think of it, you could drill a couple of holes in the rail on your bed and have the press inside the bed so you could load while sitting in the bed of the truck.

Also, have you thought about using a classic lee loader or some of the wilson equipment that doesn't need a press? These arn't real fast but produce excellent ammo........they are very small, and easy to store as they take up very little space.........

A classic lee loader and a small scale might be the ticket........

BloomGrad · « **Reply #17 on:** August 19, 2006, 06:52:15 AM »

Back when I went to College At Bloomsburg Pa. the students that lived on campus that wanted to hunt had to keep their shotguns or rifles in the Campus Security Office. At that time, maybe still is, the Campus Security was a low division of the PA State police. They did have a locked safe in the back for student or faculty firearms.

No reason was needed for keeping them there. I just had to sign in and out. Most likely for liability. No dirty looks. No back ground checks were done. But that was very pre-9/11. 90% of the time the guys would ask were I was going. Not to bust my stones, but the questions went towards them looking for a sweet spot to hunt. My junoir year there was one guy who did not hunt working the night shift. He would keep his mouth shut but I felt real good I had to bother him at 4:00 AM. Some of us guys would all go over all at once. He was forced to quit after one year. Rent-a-cop mentality & non-team player I think if memory serves.

If henry1 is off to Wyoming then I can see the guys asking about hunting spots also.

Ammo was purchased by the box, or reloaded at home, and kept in my car in a locked .30 Cal ammo can painted to look like a tool box next to the Spare tire out of sight. (1978 mazda GLC). If you keep the stuff in the truck as necessary then find a spot one block off campus to park during hunt seasons you should be OK. A friend living off campus is next best. Until you stop by at 4:30 AM to get the ammo for deer or goose hunting.

Gun cleaning was done at the game lands or hillside parking lot before going back. That was a pain in the butt when it was raining/snowing or during the cold of a late PA deer season.

henry1.. you did not say what you wanted to take. Rifle, Shotgun, Handgun? Hunting type stuff would go over OK, I think 98% of the time in WY. If you show up with Hi-cap 1911s, Glocks and a tricked out AR15 or combat 870 you will get the looks. College students are supposed to be liberal with a "Elect Hillary" pin you know?

I hope this helps. Let us know how it works out for you.

henry1 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 19, 2006, 08:52:49 PM »

Well i think i got it pretty narowed down but we'll c. Im takin my Ruger Vaquero in .44mag, my NEF handi in .223, a Ruger single six in .22 rim and .22mag, and my 870 in 12ga. but the ammo situation is a little harder. I have a old 50 cal greenbox to store it in and i wana bolt it to the bed of my truck and figure out a way to lock it up. any ideas? so far the reloading stuff is staying at home, but wel see how that goes after my first year.

beemanbeme · « **Reply #19 on:** August 20, 2006, 04:18:13 AM »

Why do we have to have a press??? About a gazillion rounds of ammo have been loaded using a Lee Loader.
I like the idea of paying a gun shop or gun smith a few bucks to store his stuff when he's not shooting. That way there's no question about breaking campus rules. Don't know if WY has a shooting club or team but that might be a good source of info.

henry1 · « **Reply #20 on:** August 20, 2006, 07:06:34 PM »

Anybody out there got a pic of a Lee Loader? Ya that might be somthing to look into!

BloomGrad · « **Reply #21 on:** August 21, 2006, 05:52:09 AM »

henry1-

here is the web listing by Lee. It has a picture.

http://www.leeprecision.com/html/catalog/cleeloader.html

henry1 · « **Reply #22 on:** August 22, 2006, 08:47:53 PM »

Thanks a bunch!

Sourdough · « **Reply #23 on:** August 22, 2006, 09:02:09 PM »

Most trucks have either a reciever hitch or a bumper with holes for a hitch ball. With a little ingineuity I'm sure you could come up with something to hold a press. As for storage either find a friend or rent a storage unit. Find one with good security and be discreet.

STJ · « **Reply #24 on:** August 24, 2006, 07:19:57 PM »

I went to Lake Superior State University in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. You had to check in/out your guns with security (no issues) they had a gun cleaning and even a deer cleaning area. Never problems what so ever, but hunting is big up there. The professors asked who was not going to be in class opening day (deer season) just to see if it was worth while to have class. The High Schools had opening day off. Lots of fish and and small game were cleaned right out side the dorms.

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5. Illegal or unauthorized possession of firearms, explosives, other weapons, or dangerous chemical/biological agents on University premises.

Technically smokeless powder is a solid propellant not an explosive (black powder is an explosive)...

dw06 · « **Reply #25 on:** August 25, 2006, 10:51:13 AM »

Quote from: beemanbeme on August 20, 2006, 04:18:13 AM

Why do we have to have a press??? About a gazillion rounds of ammo have been loaded using a Lee Loader.
Yeap I agree with beemanbeme.I have worked up good loads for a rifle and just use lee loader to copy it,works fine.