Shooting bench height

[radshooter]

I will be putting a range in at my farm and want to build two cement benches (block pedestals and concrete tops). I was reading the chapter in Mike Ratigan's book and he says "the top of the bench should be at a height of 32 inches." Given that his plans call for the top itself to be 4" tall (2x4 frame) I am not sure how that squares with him calling for the pedestal consisting of 3.5 concrete blocks plus mortar joints? That would seem to make it taller than 32"? I am told Kelblys benches are 31.5" from concrete floor to top of bench. What are people's thoughts on bench top hts (from top of cement pad to top of bench)? I am 6'2" so would tend to make it on the tall side, but want to be close to what most places are doing so my set up would not be too different when I shoot elsewhere. Appreciate any thoughts on this or other thoughts regarding range/bench design 8)

 

[jonbearman]

That sounds right to me as the mortor joints should be kept to about 1/4" thick which would add about 3'4" to the height and remember that 2 x 4's are only3 and 5/8s wide or something close to that and you should end up with right about 32"'s on the dot.

 

[BoydAllen]

I think that 34" is better.

 

[bozo699]

+ 1 on 34" for the bench, and buy a good adjustable stool.
Wayne.

 

[lynn]

+1 on 34 inches.I think you'll find most benches around 32 inches but 34 is better in my opinion.
You can take cinder blocks and with the aid of a caulking gun and a tube of liquid nails you can stack them together.
When your through pouring your pads line the fronts of the cinder blocks up with a tight string and again using the liquid nails glue them to the pad.(We put re-bar in our pads sticking straight up but if you don't want to do that simply drill the pads and epoxy the rebar into place.)
Now fill the cinder blocks up clear to the top.We molded our tops and set them on top of the cinder blocks after we caulked on more liquid nails.We then achored then with rebar epoxied in place.
Lynn

 

[jmm03]

Hi there, I hope you don't mind me chimeing in. If you pour a slab that the bench sits on you can put an adjustable height "piano stool" to sit on that will accomodate a variety of people. On the benches that we made for the club I belong to we made poured tops with cut outs on both sides for lefties and righties and lagged the metal stool adjusters right into the slab,the adjustment range on those is around 6 or 8 inches. Jim