How much space do you use in the reloading room?

My first reloading room was about 4’ x 10’. My latest has about three times that, although I clean my firearms in that area, so it’s a little misleading. I don’t make better ammo, or more of it in spite of the additional space. You’ll adapt to whatever space is available.

Legionnaire said:

My space is at a premium so my 2x4 foot reloading bench has to double as my workbench. The Inline Fabrication flush mount quick release plates were perfect to my need. I have three presses and a vise that I can swap in and out, and have a fully flush surface when I need it. I do need to get some LED lighting.

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Inline makes some great stuff for reloaders; their press risers are awesome to get all that torque off the end of the bench

George P said:

I do not like fluorescent lights as they can have an impact on things like electronic scales. I prefer the newer LED shop lights; lighter, easier to hang, brighter and less expensive to operate.

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Not to get too far off topic, but LED lights have switch mode power supplies that can create EMI as well, but any fluorescent fixtures on the market now should not be any worse as they have to meet similar EMC compliance standards. (I have worked in the EMC compliance testing field for over 20 years, and have tested LED fixtures from a major manufacturer, so I know!)

Having said that, I have 4 fluorescent fixtures in the reloading room, and one LED. I've never had a problem with electronic scales, either battery powered or AC powered. The LED fixture was actually a fluorescent fixture that the ballast had gone bad, and I bought the LED tubes that had their own power supply internal. I had to modify the fixture (bypass the ballast) to get them to work. It worked so well, that as the bulbs for the other fixtures go out, I will convert them, too. I may do it anyway, before they go out.

Any fixture you buy should have either a CE marking, or FCC. That means they have been tested to EMC compliance standards.

To get back on topic, I started out in the corner of a spare bedroom, when I was only loading for 3 calibers. I now have a 12x20 prefab storage shed that I finished the interior (wired, insulated, put in walls and ceiling - it is climate controlled). I fully agree with the "entropy" post above, as I have the shack filled with reloading stuff, but if I had to I could get by with about 1/2 that space. I now reload for 15 calibers and I have a good sized stash of powder, bullets, brass, etc. I have the original reloading bench with my presses (4 of them) mounted to. It is a Harbor Freight woodworking bench. I also have a 30"x96" bench I use for dropping powder, cleaning guns, and as a desk. I have wire shelves on all the walls.

Goneshoot'n said:

After years of reloading using a friend's equipment, last year I finally accumulated everything I need to start reloading in my own home. In the past year, it seems that my collection of reloading gadgets and widgets has more than doubled. In January I will be moving across the country to a new, more permanent home, and I will have a second bedroom to use for a reloading room. First of all, what kind/quantity of reloading do you do, and second, how big of a bench do you find you need? In addition, how much storage space, and the like? How long does the reloading stuff accumulate, or does that never stop?

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Funny as I am moving feb/march of next year as I look around the reloading room (My garage) I have accumulated a massive amount of crap. I was actually thinking of making a video of the crap you accumulate when you reload! For me some of the excess is trial and error. I buy something because I think it will help me or solve a problem for me and it doesnt quite work out the way I thought it would and now its sitting on the shelf. I have a pretty nice bench and here is an old video of it. I need to make a new one so I can figure out how I have accumulated all of this ****!

Never stops. Build the biggest bench you can fit in your reloading room.

If you stick to one press, one brass cleaner, and get all the stuff you minimally need, I think you could stick to 100 square feet easily if need be.

However, reloading and minimal are two words that make little sense in the same sentence. If you shop for bulk deals and want all the stuff you will use at some point, you could easily quadruple that number or more. I'm blown away when I see pictures of some people's setups.

If you are a casual shooter, you can keep it small. If volume is needed like for a competitor, plan on going big.

You will successfully use whatever the available space may be. If you are OCD, you will need more space to make sure everything is in its place.

Reloading benches, like tool boxes and tackle boxes shrink over time. Go with the largest possible bench you can fit in the room. I reload for 8 handgun calibers, and 6 rifle calibers. I'm not a bench rest shooter, but my "perfectionism" and OCD demands I try for the most accurate ammo possible . I have 4 presses, but I use a Marlin Rock Dock. I have two benches in my shop, both 8' long, which have turned out to be a little crowded. I have a 7' tall cabinet and a small (4 drawer) Craftsman tool box for reloading tools, both of which are full. I don't think I'd ever have too much room...

