Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire What are the dimensions of your reloading bench?

I've been thinking about building a new bench for reloading, and am trying to get an idea on what size I want. I'm curious as to what everyone else is using. I've been thinking maybe 24"W x 60" L x 33"(?) H

Any pictures would be appreciated as well.

Try this one

http://www.shotgunsportsmagazine.com/downloads/bench_plans.pdf

It all depends on whether the wife is doing laundry or is "crafting".

It was pretty big when I built it as my loading bench...

24" wide, 12' long to the corner of the room, joined to another 10' length that makes a 90* and travels along the adjoining wall to within 3 feet of the end of the wall, to allow for a door to open. 37" high, with cabinet supports (door and drawer) in three places under the first 12' and wooden 2x4 and 4x4 bases with two racks of AKRO bins (15 each rack) for brass under the other 10'. Wall cabinets, two groups each 48" wide, 48" tall, at either end over the 12' length bench, with 4 tier shelf between the cabinets. Fluorescent lights under the wall cabinets and shelves, pegboard between wall cabinets and bench top. Benches are 1 1/2" thick made by gluing (Titebond) two thicknesses of 3/4" birch plywood together, and edged with fir. Finished with stain and polyurethane, 2 coats. Anchored to the walls with L brackets screwed into the 6x6 beams in which the room is framed. Pretty solid unit that I just completed. I'm mounting my presses to it as we speak, and unpacking all of my components which have been in storage for two years.

About 2 feet by 8 or 9 feet and storage around it.

The important thing is the height, I think. Bryce Townsley, in his book "The Handloader's Manual of Cartridge Conversions" recommends 30" high to the top of the bench. The rest is how much space you can dedicate. Mine is that height, maybe 31", and 16 feet long, two feet wide. I was constrained in space, and would have made it wider if I'd had the space to do so. And maybe longer.

The width of 2' gives a very good space for reloading and some minor work, like mounting scopes. On mine, I've got a press, an electronic measure and a bench vise mounted and have plenty of room. Also have a wooden chest with various, less-used tools,

I put shelves at both ends and above the bench to hold powder, dies, bullets, primers, etc...all separated so I don't have to hunt for stuff...except I still have to. I bought those plastic cabinets or drawers below the bench for brass, etc.

I put a rubber door mat on the bottom to ease my legs from the concret floor, and have a stool for resting.

Now that I'm retired, I'll build shelves and drawers beneath to replace the plastic drawers. Maybe. My case tumbler is on a table just outside the reloading room.

And a fire extinguisher on one wall, a shop vac on the other.

No matter the size,you'll wish it were bigger.

Mine is 12' long and I wish often.

Twenty feet long and three feet deep. Built into the wall.

Works for me.

Steve

That 5 inch naval gun reloading eqipment takes some room...

But for the moose-varmit-reloading-and-down, it is (roughly) a scavanged 3' X 5' old, but very heavy desk,with 2" thick laminated maple top.. It holds two permanently mounted presses, one for de-capping/sizing, one for bullet seating.- what more do you need If you only fire a dozen (serious) rounds a year? I built a back shelf to it for component and accessory storage. (there is stuff stashed elswhere!)

mine is 6 feet long, three feet deep. I made it myself.

I have one that is 30" wide by 8 feet long. On that I have a RCBS rock chucker to the far left, and RCBS power trimmer next to that, a RCBS priming machine next to that, Then an RCBS Uniflow messure and scale next to that, then another RCBS Rockchucker next to that.

Then I have an old metal teachers desk mounted with a RCBS Pro 2000.

Top of mine is made of 2 2X10s and 1 2X8 8' long. Shelves above and metal locker off to the left.

BCR

Here's what mine looks like.

First question is exactly what are you reloading for?

Someone doing low volume reloading for two or three calibers doesn't need the same set up as somebody doing high volume or different types of reloading ie single stage press for rifle, progressive for a pistol, a MEC for shotgun.

Also, if you do a search on reloading bench pictures on the various forums, it becomes evident that many folks build nice big benches and then bury them in clutter to the point they practically unusable.

I may be branded a heretic for saying it, but many people would be better served with a smaller bench and more dedicated "off bench" storage space such a shelving units..

As to sizes, my Mk2 bench was 50" long x22" wide, but only 27" high..It held on RRCBS junior press (see below)



Size wise, given that I had other storage space, 48" x22" was quite practical for low volume stuff, providing I was organised..

The main problem was the height, as although just about usable sitting in a standard office chair, it was really too low..

I used the above bench for a few years until I got sick of the height issue, I then built the one below.



This is 65" x24" and more importantly 36" tall..Because of my lack of carpentry skills, both benches were built from surplus office furnature, with reinforced bench tops. The top on this version is a full 3" thick and the whole bench could double as a tank trap its that heavy!

I am very happy with this particular bench and if I need to expand again, I'll do so by adding cabinets and shelving on the wall above it..

I would say say the size of your proposed bench is very practical, but a bit bigger, especially in height, wouldn't hurt.

5 1/2 feet by 3 feet, used to be an old counter top, I used some 1" sheets to reinforce the area's that my presses are on. Les

6' by 2'8". 4x4 legs. 3/4" plywood top with a 2x4 frame on 12" centres underneath. Double 2x4s under the front edge to stiffen up the area where the presses get mounted. One full sized shelf underneath to store powder, primers, and loaded ammo. Bullets and dies and brass are in an old 8 gun cabinet that I converted for the purpose when I got the 16 rifle safe. Works well for me. As far as volume goes, not as much as I used to when I strapped a piggyback onto the Rock Chucker and loaded 38's, 9's, 380,s and 45's, but still plenty big enough for me, IF I could keep the tools I am not using in the tool box instead of littering the top.

I built mine with the intention of getting the press handles just higher than waist high so that my forearm is about 90 degrees with the floor when standing with hand on the press handle. Worked out pretty good for the times I sit on a stool.
Much easier on the back

Also, mine is not so wide that when things roll or migrate to the back of the bench they are still easy to reach without contortions.


Other than those two considerations whatever size you make will be too small. Except when moving time comes.

Thanks for all the input, everyone. Will most likely do 24" wide, 6-8 feet long, and 30-something inches high. I'll check my old bench's size first, as a reference, before I do any cutting. Probably going to do 8 feet if I can, so I can get my RL550, powder measure, case trimmer, and vise all on with adequate work room.

Pete E, I hear you on the clutter. Mine gets that way now, and it's somewhat smaller. I've been getting more dedicated shelving, I just end up with gunsmithing stuff and reloading stuff all in the same area. I definitely need to do some spring cleaning.

30" x 12'. I have both presses mounted on a board that has holes that match the blind nuts under my bench so I can remove them with quick knobs on bolts so that I can use something else there like my other bench mounted tools.

I sit on a 30 gallon barrel with two sofa pillows for cushions. My bench is at the perfect height for this barrel seat. I will measure it tomorrow.

Alan