This is an outstanding video. Not only are you an expert reloader, you're an expert presenter and teacher. You video seems to have been prepared and rehearsed. You look at the camera, you adjust the tone and volume of your voice for emphasis and to avoid monotony. The video was well organized from beginning to end, and it didnt have a long, boring introduction or unnecessary chatter. I look forward to watching all your videos, especially reloading. I came to this video to help me set up my first reloading bench, and I immediately appreciated the reasons behind your advice.
Spot on! Shallow bench, easy to clean off, keep the clutter down, and make sure it’s rock solid for one good scale and one good press. This is from someone who has too much stuff to do everything; and finds the most pleasure in making small batches to to be confident for hunting. All y’all who are new; this video offers great advice!
Illuminated magnifying glass is definitely on my must get list! Auto trickled you have is excellent but way out of my budget. Thanks, as I’m always interested in other loaders’ set up for reloading.
I do all my reloading out of a custom reloading box my father and I built together. It's not the most practical, but I am so attached to it and the memories of the build that I will never get rid of it.
Desert Dog, hello from the UK, my reloading bench is a second hand 5'x3.5' hardwood dining table with a 2" thick top which overhangs the frame by 2" all round, my press is mounted at a corner on a steel base plate that I fabricated and is held in place with 2 C clamps, it is absolutely rigid, I only reload for 2 calibre's, .243win and .308win so I don't need a huge amount of gear, I have 2 2oz tobacco tins one has case prep tools and the other has case measuring tools, bushes etc, my case prep centre is a locking shell holder in a battery drill, I only reload in batches of 50, if I shoot 30 Deer in a year I've had a good year and my freezers are all full, it is far too easy to get caught up buying the latest thing, I have had the same press, dies and tools etc for 20 odd years, keep it simple and make life easy
My father and I designed and built our own reloading bench over a decade ago. All wood, very overbuilt. Neither of us really knew how to build a proper reloading bench and essentially built a workbench that I use for reloading. Plywood top and a regular vise bought at a local hardware store, but it has served me well for many years and I know it will last many more.
Super helpful. Thank you. My friend's father passed away last year and I was gifted all of his reloading gear. Pretty much aligns with your minimalist definition. I believe be bought most of it in the late 70s early 80s, though the press may be older than that. Oldies but goodies for sure. I have not reloaded before so am watching lots of videos, but will see if I can get an experienced reloader to supervise me once I'm ready to move ahead on it.
After 43 years of reloading & 15 iterations of benches, I think I am finally happy with my current set-up. It’s very much like the set-up you are showing. But who knows, I will probably change it again at some point.
I used to load on my countertop in my first apartments in college/early marriage... Lee "O press" and powder measure mounted to a plank, then C-clamped to the counter. Same thing with my Lee load all shotshell press... I made a lot of ammo that way. It was easy to take down and stow away. Would bang out what I needed, then clean it up for later.
Nice video! I really enjoyed it. I'm on my 4 due to multiple moves. I make mine but I build it as a mobile set of cabinets except for this last one. I have a dedicated space to put it in.
Great video, very helpful. The top of my reloading bench is a large offcut of kitchen worktop. Clean, smooth and really durable. Also, didn't cost me anything!
Excellent, DD! My kind of video! As a lifelong bachelor living in a fairly large house, I load on three different levels. I even have the Lee portable 3-legged stand next to my kitchen table where I also have a 26" flat screen tv. I can do simple, mundane tasks (no powder charging) while watching basketball in the winter or old westerns anytime. I have three concentricity gauges, one for each level of the house. Nice thing about reloading, there are half a dozen different ways to do everything and I think I have explored most of them! I have the supplies needed to build a really nice looking, sturdy bench and might even get around to it this winter. Solid oak 4X4s and a 2" thick kitchen-style countertop. Q: how long do 3 tins of sizing wax last for you? Thanks for the vid!
With my current load volume, a tin will last me almost a year. When I was shooting in 3 different comp classes and conducting firearms training, I went through several tins in a year.
..my first bench was the home built ping pong table my dad madecehen we were kids..I used two large "C" clamps to attach my RCBS Rockchucker..when I moved to FL in 1969 I made a bunch from cinderblocks and a 4x8 sheet of heavy, resin based particular board...it worked...
