portable shooting bench

[DogBuster]

been using this table nearly 20 yrs..........probably a million rds over it........

who would guess how many p/dogs and coyotes......

keep a spare newer table in gun room for cleaning/scope mounting etc......

in those years.....the Eagles got to know my truck with the 3 legs in the air......

dinner bell when the shootin' starts.........usually two pair Golden's

 

[retired]

now much did the high tech variable height rear adjuster set you back ?

been using this table nearly 20 yrs..........probably a million rds over it........

who would guess how many p/dogs and coyotes......

keep a spare newer table in gun room for cleaning/scope mounting etc......

in those years.....the Eagles got to know my truck with the 3 legs in the air......

dinner bell when the shootin' starts.........usually two pair Golden's

 

[DogBuster]

call me the frugal shooter..........

with the Choate stock....the plastic wedge is the catt's azz......

oh yea...about 15 years ago they were maybe 3 bucks...bought two....

 

[Brians356]

Seriously? How much imagination would it take to block up one's front rest, or use a bipod that had legs that were long enough to give the necessary elevation.

Not seriously. You missed the and that I was obviously (I hoped) skewering the notion that a bench must itself provide elevation adjustment.

How much does your bench weigh? It looks twice as heavy as mine.
-

 

[BoydAllen]

Not seriously. You missed the and that I was obviously (I hoped) skewering the notion that a bench must itself provide elevation adjustment.

How much does your bench weigh? It looks twice as heavy as mine.
-

Oops! Sorry about that. Yes, my bench is probably heavier. It weighs 107# The legs are sched. 40 1 1/2" black pipe. The top is a prototype that was made from scrap that works so well that I have not bothered to change it. Generally I leave the legs on, walk the bench around on its front edge, and slide it into my truck's bed upside down. Doing it this way, I never have to pick it up. If I squeeze the rear bag, instead of using the windage top and rear leg for final aim adjustment, it does not move at all as I take a shot.

 

[rayporter]

effort one and proof of concept. now a welding table.

last

 

[rayporter]

carpet on top
several were built with the legs stored in the frame but I have took to storing legs separate.
the top comes off with a battery driver and stores separate, it does not need to be 2 in thick so wt is not bad.

 

[JRS]

Save your pennies and buy a DOA bench

 

[Brians356]

Save your pennies and buy a DOA bench

How can you save pennies (or even dollars) buying a $600 bench?

Looking at the DOA, it's designed for PD towns. It could be the best of breed for that. Several homebuilt designs here will work well enough for minute-of-PD shooting, even without a swiveling top and seat, just not as smoothly and quickly. But some of us use our "portable" benches for load development, in lieu of a proper benchrest shooting range. As such, my bench needs to be as rigid and stable, after careful setup and positioning, as possible. A PD is a couple MOA wide at 100 yards, I'm trying to develop 1/4 MOA loads off my bench. And in truth, it still ain't really good enough for that, even being an order of magnitude more rigid than the DOA.
-

 

[retired]

my bench was built to shoot on a flat 1000 prone range.( 100 yard steps 100-1000)
as you said load development.
any off road is secondary to intended use

How can you save pennies (or even dollars) buying a $600 bench?

Looking at the DOA, it's designed for PD towns. It could be the best of breed for that. Several homebuilt designs here will work well enough for minute-of-PD shooting, even without a swiveling top and seat, just not as smoothly and quickly. But some of us use our "portable" benches for load development, in lieu of a proper benchrest shooting range. As such, my bench needs to be as rigid and stable, after careful setup and positioning, as possible. A PD is a couple MOA wide at 100 yards, I'm trying to develop 1/4 MOA loads off my bench. And in truth, it still ain't really good enough for that, even being an order of magnitude more rigid than the DOA.
-

 

[charlieyankeesierra]

I've made several additions to the above table subsequent to this photo that I can post later that seek to stabilize the legs as much as possible for ELR applications.

