Let's Talk Bench Rests

[Chromaflage]

I'm in the market for a rifle bench rest....wanting to reduce the human factor when testing the precision and accuracy of my rifles. I've looked at several on Ebay and found, like anything else, there's a broad spectrum of pricing. Of course, I really would rather not spend hundreds of dollars on something like this. So what is a good, economical rest? What do you look for in features, quality, etc.?

[Rauly]

A good quality coat rolled up and the warm hood of my truck.

We have a home made one out of ply wood. It works very well and is comfortable to shoot from left or right handed. It's staeady even on windy days. Sorry I'm not more help.

[coyote.204]

I found a design that I liked and built my own. It cost me under $50.00 bucks cause I didnt need to buy plywood. It breaks down and takes up little room.
And the main part is that its super stable. I did buy a nice rest for it also. I will try and post some picks of it later.

[Don Fischer]

I have two out in the shop less the legs, one left hand and one right hand. Might have a photo in photobucket, will look. The top's are made of 1 1/4" rail car deck. The legs are 1 1/4" iron pipe. Legs capped on the bottom and screw into Metal floor flanges on the bottom. The table is very sturdy and the whole thing super portable.

Well it's not in Photo bucket. Send me an e-mail and I'll send a photo to you tonight or tomorrow. Have to go take one. Will show the pads the floor flanges are on, they are glued and screwed under the table, very sturdy!

[Chromaflage]

Thanks guys. Anyone use a Sure Shot rest?

[Mad Mikey]

I bought this one a few years ago from Cabela's. I think it ran me about $60. I'm quite happy with it now that I'm used to it but if I were to purchase another one I'd opt for something a bit heavier.

I also just noticed the placement of the vices are opposite from my pic to the Cabela's pic(?) Well, that's how it came, seems to work for me...






Sure Shot Shooting Vise/Rest

[No Luck]

Originally Posted by Chromaflage

I'm in the market for a rifle bench rest....wanting to reduce the human factor when testing the precision and accuracy of my rifles. I've looked at several on Ebay and found, like anything else, there's a broad spectrum of pricing. Of course, I really would rather not spend hundreds of dollars on something like this. So what is a good, economical rest? What do you look for in features, quality, etc.?

This baby is solid as a rock!!!

[Rank Amateur]

I bought a Inventive Technologies rest last year, it has the butt pad holder and really takes the kick out. It has the center vertical adjustment and is easy to dial the old girl back on target after the shot. Real steady. Very similar to the Sure Shot above except for the butt pad rests on the back riser. Cabelas has them.

[brshooter]

Pretty tough to beat a Bald Eagle rest. Hart's are good as well. Some old Wichita rests floating around out there too. Throw on a nice windage adjustable top and you are set.

Check with Russ Haydon. He has the Hart rests and sells zircon sand too. Don't use mason's sand. It is not stable.

Jay Young has made some rest tops from time to time that are the bomb. I didn't see them listed here, but it has some contact info.

benchrest

[Don Fischer]

I had a shooting vice at one time, way to unstable for me. It negated the solid bench! Best set up is bags, either sand or I know of one guy that use's kitty litter.

I graduated from bags to a Cauldwell rest. The rest is much more convient but no more stable than bags.

The rest No Luck posted looks like a great rest if you don't care for portability. Wondering what kind of finish in on the top? Seem's the wrong type could get hard on elbows without a pad. Another thing I'd change on it is those concrete blocks. As long as it's staionary, I'd put a pad under the table and stack the block's flat then fill them with concrete. No joint's that way. Joint's move sooner or later. Also with the pad, if the block's were to settle they'd all have to settle at the same time.

[Wet Willie]

I just bought a Cauldwell lead sled from Cabela's and tried it out this weekend. I worked great. My riffle still moved around a little because of the padding, but was pretty easy to hold steady on the bullseye. I used two lead bags for weight and it really takes the recoil away. If your looking for something to set your riffle in and not touch it before the shot, I don't think this is what you want though.

[MossyOarReelCreek]

If you want to put out the $$ for it.. this is the best and most versatile shooting stabalizer system I have ever seen. I saw it at the gun show and talked with the guy he makes them. it's made in Lyons,OR. Whether you are 4'6" or 6'6" standing or sitting. You get your most comfy chair and adust the shooting rest. The whole thing is on a tripod and swivels 360 degrees and moves up and down with ease. It also can be used for handguns. The best things is!!! It only weighs 15lbs! The bad thing is it costs $280.00. Found a pic.

[Don Fischer]

Sent chromaflage some photo's of my bench. Guess I should put a couple in here too.

[Shark Bait]

Originally Posted by No Luck

This baby is solid as a rock!!!

Well color me jealous! Not only is that a great looking bench topped with an awesome rifle it is right outside the house!

[Chromaflage]

Thanks for sending the photos Don! Great stuff!!

Originally Posted by Don Fischer

Sent chromaflage some photo's of my bench. Guess I should put a couple in here too.

This is it laying in the Bronco with my target frame on top of it. The round silver things at the left under it are the ends of the legs.



And set up. Lawn chair works great for a seat.

[MarlinMark]

I like the table with screw in legs posted above. Do you have plans for that?

Mark

[thefishslayer]

[quote=Rauly;2396577]A good quality coat rolled up and the warm hood of my truck.quote]
My dad was doing that this summer, with his 300, black marks across his white truck

[Don Fischer]

Originally Posted by MarlinMark

I like the table with screw in legs posted above. Do you have plans for that?