I've found that the butcher block tops work test the best for me. Mines 10" long with a XL750, XL550 Dillons and a Lee Breech loader to build loads. Lastly I have a peg board to hanging upbehind the bench. Keeps the bench clean and the tools easy to get at,
I also love the butcher block table tops, but I like the bamboo a little more (it's harder). No peg board backing inside the house (would look ghetto in my office).
Hi DD, very nice set up, pretty much all of my reloading kit is forty plus years old. I started loading .38spl when I was 21 years old, I’m now 65. I have a RCBS beam scale which I always use. I’m more than happy with sub moa loads in my .270 win, 6mm REM and .222Rem. Consistency is key. I know this will probably make you cringe. Please don’t hit the BS button. 😂🇬🇧
Great video, thanks for sharing. Any chance you could go into your Dillion 550 press with more detail in regards to doing bulk rifle and semi- precision bulk rifle? Thanks again
My cousin built my reloading bench 20 years ago and it is made super strong I told him what height and that I wanted fuMicah top and it is long enough for my press and measure and scales and my lube sizer for my cast handgun bullets
Your bench is interesting. Thnx. Now dont know what to make of mine. I obviously do more wk by hand.will usualy have three different projects on it .if it doesnt have gun parts or carburators or chainsaws its not used. Has two 550s and other stuff allways in way. When watching u'r video i see u usualy have clean enough space.😒
DD, I've ordered some 350gr .458 monoflex bullets I'd like to load in 45-70. Do you have any suggestions on powders and start loads for these? I cannot find any information on loading solid copper bullets and I know they are different powder charges from cup/core bullets. Thanks...
Just thought I'd let you know I purchased the scope ring Alignment tools (30 mm & 34 mm from Armaments By Design. Work great and they were very fast shipping and sent emails to let you know thr progress of shipping. Thank you Sir for the tip. CW
DD- I’m running an RCBS lite powder dispenser. Its margin of error is 0.1 grain according to the published literature that came with it. I make precision ammo for hunting only. I feel like I’ve been able to find some really great loads over the years but have always wondered if the margin of error with powder charge is affecting my potential. What are your thoughts?
I'm sure Dog will weigh in when he has a moment b/c he's good at that and he cares about his viewers. But I think I can help. Point one grain margin of error is plenty good, especially for hunting rounds. I mean, what is a handloader going to try next, use an Exacto knife to cut powder kernals in half, and which way, crossways or lengthwise? I can think of several other things that contribute more to accuracy than weighing powder charges to the second decimal point. After 40 years at this game, one can't help but pick up a few things.
A 0.1 grain powder variance is fantastic for 90% of shooting/hunting. It will put you at a slight disadvantage for long range competition. The PROBLEM with the RCBS dispensers (of which i've used for 20 years), is that REAL powder charges tend to drift as you load. When I use my Chargemaster, I always verify weights every 10 charges on my beam-scale. Every Chargemaster i've owned can drift over 0.5gr if you do a large volume without re-zeroing it. It was something we dealt with when the RCBS was the best game in town. Now, there are better options. The A&D scale can do hundreds of rounds in one session and still be accurate to a kernel (if set-up right). You also have to realize that the "0.1gr accuracy" of the Chargemaster is seldom realized in practice.
@@desertdogoutdoors1113 good to know. I rarely load more than 50 rounds at a time of any given load. If I’m making multiple loads for different rifles I’m a nazi about re-zeroing. Maybe the RCBS is good enough for my small batch process?
This is an outstanding video. Not only are you an expert reloader, you're an expert presenter and teacher. You video seems to have been prepared and rehearsed. You look at the camera, you adjust the tone and volume of your voice for emphasis and to avoid monotony. The video was well organized from beginning to end, and it didnt have a long, boring introduction or unnecessary chatter. I look forward to watching all your videos, especially reloading. I came to this video to help me set up my first reloading bench, and I immediately appreciated the reasons behind your advice.
Spot on! Shallow bench, easy to clean off, keep the clutter down, and make sure it’s rock solid for one good scale and one good press. This is from someone who has too much stuff to do everything; and finds the most pleasure in making small batches to to be confident for hunting. All y’all who are new; this video offers great advice!
