Reloading in the garage

[Blasting_Cap]

Hi guys, I'm wanting to get into reloading and have limited space in the garage but I'm concerned that flying sparks from other projects could cause a obviously large problem. I plan to keep primers, powder, reloaded ammo in the house after use. Would putting a cover over the press keep things safe? A divider that covers the entire bench? Both a cover and a divider? What suggestions do you experienced folks have?

 

[Obturation]

If there's no gun powder , nothing to worry about. Store components away from fire & sparks or excessive moisture and you'll be fine. I'd cover your press just to keep grit & garage spiders off .

 

[Ironicaintit]

My reloading bench is in my garage and it hasn’t been a problem. I keep it pretty clean, and any welding, grinding or whatever is on the other end of the garage, or outside.

Use your head, cover up what you must as needed, and find a way for it to work!

 

[Skeeter300]

I load in the garage without issue. Cover the press and you are good to go.

 

[Blasting_Cap]

What is your cleaning procedure? Do you just wipe up with a wet rag to get any spilled powder or residual?

 

[Jesse Heywood]

No problem if you clean up the powder spills. But a plastic cover will keep your press clean. Think trash bag.

 

[frankmako]

don't over think this. if you got that many sparks in your garage then i would worry about other problems.

 

[AJC1]

Carburendum dust will wreck any precision surface it comes into contact with. Dies, rams are very susceptible to this contamination. I would be very careful to keep your reloading equipment free of metal working contamination. It's very possible as my dad was a machinist and welder, but proper precautions need be taken.

 

[mokin]

At one point I had two single stage presses, a progressive, and a shotshell press set up in the garage. Like others said, just clean up after a batch of ammunition. As I had many other flammable materials stored there anything involving fire/sparks usually took place outside.

 

[George P]

In my former house, I had a 3 car garage and one entire bay was my reloading bench; no problems. As mentioned, put a plastic garbage bag or similar over the press to keep debris from settling on it.

 

[Alex Clayton]

To have a fire you would have to have powder laying out. I just toss an old sheet over my stuff when I am doing something that will make a mess so as to keep the mess out of the reloading tools.

 

[cfullgraf]

You're not supposed to leave powder in the powder measure anyway after a reloading session. So, empty the powder measure when done and return the unused primers to their original containers.

Store the flammable stuff somewhere other than the garage and cover the equipment to protect it from dust.

Lots of good suggestions already posted.

 

[Glockula]

When I loaded in the garage I stored my components, other than brass, in doors. It worked well

 

[edwardware]

I cover the entire bench with a sheet if I'm going to dust, just to cut down on cleaning and grit. Other than that, no special measures.

 

[Pat Riot]

Empty powder measure.
Store powder and primer in the house.
Cover equipment and or bench.

The big worry would be if you were using Black Powder or its substitutes. Loose smokeless powder isn’t as sensitive or volatile but keeping a clean reloading area just makes good sense.

 

[JFrank]

My wife decided that her car needed to be in my reloading room which left me no choice but to relocate to the kitchen

 

[Blasting_Cap]

I apparently built it up in my head to be much more dangerous, but I don't really know the process yet. I feel much safer knowing that there is no powder left out etc.

 

[jmorris]

I have set off dropped primers in my shop, with sparks and one with some 3/4” hot rolled bar, dropped just right.

 

[Charlie98]

You don't mention where you are...

Guns have two enemies... rust and politicians. That follows that reloading equipment does, too.

I used to reload in the garage... but I don't anymore. I live in north Dallas, which has a fair amount of humidity... it was wrecking my equipment. There is also the issue of a corrosive atmosphere (think pool chlorine stored in the garage, etc.)

Here are the main parts of a RCBS Reloader Special 3 press that was left in the garage... next to the chlorine bucket...



I was able to clean up the components... but the damage was done. Looking closely at the bearing surface, you can see the stippling in the machined surfaces. Luckly, this is a light-duty press... just a seater and crimp press.



As far as sparks or something like that? As long as you maintain workbench cleanliness, you won't have any problems.

 

[Blasting_Cap]

I'm in SWFL the garage gets super hot and sometimes humid but doesn't seem to be rusting any other equipment stored in there at least for now.

 

[cfullgraf]

I've lived in New Orleans and various other places around the southeast. Since my garage is always a shop, it is climate controlled, both for humidity control and the comfort of the user.

Reloading was in the garage in New Orleans but every move since, we've bought a house with reloading space indoors.

 

[Charlie98]

Reloading was in the garage in New Orleans but every move since, we've bought a house with reloading space indoors.

I commandeered a closet up in the craft room. It wasn't much space, but it was big enough, and waaaay better than the garage. I have since, fighting the war of insurgency, taken over the entire room at this point...

 

[748]

I would be more worried about tracking lead into the house if the garage were attached.

 

[scotty]

I reloaded in my garage for 20 years starting with an RCBS single stage press, later buying a Dillon 550. I kept my powder and primers in a closet in the house. No problems. Later the kids grew up and moved away and the wife and I parted ways. About a year ago I turned an empty bedroom into a man cave/reloading room. Much nicer not having to freeze/roast my butt while reloading. I still store my brass and do my tumbling in the garage.

 

[dh1633pm]

I reload in the basement which has its own set of challenges, not unlike a garage. When I lived in Albuquerque years ago I reloaded in the garage. Humidity and heat are always an issue. My basement now has AC, but it still more humid that the rest of the house. I always keep my stuff we lubed to prevent corrosion. I did note some surface rust yesterday on the handle of my C&H Press yesterday. I have been gone for a couple weeks for work. The AC was turned up while I was gone, thereby increasing humidity more. I cleaned it up and looked for more, that was all I could find. As we move into fall, dampness will increase.