Portable reloading kit

[Ian]

No matter the finished product, it would seem to be wise to do as much prep at home, in a better working environment, if at all possible.

I agree.

SHTF scenarios requiring large amounts of ammunition aren't realistic in my opinion. Some have a fantasy of taking to the woods with a rifle, knife, flint and steel and surviving whatever calamity or collapse that their minds can dream up by foraging and hunting. In that case, if it were to happen that way, a person would be served just as well or better with a suppressed, single-shot .22 pack rifle and a pocket full of Aguila 60-grain cartridges.

 

[Rick]

Big problem with such a SHTF scenario and that would be the the other 10's of millions out in the woods trying to do the same thing.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

So going all the way back to my first post in this thread, "....Not some prepper or survivalist set up (I don't subscribe to that ideology),..."

 

[MW65]

If that's the case... Rcbs universal hand primer, Lee hand press, case block, dippers with chart, Lee trimmer or file die, chamfer tool, and components. My "load dev" kit easily fits in an ammo can and has most of these parts. Easy to grab and use while at the cabin.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

If I set this up for a straight walled, revolver cartridge, like a 32 S&W or 38 Special, I will not need to worry about case trimming.
So I'm learning heavily towards the Lee hand press (lots of options for dies and not too expensive). Maybe a hand priming tool (this adds another tool to the kit but I'm thinking it's worth it to avoid priming on the hand press?)
A powder funnel. A powder dipper made for the one charge of the one powder being used. A carbide sizing die (eliminates the need for lubing the cases). And seating & crimping dies. The loading block will be incorporated into the box that contains the tools/components.

The limiting factor will probably be the number of bullets and primers in the kit.
Federal Primers come in oversized packaging, so they are probably out. Winchester or CCI primers have more compact packaging BUT I don't think I want 1000 bullets to go with 1000 primers.
I'll need to find the ideal compromise between the number of bullets in the kit and match that to the number of primers in multiples of 100.
I'm thinking that in terms of weight and bulk, I'm going to be in the range of 300-400 bullets if we're talking 38 Special; maybe a little more if it's 32 S&W bullets.
If the capacity of the kit is 400 rounds, I don't need an entire pound of powder in the kit. And because I'll be using a dipper, it would be nice if the powder was in a large, shallow container with a wide mouth. I'm thinking a short, wide plastic screw top jar for the powder. That will take up less space in the kit and be easier to fill the powder dipper from.

I welcome input from others.

 

[Ian]

I put Unique in a small, squatty glass jar. Being able to scoop properly (submerge the dipper base-first and let the powder flow over the edges by gravity instead of dipping) is an important function of the container shape.

 

[Bliksem]

I have had many conversations with the "bug-out" crowd and they are have quite obvious weak points in their preparations. They hate it when you point it out but it can be hilarious!

My preferred portable kit includes 2 Lee hand presses, one for seating and one for the collet FCD. I typically use these when doing rifle load development at the range on the farm. All prep-work other than seating and crimping has already been done in the workshop. I prefer to do volumetric powder charges but I do have the choice of an electronic or beam scale to measure powder weights.

As for personal protection my choice is 2 x 36cal cap & ball pistols. These will get the job done if needed. I do practice with these at least once a month and can get it done if required.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

I have had many conversations with the "bug-out" crowd and they are have quite obvious weak points in their preparations. They hate it when you point it out but it can be hilarious!

My preferred portable kit includes 2 Lee hand presses, one for seating and one for the collet FCD. I typically use these when doing rifle load development at the range on the farm. All prep-work other than seating and crimping has already been done in the workshop. I prefer to do volumetric powder charges but I do have the choice of an electronic or beam scale to measure powder weights.

As for personal protection my choice is 2 x 36cal cap & ball pistols. These will get the job done if needed. I do practice with these at least once a month and can get it done if required.

I'm with you.
I am absolutely not in the Prepper mindset. If the end of the world comes I'll just be the first Wildebeest in the herd to die. Some of that survivalist mindset is downright comical.

However, I do enjoy reloading and I've often thought about the minimal amount of gear that would be needed to reload one type of cartridge when away from home base. This is more of an exercise in minimalist efficiency than any type contingency plan.

A co-worker rides a mountain bike and carries a tool kit that is amazingly compact but yet efficient. I admire his ingenuity. The ability to repair just about any minor breakage with a minimal amount of gear is similar to the ability to reload a specific cartridge with a minimal amount of gear.

 

[Bill]

I figure in an all out SHTF type deal one or two mags is all you need, after that you will will be out of blood not ammo

Bill

 

[358156 hp]

Most of you guys would be better served if you'd drop the idea of reloading ammo in the wild, and simply dedicate the space you would need for the tooling and supplies to carrying more ammo.

 

[Ian]

I have my kit for piddling at the range, back when I had to drive 20 miles and go through a bunch of hoopla checking in at the public shooting facility, posting targets, dragging out all my gear and setting up, only to find that the ladder I'd pre-loaded was hopeless after the first two groups. Also when checking lube. So I grabbed my kit, a 100-count box (or more) of primed, prepped brass, and whatever lubed bullets and/or powders I wanted to test, and worked down only the most promising rabbit holes and didn't waste much time. The times spent stuffing together the next five of whatever bullet/powder combo I wanted to test next gave my barrel time to cool.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

SO, One more time - Not interested in any type of prepper, survivalist, SHTF, TEOTWAWKI or any other version of those mindsets.
Just exploring the minimal amount of gear (other than a 310 tool) that it would take to reload one type of cartridge with one type of load.

 

[RicinYakima]

One nail, one dowel, plyers and a rock; bullets, primers, powder.

 

[Ian]

Ok. Well then, excluding the 310 tool, that leaves this:



Just add flat-ish surface, swing press (rock, stick, hammer, revolver butt, etc), powder/bullets/primers. If you got creative it could be kitted even smaller and more complete.

 

[Hawk]

Ian,
If that's a Lee, that is what me and my dad first started out with in .38 SPL.
I don't know where it is now.
Mom sold of a lot of his stuff without checking with their three sons first!