My dedicated reloading room is 7ft X 10ft. It was planned to 8X10 but a glitch in the house plan got a foot of it. I also house my safe in the same room. The loading bench is on the 7ft wall under the only window. What with the safe and the 2ft thick bench its comfortable for 2 people but crowded otherwise. I have an adjoining store room that houses my brass stash that I have thought of removing the wall and creating a larger room but have not done it yet.

"Reloading equipment accumulates to fill the available space." A statement I heard many years ago and as true today as it was then. No matter how big your room, it will eventually become too small.

Like lastofthebreed mentioned, I think those tools and equipment together in the dark and multiples when we ain't looking...

Goneshoot'n wrote:
In the past year, it seems that my collection of reloading gadgets and widgets has more than doubled.

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Sounds about right.

The original Lee Loader proved you only need about six simple components that can easily fit inside a shoebox to reload ammunition. But, reloading that way is tedious and limits the choice of powder and bullet. As we each learn more about the hobby, we find all sorts of additional tools, gadgets and toys to make the process go more smoothly and they can take up space on the reloading bench.

First of all, what kind/quantity of reloading do you do, and second, how big of a bench do you find you need?

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I primarily load several pistol and a couple of rifle calibers, typically in 50 or 100 round batches, using a single stage press. I have done batches as large as 800 rounds before, but since you can only push a single round through a single stage press at any given moment, the size of the batches have never really had an impact on the size of the bench.

Both of the benches I built had a surface 48 inches wide by 30 inches deep. For a single stage press, powder measure, case trimmer and beam balance, that has always been enough. For someone with multiple presses or a progressive press, more space might be needed.

Good safety practices dictate that only the components involved in the loading process should be on the bench at any time, so the space the components take up shouldn't be much of a consideration.

In addition, how much storage space, and the like?

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My bench has two drawers, each 24 x 24 inches, 12 inches deep. Separate from the bench, I have a 36 inch kitchen base cabinet with countertop and a 36 inch kitchen wall cabinet above it. That has been enough storage space for me.

How long does the reloading stuff accumulate, or does that never stop?

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Until you make a conscious decision to stop, reloading tools, gadgets and toys will continue to accumulate until the day they pry your final half-completed round from your cold, dead hand.

I started when I had two young girls still in the house so to say space was at a premium is an understatement. I somehow cleared enough room for a 4' bench in the basement. Over the past 6-8 years I've added a portable bench with wheels ( thanks BDS!) accessories from Inline, and more than I could have imagined. I'm busting at the seems and now waiting patiently so I can repurpose my college seniors bedroom when she is finished.
I could easily double my space and fill it in short order. MY space doubles as general firearm cleaning/maintenance as well. The family calls it dad's laboratory.

-Jeff

Well, I quickly found out years ago that the reloading stuff has no business in the workshop. The sawdust and metal shavings get into everything. So the much larger workshop is out of the question for anything past tumbling brass. You need a clean room for this so I migrated all of my reloading stuff into a small office that I purpose built. It stores my presses,reloading gear, guns. Has room for a few guitars to hang on the wall and I have a desk for my laptop and printer. at about 7'x10' it is small, but it suits my needs.

Occasionally I’ll take a press out to the shop and shoot/load with it so I don’t have to walk back and forth from the house but most of my loading is done in my office, where I could only take up 12’ of wall space because desk and work bench. So I built a bench that takes up all the available space and drilled and tapped the top so it’s easy to swap presses stored on the shelf below so they can be used.

Jmorris, I can't believe you don't have a CO-AX in that line up!

daboone said:

Jmorris, I can't believe you don't have a CO-AX in that line up!

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But I do, that’s what I was talking about, if you don’t have enough room you just have to make it easy to swap them around.

jmorris said:

But I do, that’s what I was talking about, if you don’t have enough room you just have to make it easy to swap them around.

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The inline fabrication quick change top plates are your friend if you dont have a ton of space. Makes it really easy to use 1 spot and just pop the press, or priming tool or vice or swaging tool right onto the bench!

+1 on the inline fabrication.

I built a 25x35, 5 drawer bench that keeps all my reloading stuff neat, clean, and separate from all my other shop hobbies.

Been reloading 47-8 years. Wife brought in a Bow Hunting book from cleaning her basement room---It took me about 5 minutes to find a spot to place it. Gives you an idea how congested my room is.
I built a bathroom in the basement beside my room---the wife said it would be ok if I tear out the bathroom to increase my reloading room.
I said NOT AT MY AGE.............THE BATHROOM STAYS.