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portable shooting bench

I am with the 4 leg boys. make them adjustable and they will be far steadier and stronger than 3.
and you still have to have adjustable legs on the tripod - anyway I do, cause you don't know how much up or down you be shooting. BTDT and learned a better way.
For elevation, the rear leg on a typical 3-leg could be adjustable. But there are other ways to adapt to elevation. At our county range the benches are fixed steel and concrete, literally solid as a rock. The backstop is a mountain. Terrain is flat to 200 yards, then every 100 past that is higher up the mountain to 800 yards, at about 20 degrees elevation. Pity no one can hit the elevated targets, since the benches can't be tilted up! :rolleyes:
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I have a bench that has the option of either three or four legs. One of the legs is adjustable. There are three threaded leg sockets on a single quarter inch steel plate at the back of the bench. all angled. Comparing four to three, the three can be more easily dragged around to a different heading, but four legs, with the rock taken out with the adjustable one is more stable. I built mine to shoot off of left handed, although with a little creativity it can be used right handed. The shape of the top is, as far as I know unique. It is configured so that the side of the bench does not make contact with my body, to eliminate that source of movement.
If the three legs are all attached to the same small plate, at the back of the bench, I can well imagine that's not very stable. And I can see how adding a 4th leg anchored towards the other end improves it dramatically. I'd have to see a picture to really grasp the utility of that design over my three-legged fixed-leg bench with wide spread between the legs. I'll probably slap my forehead in sudden comprehension.
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Seriously? How much imagination would it take to block up one's front rest, or use a bipod that had legs that were long enough to give the necessary elevation. Personally, I would rather have a level surface to put things on and use the rest to elevate the front of the rifle.
If the three legs are all attached to the same small plate, at the back of the bench, I can well imagine that's not very stable. And I can see how adding a 4th leg anchored towards the other end improves it dramatically. I'd have to see a picture to really grasp the utility of that design over my three-legged fixed-leg bench with wide spread between the legs. I'll probably slap my forehead in sudden comprehension.
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I was referring to back legs only. The front legs are mounted on separate plates at the front corners of the bench.
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been using this table nearly 20 yrs..........probably a million rds over it........:)

who would guess how many p/dogs and coyotes......;)

keep a spare newer table in gun room for cleaning/scope mounting etc......

in those years.....the Eagles got to know my truck with the 3 legs in the air......

dinner bell when the shootin' starts.........usually two pair Golden's

thuN3bP.jpg


CocgF9T.jpg


znodeau.jpg
 
now much did the high tech variable height rear adjuster set you back ?

been using this table nearly 20 yrs..........probably a million rds over it........:)

who would guess how many p/dogs and coyotes......;)

keep a spare newer table in gun room for cleaning/scope mounting etc......

in those years.....the Eagles got to know my truck with the 3 legs in the air......

dinner bell when the shootin' starts.........usually two pair Golden's

thuN3bP.jpg


CocgF9T.jpg


znodeau.jpg
 
Seriously? How much imagination would it take to block up one's front rest, or use a bipod that had legs that were long enough to give the necessary elevation.
Not seriously. You missed the :rolleyes: and that I was obviously (I hoped) skewering the notion that a bench must itself provide elevation adjustment.

How much does your bench weigh? It looks twice as heavy as mine.
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Not seriously. You missed the :rolleyes: and that I was obviously (I hoped) skewering the notion that a bench must itself provide elevation adjustment.

How much does your bench weigh? It looks twice as heavy as mine.
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Oops! Sorry about that. Yes, my bench is probably heavier. It weighs 107# The legs are sched. 40 1 1/2" black pipe. The top is a prototype that was made from scrap that works so well that I have not bothered to change it. Generally I leave the legs on, walk the bench around on its front edge, and slide it into my truck's bed upside down. Doing it this way, I never have to pick it up. If I squeeze the rear bag, instead of using the windage top and rear leg for final aim adjustment, it does not move at all as I take a shot.
 
carpet on top
several were built with the legs stored in the frame but I have took to storing legs separate.
the top comes off with a battery driver and stores separate, it does not need to be 2 in thick so wt is not bad.

 
Save your pennies and buy a DOA bench;)
How can you save pennies (or even dollars) buying a $600 bench? :confused:

Looking at the DOA, it's designed for PD towns. It could be the best of breed for that. Several homebuilt designs here will work well enough for minute-of-PD shooting, even without a swiveling top and seat, just not as smoothly and quickly. But some of us use our "portable" benches for load development, in lieu of a proper benchrest shooting range. As such, my bench needs to be as rigid and stable, after careful setup and positioning, as possible. A PD is a couple MOA wide at 100 yards, I'm trying to develop 1/4 MOA loads off my bench. And in truth, it still ain't really good enough for that, even being an order of magnitude more rigid than the DOA.
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my bench was built to shoot on a flat 1000 prone range.( 100 yard steps 100-1000)
as you said load development.
any off road is secondary to intended use
How can you save pennies (or even dollars) buying a $600 bench? :confused:

Looking at the DOA, it's designed for PD towns. It could be the best of breed for that. Several homebuilt designs here will work well enough for minute-of-PD shooting, even without a swiveling top and seat, just not as smoothly and quickly. But some of us use our "portable" benches for load development, in lieu of a proper benchrest shooting range. As such, my bench needs to be as rigid and stable, after careful setup and positioning, as possible. A PD is a couple MOA wide at 100 yards, I'm trying to develop 1/4 MOA loads off my bench. And in truth, it still ain't really good enough for that, even being an order of magnitude more rigid than the DOA.
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I welded a frame to some sleeves that bolt in place on the legs to stabilize them (and the table) for ELR use. The legs shown are place holders as I'm in the process of refining a second gen set of legs. I have another stabilizer I'm going to add, but it hasn't been worked out completely yet.

IMG_4730.jpg
 
charlieyankeesierra
that's about what my last 3 leg looked like to get solid, but I had more braces and steel in it.
take apart? not easy
storability=poor
solid=almost

I don't know how to take the comment that adjustability is not needed. perhaps not on level ground. the pic above shows the bench tilted down and the rest raised. the way he is set up he is probably shooting half way up the other side or about 500 yd. to shoot the bottom of the depression the bench and rest are lowered. to shoot the far rim everything must be raised. the far rim is about 1100 yd.- for level reference the cleaning table.

my home bench [ concrete] is tilted down a few degrees as the target is down hill. it sure is nice to come home from st Louis and drop my gear on my bench and everything points to my target.


if I made my bench level I would need at least an inch of lift for the rear bag, which causes a lot of adjusting and odd fliers.
 
Here is my bench. It's all aluminum and stainless. Chain drive lift. Fine tunable rear rest. Solid as a rock and three legs. Weights fifty pounds and packs up together. Has backstraps is is easily carried. Front leg is guick up and down for quick elevation adjust. The gun swivels a bunch left and right and locks in rear. Can shoot standing up. Matt20180516_133855.jpg 20180516_133931.jpg 20180516_133855.jpg 20180516_133931.jpg
 

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