Wondering if there is an optimal height for a reloading bench? What do you like?
I’m 6’4” and find most things are not made for me.

Sit at a bench and aim at the target. It's OK to have the elbows off the bench. Once comfortable, have someone measure from your elbows to the bench surface you're using. Add those two dimensions and get to work building your new bench.

Alternatively, you could build up a rest using 2x8s or 2x10s to put on a regular bench and get the height you desire!

quote:

Originally posted by odin:
Sit at a bench and aim at the target. It's OK to have the elbows off the bench. Once comfortable, have someone measure from your elbows to the bench surface you're using. Add those two dimensions and get to work building your new bench.

Alternatively, you could build up a rest using 2x8s or 2x10s to put on a regular bench and get the height you desire!

Uh, I believe he's talking about a reloading bench, not a shooting bench.

And addressing the OP's question, it's a personal thing based on my observations. Some like to reload standing up, some sitting down, some who sit use a bar stool, some use other things, so they vary. I've been in a lot of other peoples' reloading rooms and I've never seen any 2 that were the same.

It's going to depend on your personal size and preferences.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Flash-LB,

I figured out the optimum height to put my reloading presses at a height that felt best for me when cranking their handles (including the heights of any additional individual bench stands for the individual presses) and made the reloading bench height accommodate that. You can always use an adjustable stool when sitting, but if you intend to stand for maximum leverage when using a press with large rifle calibers, some height experimentation before settling on how high the bench surface should be might be helpful.

39" is perfect for me. I can stand if I want or use the stool if I want. Kind of messy, but this is mine:

My bench height is 40", works well for me. I'm 6'3" it works sitting on stool or standing.

For some reason the stool had not entered my head. I could only think sit or stand, looks like both are possible using a stool.

Thanks for the pictures.

https://shotgunsportsmagazine...._pdf/bench_plans.pdf

I did this one recently, it's for someone 6'2" and at 6'0" I thought it a bit tall but I'm really liking it as when I'm working on gear like mounting scopes or whatever it's right in my face, no stooping over.

But the key for reloading is you want the height to match your press stroke, as in you wouldn't want it so high that the press handle at the bottom of the stroke was below your reach.

Mine is slightly different, no doors on the cabinet and the top is double due to installing two heavy duty t-track in it so I can swap presses and other tools as needed or use the bench top clear of anything. The 6ft tracks have three 2ft wood fillers in each so stuff isn't falling in them and I only open the track needed at the time.

new bench with mods

I have a 36” tall bench and I’m 5’8” and load standing.

With case feeders, the Dillon press measures from base of press to highest point:
RL1100: 39.5”
XL650: 35”

Plus whatever mount height you have. I’ve the RL1100 on a 4” Inline press mount and the XL650 on a 9.5” Inline Fabrication press mount. I have a 36” bench so the tallest setup from the floor is 81” and puts the shell plates at about 51”. This is great for me for standing to reload while being able to see powder in the case and have a full down stroke with out bending over.

My benches, four of them, are set to the height that accommodates my stools...ah, that'd be the long-legged chairs we sit on, before you of you smartxxxxs wises off. I sit to load for all operations except annealing, so it's pretty standard. I'm 6-0, and the bench height works out to be the same for standing or sitting on one of those long-legged chairs. Rod

Don't know about reloading benches, but, the the common recommendation for woodworking benches, IIRC, is a height such that standing, with arms down and palms out flat, they should just brush the bench top.

I reload in the garage. So I set my bench so that I could have a roll around tool chest slide under it.

I use the tool chest to store my dies, scale, special tools etc. it’s only for reloading stuff.

I’m 6’1”. Mrs Mike uses the same bench but I made a riser on her section….

I picked up one of the adjustable Husky tables from Home Depot a couple years back.

I admit, the table is shaky when loading, but I like the option of sitting or standing when loading.

One thing I do to stop the shaking is to hold onto the bullet tray when operating the piston.

Also note how the press is on the edge of the table and not the center. That helps with the table movement.

quote:

Originally posted by ugeesta:
I picked up one of the adjustable Husky tables from Home Depot a couple years back.

I admit, the table is shaky when loading, but I like the option of sitting or standing when loading.

One thing I do to stop the shaking is to hold onto the bullet tray when operating the piston.

Also note how the press is on the edge of the table and not the center. That helps with the table movement.

That is one of the more unique loading setups I've ever seen. Are those mattresses behind and to the right of the bench?

Foundation insulation. I reload in the basement. The press is sitting back too. I move it forward to the front of the table when using it.

quote:

Originally posted by ugeesta:
Foundation insulation. I reload in the basement. The press is sitting back too. I move it forward to the front of the table when using it.

So do you C clamp it to the bench or what?

No.
The stand is secured in place by using machine bolts with tee nuts under the top. Its easy to move the press so I can use the table for other hobbies.

Thanks.

FYI, that's way too clean for a reloading bench.

Yeah, it's pretty clean. I kinda like it that way. The drawers under the top are nice to store the primer tubes, electronic scale and stuff. Plus, most of the components are scattered around the basement.

Picture of the Tee nut

Nice. I used to do something similar but since I have 10 reloading presses and only room to mount 6 presses, I went to quick change universal mounts for them years ago. My desk is a mess but I know where everything is and that's what counts for me.