Porta-loader!

[LoonWulf]

I spend a couple days each week staying at my buddy's place. Since it's the only time I have that's really "mine" these days, I figured I should do SOMETHING besides eat, and sleep.

Thus I'm assembling a mini portable reloading station. I also intend to have it set up so I can take it to the range with me, and clamp it to the tailgate of my truck.

So far all I've got is a little Lee breachlock single stage press, a board, and some c-clamps. This weekend tho, I think I'll break out my chop saw, make it a nicer board, and build a little wind proof box for digital scale and a powder trickler. I'm thinking I'll try find a trickler with a long enough er.... Arm? So I can extend it out the side of the box.
On top of that I'm thinking I'll add a cheap powder thrower to reduce exposure time.

I've got plenty of ideas, but no real concrete plans, so we'll see lol.

Oh I did actually load some stuff to use tomorrow morning on the way home.
And I gotta say, this little Lee press runs quite nicely.
It's not what I'd want for large cases, forming, or any other heavy task.
It did make short work of resizing .270win, and 6.5 grendel brass tho. It's also a little tight in both height clearance and finger room, but totally liveable.
Costs about the same as a box of ammo also.

 

[adcoch1]

That C press is a lot quieter than a Lee whack a mole die set. Add a hand primer(rcbs) and rcbs lock rings to your dies and go to town!

 

[LoonWulf]

That C press is a lot quieter than a Lee whack a mole die set. Add a hand primer(rcbs) and rcbs lock rings to your dies and go to town!

Yep, I've got an old style Lee hand primer that I'm using. I'll probably pick up another to keep with this set....I haven't tried any but the old Lee's, I'll take a look at the rcbs unit.

The press I use at home is a Hornady, so Ill have to leave my rings loose and adjust each time I switch presses.

 

[adcoch1]

I really like the rcbs hand primer. I have two, and they are both the universal ones, not the shell holder ones. Not real cheap, but amazingly comfortable to load with. I have one set up for large primers and one for small, but it's pretty quick to swap out the pin size.

 

[Highland Lofts]

Have you ever used the Lee Dippers? They are cheap and get you close enough to trickle the rest most of the time

And then a case trimmer. I prefer the Lyman lock up better then the RCBS lock up on the cases.

I have been wanting to do a portable reloading set up for a while, i have almost everyting needed for a complete portable reloading station.
This is the insreration needed. I have to set things out and see how big of a sheet of 1" plywood I need to pick up.

 

[LoonWulf]

I really like the rcbs hand primer. I have two, and they are both the universal ones, not the shell holder ones. Not real cheap, but amazingly comfortable to load with. I have one set up for large primers and one for small, but it's pretty quick to swap out the pin size.

I'll check one out, I owe one of our local stores a purchase here soon, and they stock rcbs loading gear.

Have you ever used the Lee Dippers? They are cheap and get you close enough to trickle the rest most of the time

And then a case trimmer. I prefer the Lyman lock up better then the RCBS lock up on the cases.

I have been wanting to do a portable reloading set up for a while, i have almost everyting needed for a complete portable reloading station.
This is the insreration needed. I have to set things out and see how big of a sheet of 1" plywood I need to pick up.

I've got a lyman trimmer, and like it quite a bit, bur for the portable unit I probably wont trim or I'll use the Lee cutter/pilot/lock stud thingy....if I can find mine.
I've used the Lee dippers, but I just prefer a thrower.
I'm thinking my set ups foot print will be about as big as that board. Again, not sure yet tho.
Part of my thinking about the thrower also is that it's less loose stuff. Figure I'll velcro my scale and trickler down. Thrower can be mounted with threaded inserts and thumb screws. Not in use, shove it in the box, then pull it out and mount it to use it. Same for the priming tool. Only separate stuff I'll need to carry is dies, powder, primers, cases, and bullets.
Probably set up a little tackle box with the misc crap like shelholders, trimmers, etc.

 

[Bfh_auto]

My Hornady thrower came with a flat mounting plate that I placed between the die lock ring and the press. This mounts the measure just above and in front of the press. It's awesome for ball powder.

 

[jmorris]

I have built a couple 2" receiver mounts for presses that are pretty solid. The board clamped to something that doesn't move works too.

I use a cake pan with clear lid to get a scale out of the wind.

 

[GW Staar]

The press I use at home is a Hornady, so Ill have to leave my rings loose and adjust each time I switch presses.

When I bought my Summit Press, I bought a pack of 7/8 shims, reset the rings for the Summit, added shims under the Nut when going back to the Rock Chucker, to bring it back inline with that press. I store the shims when not in use by hanging them to the iron R.C. casting by a rare earth magnet.

Since the presses don't change, the same set of shims works for any die if I decide to reset the ring for the Summit.

 

[LoonWulf]

Good suggestions guys, I'll add them to my list of possible options!

 

[jeeptim]

Loonwulf....
I have a very cool old Lachmiller powder trickler you can have for the price of shipping.
If it helps your cause!

