Below is a picture of the rest I currently own. Although I changed the bag to a Edgewood model.
My biggest issue is tracking. The range where I shoot, and therefor practice, the target boards/holders are not in line with the benches. I have not found a way to line up front and rear rests in perfect alignment with the target. I hope that windage adjustable front rest will help that,
or it's just my inexperience and there is a trick I'm not aware of. It's one of those,
I don't know what I don't know types of situations.
So my options:
1) Buy new or used.. Used: something that is like the bald eagle but modified a bit. New: the Protektor Windage Long Range Front Shooting Rest #61. I think it will be a better unit than the bald eagle. However, that is only 6lbs and needs a base plate.
Cost: $600 (Protektor #61 -$375, DIY Base plate and hardware $125)
2) Mod Current Rest. Add a base plate with feet. Greater stability and more weight. Upgrade the top with the
@butchlambert shadetree windage rest.
Cost: ~$565 (new top $420 plus base plate and hardware $125).
That's my current thinking. I don't have ages of experience with benchrest, above is what I see as useful and would give me
confidence to compete. You guys might have all the confidence in the world to shoot off the rest I currently have with no modifications. I don't and I won't. So an additional $550 on top of all the other thousands I have spent just to play a game? And it's a game that is not played within 3 hours driving radius of me. It's a hard sell.
I have a very hard time spending money for luxuries on myself rather than on something me and my kids could use or an improvement for quality of life (fences, car repairs, home upgrades). I was probably raised wrong. I don't even like spending money on myself for a haircut. I mentioned it back in my original post on this subject. Even $500 bucks for a front rest, is something I'm not sure I can do. I can think of a dozen other priorities. I'm not saying it's rational. But you asked for my thinking
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