Portable shooting bench design

[Tesoro]

I have a nifty heavy portable bench with the classic L shape cutout. I am now shooting more medium to long range at paper, steel and varmints so I want to get more squared up behind the rifle to see hits, and hopefully that mystical vapor trail through my scope.
My L shape dosent work as the recoil kicks the barrel to the right. I know shooting prone is the answer but most of the time I dont feel like laying in the mud.
I am thinking that a T design might work where one sits behind the wide part and the narrower leg of the T is where the barrel/bags/bipod would lay. And I have also seen one with a belly cut out design. Due to the cost of plywood these days I would prefer to not make prototypes! Any thoughts to help?

 

[BobT]

I made one similar to this,

New Portable bench

Out with the old, in with the new :) Finished the new portable bench today. ROCK SOLID! Did I say, ROCK SOLID?

www.modernmuzzleloader.com

Works pretty well, you can tailor the size to your needs.

 

[jdh47]

I made a couple of Jameson designed portable bench's and a couple of reverse engineered Stukey's bench's. The Stukey's is pretty stable. as for seeing vapor trails I can't say.

 

[Jager]

I don't think the innovative design of your bench is a problem nearly as much as that it strongly suggests you're going to be resting your elbows on the bench top. That can certainly be done, but because any portable bench is inevitably going to have more inherent flex and movement to it, resting part of your body on it is another thing you have to control... shot to shot, group to group, and session to session. The benefit of the classic side-cutout bench is that it pretty easily allows you to get behind the gun, with your body off the bench.

It really comes down to the level of precision you're looking for. For hunting level accuracy it probably doesn't matter. The bipod is fine. Elbows on the table is fine. But If you're doing gnat's-ass-level load development, or looking to see what the rifle is truly capable of, I'd recommend pulling off the bipod and instead shooting off a good front rest / rear bag combination... that allows you to eliminate, or at least minimize, any contact with the bench.

I shoot at home from a 20-year-old portable Stukey. I can't say enough good things about that bench. But with a 55x scope I see an awful lot more movement out of that bench than the concrete / cinder block benches at the ranges where I compete. I can shoot just as well from the Stukey, but it demands an extra measure of attention.

 

[Tesoro]

I don't think the innovative design of your bench is a problem nearly as much as that it strongly suggests you're going to be resting your elbows on the bench top. That can certainly be done, but because any portable bench is inevitably going to have more inherent flex and movement to it, resting part of your body on it is another thing you have to control... shot to shot, group to group, and session to session. The benefit of the classic side-cutout bench is that it pretty easily allows you to get behind the gun, with your body off the bench.

It really comes down to the level of precision you're looking for. For hunting level accuracy it probably doesn't matter. The bipod is fine. Elbows on the table is fine. But If you're doing gnat's-ass-level load development, or looking to see what the rifle is truly capable of, I'd recommend pulling off the bipod and instead shooting off a good front rest / rear bag combination... that allows you to eliminate, or at least minimize, any contact with the bench.

I shoot at home from a 20-year-old portable Stukey. I can't say enough good things about that bench. But with a 55x scope I see an awful lot more movement out of that bench than the concrete / cinder block benches at the ranges where I compete. I can shoot just as well from the Stukey, but it demands an extra measure of attention.

thx

 

[Diverjeff]

I have a nifty heavy portable bench with the classic L shape cutout. I am now shooting more medium to long range at paper, steel and varmints so I want to get more squared up behind the rifle to see hits, and hopefully that mystical vapor trail through my scope.
My L shape dosent work as the recoil kicks the barrel to the right. I know shooting prone is the answer but most of the time I dont feel like laying in the mud.
I am thinking that a T design might work where one sits behind the wide part and the narrower leg of the T is where the barrel/bags/bipod would lay. And I have also seen one with a belly cut out design. Due to the cost of plywood these days I would prefer to not make prototypes! Any thoughts to help?

