Reorganizing my reloading stuff

[nettlle]

I have been reloading for 50+ years, moved (4) times, and never really organized my stuff. Basically worked out of boxes more or less all these years. Lot of stuff. And yes I do have (2) of some things. So I retired this spring and one of my goals was to have an organized reloading area. I reload in the garage (heated in the winter) and keep the primers and powder in a climate controlled house. The garage is dusty in the summer months not to mention the bugs. Been buying plastic containers for my stuff to organize and keep the dust out. A couple storage methods I really like are Sterilite containers with lids and Plano tackle storage containers. These are pretty much dust proof. A couple of additions to some Sterilite containers today are my new Wilson case trimmer and my RCBS 10-10 scale. And if you have any suggestions I would more than welcome them. Work in progress here!

 

[dgod]

I store all my ammo in Ammo cans, at least 1 for each caliber, if I don’t have room for a caliber, I just add another ammo box, my powder is stored in a gun safe, and primers in another safe with my firearms. This has worked for me for the last 30+ years

Good Luck, if I can help, please let me know

 

[nettlle]

I have enough ammo MTM and Cabela's ammo boxes to store all my ammo thank you. It's the reloading equipment I am trying to organize and protect.

 

[algaeguy]

Frogfurr, I have mine organized as you do, in the plastic, latching shoebox. 1 shoebox contains all the dies, brass, for each caliber. I write on both sides in sharpie was the size is. They stack nicely. If you are working about dust or rust, I would go with a container or ammo can that has a gasket, and put in a small container of the moisture absorbing silica gel. You can even buy the silica beads that are blue, then turn pink when 'wet'. Easy to refresh in the oven.

 

[nettlle]

Where did you get a latching shoe box?

 

[JmacD]

I bought a cheap dynmo label maker. And I like to use containers that are clear/transparent. I also label both lid and side. My stuff is in the basement, but it can be a bit dusty if I’m remodeling or doing a woodworking project. Mine is still a work in progress.

 

[algaeguy]

The usual places: target walmart, Amazon. Google Sterilite 6-Quart Clear Stackable Latching

 

[Otto]

I bought a couple of Trinity tool chests from Costco a few years back on sale. But I can’t remember what I paid. It has a 2,200 lb weight capacity.

I use a smaller Trinity chest for dies and misc stuff. 10 die sets per drawer.

 

[lordpaxman]

I use plastic see through containers as well. Bought a heavy duty rack from Home Depot and spaced the racks appropriately. My LNL caliber conversions are in separate boxes along with some amount of bullets, gauges, and any dummy setup bullets for that caliber. How you organize will definitely be up to you. Not all plastic containers work well, Iris tend to break easily. Sterilite seem ok, I used Hefty when they used to sell them.
I used them to get organized for a move and built some custom wooden boxes as well that I still use. Don’t put too much weight in the plastic or slam them when it gets below freezing….

 

[jmorris]

I think this might be one of my best storage buys, holds both big and little stuff, locks up easy and doesn’t take up much floor space.





The roll top style door slides under the bottom and back up the rear when opened.

 

[Charlie98]

I use those plastic containers to keep much of my brass sorted, but most of the tools... what doesn't fit in the 3-drawer toolbox, just sets out on the bench. I have VERY limited space in my reloading closet (...yes, it's a closet...) so I have to have things organized, or I won't have any room to work. Thankfully, I don't have the dust issues the OP has in the garage.

I also use those divided trays for cleaning supplies... one for pistol, one for rifle... those make life so much easier!

 

[irishlad]

I have been reloading for 50+ years, moved (4) times, and never really organized my stuff. Basically worked out of boxes more or less all these years. Lot of stuff. And yes I do have (2) of some things. So I retired this spring and one of my goals was to have an organized reloading area. I reload in the garage (heated in the winter) and keep the primers and powder in a climate controlled house. The garage is dusty in the summer months not to mention the bugs. Been buying plastic containers for my stuff to organize and keep the dust out. A couple storage methods I really like are Sterilite containers with lids and Plano tackle storage containers. These are pretty much dust proof. A couple of additions to some Sterilite containers today are my new Wilson case trimmer and my RCBS 10-10 scale. And if you have any suggestions I would more than welcome them. Work in progress here!

