It is what works the best for them. Don't know of a rule that says you can't sit behind the gun (SR BR IBS), but the vast majority elect to shoot from the side so it must be more user friendly.
Why the cut out on the bench?
- Thread starter Chiquita
- Start date
Because that’s how most are taught to shoot.
I had to unlearn a lot.
I would think the "wings" on the sides would be wasted space.
In competitive Benchrest, that will get you DQd as the muzzle must be forward of the front edge of the shooting bench.
BoydAllen
Gold $$ Contributor
In the short range disciplines, group and score, barrels tend to be shorter than in the long range. A good deal of this is because of much lower weight limits. This limits how far one can place a rifle on the bench. (given the requirement for the muzzle to be in front of the bench)
Beyond that, unless one is a bag squeezer, until the advent of the coaxial rest, shooters needed to be able to reach the windage top to make adjustments while shooting. Some years back, I designed the top of a rather heavy four leg "portable" bench so that I could either shoot beside the rifle or behind it. For me beside was more comfortable.
Getting back to the windage top thing, I have a couple of McMillan Kestros stocks on rifles and they have significantly longer forends than my short range benchrest rifle. If I place the rest to take advantage of their long forends I cannot stay behind the scope while adjusting a conventional windage top, even when sitting beside the rifle. (even I take a 37" sleeve length)
Luckily I have a first design 21st Century rest that has the offset bag and the windage built into the base. With this setup I can utilize the longer forends. Otherwise I would have to have a coaxial rest.
On bench design, I think that it is often true that the fellows who have the construction experience and energy to build ranges and benches have not spent much time prototyping bench top shapes and they tend to just do a rough copy and build a whole firing line that will be there forever. In my conversations with people who were about to build one or more benches, I always have gotten the sense that they were not in the mood for anything that would delay the process.
Beyond that, unless one is a bag squeezer, until the advent of the coaxial rest, shooters needed to be able to reach the windage top to make adjustments while shooting. Some years back, I designed the top of a rather heavy four leg "portable" bench so that I could either shoot beside the rifle or behind it. For me beside was more comfortable.
Getting back to the windage top thing, I have a couple of McMillan Kestros stocks on rifles and they have significantly longer forends than my short range benchrest rifle. If I place the rest to take advantage of their long forends I cannot stay behind the scope while adjusting a conventional windage top, even when sitting beside the rifle. (even I take a 37" sleeve length)
Luckily I have a first design 21st Century rest that has the offset bag and the windage built into the base. With this setup I can utilize the longer forends. Otherwise I would have to have a coaxial rest.
On bench design, I think that it is often true that the fellows who have the construction experience and energy to build ranges and benches have not spent much time prototyping bench top shapes and they tend to just do a rough copy and build a whole firing line that will be there forever. In my conversations with people who were about to build one or more benches, I always have gotten the sense that they were not in the mood for anything that would delay the process.
So you sit and get behind the rifle. I do too, but it is for some reason uncomfortable. Hence, my post about the table.
@BoydAllen , was your table top design similar to what we see or completely different?
BoydAllen
Gold $$ Contributor
I shoot LH, so I flipped this picture to make the bench look RH so as not to confuse RH shooters, in a forum discussion.
That is what I thought when I got into the sport. As most of us have to fit that belly somewhere when shooting. But apparently is not for that belly.
@BoydAllen , thanks for the picture. Interesting bench and it makes sense.
I am curious why you didn't just make a "U" cut out of it? Why did you cut off the wing?
I am curious why you didn't just make a "U" cut out of it? Why did you cut off the wing?
BoydAllen
Gold $$ Contributor
As I said, it is my bench, and although the picture is reversed, I shoot left handed and just the way it is, it weighs 107 lbs. Adding additional material to make it more universal would not make it better for me, and it would make it larger and heavier. I really don't like U shaped benches because the twin tails are usually narrower than I like, and there is no room on the outside of the gun. My intent was not to build a universal bench, but rather one for my own personal use. It can be shot right handed by turning it to the left and changing one's position relative to the top and legs.
Ccrider
Gold $$ Contributor
Looks ideal. The extra 90 degree notch allows you to get behind the gun and stradddle the post with your legs while placing the gun in the middle of the table with room on both sides. Well thought out.
BoydAllen
Gold $$ Contributor
A couple of things about my experience behind: It turns out that you have to move the scope back, and for me, the recoil hit me in the collar bone, so since I am quite comfortable with my shoulders at a more acute angle to the CL of the barrel, that is how I shoot. (still straddling the leg) I have made a hobby of studying bench design, after doing a lot of work building a firing line. At that time I knew nothing about bench design and since the one we used was approved by the shooters that competed at the Visalia range, and our club was cooperating with them sharing bench forms, I built forms for that design. The prototype form, was done by famed benchrest stock maker Lee Six. I was a lot younger and was in no position to evaluate the design or challenge it. Since then I have studied a lot of benches and learned a lot in the process. Here is a design that I think is pretty good. It gets the back of the base more out of the way.
Check out the form.
Ned Ludd
Silver $$ Contributor
If there wasn't any cutout, the bench would be square.
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Ccrider
Gold $$ Contributor
Wow. That is nice. Is that your firm? Does that allow you to get your right leg on the right side? It looks like it does while allowing you to set your bag in the center and leave space on both sides of the front rest.
I think it’s been mentioned on this forum that ST Louis has benches that are favored with just angles and not a true cutout.
BoydAllen
Gold $$ Contributor
No, those pictures were taken in Europe, and I ran across them on the internet and liked them so much that I saved them. Unfortunately I forgot to note the source. Come to think of it, I will try a Google image search right now, and let you know what I find.
That form is awesome AND it looks like it's stainless.....
I'd rent that for a weekend, please....
I'd rent that for a weekend, please....
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