Portable shooting bench

[Appleseed]

Idea was to make a somewhat portable leveling shooting bench, two 3/4 pieces treated plywood, steel tube legs


http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff38/Appleseed-album/table004_zpsd53951ff.jpg (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/Appleseed-album/media/table004_zpsd53951ff.jpg.html)

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http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff38/Appleseed-album/boomer037_zps2a4e8d1f.jpg (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/Appleseed-album/media/boomer037_zps2a4e8d1f.jpg.html)

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff38/Appleseed-album/boomer049_zps5071eb7e.jpg (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/Appleseed-album/media/boomer049_zps5071eb7e.jpg.html)

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http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff38/Appleseed-album/boomer045_zps103e4f44.jpg (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/Appleseed-album/media/boomer045_zps103e4f44.jpg.html)

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff38/Appleseed-album/table001_zps2040fa43.jpg (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/Appleseed-album/media/table001_zps2040fa43.jpg.html)

Assembly after second coat paint dries. I would construct the top differently on second one and maybe use aluminum tube.

[03mossy]

No doubt its going to be sturdy!!! Nice work.

[Nandy]

Love the picture of the young one in the background whit his ears covered but seems to be having the time of his life, just like my son would!!!
Good luck with the project!

[geargrinder]

Love the picture of the young one in the background whit his ears covered but seems to be having the time of his life, just like my son would!!!
Good luck with the project!

I was thinking the same. Made me chuckle.

[Nandy]

Definitely looks like something I would have done. Is this a table meant to move around much? how heavy will it be?

[yobuck]

The Makita saw is the best for lefty use in my opinion. Looking over the saw as pictured dosent work as well at least for me.
But as for the subject topic, the bench, very nice job. Good welding also.
Do you have any expansion bits for that thing your using? lol

[Appleseed]

Those are several of my neighbors/craftsmen that have every tool needed for the job except welders, that's the part I hired. The legs/cuffs weigh 55 lb, that's what the shop charged in poundage for steel. The top is aproxamately 2/3's of a 3/4" sheet so it's probably about the same.

The guy with glasses makes his living building chairs and great wheels (spinning) by hand; beginning from rendering the log into billits and his tools are all hand tools. Keeps everthing needed, tools/bits/cutters/etc, in a working collection. He also makes reproduction iron, blacksmithing.

If I make another table, it will be a single piece 1" birch finish grade with adjustable square tube alumimnum legs. That will make it portable to carry and will cut production time: plywood prep/gluing/shaping/banding.

I think the top measures 34" wide X 42" long, the left/right arm rest is 18" wide. It needed a 1/2" treated band glued/stapled to the sides to cover the brittle plywood edges.

[Appleseed]

Have learned several things about design and construction of this bench that I will refine later. Maybe even offer the leg assembly for sale. Everybody ought to have a saw or a friend with one that can cut out the top. Looked at several really nice benches, like the Stucky's that is well designed/machined/finished. Those aren't overpriced after building this one. If it's done right there is a lot of work in this crude bench. Put the legs on today and will see how it adjusts before week's end.

Will probably use the caldwell matrix rest, the single or double tube lead sleds would allow swing shooting too. My neighbor uses a yoke that is through-drilled but dosen't allow a lot of movement. Hope the table is solid enough to mount most any rest.

[Appleseed]

http://www.wheeleez.com/

These would make a handy tote for loading range equipment.

Folks use these beach caddies for surf/pier fishing, a fabrication shop down east obx makes one that fits into the tow receiver, my old truck has one back and front for racks/coolers.

[Nandy]

My tools are limited by my space. I do a little of stick and gas welding. Love to get me a good tig machine but I cant justify the expense as well as I cant justify a lathe... Dang, me dreaming. Those welds are just beautiful. If you were closer I could had helped you with the welding but just in gasoline/time i am sure the expense is way more than what you paid in the shop. Aluminum, I cant do that one, maybe if I get that Miller Mig machine I have my eyes on.... I love to build things.
What distances will you be shooting on it? I like and have the Caldwell rock deluxe shooting rest in combination with one of their universal rear shooting bags. I like to get their rock BR shooting rest but all I have access to shoot is 200 yds on public fire range in SC so I cant really justify the price either. There is a guy that frequent said range and has the rock br rest and added 3 big bases (about the size of a 2.5 lbs weight plate) and that thing is solid. I got to play with it, fell in love, saw the sticker price, still in love but know is not worth the price unless I start shooting 300 or more.
Im not too fond of sledge type shooting rests. My experience in the past has been that if I used my light guns I cant get it to stay still. Of course, that seems to be a me problem instead of design problem. With separate rest and bags all I do is touch the rear bag and squeeze on it to get it to go to where I want. The 30-06 is the worst gun to shoot since it is so light if I dont hold it the dang thing will jump all over and give me a black eye. The 22-250 dont recoil much and the 7rm is about 14 lbs with a SSS Brux barrel and SSS muzzle break so that one is not going anywhere. I love to shoot with that one, most of the time I can see the deer thru the scope react to get hit by the bullet. Most get knocked down, few stand back up... danged, this was long winded!!! lol! Do you hunt?

PS - at that 200 yds range, we had a few people with jacked up baby strollers rebuilt to haul the guns and accessories from their cars to the firing range... It seemed to work fine for them.

