Caldwell Rock BR, make it heavier?

[Chris Edmondson]

I'm using a Caldwell Rock BR front rest with a ShadeTree top, the rig weighs about 14lbs.

Wondering if adding some weight is useful, and if so, would pouring some lead into the leg voids do the trick?

Thanks.

 

[Rocketvapor]

Hot lead would probably crack the casting.
Wife shoots the same combo Calwell/ShadeTree.
Better feet helped her.

large steel washer glued and stick on pads.
Maybe thicker washers for weight?

 

[Thud]

get a 1/2” steel plate and attach it

 

[rockhound78]

Maybe mix an epoxy with lead shot and pour in the leg voids

 

[Rocketvapor]

More weight would probably help if your rest moves.
Maybe slicker bag?
The weak point ain't weight or stickier pads, it's the single post stability.

 

[hpshooter]

If you want to add lead with a minimum chance of cracking the base pre-heat the cast iron base in a gas grill to around 400F like you would do prior to welding it. drill and tap a couple 1/4-20 holes in each pocket and run stove bolts in them with the heads in the pocket side to give the lead something to retain it. after pouring lead into the recesses bury the whole assembly in an insulating material like vermiculite or perfectly dry sand and let it cool slowly for 5-6 hours.. In 30 years in Grey and Ductile Iron foundries have had a fair amount of experience repairing and modifying iron castings. After you do all the above you most likely will feel a need to repaint/refinish your base and wish you had simply bolted it to a neatly cut piece of 1/2 0r 3/4 steel plate.

 

[Chris Edmondson]

Maybe mix an epoxy with lead shot and pour in the leg voids

This has great potential, thx

 

[Evan]

More weight would probably help if your rest moves.
Maybe slicker bag?
The weak point ain't weight or stickier pads, it's the single post stability.

Agreed. What are you trying to fix with more weight? It may be more valuable to look at the bag used and how that can be improved.

Switching from a Bald Eagle to a Sinclair did not improve my accuracy. The Sinclair is just smoother and easier to adjust. Messing with different bags, fill types, and amount of fill made a huge difference in rifle tracking and feel with clear results on the target.

 

[Jerry Wick]

I'm using a Caldwell Rock BR front rest with a ShadeTree top, the rig weighs about 14lbs.

Wondering if adding some weight is useful, and if so, would pouring some lead into the leg voids do the trick?

Thanks.

View attachment 1608739

20 years ago, when I first started shooting BR, I had a Caldwell Rock also with a Shadetree top. I filled the voids with lead shot mixed with epoxy as mentioned above. It definitely helped the stability and kept it from moving on the bench. Worked great for a couple of years until I could upgrade to a Seb coaxial rest.

 

[Rocketvapor]

Epoxy/lead would add most of the weight close to the center and not out on the ends of the "levers".
I might do it anyway just for more weight.

 

[Conaso]

Speaking of... I wish they would start again making the carrying case. I broke the clasp on mine. I sent an email but unless there is a market for them, not even a response.

 

[Mike Kohout]

Stick on wheel weights for car rims, work's great and easy to put on or off if needed.
Mikey

 

[Timberyote]

Around 1984 I got a Hoppes benchrest. Using it I found that the footprint was too small and it was too light.

I drilled the underneath cavities and drove in steel rollpins. I poured molten lead into the cavities, forgetting the shrinkage on cooling. Hence the hose clamps.

I got some 1"x1/2" steel cut to 11" long and installed.

It doesn't look pretty but it still works today. Weighs close to 20lbs.

 

[LHSmith]

I get the same accuracy from SR BR benchguns from an aluminum Bald Eagle as I do from a cast iron model. Ditto with hunting rifles. IMHO it's not the rest's weight but the setup - i.e. bag(s) fit, hardness, and slickness, position of the bags-relative to rifles balance point, rifle holding technique, benchtop surface condition (rough or smooth) will have rest / rear bag moving. I have found a mere coating of dust or pollen will cause bags and rubber rest feet pads to cause equipment movement.

 

[Wolfdawg]

If you don't want to modify the rest, I've seen shooters lay cloth bags of lead shot on the legs. As long as it doesn't interfere with moving the top. Not sure how much those bags of shot weigh, but it's alot more than you can add to the rest.
Wolfdawg

 

[Chris Edmondson]

It's not uncommon for me to seek out a problem to fit my imaginary solution, lol, that's why I asked "Wondering if adding some weight is useful". I'm quite satisfied with the way the rest functions now, but, you don't know what you don't know. Some of the competition rests I've read about weigh darn near 50lbs, which made me wonder if this Caldwell might enjoy a Sumo-wrestler diet.

 

[MislMan]

Just remember that you have to carry all this weight to/from the shooting bench. Makes those sandbags seem a little better choice.

 

[Rocketvapor]

Wife would skid the rest a tiny bit forward resetting rifle.
Last couple seconds of this video.

Shooting line has a slight round down and after several shots she would have to reset the rest.

The Slick bag and extra pads fixed it.
We shoot 22 Nosler so not big on recoil. Going to a dual post rest ($$) probably isn't worth it.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Before Caldwell made that lighter version they made a 24lb. rest. I own one and boy is it stable.

 

[Big Mc]

I filled mine with birdshot and epoxy. Hot lead not a good idea. Tommy Mc