.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

looks like that bench is about all that yota wants to haul- must be real heavy

 

[charlieyankeesierra]

I welded a frame to some sleeves that bolt in place on the legs to stabilize them (and the table) for ELR use. The legs shown are place holders as I'm in the process of refining a second gen set of legs. I have another stabilizer I'm going to add, but it hasn't been worked out completely yet.

 

[rayporter]

charlieyankeesierra
that's about what my last 3 leg looked like to get solid, but I had more braces and steel in it.
take apart? not easy
storability=poor
solid=almost

I don't know how to take the comment that adjustability is not needed. perhaps not on level ground. the pic above shows the bench tilted down and the rest raised. the way he is set up he is probably shooting half way up the other side or about 500 yd. to shoot the bottom of the depression the bench and rest are lowered. to shoot the far rim everything must be raised. the far rim is about 1100 yd.- for level reference the cleaning table.

my home bench [ concrete] is tilted down a few degrees as the target is down hill. it sure is nice to come home from st Louis and drop my gear on my bench and everything points to my target.


if I made my bench level I would need at least an inch of lift for the rear bag, which causes a lot of adjusting and odd fliers.

 

[dkhunt14]

Here is my bench. It's all aluminum and stainless. Chain drive lift. Fine tunable rear rest. Solid as a rock and three legs. Weights fifty pounds and packs up together. Has backstraps is is easily carried. Front leg is guick up and down for quick elevation adjust. The gun swivels a bunch left and right and locks in rear. Can shoot standing up. Matt

 

[wholman]

Now that's a bad ass bench,
and gun.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Now that's a bad ass bench,
and gun.

Bad ass indeed! It brings new meaning to "home made".

Well done sir!

How can you save pennies (or even dollars) buying a $600 bench?

Looking at the DOA, it's designed for PD towns. It could be the best of breed for that. Several homebuilt designs here will work well enough for minute-of-PD shooting, even without a swiveling top and seat, just not as smoothly and quickly. But some of us use our "portable" benches for load development, in lieu of a proper benchrest shooting range. As such, my bench needs to be as rigid and stable, after careful setup and positioning, as possible. A PD is a couple MOA wide at 100 yards, I'm trying to develop 1/4 MOA loads off my bench. And in truth, it still ain't really good enough for that, even being an order of magnitude more rigid than the DOA.-

There is no convenient range near me, so virtually ALL my load development and field shooting is done from my BR Pivot Lite. Just for illustrative fun, here's just one target shot at 100 yds from my portable/rotating bench....there's beaucoup more but you get the point I'm sure:



The trick to a good rotating bench working properly is the shooters own weight should preload the entire assembly, making it just as stable as a three or four legged fixed/solid bench. And right now, I'd agree with Brian that the DOA bench is probably the best of the breed out there at present. I doubt that I could shoot any better than shown above from any other bench, portable or fixed (but my shooting ability is always in question anyway! )

 

[retired]

who carries the gun and ammo while you pack in the bench ?
looks like a three man job
rest
guns
supplies

Here is my bench. It's all aluminum and stainless. Chain drive lift. Fine tunable rear rest. Solid as a rock and three legs. Weights fifty pounds and packs up together. Has backstraps is is easily carried. Front leg is guick up and down for quick elevation adjust. The gun swivels a bunch left and right and locks in rear. Can shoot standing up. MattView attachment 1049776 View attachment 1049777 View attachment 1049776 View attachment 1049777

 

[charlieyankeesierra]

that's about what my last 3 leg looked like to get solid, but I had more braces and steel in it.
take apart? not easy
storability=poor
solid=almost

Mine is easy to take apart and stores flat. The brace on the legs helped a lot with stability. The last thing I'm going to do is add removable sleeves at the point where the legs exit the brackets. If after doing that it's still not stable enough for my application, I'll consider welding some bolts to the sleeves and add some dkhunt cross bars.

 

[wholman]

Wagon