Mark

I do have a set that I drew up myself. I'll see about copying them and PM them to you if you want. Really a sturdy table.

[No Luck]

Originally Posted by Don Fischer

I had a shooting vice at one time, way to unstable for me. It negated the solid bench! Best set up is bags, either sand or I know of one guy that use's kitty litter.

I graduated from bags to a Cauldwell rest. The rest is much more convient but no more stable than bags.

The rest No Luck posted looks like a great rest if you don't care for portability. Wondering what kind of finish in on the top? Seem's the wrong type could get hard on elbows without a pad. Another thing I'd change on it is those concrete blocks. As long as it's staionary, I'd put a pad under the table and stack the block's flat then fill them with concrete. No joint's that way. Joint's move sooner or later. Also with the pad, if the block's were to settle they'd all have to settle at the same time.

Don

The finish on top is sanded smooth right now and isn’t that bad. I have to agree on the blocks it would be better to have mortar in between and sitting on something like a concrete pad. But this isn’t the bench final resting spot my plan was to have the whole area and drive way paved. I actually made four of these and have them placed around the ranch. The one in ther picture has ranges out to 640 yards.

Larry

[Hunt'nFish]

Kerry,
Here's my setup. $200 pkg deal on rest & bench from one of the Expo Shows.
Hunt'nFish

[Chesapeake]

Originally Posted by Hunt'nFish

Kerry,
Here's my setup. $200 pkg deal on rest & bench from one of the Expo Shows.
Hunt'nFish

I've got a chronograph, but dang. You got a computer lab set up behind you!

[Hunt'nFish]

Oehler Mod43 PBL.
Now if I could just justify the acoustical target screen to the wifey. Then I could get measured BC data.
So instead we stick a Pro-Chrono down range in front of the target and read the screen through the scope.
Hunt'nFish

[coyote.204]

Here is my bench. It looks the same as the one Don has set up. The top is 1/2" marine plywood doubled up. I sanded the top and painted it with a textured paint. Just for more grip for my rear bag. I built a carrier for the legs so there not rolling all over the place in the back of my truck. They are threaded and screw in to the gussets I mounted on the bottom. It is very stable.

[Chesapeake]

Darn, guess I gotta add another project to the list.

[Don Fischer]

Originally Posted by No Luck

Don

The finish on top is sanded smooth right now and isn’t that bad. I have to agree on the blocks it would be better to have mortar in between and sitting on something like a concrete pad. But this isn’t the bench final resting spot my plan was to have the whole area and drive way paved. I actually made four of these and have them placed around the ranch. The one in ther picture has ranges out to 640 yards.

Larry

That's still a great idea. Wish I had a place to set one up like it.

[Don Fischer]

majcl5,

I recently gave away my old bench. Probably about the same principle as those, you sit on it and add weight to the table and it is solid as a rock. The top on that one was similar to my present only 2 pcs 3/4" plywood glued and screwed. Then two wood legs in front and a 2 x 6 on edge running from the front out the back to the ground behind the top. a seat was on the 2 x 6 and under the back of the table was a 3/4" plywood gusset down to the 2 x 6 to support the back of the table. Not real handy to move around, needed the back of the pickup, but not real heavy either. Adding weight makes any table more stable.

The one thing I found out about tables when I built the first with 3/4" pipe legs is that an unsteady table is a night mare and so is to light a table.

[Hunt'nFish]

Originally Posted by majcl5

I make these and they are the best out there. They are full rotating and solid as a rock.

majcl5, Did I see yours at one of the PDX Gun Shows in the past?
Very sweet benches. Almost as good as the BR Pivots.
Very nice work there! I'm envious....real envious!
Hunt'nFish

[Don Becker]

Here's the set-up Jon and I use. 'Sorry the pictures aren't that great re the bench itself. I made it years ago and it has folding table legs that are readily available commercially. Three-legged versions would, of course, be more stable on uneven ground. However, we really have very little trouble with this set-up. Don

[MarlinMark]

Originally Posted by Don Fischer

I do have a set that I drew up myself. I'll see about copying them and PM them to you if you want. Really a sturdy table.

That would be great! The brackets on the bottem and pipe were bought in the plumbing section of the local warehouse store? At what angle did you mount the brackets/gussets (doodads) to get the legs pointing outward?

Thanks Don,

Mark

[Don Fischer]

Originally Posted by MarlinMark

That would be great! The brackets on the bottem and pipe were bought in the plumbing section of the local warehouse store? At what angle did you mount the brackets/gussets (doodads) to get the legs pointing outward?

Thanks Don,

Mark

Don't know how well this is goig to show up. The pads for the flanges determine the angle. They are made from a 1" x 4" x 4' piece

[Hunt'nFish]

Nice work Don! That is certainly doable for just about anyone here.
Tip: solid core doors from a salvage yard makes great bench material...and cheap too.
Hunt'nFish

[reborn chrome]

[quote=thefishslayer;2401314]

Originally Posted by Rauly

A good quality coat rolled up and the warm hood of my truck.quote]
My dad was doing that this summer, with his 300, black marks across his white truck

can i do this with my BOSS your truck not mine

[reborn chrome]

ttt

[leadlobber]

need to see some pics im looking for a bench for rat season. does anybody have one that rotates. thanks lead.