[Zundfolge]

I've got a little corner of my basement that I'm thinking of setting up a reloading bench.

Only problem is that I have a gas water heater and furnace about 6 feet from where I want to set up my reloading area.

Is it safe to reload that close to the furnace and water heater?

If I blow up the house, the wife will kill me :p

[Sisco]

Safe? I dunno but that's where my bench is, in the laundry room in the basement. Furnace & water heater are right there too.
Can't see that there's a problem unless you're storing powder & primers in the furnace! :D
I do keep a fire extinguisher in there.

[Art Eatman]

There's no sort of inherent danger, as in the case of fumes from something like gasoline.

About the only caveat I'd offer is to store your powder and primers off the floor but low, to be in the cooler level of the room.

The most safety comes from using only one type of powder and one type of primer at any given time. Before changing loads or cartridges, put everything away and start from scratch.

Art

[Cherokee]

Art has the main safety factors down. I loaded for years sharing my area with the heater and such. Never a problem.

[goon]

What they said.
I am a firm believer in keeping stuff simple.
I have worked out a system where I use only 1 rifle powder, and 1 pistol powder.
It keeps things simple, and makes it much more difficult to make a catastrophic mistake.
If you want to be safe, you have to first recognize that reloading is a very unforgiving hobbie.
It isn't golf or tennis.
If you make a mistake, you will get hurt.

Think about this.
Unique is known as a very versatile handgun powder.
It is an excellent propellant. In fact, it is so good that if i were to fill up a 30'06 round with it and shoot it, it would probably propel peices of me and my rifle everywhere.

As for the danger of just storing components, smokeless powder is much safer and harder to ignite than gasoline.

[WESHOOT2]

I smoke while inspecting primers.
I drop ashes in boxes I'm filling.
I burn scented candles during runs.
I weight powder with a butt dangling from my lips, smoke curling up around my eyes.
My shop floor is littered with spilt powder and dropped primers.

Safety first, always.

(Am I kidding?)

:neener:

[HSMITH]

WESHOOT2, let us know when you are gonna vaccum the room so we can get some video of the primers and powder coming off the floor:what: :neener:

[boing]

Video? Just look towards Vermont, you'll see it.

http://nuketesting.enviroweb.org/hew/Usa/Tests/Ukbadger1s.jpg

[John Galt]

When thinking safety, think about "what would happen if it DID ignite". With that in mind, I keep the quantities "available for ignition" low. It's the quantity that will get you.

- Say I'm being "dangerous" with gasoline. I transfer a small amout to a cup and then put the lid on the main can. I move the big can off to the side. After using the small cup, I wait 30 sec for the fumes to move away and stand up wind.

- So, for reloading: Put the lid back on the powder as soon as you are done dumping it and move it aside. Store the powder and primers in separate storage bins.
For storage, wrap each container in a plastic bag and tie off. They will be fresher and safer.
* Don't get wild with black powder. It's meant to go boom!

- I have rocket fuel components. The fuel is in a plastic bag, inside a plastic container. The whole container is in another plastic bag that is also taped.
Then, each "type" ie oxidant, fuel, etc is in a separate box.
If they were simply in a plastic container sitting next to each other, that would be stupid.

[Steve Smith]

I have CONSIDERED smoking a cigar while reloading...just can't get over the "oops factor."

[Standing Wolf]

I've been smoking while loading ammunition for about three decades. I keep the ash tray four or five feet away from the powder, and make sure I don't let cigarettes dangle from a corner of my mouth.

[Hal]

- - On second thought - -

Nah, as fun as it was to join in on the smoking while reloading,,,,prolly not a good idea.

So I deleted it.