Shooting Bench Plans on the Site

[kohler]

Couple years ago shooting bench plans were posted here. Anyone with better search skills finds them, I’d appreciate the link. Looking for a spring project. Thanks.

[Robinhood]

Not sure if you are looking for a specific plan but I did search on the web and found a bunch of them.

https://duckduckgo.com/?ia=w

Type in "Shooting Bench Plans"

[jpx2rk]

I built a portable bench using the Ryobi miter saw folding stand from HD and the clamps bolted to the top, comes apart and loads up pretty easy, the top is the heaviest part as I doubled up on the 3/4" plywood.

[yobuck]

Theres shooting benches and then theres shooting benches, and it all depends on the type shooting.
As in a permanent set up or a portable one you can carry around.
We have a large permanent bench at our camp that is getting close to 50 years old but still rock solid.
Built from wood before pressure treated wood was available, but treated regularly with a good wood treatment.
Weve also been building portable ones for carrying about while hunting for about as long.
A combination of Aluminum for a frame and legs and plywood for the top is about as good as it gets.
The work stations as mentioned can be made to work also, depending on the terrain you use them on.
But they lack for adjustments for leveling should that be necessary.
Also remember that the higher you go the more unstable it gets without bracing.
For hunting, even with heavier guns, the heavy duty and pricey shooting tripods are for sure an alternative.

[kohler]

Thanks. Rifle bench(es) would be a self serving gift to a friend who allows me free access to his high roller pheasant club with 1000 yard range. Figured I’d make a few of them with wheels. With the club focus being birds, wine, and dog training the range is under appointed with benches. Can’t really have the range open with dogs and wine tasters working birds. Construction would be based on outdoor four season WI weather.

[yobuck]

Thanks. Rifle bench(es) would be a self serving gift to a friend who allows me free access to his high roller pheasant club with 1000 yard range. Figured I’d make a few of them with wheels. With the club focus being birds, wine, and dog training the range is under appointed with benches. Can’t really have the range open with dogs and wine tasters working birds. Construction would be based on outdoor four season WI weather.
The best for that type shooting would be a permanent setup.
And the best choice for material would be cement block support with a concrete top.
Fill the block with concrete as you pour the top.
Seat to sit on could be part of it, or treated separatly by using a stool of some type, and that would be the easiest way to build also.

[Robinhood]

We built something like this and used deck paint to cover it. Top, sides and bottom. I put a small piece of trim around the edges to keep things out of the grass and on top of the bench. This is an internet picture. I don't post my photos due to storage issues that have been implemented on the WWW photo sites these days.

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fhowtospecialist.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F12%2FDIY-Recycled-Wood-Shooting-Bench-370x215.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

[yobuck]

We built something like this and used deck paint to cover it. Top, sides and bottom. I put a small piece of trim around the edges to keep things out of the grass and on top of the bench. This is an internet picture. I don't post my photos due to storage issues that have been implemented on the WWW photo sites these days.

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fhowtospecialist.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F12%2FDIY-Recycled-Wood-Shooting-Bench-370x215.jpg&f=1&nofb=1
Being a lefty, take a guess at the first thing i noticed. lol

[Robinhood]

Being a lefty, take a guess at the first thing i noticed. lol

I'm thinking a skilled man such as yourself could find a remedy. Ours has a leg on the rer left corner with a brace. You know that deck paint color grows on you. Kind of a light red or rust color. I have since noticed they have some darker colors too. After 5 years in This heat it is holding up fine.

[Fuj']

Built 2 of these for our 2 bay pavilion extension. Made them
longer for the 30" tubes and work with the Lab Radars. Also
for the lefty's, a switch hitter seat, or just leave it off for
those that like their own throne. Hopefully club funds will let
me do 2 concrete bench's. Currently we have 6 bays on the
300 range, with new concrete pad. I don't miss that mud and
gravel floor......

[Bill2905]

The State of Indiana built these benches at the Willow Slough FWA range where I shoot a lot. I like the separate bench seating which you can position where you like it.

[yobuck]

Built 2 of these for our 2 bay pavilion extension. Made them
longer for the 30" tubes and work with the Lab Radars. Also
for the lefty's, a switch hitter seat, or just leave it off for
those that like their own throne. Hopefully club funds will let
me do 2 concrete bench's. Currently we have 6 bays on the
300 range, with new concrete pad. I don't miss that mud and
gravel floor......
Simple design that works, and thats what matters.
Good idea to cut the concrete like that.
We have a large rural type mail box under the front of ours for dry storage of sand bags, targets etc.

[kohler]

Found this https://sierrabullets.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/shooting-bench-plans.pdf

Ten degrees warmer outside and I’ll start the saw. Thanks for the suggestions. Detachable seats are a nice idea.

[Fuj']

Only one thing bad about detachable seats; Sooner or later,
some asshole takes one down range to set targets on. So
far so good.

[yobuck]

Only one thing bad about detachable seats; Sooner or later,
some asshole takes one down range to set targets on. So
far so good.
That usually happens after some AR guys shoot down the backstops.
Hey, no fun unless something blows up or falls over. lol

[kohler]

That usually happens after some AR guys shoot down the backstops.
Hey, no fun unless something blows up or falls over. lol

Must be true. The backstop at this range had fluorescent orange paint and black stencil DO NOT SHOOT THE POSTS. Guess he gave up, now you have to bring your own backstop.

[Fuj']

The last board of directors meeting had us discussing the
banning of these types of firearms. Not so much the tearing
up of target stands but, the wannabes going into the pistol
pits and causing destruction of the softer pistol plates and
poppers. Also that curse of the steel cases left on the ground.
Plays hell the mowers. I Love and use the AR platform for half
of my shooting, but some of these guy's I'm going to start
brooming their memberships.....Off my box !!

Good luck with the bench, and post up some details as you go.

[Appleseed]

https://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?39572-Portable-shooting-bench

Currently I'm making some changes in the under frame, but square tubing is the way to go imo. The three legs have 12" of foot, tubing that slides and locks on the legs for leveling. I made the table top double layered treated 3/4", too heavy to tote around unless it's in a truck bed or 4 wheeler. The changes planned are for 3/4" top single cabinet grade plywood, and aluminum square tubing. It is solid. Yobuck has some great pictures of several he uses in hunting camp in another post.

[kohler]

I assembled the bench from plans posted on Sierra’s site. With three 6” posts it’s a beast. I took the suggestion for a detached switch seat - as a way to reduce rolling weight. I pre cut all the wood to plan which included an affixed seat which required the longest 2x6’s. Of course I mistakenly grabbed the long boards for bench which is now 9” longer than plan.

Wheels are on order. Given the weight and expected mobility I reinforced the legs and added a 5,000 pound tow strap.

i got a new Makita drill set out of the project. Menard’s helped with a self service saw to cut 6”x 6” posts. The next bench will weigh half as much for sure. No more 6x6’s.

[kohler]

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