Equipment needed for reloading at the range?
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The same equipment you would use at home. What are you going to do bring your press, dies, scale, powder and bullets to the range??? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif Do your load development at home not at the range. Am i missing something.
I got to harrell' web page they have a pretty nice table type press for threaded dies and a click type powder measurer and Sinclair handles the table type mount for a Harrell powder measurer or if you have a portable scale you could use your present measurer with that type mount. I've seen guy who use a clamp and RCBS partner press also. Hope this helps. If you can ever get to a BR match you will see some pretty nice set ups for loading at the range and that what got me started doing that years ago and I load everything from my 17mach4 to a 30-378wby at the range.
Tommy, I was asking about portable equipment that would allow me to increase or decrease powder charges and seat bullets to the best depth for the most accuracy and velocity while at the shooting range. Without some special reloading equipment at the range it would take me forever to develop loads and each time I left the range, I would have to pay to come back in. What I need is recommendations for the portable equipment to take to the range. I will take enough resized and primed cases with me in order not to have to do that at the range. Powder charge and bullet adjustments need to be done after each 5 shot group.
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Am i missing something.
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Yes you are. Many benchrest shooters load up at the range based on temp and elevation and humidity. This wouldn't be practical for a hunter to load during the hunt but it saves a lot of driving back and forth from the range to get your load just the way you want it. And it saves having to disassemble a bunch of rounds that aren't going to be usable for one reason or another.
Am i missing something.
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Yes you are. Many benchrest shooters load up at the range based on temp and elevation and humidity. This wouldn't be practical for a hunter to load during the hunt but it saves a lot of driving back and forth from the range to get your load just the way you want it. And it saves having to disassemble a bunch of rounds that aren't going to be usable for one reason or another.
Centre Punch
Well-Known Member
My shooting buddies and i conduct all our load developement at the range belonging to our shooting club its only a 100m but its a fantastic set up, with 15 solid benches and a reloading area behind the firing points. We have 2 day sessions and overnight at the lodge. Hence we bring all our reloading gear, bullets, powders, etc. Loads are usually made up 5 at a time, tested,chronographed,spotted and results logged. Presses and powder clamped to benches in the reloading shed. Different bullets,powders and primers are tested over the two days and we try to do this 4 or 5 times a year and a great time is had by all /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Sandman
Active Member
I do the same thing you are considering. Redding competition seating die. Will allow you to increase bullet seating depth in a precise manner. Lee hand press $19.95 at Natchez Shooters is an easy way to seat bullets at the range. As for measuring powder, Lee powder measure kit has about 15 little measured dippers. About $7 from Cabelas. Very easy way to measure powder. If you want to use a powder measure, try the Lee powder measure - about $20. The interesting thing about this inexpensive powder measre is it does a great job of accurately metering long powder without cutting it.
Ok, I guess it's a good idea if you have a long ride to the range and wanted to test different seating depths and so forth I did not think of it like that. I have never seen this at my range and never drove that far to a BR match. I stand corrected.
We truly do learn something every day. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
The first time I saw this was at my first (and only) 1000 yard BR match. The presses were these cute little jobbies that were set up mostly for neck sizing and bullet seating.
I wish I had a neat and easy way to do this sort of load development but I usually go to the desert for load testing and drop confirmation and the wind blows 9 days out of 10 and at 10 MPH or better. I would have dust and powder all over the place.
The first time I saw this was at my first (and only) 1000 yard BR match. The presses were these cute little jobbies that were set up mostly for neck sizing and bullet seating.
I wish I had a neat and easy way to do this sort of load development but I usually go to the desert for load testing and drop confirmation and the wind blows 9 days out of 10 and at 10 MPH or better. I would have dust and powder all over the place.
this is a subject I have thought a lot about lately because every range within 1 hour of my house has got a locked gate attached within the last year, so load developement has become a major hassle.
I have a 12 foot enclosed trailer that up until now has been my son's motocross race rig, he just jumped ship to go to college so me and my nephew are going to turn it into a full blown reloading room on wheel's,so that when we drive an hour and a half to go shoot we can just get r done without driving back and forth all day.
I have a 12 foot enclosed trailer that up until now has been my son's motocross race rig, he just jumped ship to go to college so me and my nephew are going to turn it into a full blown reloading room on wheel's,so that when we drive an hour and a half to go shoot we can just get r done without driving back and forth all day.
I'm waiting for my youngest son to out grow the jogging stroler so I can turn it into a 3 wheeled IPSC cart. I've seen them on line and they are spendy so with the stroler already purchased I can build it the way I want for a fraction of the price.
I love functional recycling.
I love functional recycling.
Alan Griffith
Well-Known Member
Ok, here goes.
Yes, make sure all your cases are fully prepped and primed. At home, you will need to have done some preperation for "throwing" powder charges at the range. You will need a powder measure that has a micrometer insert so you can "return" to a previously measured weighed about of propellant. Example, I use an RCBS Uniflow measure which has the micrometer insert. At home I decide upon a range of propellat; say 44 to 49 gr of H4895. I throw 10 averaged charges of powder until I get 440 grains. I write down the micrometer setting in my log book. I do this over and over, increasing the micrometer inserts readings and thus increasing the "thrown" amount of powder until I have 49 grains. The pit fall of this is using large grained extruded propellants which most of us can't get better than +/_ .02 grains repeatable accuracy. Spherical powders and small grained extruded powders are wonderful for this. I deveoped a load using H4895 with the Hornady 75 BTHP Match which shoots 10 shots into 10" at 600 yards with my 16" AR15 topped with only a 2x ACOG scope.