[yobuck]

For hunting, and by that i mean long range hunting the rest is as or even more criticle than the bench.
Certainly its important to have a solid rest with adjustment capability. But its also important to be able
to stay on the animal should it run after a shot. And then be ready when it stops for a quick follow up shot.
Those type rests arent available in the market place. They are designed and built by those having the need for them
and modified and improved as experience dictates.

[Appleseed]

The farm range is 100, 200, 350 with a possible 600 if I cut a couple trees. I hunt out the window/porch because I can see 4 fields while drinking coffee. Haven't used any rest other than the yoke at neighbors and my caldwell bags. I'm a farm shooter, have some long range christmas tree farms to ground hog hunt when deer season is out.

Help me on rests...is the matrix worth $60? There is a 1000 yrd range a few miles up the road and several shooters there machine comp rests for about $300. I'm looking for a rest to take the recoil off my head/neck.

[Nandy]

Ahhh, the joy of shooting in a farm. I have seen just a hand full of ground hogs, never in the field. I'm sure that has to be fun!

I am afraid the matrix wont help you taking the recoil off punishing you. Caldwell has the Lead Sled Plus and I seen them and used it in both of the ranges I currently use AND they guys in my hunting lease do have one as well. Bad is the price is just under $100 and I am not sure of the shipping.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/726246/caldwell-lead-sled-plus-rifle-shooting-rest

That one will take the recoil off you. The more you weight the sledge the less recoil you will feel. At the 200 yd range they have one which looks home build and it has a steel angle up front instead of legs. That steel angle fits in the shooting table (theirs are made of 2x4's) after you remove one 2x4 (almost all tables had one 2x4 loose for this) hence the shooting table absorbs the recoil. These tables are permanent and very beefy. In my opinion, if avoiding the recoil is the main goal the sled plus is worth the money. Your other options are to change the recoil pad. Limbsaver is a great option. I bought a few pads while on discount, I cant remember the brand, for 11 dollars and they were excellent. I have them in my 30-06 which is very light and in the 22-250, both in Boyds featherweight thumbhole stock. These were the grind to fit and the fit is great.
If recoil is not the main concern Im not sure I would spend the money in the matrix just by looking at it. I did some research and the reviews are not the best. If you check the sledge has 4.5 out of 5 reviews in Midway while the matrix has 3. I think that if you are target shooting you will be way better with sandbags in the front and a good rear shooting bag. Hope I am of some help.

[yobuck]

Ive never used a lead sled or any similar device. Im sure they work to some degree at least.
Our main interest is a solid rest that will allow for good shot placment. Also be able to follow
a running animal that might also be hit regardless of which direction and how far/fast he runs.
Our serious long range guns are either 30 or 338 cal using heavy bullets over very large powder charges.
Theres no way to completly avoid recoil even with 20# or heavier guns with muzzel brakes.
Weight and muzzel brakes do help however. Id sooner shoot a 20# 338 with a 300 gr bullet than a 10# 30/06
with a 180 gr bullet as far as felt recoil goes.

[Appleseed]

Been busy farming, getting ready for winter when I start fishing. Put the legs on the table yesterdauy and thought it may not work till remembered to tighten the 5/8" leg bolts. Honestly I think it would hold a compact car and is easily leveled. I'll get some pics this week if weather holds.

[Appleseed]

Used two bolts per leg cuff, it adjusts with an open end, tilt the side that needs leveling with one hand, cuff drops to the ground/tighten with other hand so one person can move, set-up and adjust. Did not need a shim welded to tube by using two opposed bolt tightners.

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff38/Appleseed-album/table031_zps70236ef0.jpg (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/Appleseed-album/media/table031_zps70236ef0.jpg.html)

The leg cuff on the right is about 3" long adjustment for the uneven ground, the rear may need to get longer to adjust for the drop. Cuffs will allow for 6-8" adjustment.

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff38/Appleseed-album/table029_zps5431b477.jpg (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/Appleseed-album/media/table029_zps5431b477.jpg.html)

This is a 350 yrd lane, may be able to see the dark green patch of weeds on a 25' tall log/dirt berm to left of orange leafed tree down past the weed field.

[drybean]

Very nice

[Balljoint]

Not having a welding setup to build a shooting bench found this in the NRA store http://www.nrastore.com/nrastore/ProductDetail.aspx?p=SA+24368&ct=e not much more than some have spent on thairs.

[Appleseed]

Three legs work well. Next bench will be lighter top and a bit different under frame. Labor is the cost in the leg & table fabrication. Raw materials were less than $100. If I had a welder, would make a set up to churn out the parts. There is a community college nearby that has a semister of welding shop access for $120. I can't buy gas and wire for that.

[yobuck]

Youve done a very nice job on your bench. Youve no doubt heard it said that the perfect house dosent exist which is no doubt true.
We no sooner move in to our new well planned perfect house before we bigin to see things we wish we did differently.
After building benches for over 40 years i can tell you benches are no different. There is no one size fits all applications.
Take your new bench to a place in N C where you want to hunt but need to carry the bench say 300 yds or more.
And set up on a steep sidehill where you can see across the valley to another. I would reccomend you not be in a big hurry
to build another. If you do you will end up with a garage full of benches. Just like me. lol