Portable Shooting Bench

[Dusty Stevens]

Emt conduit is not threaded. Its too thin. To get lighter you can get aluminum rigid conduit and thread that. IMC conduit is also threaded, is steel but way lighter than rigid or black pipe. Its an option but not widely available and will flex more than aluminum rigid

 

[Richard Jones]

Dusty,

That was the reason for my question. I assume there is a threaded adapter available somewhere, just haven't researched it yet.

 

[Richard Jones]

So the IMC is approx. 2# per ft, so about 18# for a 3-legged version vs. rigid, about 24#. Good weight savings. Plus the 'foot' at the bottom of each leg.

 

[alf]

I've been building and selling the exact same bench as Protektor for several years:

If you stagger the legs, they fold flat:

 

[rayporter]

carpet keeps you from burning your arm on the prairie.

there can be a place for a light wt bench sometimes.

 

[alf]

Got a Mack Daddy too for when thing get serious.

2" thick top, 2" legs filled with concrete, weighs 110 pounds:

 

[Chiquita]

Instead of the legs being rigid all the way, you can install 8" or 10" short legs, and use EMT for the rest of the length. The EMT will slide into the rigid and you can drill a 3/8" hole on the wall of the rigid and weld a nut onto it. Then use a 3/8" bolt to secure the EMT that slides into the rigid.

This way you save on the weight of the legs and you can adjust the legs up ot down when you are on an uneven ground.

 

[Chiquita]

Or you can use EMT all the way but need to securely fasten the EMT to the EMT connector.(with a bolt all the way through)

 

[JEFFPPC]

How bout getting the table leg kit from @urbanrifleman and building your own? That way you can have 3 legs and make the top your own shape

I did, groundhogs were not happy. His leg brackets worked fine.

 

[marty flood]

I made this one a couple years back for $35. I had enough .75" plywood , the piano bench to sit on, and some hardware and a small pc of 1x1 steel tubing. All I bought was the red foldable saw horse off Amazon for $35. It is super sturdy with a bipod or front rest and rear bag. Packable, light weight and small space in truck bed. All 5 legs are height adjustable.

 

[pintopete]

Two pieces of 3/4” plywood glued & scewed from underneath. Brackets are made from regular cast plumbing couplings cut on an angle with the power metal band saw, then welded to 1/4” plate, maybe 4”x4”. Legs are regular black pipe cut to length and threaded on one end. I think the pipe is 1-1/2”. The plans for this were shared on the internet at some point going back. It works quite well.

portable shooting bench plans

Our portable shooting bench is an easy project to make, and it is incredibly solid.

www.larrywillis.com

 

[ShaunW]

Honestly I think you'd be hard-pressed to build a nicer bench than this. I drive with mine upside down in the truck bed when I get to a dog town I slide it out of the truck bed and drag it by one of the legs upside down, like a sled, then flip it over and get busy.

I can’t tell if those legs are metal or black plastic. Also regardless how do you thread the legs?

 

[urbanrifleman]

I can’t tell if those legs are metal or black plastic. Also regardless how do you thread the legs?

Black pipe.

You go to the hardware store and get them cut and threaded.

 

[AckleymanII]

I recently sold my table I used for PD hunting. I only use a tripod now. Easier to setup & take down in less than a minute, easier to move from one location to another, easier to carry in my truck since it takes up less space.

I hunt PD alone. When the shooting starts, the PD's go down after 15 rounds or so. It's so easy to leave the truck and walk the fields and setup again. I also started moving around when the wind really picks up so I can shoot with the wind or into the wind.

The only time I shoot from a bench now is load development. Afterwards, switch back to the tripod for the fine tuning.

All of this has really worked out well for me.

As a right handed shooter, I need my right elbow supported for super accuracy.

When I shot dogs "with the wind" all the dogs within 500 yards went down quickly due to how far the sound carries.

 

[K9TXS]

As a right handed shooter, I need my right elbow supported for super accuracy.

When I shot dogs "with the wind" all the dogs within 500 yards went down quickly due to how far the sound carries.

With a little practice on the tripod, the elbow support will become a non-issue.

You're correct about "with the wind". However, it's so easy to move around with the tripod, it's just a matter of moving again. Even though I have a very good rotating bench, I doubt if it ever goes with me again.

 

[jpx2rk]

I tried a buddies MTM Hi-LO table yesterday.
https://mtmcase-gard.com/products/high-low-shooting-table

It's very light, easy to set up, top comes off/attaches with a single screw in the center of the table and tripod top plate. The top rotates smoothly (but it's new), can use it with a seat, or standing depending on your preferences. It's fairly stable, the only complaint I have is the table top is small, barely enough room for front & rear bag, 50 rd box of ammo and binocs. Length wise is ok, but needs a couple inches wider top to make it better. I use an adjustable height shower stool for a seat but could not find the right seat height/table height for a "comfy" position and time on the rifle. My buddy used another one in the standing position and he says he is accurate out to 200yds using it, as he usually takes the shorter shots and leaves the longer shots to me. His hit ratio is higher but I get to pull the trigger more, LOL

I set the table up an broke it down 3 times yesterday (position moves on the same field) while shooting rats in snow squalls, 15mph+ winds and sunshine. Shot less than 100 rds as the weather has not cooperated in any form or fashion for the farmers/shooters here in SE OR. The table is stable enough for 300 yd hits for me, but I plan on using it a day or two more to see if I want to spend the $$ on one. I do like the weight factor, but if I can't find that comfortable seat to table top relationship, I probably won't purchase it.

 

[jepp2]

Easier to setup & take down in less than a minute,

When I use my table, I can take down and setup in less than a minute each. I'm not so steady without front and back support. Some of the table look solid, but my back aches just looking at them. I pull a captive pin on each and they fold up.

 

[DogBuster]

Been using this one for 20+ yrs....plenty solid & portable enough....simple to make...1.25" black pipe sleeves cut on 15* angle...welded to a 4 x 4 x 1/4" plate (your welder bud will want black steel) Home Depot will cut your 3/4" plywood into four 2x4 pieces enough for two tables....30-31" legs.....Only use one shooter cutout for me the right handed shooter...throw it in the back of a truck bed & you're GTG.....Folding chair works well....top will measure 24" wide x 36-38" long.keep a spare in the gun room for cleaning/scope mounting jobs

 

[Iowa Fox]

Been using this one for 20+ yrs....plenty solid & portable enough....simple to make...1.25" black pipe sleeves cut on 15* angle...welded to a 4 x 4 x 1/4" plate (your welder bud will want black steel) Home Depot will cut your 3/4" plywood into four 2x4 pieces enough for two tables....30-31" legs.....Only use one shooter cutout for me the right handed shooter...throw it in the back of a truck bed & you're GTG.....Folding chair works well....top will measure 24" wide x 36-38" long.keep a spare in the gun room for cleaning/scope mounting jobs

Home Depot will cut and thread your pipe legs at no charge. I looked all over everyplace I could think of for my legs. Home Depot had 10' long sections of pipe on sale no charge to cut and thread so I went that way with galvanized pipe. I bought the screw on caps for the legs at Menards 11% sale. The plywood was from a shipping box we got at work. Benches off this pattern work very well.

 

[nettle]

I needed a portable bench I could transport across our yard to my backyard shooting range on an ATV. I bought one of these about a year ago and am really happy with it.