Front Rest Questions

**1.618** · 01-19-2014, 10:51 AM

Hey, guys,

I'm new to F-Class. Have never even shot it yet, but I would like to try, once I get my new rifle and handloads dialled in.

I'm trying to save some money after all the money I've already spent on scope, rifle, dies, etc etc etc and since I'm a passable welder, I was thinking of fabbing my own front rest to save some change.

Originally I was just going to use an Acme screw for elevation, and move the rear bag right/left for windage, but then I saw the "joystick" rests and thought that seemed like a pretty slick arrangement, if somewhat more difficult to fabricate.

Today I was doing some quick calcs on what range of motion I might need for windage and elevation and found that if the rear rest and front rest are 28" apart, the most I might need to move the front rest in any direction at 1000 yards would be some fraction of an inch.

(1/4" at 28" is the same angle as 26.75 feet at 1000 yards.)

So my questions are, assuming that everyone is shooting prone (as per NRA rules), and assuming that they're always using the same rear bag, why do some front rests for F-Class have such huge ranges of vertical and horizontal motion?

I don't understand why it would be necessary or even desirable to have such gross adjustments available, since a larger range of motion suggests that fine adjustments would be more difficult. (Kind of like trying to set a Biesemeyer-style table saw fence...beat it into submission.)

Anyway, can anyone advise me on what features and capabilities are needed and/or desirable on a front rest for F-Class? It seems to me that as long as you're shooting on fairly level terrain, you shouldn't need much adjustment for elevation on the front rest...maybe 4" at most (for use on bumpy ground). Am I thinking about this right?

I know, I should go and observe an F-Class match, but they're few and far-between around here, and I've got cabin fever, and this could give me something to do some TIGgin' on a cold winter day.

Thanks in advance for any clues.

JCalhoun · 01-19-2014, 03:35 PM

Where are you located?

As for the variations in front rests, it due to the variations in the shooters. We are all built differently. There are also variations in the surface your rest will sit on and how crowded the line will be. Rifle are also built differently and some rests are used for several rifles and on the ground and bench use.

Lots of folks (including me) started with a Caldwell Rock (or similar) front rest because it's cheap and will get you along until you can improve it or get something better. It works well as a double duty rest with multiple rifles.