I use the containers too. Work well.

 

[Anchorite]

Really like the ideas, guys. Thanks for sharing.

 

[film495]

I like a toolbox like one of these, just a common toolbox, to keep on my bench, the lower compartment is tall enought to put a trimmer and a beam scale, and other odds and ends, and the top is where all the little tools and commonly used stuff goes, cartrdige check gauges, calipers, funnels, digital scale .. all the odds and ends. I tend to put anything opend in here, so - primers that are opened and in use, a 1lb just of powder fits, and I can put a lock on it if I want.

 

[Frulk]

No earth-shattering revelations in this post.....I'm kinda in the same boat as the OP. Although I had everything finally centralized in a dedicated reloading room it still wasn't as organized as I would like it.

I had two safes in the room that just took up too much space...part of the fix was finally finishing a walk-in vault and moving the safes out. That increased the open footprint by about 3X8 feet and as we all know...especially those of you that reload in very limited space, that's a massive amount of space for our hobby.

So, I've been busy trying to organize that room. I found the best way (for me at least) was to purchase rolling tool cabinets. That provides the ability to move them around for cleaning the reloading area and possible reconfiguration should my needs in the future change. After looking at all the options I also found them to be the most cost effective (short of cruising Facebook Marketplace and trying to piece everything together with odds and ends).

This was the space where the safes sat. Bought an adjustable bench from a big box home improvement store. Adjusted the height for where I'm comfortable using the bench to reload/work and moved the cabinets underneath. I'm still busy sorting the drawers out. One thing I was looking for was deeper drawers than standard tool cabinets which are shallow in most cases.

On the other side of the room, this cabinet is dedicated to gun cleaning supplies (rods/patches/rubber gloves/dental tools and so forth) as well as general gun servicing tools...Fat wrench/gun specific screwdrivers/bore sighting/lapping etc.)

This cabinet is handy for keeping smaller reloading odds and ends/stuff sorted out. I just wrote with a Sharpie on the drawer front what's in there.

I use various styles of plano tackle boxes to keep things organized. Shown here are the ones that contain the Lee APP shell holders and underneath them is a small fortune of RCBS Little Dandy Powder Rotors. My plan is to buy more Plano boxes in different sizes and put them in the drawers. I do have some purpose-built drawer organizers in use but find the Planos in some cases to work better (especially in the deeper drawers).

These were the first rolling cabinets I purchased for the room. I like them but find that the top cabinet drawers are too shallow and would have preferred one deep one.

The plastic bins under here contain the die sets. Kind of a dumb spot being all the way on the bottom and illustrates my point about the room not being organized/efficiently laid out as originally done. My plan is to move them to the drawers where the safes sat putting them much closer at hand.

The room is still a work in progress.

 

[Buzznrose]

I’m in reorganization mode too, but still figuring out how to organize the stuff I have and the stuff Im still planning to acquire.

But I will vouch for these flat boxes:

Amazon.com

I have some flat Plano fishing gear types but wanted some without dividers. They are pretty nice. Not super cheap but seem durable:

Here are a couple I’m using in my tool box:

 

[Highland Lofts]

I use the Sterilite containers for years for brass storage.
I have case of them on hand for future use.
I tape a tag on the end of the container with caliber, what was done with the Case and if it is all ready to load.
I do have a old red folgers can hanging around just for nostalgic purposes, no intended use.

 

[J-Bar]

If you can find what you need when you need it, you are organized enough. Go make ammo, stop wasting time.

 

[berettaprofessor]

I also use the Sterilite sizes you show for brass, reloading supplies, and some things, bigger ones for junk like slings, holsters, etc. Keep my set Lee turrets with each turret on a 3" diameter PVC pipe stand, all in a larger sterilite. Some plastic "fishing" containers with all the separate changels to separate small parts, store magazines, etc. Walmart has "transparent" 30 cal style/size ammo boxes but they're kept in the hardware area, for things that need airtight seal. I use metal ammo cans for ammo, mostly Harbor Freight since you can hit the $12.99 sale for a brand new 50 cal from time to time.