I want to thank those that helped me get started. You were understanding and informative.
My bench is set up, and I am waiting on some Lee Dies( the set includes a crimp).

Thanks,

Ric

I'm glad we could help you Huge. Setting up a bench today will sure cut your shooting costs down the road. I just got a new Cabela's shooting and reloading catalog and can't believe where ammo prices are going. I've got to get out to my bench and get some 204 Ruger and 243 ammo loaded for spring ground squirrel and rock chuck hunting.

A friend brought over his old 30-06 today for me to put a new recoil pad on and I'll refinish his stock for him. It may have to rebarreled, but we'll see about that down the road. It's a fun project.

I hope you have as much fun as I do making up my own ammo and putting it down range. I've been doing that for almost 50 years now and will only stop when I can't sit at the bench anymore.

Thanks Bob,

I chose the Lee Die set that has pretty much every thing for .30-'06. At my age(49), I feel like I should have gotten into reloading sooner. Looking forward to cranking that handle.

Ric

I've been using that Lee stuff for lots of years with great success. Here's my bench after my grand daughter and I remodeled it last year. It's much more messy today than in this pix.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Reloading/ReloadingbenchRemodel-40.jpg

I put all the powder measures and scale up at eye level. It opened up lots of bench space and makes everything much easier to see and use. I just made a steel bracket and bolted them to the bottom of the reloading bench shelf.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Reloading/Shopanddog-34.jpg

My powder scale sits on it's own bracket that also holds the trickler.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Reloading/LeeSafetyscaleoncustomholder.jpg

Boy I love this stuff. Reloading in itself is a great hobby and all those cold windy rainy snowy days that we can't get out to hunt in is great sitting at the bench making up our own ammo. I've got an old stereo that I bought at the thrift store sitting on a fridge filled with cold pop and beer right next to the bench and a microwave that my wife replaced for hot chocolate when needed.

Got a couple of nice folding chairs for when my old shooting partner comes over and were making him up some ammo. Great place.

Got a couple of nice folding chairs for when my old shooting partner comes over and were making him up some ammo. Great place.<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
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Bob from Idaho

That's great that you have people to share with.

My wife has no interest whatsoever in my hobby. My daughter just turned 10 and is starting to take an interest but I think her interest is more related to being with Dad than what is going on at the bench. I've been looking for someone in the area who likes to reload and I have been thinking about approaching the local range to see if they would let me conduct a reloading seminar.

I agree, I have the amenities too, frig, microwave, tunes, etc, the bench is a great place to be.
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My grand daughters have been helping me at the loading bench since they were six and seven. They both love reloading and shooting. They both have their own rifles and we spend lots of time plinking with the 22's.

My wife doesn't care for reloading, but she loves to go out with me coyote and big game hunting and is hoping to fill her tag this fall with a nice deer to go in the freezer. She'll use my 280 Mountain rifle as recoil is nil and it's very accurate. Here's the grand babies, now 13 and 14 making up loads for one of their 243's.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Reloading/RobinKathy.jpg

Just getting started myself to Huge Gator, This is a picture of mine, still have things to buy but getting there, just pistol and rifle reloading now , heck i enjoy it tho

You're going to like that white bench top. It really keeps things bright during the process.

Here is a link to a picture of my reloading bench.
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn293/jwodum/P1130306.jpg

I like the idea of the timer on the tumbler....

I took the start pin out of the timer and just use the "off pin". That way I can set it to go off in a designated time without turning on again. I just use the manual switch to turn it on and let the "off pin" turn it off.

i reload with lee on a bench thats 2" by 2" but i get by