Illuminated magnifying glass is definitely on my must get list! Auto trickled you have is excellent but way out of my budget. Thanks, as I’m always interested in other loaders’ set up for reloading.
I do all my reloading out of a custom reloading box my father and I built together.
It's not the most practical, but I am so attached to it and the memories of the build that I will never get rid of it.
Desert Dog morning coffee video! Thanks
AND scale fan boy. Love the ruggedness of their scales.
Used multiple AND in my lab.
Bi-yearly calibration with no issues.
The real benefit of the A&D scale is the lack of "drift" during high-volume loading sessions. I've seen Chargemasters start to drift every 10 charges.
Desert Dog, hello from the UK,
my reloading bench is a second hand 5'x3.5' hardwood dining table with a 2" thick top which overhangs the frame by 2" all round, my press is mounted at a corner on a steel base plate that I fabricated and is held in place with 2 C clamps, it is absolutely rigid, I only reload for 2 calibre's, .243win and .308win so I don't need a huge amount of gear, I have 2 2oz tobacco tins one has case prep tools and the other has case measuring tools, bushes etc, my case prep centre is a locking shell holder in a battery drill, I only reload in batches of 50, if I shoot 30 Deer in a year I've had a good year and my freezers are all full, it is far too easy to get caught up buying the latest thing, I have had the same press, dies and tools etc for 20 odd years, keep it simple and make life easy
My father and I designed and built our own reloading bench over a decade ago. All wood, very overbuilt. Neither of us really knew how to build a proper reloading bench and essentially built a workbench that I use for reloading. Plywood top and a regular vise bought at a local hardware store, but it has served me well for many years and I know it will last many more.
Desert Dog, greetings from Canada,
Simply put, you're amazing. ❤️ your KISS approach, keep it simple stupid.
Super helpful. Thank you. My friend's father passed away last year and I was gifted all of his reloading gear. Pretty much aligns with your minimalist definition. I believe be bought most of it in the late 70s early 80s, though the press may be older than that. Oldies but goodies for sure. I have not reloaded before so am watching lots of videos, but will see if I can get an experienced reloader to supervise me once I'm ready to move ahead on it.
After 43 years of reloading & 15 iterations of benches, I think I am finally happy with my current set-up.
It’s very much like the set-up you are showing.
But who knows, I will probably change it again at some point.
I used to load on my countertop in my first apartments in college/early marriage... Lee "O press" and powder measure mounted to a plank, then C-clamped to the counter. Same thing with my Lee load all shotshell press... I made a lot of ammo that way. It was easy to take down and stow away. Would bang out what I needed, then clean it up for later.
Interesting BUT your definition of BASIC is my definition of premium.
Lots of good advice here, thanks for sharing your experience and thoughts!
Nice video! I really enjoyed it. I'm on my 4 due to multiple moves. I make mine but I build it as a mobile set of cabinets except for this last one. I have a dedicated space to put it in.
That was great. I hope you go deeper into the arbor set up, that sounds really interesting. Thanks.
Great video, very helpful. The top of my reloading bench is a large offcut of kitchen worktop. Clean, smooth and really durable. Also, didn't cost me anything!
Hi desert dog. Your bench looks like mine. . I use single stage press. And balance beam scale. Takes awhile but i get good results.😊
Great video and can’t wait for the rest of the series! We are moving into a new home so I’m going to set my reloading stuff up for real finally.
Well done video, DD!
Very nice DD. Classy. I bought one you'd approve of at Cosco, an 8 footer. Love it, but can still learn a lot.
Excellent, DD! My kind of video! As a lifelong bachelor living in a fairly large house, I load on three different levels. I even have the Lee portable 3-legged stand next to my kitchen table where I also have a 26" flat screen tv. I can do simple, mundane tasks (no powder charging) while watching basketball in the winter or old westerns anytime. I have three concentricity gauges, one for each level of the house. Nice thing about reloading, there are half a dozen different ways to do everything and I think I have explored most of them! I have the supplies needed to build a really nice looking, sturdy bench and might even get around to it this winter. Solid oak 4X4s and a 2" thick kitchen-style countertop.
