What would you build into a Reloading Shed?
- Thread starter ZGunner
- Start date
- Status
entropy
Member
Convince your wife that the current craze of 'tiny houses' is the way to go, build her one in the yard, and move her into it. 
This coming from a guy who's reloading/gunsmithing room is a tiny corner of the basement.......
Seriously, I have a friend who built a reloading shed into his pole barn; the reloading shed is insulated, the rest of the pole barn isn't. He has heat, A/C, humidity control, plenty of electrical access, a stereo, accro bins and ammo cans for storage, 5 gal. buckets for fired brass, etc. It's a really nice setup. It has to be, he spends the better part of the winter out there....
This coming from a guy who's reloading/gunsmithing room is a tiny corner of the basement.......
Seriously, I have a friend who built a reloading shed into his pole barn; the reloading shed is insulated, the rest of the pole barn isn't. He has heat, A/C, humidity control, plenty of electrical access, a stereo, accro bins and ammo cans for storage, 5 gal. buckets for fired brass, etc. It's a really nice setup. It has to be, he spends the better part of the winter out there....
Armored farmer
Member
Yes. One of the keypad, code ones.
I just had Tuff Shed build a 12x16 shed for me, and I finished the inside with shelves/lofts/benches myself.
12x16 because no permit needed for anything under 200 sq. ft.
I had the roof pitch increased to 6/12 for more room in the lofts.
I bought narrow windows online (fit between the studs/no framing) and installed them as transoms, up high/just in the middle of the long walls because of the loft on each end.
The 4' door is centered on a long wall with transom windows above it.
The high windows add light and are too high for anyone to look in, so no curtains needed.
I went to Tuff Shed and took pics of their lofts/selves and copied them
Pics upon request.
Last edited:
fouled bore
Member
Build it with a gambrel roof, like an old barn. The loft will hold more and will have plenty of head room.
Yes, a tunnel from bench to target you can walk and stand up in.
I think it was Lackland Air Force Base where an under ground range was built in the early 1960's to test M16 prototypes' ammo for accuracy. The tube was 2 feet in diameter. Test groups shot at 100 yards were a lot bigger than same stuff shot in their outdoor range. One of the airmen who did those tests said it was probably due to blast waves bouncing off the tube may be bouncing off bullets. They do leave the muzzle much faster than bullets do.
Last edited:
Dave Markowitz
Member
+1 on the gambrel roof for more storage space, and also to making the shop as large as you can afford.
Consider a ridge vent, at least if you're not going to run an air conditioner. Speaking of climate control, I recommend insulating it before you fill it up with stuff.
I built two workbenches in my shop based on this design. The one with 4x4 legs is extremely robust.
Consider a ridge vent, at least if you're not going to run an air conditioner. Speaking of climate control, I recommend insulating it before you fill it up with stuff.
I built two workbenches in my shop based on this design. The one with 4x4 legs is extremely robust.
Yep, Tuff Shed sells 'em too
You can stand up in the loft
Except they look like a barn, even if you leave off the cross buck on the doors, no matter what color you paint them.
Catpop
Member
My first in 1973 was 16x20 and it served as a small rural gunsmith shop until 2000.
My second,if I build one,will be no less than 60x100! No wait, thinking back, it should be 100x200!
Good luck!
My second,if I build one,will be no less than 60x100! No wait, thinking back, it should be 100x200!
Good luck!
RetiredUSNChief
Member
Heating
Air conditioning
Refrigerator/microwave
A decent storage attic/loft, properly decked out with storage shelves.
A solid foundation on which to properly install a decent safe. It would also be nice to have this in its own "closet", on the general principle that out-of-sight is out-of-mind.
An entertainment system, complete with internet and flatscreen. Doesn't have to be fancy.
Desk and comfortable chair.
A grounded workbench...meaning you have a proper means of electrically grounding your working area if needed. A place you can attach a grounding mat to Earth ground.
Good lighting, including directional lamps.
Plenty of receptacles, wired with 12 AWG, not 14 AWG.
Sturdy, anchored shelves.
