Shotshell reloading outside okay?

[xcgates]

I am currently in my last (finally! ) semester of college, and have just added a shotgun to my .22. I keep the guns, ammo, and other associated gear off-campus for the obvious legal reasons, and as you can image, would have problems should I start loading in my on-campus apartment.

I am purchasing a 600 Jr. from a fellow I met while trapshooting. (And yes, I have a manual.) My plan so far is to pick it up, stash it, then start ordering small quantities of components for a trial run, most likely to be done when I'm home on a break. (I have a friend that does metallic reloading) Assuming all goes well, I'd like to have the option of loading shells when I'm at the range. My probable setup would be the press bolted to a sheet of plywood, clamped to a shooting bench (pretty well covered), or maybe just secured in the back of my station wagon. I don't think the range would have a problem with me doing this, but I'll check next time I'm out there.

Are there any reasons not to reload outside? I'd avoid rainy days, and anything too cold (I'd consider anything too far below freezing my limit, so nothing will be happening for at least two months)

Here are my concerns: wind and stability.

For wind, I'm not sure what it would mess up, but I could see it messing with me when verifying the powder weights. And the stability is the part that has me concerned with using a scale. Is there a problem with either type of scale (beam/electric) as far as running them when not on a level surface?

 

[loadedround]

You have me chuckling to myself after reading your post. I used to own a MEC Grabber mounted on a 12 X 12" piece of plywood that i used to carry outside and load on the picnic table on my rear patio. I must have loaded many hundreds of trap loads out there on nice sunny days. Alas I now have a Dillon SL900 loader that is much to big to carry outside. Go ahead and do it!

 

[rcmodel]

Once your 600-JR is set up with the proper powder & shot bushings, and verified with a scale?

There is no further need to weigh anything again, unless you change the powder bushing to a different size to load a different type of load.

Yes, scales have to be perfectly level, regardless of the type scale it is.
But again, you don't need to weigh anything when loading shotgun, once the initial press set-up is completed at home.

rc.

 

[fecmech]

For the first 4 or 5 years I shot skeet I loaded on a Redding single stage press (very similar to your MEC) that was mounted on a 12" X12" piece of 3/4 plywood. The plywood was "C" clamped to a folding metal chair which I sat in front of my easy chair while I watched TV and placed my feet on the cross bar of the folding chair to load. Did 3 rounds of skeet every week for a heck of a long time that way!

 

[xcgates]

Actually that's good to know, I was figuring on checking the powder every session.

But now I don't even really need a scale, I'll just bum that off my friend back home, and call it good! Yes, assuming I stick with the same components, but that's why I've been buying all the same shells, the nice, cheap Remington bulk pack, and very nicely match up with the picture in the manual, minus the steel instead of brass for the base. Oh, how I love pictures. Its like being a little kid again, pictures do wonders for me.

That also reminds me that I was lamenting the loss of recess from back in my early school days. We always had so much fun then!

GARRGHH! Now I want that reloader and my supplies bad! Maybe I'll grab some bolts from the hardware store, and bring my drill and a square of plywood, so I can mount it there and at least run through the basic drill, even though I won't have any of the supplies!

::EDIT:: BTW, glad to get you laughing, I've been going through an odd transition the past few years, adding car and motorcycle related stuff, and dumping a lot of the garbage that accumulated through my life. I'm looking at moving down to TX, and aiming to par down my stuff for easy moving. However that gets difficult with all my tools, and whatnot. Its rather impressive how heavy tools, books, and leftover schoolwork adds up in weight. Not to mention cookware, clothing, all the trappings of modern life. I no longer am able to move all my stuff in my station wagon.