Q: how long do 3 tins of sizing wax last for you? Thanks for the vid!
With my current load volume, a tin will last me almost a year. When I was shooting in 3 different comp classes and conducting firearms training, I went through several tins in a year.
..my first bench was the home built ping pong table my dad madecehen we were kids..I used two large "C" clamps to attach my RCBS Rockchucker..when I moved to FL in 1969 I made a bunch from cinderblocks and a 4x8 sheet of heavy, resin based particular board...it worked...
I've found that the butcher block tops work test the best for me. Mines 10" long with a XL750, XL550 Dillons and a Lee Breech loader to build loads. Lastly I have a peg board to hanging upbehind the bench. Keeps the bench clean and the tools easy to get at,
I also love the butcher block table tops, but I like the bamboo a little more (it's harder). No peg board backing inside the house (would look ghetto in my office).
Hi DD, very nice set up, pretty much all of my reloading kit is forty plus years old. I started loading .38spl when I was 21 years old, I’m now 65. I have a RCBS beam scale which I always use. I’m more than happy with sub moa loads in my .270 win, 6mm REM and .222Rem. Consistency is key. I know this will probably make you cringe. Please don’t hit the BS button. 😂🇬🇧
I made a reloading bench last week.
Great video, thanks for sharing. Any chance you could go into your Dillion 550 press with more detail in regards to doing bulk rifle and semi- precision bulk rifle? Thanks again
My cousin built my reloading bench 20 years ago and it is made super strong I told him what height and that I wanted fuMicah top and it is long enough for my press and measure and scales and my lube sizer for my cast handgun bullets
Your bench is interesting. Thnx. Now dont know what to make of mine. I obviously do more wk by hand.will usualy have three different projects on it .if it doesnt have gun parts or carburators or chainsaws its not used. Has two 550s and other stuff allways in way. When watching u'r video i see u usualy have clean enough space.😒
DD, I've ordered some 350gr .458 monoflex bullets I'd like to load in 45-70. Do you have any suggestions on powders and start loads for these? I cannot find any information on loading solid copper bullets and I know they are different powder charges from cup/core bullets. Thanks...
Just thought I'd let you know I purchased the scope ring Alignment tools (30 mm & 34 mm from Armaments By Design. Work great and they were very fast shipping and sent emails to let you know thr progress of shipping. Thank you Sir for the tip. CW
The results will really open your eyes to scope mounting.
DD- I’m running an RCBS lite powder dispenser. Its margin of error is 0.1 grain according to the published literature that came with it.
I make precision ammo for hunting only. I feel like I’ve been able to find some really great loads over the years but have always wondered if the margin of error with powder charge is affecting my potential.
What are your thoughts?
I'm sure Dog will weigh in when he has a moment b/c he's good at that and he cares about his viewers. But I think I can help. Point one grain margin of error is plenty good, especially for hunting rounds. I mean, what is a handloader going to try next, use an Exacto knife to cut powder kernals in half, and which way, crossways or lengthwise? I can think of several other things that contribute more to accuracy than weighing powder charges to the second decimal point. After 40 years at this game, one can't help but pick up a few things.
A 0.1 grain powder variance is fantastic for 90% of shooting/hunting. It will put you at a slight disadvantage for long range competition. The PROBLEM with the RCBS dispensers (of which i've used for 20 years), is that REAL powder charges tend to drift as you load. When I use my Chargemaster, I always verify weights every 10 charges on my beam-scale. Every Chargemaster i've owned can drift over 0.5gr if you do a large volume without re-zeroing it. It was something we dealt with when the RCBS was the best game in town. Now, there are better options. The A&D scale can do hundreds of rounds in one session and still be accurate to a kernel (if set-up right). You also have to realize that the "0.1gr accuracy" of the Chargemaster is seldom realized in practice.
@@desertdogoutdoors1113 good to know.
I rarely load more than 50 rounds at a time of any given load. If I’m making multiple loads for different rifles I’m a nazi about re-zeroing.
Maybe the RCBS is good enough for my small batch process?
What was the brand and model of this magical bamboo top reloading bench? 😂
Look in the video description for the link.
So you are saying size doesn't matter. But is that what she says?
lubing you brass and expanding the hole is much more important.