Shooting Bench Modifications

[1ofU]

did another shooting bench like the first one , my local dealer still had these listed for $139.00 OTD.
this time i changed out on both tables the fixed tube and used a top link for a small tractor , you can
adjust the bench about + / - 30 % of tilt . , the link is a good mod to do on this style of a bench .
TS2

 

[Fern]

I have a simple Caldwell table and my biggest gripe is the table itself. I wish it came back on the arm side.
I thought about getting a piece of plywood and cutting a new top.

 

[SecretCode]

I have a simple Caldwell table and my biggest gripe is the table itself. I wish it came back on the arm side.
I thought about getting a piece of plywood and cutting a new top.

Do it! You won't be sorry. Old counter top or solid core door. I didn't even shoot off the crappy plastic top. Had a few old counter tops from work. Cut one to fit. Rounded edges with a router and (no ripped up trigger finger side elbow. Made sure to use some 2 part all weather epoxy on the exposed wood. Also upgrade the seat to a folding boat seat. I got mine on trash clean up week in my small town. Way better than the original 10" or so round seat. Swivels also.

 

[1ofU]

I have a simple Caldwell table and my biggest gripe is the table itself. I wish it came back on the arm side.
I thought about getting a piece of plywood and cutting a new top.

Thats why i added the 8 inches to the front of the tops on mine . for you to be able to half way get a good rest on the rear you had to turn the top to 10-11 o'clock to get more table room . when you do the mod post back and tell others what you think of it and a add a pic or 2 .

 

[ISS]

I built a frame on my old P/U like a pipe rack. Bolted a half sheet of 1" plywood on the top, then covered it with a big piece of astro turf. I had about a 180-degree fan of fire.

ISS

 

[powderbrake]

I developed an unusual shaped top for my bench. The rifle sits at an angle on the bench.


and the shape provides for:


Plenty of support for the trigger hand elbow.


Support for both elbows for the hours spent looking for the dogs.



I switched to shooting left handed because of a right eye problem, so I flipped the top over. Now using Mini front rest, a post with Kestrel 5700 Elite on a wind vane, running AB software which is displayed on my iphone in a holder pinned to the table. I enter the range and direction of fire on the iphone, and it gives me the windage and elevation clicks.

The top is made from 13 ply Baltic Birch plywood, which is much stiffer that typical 7 or 8 layer ply. There is a circular level inset in the top, near the center of rotation, and yes , that is a piece of 2x4 under that leg.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

I have a simple Caldwell table and my biggest gripe is the table itself. I wish it came back on the arm side.
I thought about getting a piece of plywood and cutting a new top.

That 'simple' Caldwell bench is their 'Stable Table', which is the el cheapo/simplified version of the BR Pivot. When I sold the patent and mfg rights to them, we told them the silly little plastic bench top was inadequate and more room was needed. They failed to listen.

We had more than enough room on the original design as shown here during a PD trip in MT. There's enough room for a Barrett .50 cal rifle, so most any normal rifle used for field shooting has plenty of room, plus enough room for the shooter's arm/elbow. (The original BRP was used in the Green Zone in Iraq against insurgents using the Barrett .50 cal.) In the pic, I'm shooting my Holland built .243 Ackley V-Block M700/Pac'Nor rifle, scored a second shot hit at 841 yds.



One caveat on putting a boat seat w/back or similar on these benches is the potential for tipping over, due to leaning back carelessly when not positioned directly over one of the three legs. Seen it myself in the field. Best not to modify some things that are not 'broken'. JME

 

[Fern]

Rick what did you make the top out of? Don’t suppose you have dimensions? I love the longer elbo side

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Rick what did you make the top out of? Don’t suppose you have dimensions? I love the longer elbo side

Fern, the original BRP bench tops were constructed from furniture-grade edge-glued white oak by a mill in western OR (butcher block style). My buddy owns the mill and is also a rabid rat shooter, along with his gunsmith son. The top flips for RH/LH shooters.

Going from memory, as my bench is all packed up for the season in the garage, the length from front to rear runs right at 46"; plenty of room for rifle, rest, bags, trigger arm and elbow. If you want/need complete dim's, I'll have to unpack my bench to measure accurately.

The pic below shows how wide the bench top is from a rat shoot this year. Our buddy Allen who owns the bench is a RH shooter, and his bench is so configured.



Yours truly shooting rats this year from my personal BRP Lite. Plenty of trigger arm room and elbow landing area as one can see.



Hopefully, you'll be able to reverse engineer a top from the photos for your new bench top. Let me know if you need more detailed intel.