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Shooting Bench Modifications

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Here can be a thread about all the mods that has been done to shooting benches, if you are like me, it seems that i get something and as soon as I use it i needs to be modified for what my needs are, so i started with a Birchwood Casey swivel shooting bench
but it was too short so I added 8 inches to the front , then added a 1/2 rubber to the top 3X4 ft bought it at Tractor supply then added swivels on the legs like you see on a ladder it gave me a 3-inch footprint instead of 1.5 inches , then i split the tube for the table and made it so you have 2 inches of travel , so I should be good for any angles to level out the table , so the other mods i did was add a slide in tray on the right side , added a 12 volt fan , i use a air pump to cool my barrels if they get too hot , a lot of my shooting is suppressed , my air pump is a 110 / 12 volt that you use to blow up an air mattresses , on the power for the fan & pump I use either my Dewalt or Craftsman's 20 volt batteries , I use a 7-70V 30A PWM DC Motor Speed Controller Switch Control 12V 24V 36V 48V 30 Amp to control the power it takes the 20 volt batteries down to 12 volt , the batteries can last all day and my big batteries can go for a couple of days easy . I also added an umbrella and on the left side there is a 1/2-inch rod that swivels out of the way, on that I use arca clamps and mount my range finder, camera or spotting scope. so, here's some of my mods, at my home i built a shooting shed 6X8X8 it's powered by 12-volt lights and fan and i use a solar panel to keep the battery fresh, I can move the shed with a tractor as needed with forks as i built it on a 6X8 skid. hope this gives others some ideas on mods on their benches. I would rather have than have not .

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If you and I went on a P-dog trip, I would have 20 killed before you got your bench set up. I do like the modifications, but they certainly reduce its portability. Just curious what the umbrella does in the wind? Our experience is that the wind causes considerable vibration on the bench. My FIL built one from scratch to reduce size and weight. Works for him, but too small for me. His inside bench for target shooting is a different story. Built stout and large. Slide open a window to a 100 yard range. Air-conditioned and heated.
 
Lab jacks work really well. I've been using one for many years on a rest I use for revolvers and specialty pistols. The rest below shows the forearm rest for the Remington. I have another one the revolvers. When I'm done for the day, I raise the lab jack up until the barrel is pointed downwards and the cleaning solvent runs out the barrel and not back into the action. I had a scrap piece of plastic and attached it to the jack. It glides very smoothly across the wood.
 

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tstowater said:
If you and I went on a P-dog trip, I would have 20 killed before you got your bench set up. I do like the modifications, but they certainly reduce its portability. Just curious what the umbrella does in the wind? Our experience is that the wind causes considerable vibration on the bench. My FIL built one from scratch to reduce size and weight. Works for him, but too small for me. His inside bench for target shooting is a different story. Built stout and large. Slide open a window to a 100 yard range. Air-conditioned and heated.
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on this setup you setup what you want or need , on the umbrella we will see how it works out , if it's more of a problem that what it's worth you go to plan B-C . on the blue lab jack yes, it's the same model I use, but I
replaced the pens on half of it with 8/32 bolt/nuts and loc tite , I do use 4x4 , 6x6, 8x8 lab jacks it what i need at the time and what rifle I 'm shooting, the Beenie bag is a bed buddy my wife uses them heats them up in microwave to put on her neck/shoulders after a yr. she gives me her old ones for shooting bags. on the shed I do have new windows that i need to install double plan easy slide out for cleaning !! lol ~~ we will see if i need 110 hookups later in July or August with the window ac unit. for over 20 yrs the concrete unit was my bench, it set at 250 yds now on a pad

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Judging from all the step ladders we're not talking about a bunch of young men or females. Have fun- I'm in the same boat.
 
Every year I see more and more complicated bench setups for PD's or GS's. I still subscribe to the KISS Principle, and it's been working well since 1997.



One minute setup, and I'm having my way with the rats. When it's time to leave, one minute teardown and I'm in my truck heading home.

And as for shade, almost 50 years of doing this has taught me that an umbrella attached to a bench is fruitless, as any breeze with bugger up your accuracy big time. If the wind is not too brutal, a simple Quik-Shade is all that's needed, and works very well.



And for gaining that much needed elevation, we've shot from ranch flatbeds, equipment trailers, even from re-tasked BLM or USFS fire suppression trucks with permission.



Getting my gear staged for a rat shoot in the garage in the early days, my wife one time said "how much gear do you need to kill grass rats?" Answer: As much as you need. ;)
 
Rick in Oregon said:
Every year I see more and more complicated bench setups for PD's or GS's. I still subscribe to the KISS Principle, and it's been working well since 1997.



One minute setup, and I'm having my way with the rats. When it's time to leave, one minute teardown and I'm in my truck heading home.

And as for shade, almost 50 years of doing this has taught me that an umbrella attached to a bench is fruitless, as any breeze with bugger up your accuracy big time. If the wind is not too brutal, a simple Quik-Shade is all that's needed, and works very well.



And for gaining that much needed elevation, we've shot from ranch flatbeds, equipment trailers, even from re-tasked BLM or USFS fire suppression trucks with permission.
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Interesting. I've never seen anyone shooting cows before. But then again, I've never been on a bonafide rat hunt.
 
Midger said:
When I go whistle pig shooting I like to keep it light and simple.
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that's pretty similar to the setup I use for PDs out to around 400 yds. The main difference is that my bag chair has arm rests and the built in cup holder gives me a place to drop spent brass. :) We do a fair amount of walking and shooting from the tripods (standing), and that's fine out to 200 or so, but if I'm shooting farther, or if the wind is blowing me around too much, the chair makes a huge difference. Not quite as stable as prone and a bipod, but it keeps me from having to lay prone and deal with the cacti and thistles and it gets me up above the early season vegetation.
 
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