 

[Legionnaire]

I like the way you think! I just built a portable solution for my "the garage is too hot" problem, but I was just looking for something I could use in the air conditioned study. It would be easy enough to take the table top to the range and clamp it to a shooting bench if I didn't want to take the Workmate. I might take my Lee Classic Cast single stage instead of the Turret.

What I had not thought about was building a portable kit to go with the press. I have a K&M hand priming tool, a Lee safety scale I haven't used in a long time, a set of dippers, and a trickler; those would be the key components. Wonder how much I'd really use such a thing at the range?

 

[Jbird45]

Lee makes a very affordable powder thrower for about $27 at Cabela's. Some wood screws would mount it right to your board.

 

[troy fairweather]

If you have a router, router out a slot in the new wood under the press. That way the spent primers will come out. You could drill holes in the wood to hold the brass. Help save room.

 

[LoonWulf]

Loonwulf....
I have a very cool old Lachmiller powder trickler you can have for the price of shipping.
If it helps your cause!

That would be sweet! I'll pm you.

I like the way you think! I just built a portable solution for my "the garage is too hot" problem, but I was just looking for something I could use in the air conditioned study. It would be easy enough to take the table top to the range and clamp it to a shooting bench if I didn't want to take the Workmate. I might take my Lee Classic Cast single stage instead of the Turret.

What I had not thought about was building a portable kit to go with the press. I have a K&M hand priming tool, a Lee safety scale I haven't used in a long time, a set of dippers, and a trickler; those would be the key components. Wonder how much I'd really use such a thing at the range?

I'm thinking if I can get it small enough, and simple enough, I might use it fairly offten at my buddies place, and now and then at the range when I'm gonna be there all day. One of the reasons I went with that little Lee instead of a larger press is that it's not MEANT for regular use, so I can save a little weight and space.

 

[LoonWulf]

Lee makes a very affordable powder thrower for about $27 at Cabela's. Some wood screws would mount it right to your board.

If you have a router, router out a slot in the new wood under the press. That way the spent primers will come out. You could drill holes in the wood to hold the brass. Help save room.

More good ideas!
If I pick up that lachmiller from @jeeptim, I can use that and move my old Lee perfect onto my porta-loader. *Edit*Or maybe I'll give my old perfect away and pick up an deluxe. Either way I want a new measure for my home set up. (Stupid edit didn't post earlier)
I like the ideas for primer removal and a built in cartridge tray also, hadn't considered those!

 

[Legionnaire]

One of the reasons I went with that little Lee instead of a larger press is that it's not MEANT for regular use, so I can save a little weight and space.

Roger that. You have me thinking. I go to a men's retreat every year, where we shoot ... a lot. I may be the only reloader there, and a number of guys have expressed interest. I might assemble a small kit to reload .357s and .44s and take it along. You are quite right about the small Lee being more portable.

Edit. You've helped me decide to do exactly this. Retreat is in September, so my goal is to put it all together before then. I'll start looking for one of the small Lees on sale or on one of the forums.

 

[troy fairweather]

Those cheap Lee's are fine that's what I use. I size cast bullets with it, I like the short stroke. Only thing is the Lee wood nobs crack. Mine now has a Shelby by 500 shift nob, prob!y coat more then the press.

 

[horsemen61]

Ttrl

 

[jmorris]

I used a tub I to haul everything in, the cake pan lid is on the cooler, with the scale. The power inverter is on the left side of the tub.



This one is not mine but I have always like it.

 

[LoonWulf]

I used a tub I to haul everything in, the cake pan lid is on the cooler, with the scale. The power inverter is on the left side of the tub.

View attachment 842989

This one is not mine but I have always like it.

View attachment 842988

Those are both nice rigs!

 

[LoonWulf]

Roger that. You have me thinking. I go to a men's retreat every year, where we shoot ... a lot. I may be the only reloader there, and a number of guys have expressed interest. I might assemble a small kit to reload .357s and .44s and take it along. You are quite right about the small Lee being more portable.

Edit. You've helped me decide to do exactly this. Retreat is in September, so my goal is to put it all together before then. I'll start looking for one of the small Lees on sale or on one of the forums.

Good luck on your equipment hunt!

 

[Christopher 761]

The Black and Decker workmate is a lot more solid than a plastic table. On a lee single stage, you can just mount it to a single 2x4 where the 2x4 is running away from the press. Make it about 12-18 inches and clamp it to the Black and Decker.

 

[LoonWulf]

The Black and Decker workmate is a lot more solid than a plastic table. On a lee single stage, you can just mount it to a single 2x4 where the 2x4 is running away from the press. Make it about 12-18 inches and clamp it to the Black and Decker.

A buddy has his set up on a workmate, and it works well for him. But for this application I want to be able to connect to what ever table top is available, and minimize the amount of separate things to transport.

Thanks for the suggestion, it would work well for a more er ... "Formal"? Set up.

 

[sparkyv]

I used a tub I to haul everything in, the cake pan lid is on the cooler, with the scale. The power inverter is on the left side of the tub.

View attachment 842989

Trailer hitch mount...very clever!