Once you have the propellant matter out of the way, you will need to focus on bullet seating. I use the little Lee press which ran me about $15 each; I own several and dedicate them different purposes. Like my Forster Ultra Seater for 30-06 is on one an is never taken off, thus I trust the accuracy of my OAL with 30-06.
For a mounting surface for the press and powder measure, I use a 3'x3'x1" thick piece of MDF (Left over from building my reloading bench) which is predrilled for mounting the press and measure. I use C-clamps to hold it to my fold up pic-nic table I bought at K-Mart for $50. I have a large (6'x3') working area with the whole set up.
The secret to repeatable accuracy is to develop a VERY REPEATABLE routine of "throwing" the powder charges. Consistency is the key.
Anyway, once I'm set up, I can load ONE, 1, Uno, round, shoot over the chronograph it and immediately decide if I want to load up another or move on up in charge weight. No having to run home and pull bullets and dump powder. If I need more of the same rounds, I can load it up while the barrel is cooling. Better than listening to that ditty of a song from a game show in your head while waiting for the barrel to cool between shots.
The second pitfall of this is wanting to take too many bullet and powders to try MANY combinations. It can be addicting. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Big Al
Yes, make sure all your cases are fully prepped and primed. At home, you will need to have done some preperation for "throwing" powder charges at the range. You will need a powder measure that has a micrometer insert so you can "return" to a previously measured weighed about of propellant. Example, I use an RCBS Uniflow measure which has the micrometer insert. At home I decide upon a range of propellat; say 44 to 49 gr of H4895. I throw 10 averaged charges of powder until I get 440 grains. I write down the micrometer setting in my log book. I do this over and over, increasing the micrometer inserts readings and thus increasing the "thrown" amount of powder until I have 49 grains. The pit fall of this is using large grained extruded propellants which most of us can't get better than +/_ .02 grains repeatable accuracy. Spherical powders and small grained extruded powders are wonderful for this. I deveoped a load using H4895 with the Hornady 75 BTHP Match which shoots 10 shots into 10" at 600 yards with my 16" AR15 topped with only a 2x ACOG scope.
Once you have the propellant matter out of the way, you will need to focus on bullet seating. I use the little Lee press which ran me about $15 each; I own several and dedicate them different purposes. Like my Forster Ultra Seater for 30-06 is on one an is never taken off, thus I trust the accuracy of my OAL with 30-06.
For a mounting surface for the press and powder measure, I use a 3'x3'x1" thick piece of MDF (Left over from building my reloading bench) which is predrilled for mounting the press and measure. I use C-clamps to hold it to my fold up pic-nic table I bought at K-Mart for $50. I have a large (6'x3') working area with the whole set up.
The secret to repeatable accuracy is to develop a VERY REPEATABLE routine of "throwing" the powder charges. Consistency is the key.
Anyway, once I'm set up, I can load ONE, 1, Uno, round, shoot over the chronograph it and immediately decide if I want to load up another or move on up in charge weight. No having to run home and pull bullets and dump powder. If I need more of the same rounds, I can load it up while the barrel is cooling. Better than listening to that ditty of a song from a game show in your head while waiting for the barrel to cool between shots.
The second pitfall of this is wanting to take too many bullet and powders to try MANY combinations. It can be addicting. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Big Al
41mag
Well-Known Member
Hey Tom,
I faced the same thing your looking at. I did similar to what GSSP did in that I rigged up a RCBS Jr press and a spare UniFlow measure on a piece of 1/2"x4 Aluminum flat bar I got from the scrap bin at work. It has pre drilled holes so that I can moount the press or measure in different locations to accomodate the bench or table that I mount it to. I use a couple of deep c-clapms to secure it. It will easily handle anything I need to load up at the range.
When I head out, I make sure I have all the cases trimmed, and ready. I take a cople of powders, primers, and different weights with me. As mentioned, just do your prep work for the powders weights at the house. You will get it close enough for fine tuning by simply dumping in a consistant manner. It isn't hard at all. Since I travel several hours to get to our place in the country, when I do head there to work on loads, I take enough stuff for several rifles. It will generally all fit into one plastic tub. I take it out, set it up, load and shoot. Sure makes it a lot easier to work up a couple of loads fairly quickly.
I faced the same thing your looking at. I did similar to what GSSP did in that I rigged up a RCBS Jr press and a spare UniFlow measure on a piece of 1/2"x4 Aluminum flat bar I got from the scrap bin at work. It has pre drilled holes so that I can moount the press or measure in different locations to accomodate the bench or table that I mount it to. I use a couple of deep c-clapms to secure it. It will easily handle anything I need to load up at the range.
When I head out, I make sure I have all the cases trimmed, and ready. I take a cople of powders, primers, and different weights with me. As mentioned, just do your prep work for the powders weights at the house. You will get it close enough for fine tuning by simply dumping in a consistant manner. It isn't hard at all. Since I travel several hours to get to our place in the country, when I do head there to work on loads, I take enough stuff for several rifles. It will generally all fit into one plastic tub. I take it out, set it up, load and shoot. Sure makes it a lot easier to work up a couple of loads fairly quickly.
