Reloading & Condo Living

[C Broad Arrow]

For many of us condo living becomes a reality as we get older. My wife and I are considering downsizing and the biggest issue I have is what to do with all of my guns and reloading equipment (and no I am not shipping it to your place to help me out, but I appreciation the selfless offer ) I am wondering if any of you have devised a reloading ssetup specificially designed for small place living.
Pictures would be of great help.
ps. the legallities are not an issue.

 

[Alderman]

When I first started, I didn't have a reloading bench. I mounted my press on a board and clamped it onto a Black & Decker shop box. I loaded on the dining room table.

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[cloverleaf]

Feel your concern. My "Safe" is stacked. Reloading for me gets done in the garage as long as the weather in MN is "just right" (not to cold and not to humid). Car has to be out of the garage to make room. I have a good bench and my press is there oiled and covered. I have a small electrical 220V heater hanging from the ceiling that dosent help much. I keep powder and primers in the hose in the small safe referenced earlier. Sorry not much help. CL

 

[Gunner46]

I've been reloading off the kitchen table for so long I can't remember. I just got a piece of 2X10 about 18" long, screwed the press onto it and got a couple of deep C-Clamps. Just pad the clamps & board, so they don't mar the table, and have at it ! I've even been known to use the same set up off the tailgate of my truck a time or two.

 

[greenheadcaller]

If you have a sturdy desk (like a steel case desk) or any really good sturdy table or bar top style built in with two parallel sides, here is one approach. For one of my progressive presses I have the press and its mount securely mounted to a one inch thick piece of good flat plywood (you can cut the plywood as wide as you like, wider the better....I cut mine wider than my shoulders and about one inch less deep then my desk top). On one side of the plywood (the side facing me), on the bottom of the plywood, I glued and screwed a 2 x 6 with the long side facing me (screws into the narrow side) which makes an L on the front of the plywood.

I set the the plywood with press on a steel case desk with the back of the 2x6 butted up to the front of the desk. I use two bar clamps to secure it to the desk. The front of the clamp is against the 2x6 (so if it gets marred I am fine with it), the back of the clamp is against the back of the desk top (if worried about marring with the back clamp, use protection)....it doesn't budge. Your press will be as secure as the desk or table it's mounted to, the sturdier the better (and they need to be sturdy/not wobble particularly if using a powder dropper/progressive). With a steel case desk, it doesn't move. When finished with the press for a while, take off the bar clamps and set the plywood with the press on a storage shelf out of the way .... note if you cut the plywood deep enough, you can actually put other heavy stored things (like your reloading bullets) on the plywood when stored which will allow you to have the press hang out front of the shelf when in storage without tipping, to the point of leaving tall press attachments on.

Bar clamps come in many styles and money choices One example.. http://www.homedepot.com/p/BESSEY-7000- ... TwodTQQBPA

For other reference, I also have a single stage press dedicated to depriming chores only, and it is bolted to a 2 x 10, with the bottom nuts and washers countersunk on the bottom so nothing protrudes below the lumber. I use two C clamps to clamp the press to whatever I want, similar to the what a poster described above (Gunner46). This press is very portable and can be clamped to whatever is flat and handy. I like keeping the mess of depriming out in the garage or outdoors if the weather is fit ( I actually like keeping up with my depriming when I am done shooting, portable press helps me do that). At any rate, this type of set up might work well in condo too if you have something sturdy to clamp it to.

Adding, here are some other ideas from google https://www.google.com/search?q=portabl ... vebQrxLQ2M:

 

[desertcj]

I use a desk as well. It is pretty heavy though. It happens to be out in my garage, but I would be happier if it was allowed in the house...lol. I have seen some really cool shooting/reloading man caves in my day and have some very good memories of my Grandfather and his retired buddies teaching me the ins and outs of reloading! It doesn't really take much to get it done though.