Looking for a portable reloading table

[Stevel]

I live in a small house and have recently repurposed my reloading area. Therefore need a strong but collapsible table.

I use a single stage Rock Chucker for 30-06 & 30-30. Probably 600 rounds a year.

Figured there must be others who have come up with solutions.

 

[troy fairweather]

Black and Decker work mate works pretty good.

If you can find a old one there better but here's new ones.

https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-DECKER...locphy=9004281&hvtargid=pla-434481246185&th=1

 

[cfullgraf]

I have a free standing floor stand for my press and slide it up next to any available table.

Here is the one for my Pro2000 before I painted it. I have several stands for Hornady L-N-L, Redding Big Boss, and my powder measure.

 

[bullseye308]

A 2x6 with a press bolted to it and clamped to any solid surface worked for me for years till I built a bench. I clamped mine to the coffee table and hid it under the couch when not in use.

 

[Bcwitt]

I bolted one to the bumper of my service truck. Was kinda cool to load @ the range.

 

[mdi]

Here's a bunch; https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Portable+reloading+table&atb=v275-1&ia=web Here's what I used for a couple years

 

[JFrank]

I use a dog grooming table with folding legs

 

[Varminterror]

My old “apartment bench” was a 2’x2’ piece of 3/4” MDF with a 2’ length of 1/2”x6” screwed to the bottom, clamped into a Black & Decker Workmate. I mounted various tools so I could turn the table relative to my chair and operate the various process steps. Adding inline fabrication quick change mounts to the table top would make it fold even more compact for storage, and offer more available space when not using the presses.

 

[chickasaw_hunter]

 

[Bolson]

2nd the workmate. It has worked well for me for years. I mounted double 3/4 in plywood on top...there's a nice spot underneath to slip in another piece of plywood for a shelf. I weighted that down with bullets. It's sturdy and doesn't move much. I've since upgraded to a larger work bench, but the workmate still gets some lighter duty use.

 

[Engineer1911]

Buy a Craftsman (or any other brand) rollaway tool box with a large storage compartment [a place to store press] plus 3 or 4 drawers; or buy a 5 or 6 drawer unit. Your reloading stuff is stored in the drawers. Use a piece of 3/4 inch thick plywood to cover the top, bolt the press to either end, add a couple of screws to hold the plywood down. You have a small work bench, very stable, portable, and storage space for your reloading supplies.

 

[mdi]

Some of these "portable" reloading tables don't look too portable...

 

[Bolson]

Some of these "portable" reloading tables don't look too portable...

True, mine is not, but it could be...my issue at the time was more about room than portability. It is capable of folding up and sliding under the bed or whatever.

 

[Engineer1911]

When you start adding "bullets to load" and "loaded ammo" to a reloading bench, you usually lose portability and gain stability.

 

[westernrover]

Portable and compact are different things. Portable means you can easily move it around. It sounds like the issue the OP is describing doesn't have to do with portability, but more like stowability -- the ability to stow it away without taking up space. Going anywhere with it wasn't described. So I'm not sure I understand the issue accurately yet.

For portability, the Benchrest presses take the cake. They're designed to be hauled to the range and used primarily there. They don't need a bench at all. I think Hood were the original, but Harrells makes a copy and Hood brand presses are made by somebody else now. There's a few at Bruno Shooters Supply.

Another unique option is a Hollywood or RCBS Summit mounted on a 5-gallon bullet. It stows in the bucket.

For stowability, it's already been mentionde to mount the press, even an existing Rock Chucker to a metal plate or sheet of plywood and simply clamp that to the edge of a multi-purpose worksurface when needed, and unclamp it and stow it in a box when not.

I recently bought some Plano Sportsmans Trunks at Lowes. They're affordable (compared to a Pelican case or even an Action Packer) and they seem pretty durable (compared to Sterilite or store-brand boxes) and secure (compared to Rubbermaid Roughneck tubs). MTM ammo crates in various sizes are also decent for stowing stuff.

I mounted a press on a steel pipe flange with a piece of 3" steel pipe for a stand. I ended up bolting it to a concrete slab but before I did that I tried moveable bases -- a large truck brake disc, 2'x2' sheet of plywood, truck wheel. They all worked fine for seating, but none were stable enough for resizing. Bolted to the slab with four 3/8" bolts, it doesn't move much, but it does vibrate. I might try some kind of isolation pad between the press and the flange. In any event, it takes up absolute minimal floor space and whatever bench or worksurface I keep nearby does not have to be dedicated to reloading or necessarily have any reloading equipment on it. So while it's not portable at all, it is minimalist in a way.

 

[Cheesemaker]

Post #2 @troy fairweather and post #4 @bullseye308 have nailed it IMO

 

[markr6754]

This was really cluttered at the time, but I made it work for several years. I replaced the original WorkMate slats and the opening mechanism with a solid piece of heavily Polyurethaned plywood. I cut another piece of plywood to form the shelf at the bottom, giving me extra storage, as well as providing some additional weight to stabilize the bench. I now use this bench for working on my ARs, converting .2223 REM cases to .300 BLK, and any other metal work that I don't want on my loading benches. Once I started sizing rifle cases I needed something a bit sturdier, but this is near perfect for loading handgun ammo.

There is a tube video of a fellow that added a solid surface to his WorkMate, but kept the portable, folding aspect intact. Mine moves...but it doesn't fold.

 

[Seymour380]

Ditto on the Black and Decker Workmate. I used some plywood and screwed a 2x4 to the bottom. Very portable, cheap, has been in use for about 7 years now. Good luck with your search for a setup that suits you well.

 

[Blue68f100]

I used a 2x6x4' long for mounting my press. I recessed the T-nuts so the mounting screws did not go all the way through. I covered the wood with some felt so it would not scratch anything I clamped it to. I normally setup on the kitchen table, locating the press over one of the table legs. This gave the press support and minimize the stress on the table. I just used a couple of C-clamps to secure it to the table.