If you have a view, a window...with shades and curtain.
Insulate it and drywall it. Don't go half measures with an unfinished interior.
Air conditioning
Refrigerator/microwave
A decent storage attic/loft, properly decked out with storage shelves.
A solid foundation on which to properly install a decent safe. It would also be nice to have this in its own "closet", on the general principle that out-of-sight is out-of-mind.
An entertainment system, complete with internet and flatscreen. Doesn't have to be fancy.
Desk and comfortable chair.
A grounded workbench...meaning you have a proper means of electrically grounding your working area if needed. A place you can attach a grounding mat to Earth ground.
Good lighting, including directional lamps.
Plenty of receptacles, wired with 12 AWG, not 14 AWG.
Sturdy, anchored shelves.
If you have a view, a window...with shades and curtain.
Insulate it and drywall it. Don't go half measures with an unfinished interior.
Armored farmer
Member
60x80
In-floor heat.
Archery range
Wash Bay
Bathroom
Bar
TrickyDick
Member
A urinal.
medalguy
Member
Lots of good ideas, so I'll add just a couple.
My reloading room is a single car bay at the end of my 5 car garage, 12 x 25 feet. More than adequate for me. I fully insulated it and put 3/4 plywood on the walls, painted white. I can hang lots of things on that plywood. LED ceiling lights, a heavy 8 foot long maple workbench top, and an intercom to the house. Also have a NFPA rated wooden box for powder storage, and another one for primers. I have an oil filled heater that I turn on when I'm going to be out there in the winter, but it takes a while to warm up everything. So, last winter I installed a 1 x 4 board up near the ceiling and mounted 5 single light sockets on it, with 150 watt bulbs all attached to a simple wall mounted light switch. I keep the lights on in the winter and that keeps the whole shop at about 55 degrees all the time. That's wonderful when it's 5 degrees outside. Also have a small air conditioner mounted through the wall and a fire extinguisher inside.
My reloading room is a single car bay at the end of my 5 car garage, 12 x 25 feet. More than adequate for me. I fully insulated it and put 3/4 plywood on the walls, painted white. I can hang lots of things on that plywood. LED ceiling lights, a heavy 8 foot long maple workbench top, and an intercom to the house. Also have a NFPA rated wooden box for powder storage, and another one for primers. I have an oil filled heater that I turn on when I'm going to be out there in the winter, but it takes a while to warm up everything. So, last winter I installed a 1 x 4 board up near the ceiling and mounted 5 single light sockets on it, with 150 watt bulbs all attached to a simple wall mounted light switch. I keep the lights on in the winter and that keeps the whole shop at about 55 degrees all the time. That's wonderful when it's 5 degrees outside. Also have a small air conditioner mounted through the wall and a fire extinguisher inside.
RetiredUSNChief
Member
If we're dreaming big...build it over a steel reenforced concrete entrance to a huge underground bomb shelter.
redneck2
Member
I'd try to have air routed to the back of the loader area.
Floor....I'm thinking of using the black rubber matting. Maybe get it from A farm supply store. If you haven't checked the sticky at the top of the forum, there are hundreds of great ideas there
Floor....I'm thinking of using the black rubber matting. Maybe get it from A farm supply store. If you haven't checked the sticky at the top of the forum, there are hundreds of great ideas there
I like that idea, I've used horse stall mats for other purposes and they are pretty nice, plus they last forever.
LKLive13
Member
Mini fridge, lots of outlets, good lights!
Schwing
Member
I know I am a nerd but a dedicated network line so you have both wired jacks and wireless would be on my list. I do almost all of my record keeping online and I love having my music and movie library in my man cave. If you still have a landline, it wouldn't hurt to have a line for that too.
Your home WiFi may extend sufficiently into the shed but you may want to pull a couple of Cat 5e or 6 data cables when you run the electrical from the house. If you're going to sheetrock then add some additional gang boxes and run some more of the data cable back to a central box (MPOE). You don't have to terminate but the data cables will be there for future if you need it for another access point, landline or alarm. Also may want to prewire co-ax or speakers wires.
- Status
