Loading bench???

T

tiny68

Member
Does anyone have experience with the Ozark Trails 5 ft folding utility table available from Wal-Mart? I need to add a loading table to my equipment. I probably have the heaviest loading box of anyone at the match. As a rookie, I decided to get the biggest one at Lowe's and through the whole shop in it. I am sure it has been good for a few laughs.

Anyway, not sure this is the quality I need for a reloading bench with a +80 lbs reloading box and my rifle/cleaning kit. Anyone try it. I have seen some very nice ones at matches, but the $300-400 custom ones are out of my price range.

Thanks for input, Tim
 
Nope....to weak.

Go to lowe's and buy the folding table legs (around 20.00), Buy a sheet of plywood (at least 3/8) cut two pieces out of it the size you want, glue and screw them together (screws from bottom) and put it together.

Cheap and easy. One thing I did, was measure the smallest trunk I have and made the table to fit in it. It's just big enought to load and clean on without much extra room but it does the job. A trick to making the table legs lay as flat as possible if they have to overlap, is to cut a couple of spacers (same thickness as legs laying flat for transport) 2"x4" at least. glue and screw them to the underside where one set of legs will mount. Put your legs on. Measure the set screwed straight to the table from the table to the end of legs. Then mark the legs (take glides of first) screwed to thet spacers and cut them off....slide glides back on and your in business. I made two tables (one for me and one for wife) and we can put them in the trunk of the Audi with everything else for a weekend shoot.

Hovis
 
Another way to skin that cat is to draw a center line on the under side of the table board lentgh ways. You then mount one set of legs 2 inches off center and the other set of legs 2 inches off center on the opposite side of the centerline. They will then fold up inside of each other and lay flater and you wont have to cut any off of the legs. It takes a slightly wider table to do it this way but you have more room on the top too.
 
I got the folding legs from lowes and used two layers of 3/4 inch plywood glued and screwed together. Works like a charm and not too heavy.
 
tiny68 said:
Does anyone have experience with the Ozark Trails 5 ft folding utility table available from Wal-Mart? I need to add a loading table to my equipment. I probably have the heaviest loading box of anyone at the match. As a rookie, I decided to get the biggest one at Lowe's and through the whole shop in it. I am sure it has been good for a few laughs.

Anyway, not sure this is the quality I need for a reloading bench with a +80 lbs reloading box and my rifle/cleaning kit. Anyone try it. I have seen some very nice ones at matches, but the $300-400 custom ones are out of my price range.

Thanks for input, Tim
Click to expand...

Here's another option. Skip all this nonsense and preload at home. Hall of Famer Jim Borden: "I have my ammunition already loaded for [major matches]. It's working, both rifles are Agging in the 'low Ones', with a load of about 29.0gr N133, running about 3300 fps."

"Loading to conditions on match day can kill you. All you can do is go by memory and guess-timates. If your rifle has good vibration control, you'll typically have an accuracy window of 100-125 fps."

"I set preloads for velocity in the middle of the accuracy window which lets me shoot in any conditions. Studies by Jack Jackson convinced me we could let ammo sit for as long as a year and accuracy will hold."
 
abintx said:
Here's another option. Skip all this nonsense and preload at home. Hall of Famer Jim Borden: "I have my ammunition already loaded for [major matches]. It's working, both rifles are Agging in the 'low Ones', with a load of about 29.0gr N133, running about 3300 fps."

"Loading to conditions on match day can kill you. All you can do is go by memory and guess-timates. If your rifle has good vibration control, you'll typically have an accuracy window of 100-125 fps."

"I set preloads for velocity in the middle of the accuracy window which lets me shoot in any conditions. Studies by Jack Jackson convinced me we could let ammo sit for as long as a year and accuracy will hold."
Click to expand...

I like Jim, I like him a lot but......exactly how often does anyone win or place in the top ten this way.....I know....do you.

On another note. The reason I didn't offset the legs was it would not fit in the trunk if I did so. A table must be portable with what you have. If you have a truck or trailer, it might not be a issue.....sometimes it is.


Hovis
 
I found an old used card table. The one with 4 folding legs and the cardboard top. Replace the top with 1/2' plywood. I use two Partner presses, so I just set T-bolts in each corner to mount the presses to. Used thumb screws to tighten the presses to the top. It is large enough I can set my equipment box on the front and my cleaning setup behind it. Close but it works. I have a mini-van and a pickup so no problem on space.

Donald
 
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