Forend Stabilizers
- Thread starter lurcher
- Start date
Some clubs do not allow these in sporter rifle competition, but mine does. I started with the Hart, and did not like it. Constant tightening required. Then I bought a Sinclair, and I have been happy with it. Very stable, never touch it. Make sure it is adjustable down to your forearm width. Dunno about the Possum Hollow.
lurcher: Made my own using a piece of aluminum stock, 6" long x 3" wide x 7/16" thick. Attaches with two screws, as pictured, using the existing two threaded sling stud holes. All contact surfaces polished like glass & it slides in the front cordura bag like it was on roller bearings. Cost? Nothing but a little time. 
Attachments
I find that they do help. I make my own too. Besides the accuracy improvement, when switching rifles they simplefy set-up on the bench. With a level on the rest, it is not necessary to have a level on each rifle. When standardizing all forends to the same width with the help of a stabiliser, you only need one front bag and top. IBS rules allow them if they are within the width limit for the class.
I don't see any reason why they would be a threat to the sport and maybe we would eventually consider standardizing the forend width limit to 3'' for all classes that are normally contested at a BR meet.
I don't see any reason why they would be a threat to the sport and maybe we would eventually consider standardizing the forend width limit to 3'' for all classes that are normally contested at a BR meet.
Nodak7mm
Team Lefse
Like FDSchuster pointed out, easy to make on your own. I've made several out of delrin, glue a strip of leather on either side of where the stock rests (prevents roll/rocking) and have just used the sling screw for attachement using a countersunk screw. I use it for working with hunting rifles.. Worlds of difference..
Rod
Rod
Check out the one that John Whidden makes. It takes the concept just one step further in that it actually has two raised rails on the bottom. That way the plate only rides on the rails, not the whole plate. Less contact surface means it slides easier and isn't upset by the larger bag surface.
Bob
Bob
Boyd,
The point that a 'catamaran' style stabiliser would be less sensitive to sand mounding in the middle of the bag is well taken. The rail style stabiliser would probably CAUSE the sand to mound in the middle to some extent. Besides that I don't see any advantage to the rail design over the flat style in a typical 3'' BR set up where high centering is easily prevented. My previous comment used the words 'might ride the bag better' implies also the possibility that it might not. It probably depends on the circumstances. I don't see how someone could be sure about it in general one way or the other.
The point that a 'catamaran' style stabiliser would be less sensitive to sand mounding in the middle of the bag is well taken. The rail style stabiliser would probably CAUSE the sand to mound in the middle to some extent. Besides that I don't see any advantage to the rail design over the flat style in a typical 3'' BR set up where high centering is easily prevented. My previous comment used the words 'might ride the bag better' implies also the possibility that it might not. It probably depends on the circumstances. I don't see how someone could be sure about it in general one way or the other.
BoydAllen
Gold $$ Contributor
Tozguy,
If you take a look at some of the stocks that are designed strictly for long range, they have the center of the bag riding surface recessed, I believe, for the reason that I mentioned. (Yes, I could be wrong about that.) BTW, even if one is not going to compete in short range benchrest, the rules are still worthwhile reading, because there are several equipment prohibitions that are there because of their potential for creating "unfair" advantage. Among them are the requirement that the front bag be in contact with the forend over its entire width. It is not necessary to have runners on the stock to get edge contact. Strapping down the center of the bag will accomplish the same thing. I have done it, as an experiment, in conjunction with a 3" wide flat bottomed forend, and it works well. I have also played a little with the contour of the surface that the front bag rests on, which is not mentioned in the rules. There are other rule worth studying as well, modifications to rear bags that are not allowed, for instance.
Recently, I put an old 3" Cordura bag back on one of my windage tops. I had intentionally left it less than fully filled to reduce any potential hard bag problems, but as a result noticed that the ears were not well enough filled. After thinking about adding more sand, I remembered an old post that mentioned that the poster would occasionally remove his top from the rest, invert it, and give it a shake. to get away from excessive packing of the fill. While I am not sure about that feature of the procedure, it did a good job of redistributing the fill in my bag so that the ears had enough sand, without having to add sand to the bag. I find that anything that increases damping is a a good idea, so I don't fill my bags too tight, although may be something of an individual gun thing.
Boyd
If you take a look at some of the stocks that are designed strictly for long range, they have the center of the bag riding surface recessed, I believe, for the reason that I mentioned. (Yes, I could be wrong about that.) BTW, even if one is not going to compete in short range benchrest, the rules are still worthwhile reading, because there are several equipment prohibitions that are there because of their potential for creating "unfair" advantage. Among them are the requirement that the front bag be in contact with the forend over its entire width. It is not necessary to have runners on the stock to get edge contact. Strapping down the center of the bag will accomplish the same thing. I have done it, as an experiment, in conjunction with a 3" wide flat bottomed forend, and it works well. I have also played a little with the contour of the surface that the front bag rests on, which is not mentioned in the rules. There are other rule worth studying as well, modifications to rear bags that are not allowed, for instance.
Recently, I put an old 3" Cordura bag back on one of my windage tops. I had intentionally left it less than fully filled to reduce any potential hard bag problems, but as a result noticed that the ears were not well enough filled. After thinking about adding more sand, I remembered an old post that mentioned that the poster would occasionally remove his top from the rest, invert it, and give it a shake. to get away from excessive packing of the fill. While I am not sure about that feature of the procedure, it did a good job of redistributing the fill in my bag so that the ears had enough sand, without having to add sand to the bag. I find that anything that increases damping is a a good idea, so I don't fill my bags too tight, although may be something of an individual gun thing.
Boyd
Those pontoons work like magic. No bag is truly flat and odds are there will be a high spot in the middle 2/3 rds. of the bag and having the stock riding on 2 points helps overcomes this and is self-corrective. Take a peek under your stock where it rests on the bag and see if there is any daylight under there...many times there will be.
You may even be more surprised at how many fiberglass stocks are not really flat on the bottom and warp slightly during curing and often have a high spot in the middle.
Trying to get sand to stay put in a leather bag put while adding torque to the rifle can be be problematic and we have had even more problems with some of the softer cordura front bags as they are not as rigid as leather and tend to shift even more. Our rimfire guns have less torque and don't need as much frumping (but still need watching) as the centerfire rifles do and is the reason that when allowed most competitors-especially the rimfire guys- use a rest that has the pontoons built in on the rest top.
You may even be more surprised at how many fiberglass stocks are not really flat on the bottom and warp slightly during curing and often have a high spot in the middle.
Trying to get sand to stay put in a leather bag put while adding torque to the rifle can be be problematic and we have had even more problems with some of the softer cordura front bags as they are not as rigid as leather and tend to shift even more. Our rimfire guns have less torque and don't need as much frumping (but still need watching) as the centerfire rifles do and is the reason that when allowed most competitors-especially the rimfire guys- use a rest that has the pontoons built in on the rest top.
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