View attachment 1489462

I have that same bench(Legacy Shooting Products)with the 4 adjustable legs.Very well made,legs store in the underside and has a handle cutout for easy carrying,and price won't break the bank.I like mine a lot.

 

[1ofU]

this is my latest. check out local scrap yards never know what you will find
to put together a bench .

 

[Tesoro]

Well I made up another one to be able to shoot square off the end with no cutout. It felt good on test and and I made it to fit my longest 28in bbl rifle. Surprisingly I didnt need as much length an the L as so the table wound up squarer and thus more stable. It is heavy with 1 3/4 in. ply and thick wall 1 1/2 in removable pipe legs. 3 legs better for the field. Feels stable. See how it works!

 

[mr45man]

Here is a semi portable, for pickup truck. Weight is about 75 lbs but I can roll it up on the tailgate and lay it flat on its top.
1 1/4" plywood top rides in the cab and clamps on.
The target stand is a must for shooting tiny groups. No wiggle, has braces to the target holder.

 

[long40shot]

Well I made up another one to be able to shoot square off the end with no cutout. It felt good on test and and I made it to fit my longest 28in bbl rifle. Surprisingly I didnt need as much length an the L as so the table wound up squarer and thus more stable. It is heavy with 1 3/4 in. ply and thick wall 1 1/2 in removable pipe legs. 3 legs better for the field. Feels stable. See how it works! View attachment 1492597View attachment 1492598

What angle are the leg mounts cut at?

 

[Tesoro]

What angle are the leg mounts cut

What angle are the leg mounts cut at?

According to my iphone level 15 deg

 

[Tommie]

Portability is in the bicep of the beholder. Barring exotic materials and NASA design, lightweight and sturdiness are mutually exclusive terms.

 

[Tesoro]

Portability is in the bicep of the beholder. Barring exotic materials and NASA design, lightweight and sturdiness are mutually exclusive terms.

Depends on your discipline. I like to ping 10in plates at 1000 off mine.

 

[Benchrest Braxton]

I just bought the legacy shooting bench, same one as in your picture. Doesn't get more stable!!!

 

[Tesoro]

I just bought the legacy shooting bench, same one as in your picture. Doesn't get more stable!!!

i only had 3 legs off my old one but seems to work fine. i was gonna try it square before i glued carpeting and then maybe do the belly cut out but i forgot! but it seems to be fine square.

 

[SecretCode]

Got a whole bunch of old counter tops from work and made a few portable benches. Wanted for sure to make one for my son who's is right handed but left eye dominant, one was for south paws.
The rest are for normal foke's. Copied the bracket and leg idea from online. Also made a top for my caldwell lite swivel. Might do a little bit different of top for that eventually. A little slim for my liking.

 

[Tesoro]

Grind off those bolts!!! I already see myself bleeding. hah

 

[SecretCode]

Grind off those bolts!!! I already see myself bleeding. hah

I've always learned the hard way. Don't see myself changing now!

 

[nettle]

Got a whole bunch of old counter tops from work and made a few portable benches. Wanted for sure to make one for my son who's is right handed but left eye dominant, one was for south paws.
The rest are for normal foke's. Copied the bracket and leg idea from online. Also made a top for my caldwell lite swivel. Might do a little bit different of top for that eventually. A little slim for my liking.
View attachment 1492733

View attachment 1492732

View attachment 1492731View attachment 1492734

Like the Stable Table set up. I have a Stable Table and the top you have on yours would be a great improvement vs my plastic top.

 

[SecretCode]

Yeah. If I could have found one of Rick in Oregon's original stable table's for sale (and that I could have afforded at the time) I would have been all over it. This one was a floor demo model from local Fleet Farm I got for cheap. Also was wanting to upgrade the seat to a nice cushy drummer's seat but city garbage cleanup rolled around this spring and ended up finding an older folding boat seat. Little bit of cracked vinyl but otherwise in great shape. Welded on a mount and it's way better than the original seat.