How Thick

Mine is framed with 2x4 with a 3/4" pics of floor decking for the table top. left over from a flooring protect.
Flip

That would be a heck of a lot stronger than mine. I did 2x4" frame, and a 3/4" board top. Its worked ok so far, but all I've loaded is .38. IF I need stronger down the road, its easy enough to enhance (perhaps by gluing as you describe) or replace.

Mine 2" thick pressure treated with 1/4" plywood underlayment on top for a smooth work surface.

I've made more than my fair share of plywood (currently production supervisor of a plywood mill), and I myself have a bench top like the one you describe and i would say if you damage that you must be resizing some un-lubed 50bmg lol.

Tamitch said:

How thick should the top of the loading bench be? I was thinking that I would use two (2) pieces of one (1) inch plywood glued together. Anyone have any better thoughts?

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Sounds good to me.

I make all of my benchtops by laminating (w/Gorilla Glue) two pieces of ¾" plyboard together (glued & screwed from the underside ... screws removed when glue is cured).

If I had 1" plyboard available, I would use that instead.

I just made a top for a second bench with two layers of 1 inch ply glued and screwed and it is like the rock of Gibralter. If your base is solid it will work great.

Two inches of plywood should certainly do the job.
I have two benches, one out in the garage and the other inside.
The weakest is made of 1" MDF pressed fiberboard from a computer hutch.
Been using it for many years, without a hint of trouble.
The other one is 1-1/2" pine and is more than strong enough.

Depends on what support you have for the top.

The last one I built only has an 1/8" steel top but has a truss that runs around the outside and supports that cross where things are mounted.