Shooting Tables

[alf]

So finally, here's my take on portable shooting benches.

I've found the easiest way is to go to Menards/Home Depot and buy a set of folding table legs for about $15 or so, some deck screws, indoor/outdoor carpet, staples, and plywood.

48" x 32" is a good all around size. The 48" length lets the legs fold flat as well. Thickness is up to you. Most of the time, I've put two 3/4" pieces together, but my last one I only went with two 1/2" pieces, and find myself using that most of the time. The wider one is 36" wide, and I wouldn't do that again. I always fight it to get it leveled, even though the legs are the same. The smaller one, I screwed a piece of 3/4" for the inner brackets, to give them some cant outward. Seems to help, but you're still limited by the quality of the leg sets. I have drilled out some of the rivets, and replaced them with nuts and bolt to help beef things up. I like carpet on top, usually just stapled on. Try to stay with the lighter colors so they don't absorb so much heat. I did black....once. The carpet can grate on your elbow after a full day of shooting, but long sleeves or a towel takes care of that.

Now we come to the Mack Daddy of portable (ugh) benches.

Two pieces of 3/4" plywood, glued and screwed together, threaded leg brackets cut at 11 degrees(I think) welded to the brackets, which are bolted in with lag bolts, and then another 1/2" piece of plywood glued and screwed on top to cover the bolt heads. I had the plumber cut and thread the 2" legs, and the day I picked them up, we were pouring concrete. So I cut up some Mt. Dew cans and duct taped them to the end and filled them up with concrete.

The table top weighs in at 65 pounds and the legs another 45, for a combined weight of 110 pounds. Uffda!!!

I use it only when it's time to get serious with load work.

 

[Ironworker]

How long are the legs ?

 

[alf]

How long are the legs ?

30"

 

[rbertalotto]

Nice work, but I've always found three legs are easier to make steady. And if the rear leg has some type of adjustability for elevation, sio much the better.

Check this out:
http://rvbprecision.com/shooting/a-varmint-bench-with-a-twist.html

 

[Martin S]

RoyB,
I tried three legs out in Kansas last year and I was very disappointed. In the wind it would shake and I couldn't keep the scope on the dogs. I went back to four legs. Al, I like your small one. I think I will make one. The ones I've made are smaller still. The rear leg is always in the way when I place the chair I shoot off of. That's why I went to the three legs. Boy was that a mistake. I had to put my van to block the wind so I could shoot.
Martin S

 

[Martin S]

Al,
I put dowels in the legs so I can change the height if I need to.
The dowel has hole 1" apart to change the height.
Martin S

 

[5spd]

One of my very portable & stable shooting tables I have made..

 

[rayporter]

alf
nice tables. i have built several and came to about the same styles you have. my heavy is not quite as heavy as yours, but it does get used more often.

i have built several with 3 legs and could never make them steady enough. use four legs and make all four adjustable for a steady bench.

 

[alf]

I've never tried three legs. I like the cost and ease of the folding legs. My doggin' buddy has the same table, so they stack nicely on top of each other for traveling, with room for other "stuff" on top.

I've never had a problem of adjustability (up/down) unless I'm trying to shoot at 1200+ from the side of a hill at home. In the past, I've just set the two down hill legs on a couple of sandbags. I'll have to make up some of the wood extensions. I've thought of just getting PVC pieces in a couple of varying lengths to slide over the legs, for the legs that I've drove dowels in to stop them from sinking in the ground.

 

[ShaneG.]

I just stuck this one together at work the other night. Took Martins plans and modified them a little.Still need to cover it.

 

[rbertalotto]

I tried three legs out in Kansas last year and I was very disappointed. In the wind it would shake and I couldn't keep the scope on the dogs.

Tripods are always more stable than quadpods...........Surveying equipment, cameras, telescopes.........If you need it stable, you need three legs.

If you really want to make a table stable for 500 yard + shots on PD, here's what I do.

Get one of those big screws that you would screw into your back yard to leash the dog to.

Screw it in directly under your table. Use a ratchet strap to pull the shooting bench down to good old mother earth............Solid as a rock!

 

[tsiero]

Alf,

I have driven two 24" concrete forming stakes at a 45 degree angle next to the shooting table to the left and right of the line of sight and used a ratcheting tie down strap across the table to press the table down. It becomes as rigid as a concrete table

 

[tsiero]

The three leg stability issue is correct. I was in the crane business for 22 years and when we rigged the load factors had to be calculated over 3 points since the fourth leg was either partially loaded or not loaded at all.

 

[Martin S]

All I know about three legs is my experience last year with a bench with three legs. The third leg was in the back. The wind was 25mph and it really shook the table. I turned the table a round with the two legs in the rear and it was a little better but not by much. It about ruined the shoot. I never thought about tie downs. In Kansas you would need a sledge hammer to drive the stakes in though. I think I will stick with 4 legs.
Martin S

 

[rayporter]

in theory 3 legs work best. as at least one other person has found the wind will play with a bench in the field. if you want to tie it down with a couple straps have at it. if i want to move to the other side of the truck i just pick it up and move. easy to level up. i am only trying to say what worked for me. in the end you build what you want and find out if it works the hard way.

 

[Martin S]

Ray if you think I'm bad mouthing you over three legs, I'm not. I'm just saying it didn't work for me. I like to try new things. Some work for me and others don't. Your right about moving the bench around. I move mine all the time. Maybe just to change the angle to get on some more dogs.
Martin S

 

[Nodak7mm]

Regarding Alfs great examples, I have built at least 4 tables of that same design. Proven effecient design, easy and cheap. Always found Menards to be the cheapest for the legs....

I need to build number 5 here soon, I dont have one at the moment. I keep giving them away to the less fortunate. Pretty cool to see a recreational shooter face after they do some great shooting off a proper support, then u give it to them.. Priceless...

ShaneG, you cut your "cutout" on the wrong side..... : ;D

Rod

 

[alf]

ShaneG, you cut your "cutout" on the wrong side..... : ;D

I was wanting to say that also....... ;D

I've built at least 5 myself. The last one I ended up with no cutout, and it sits in my living room for mounting scopes and such.

The bonus of being single........... 8)

 

[jraney]

speaking of sturdy , mine is not portable but very sturdy.
my dad and i basically just biult a colunm out of concrete blocks straight up to my likings, the top is the same as the bottom. we placed 3 blocks 2(=) and 1 more in front going acrossed then on the next level we had the 2 going acrossed the 1 on the bottom. we done this all the way to the top just alternating positions. it sure beats trying to shoot from
an open door on the truck for a rest. sorry for no pics of mine but then agian it really is nothing special. i really like the tables that are portable should make for atleast good shooting wherever you want.



j

 

[alf]

Another one I built was for a semi-permanent spot I had access to. Some friends had a farm with an old dilapidated shed. They didn't mind, so I cut a shooting hole out the one end and hinged it. Then I built a bench based on an 8x8 barn beam for legs. I made it 4'x4' with a 2'x2' cutout, 2" thick top, 6 legs, one for each corner, and who knows how many board feet of bracing. Not really portable, but movable, and quite steady, based on shear weight. With the 2'x2' cutout, you can swing it 90 degrees and a lefty can use it.