Wished I had a shooting bench.
 

I wished I had a shooting bench many a time. Since today is a awful day withj freezing rain I decided to take some time searching for some design that I felt would fit my needs. Even at home I wanted some thing portable since I like to use different yardages depending on what I am shooting. I found this plan best for that.
http://www.boogerbench.com

This plan is a bit of over kill I think for a so called movable bench. But it sure looks solid and as a fixed bench or one with friends to help move it nice.



Any one have any other plans?

:) Al

RE: Wished I had a shooting bench.
 

Well I guess it all depends on what you like,I am still using the remodeled ironing board I won the IL round ball bench rest state championship with in 1978, they thought it was funny till the scores came in.Guess who had the last smile.It got me a nice check at Friendship in the re-entry match the same year.Lee

RE: Wished I had a shooting bench.
 

:DIroning board, I never would have though of that, also wouldn't have to worry about how long a rifle you were shooting. Thanks Ill have to look at one next time I hit Wallies world.

Found another nice one to make.

http://www.guncustomizing.com/shootingbench.htm

:) Al

RE: Wished I had a shooting bench.
 

alleyyooper
You know I kinda hate to admit this - one of the things I do for a living is build things- Cabinets, Additions, and etc. but I bought one. A folding fiberglass all weather shooting bench from Sportsmans Wharehouse. Can not provide you with the plans but it is a good one - that I carry around to where ever I am able to shoot - we do not have ranges here - no one wants the liability...

RE: Wished I had a shooting bench.
 

Alleyyooper, It's funny you started this thread, I did the samething the other day started searching for a shooting bench and found this one. http://horstguns.com/ShootingBench.htmI decided that I would build it since I had everything already laying around. I didn't feel I had to use 6x6's like the instructions showed for post and since I had 4x4's that's what I used. Believe me you don't need them, 4bys work just fine. I started to use some 1" lumber I had laying around but it wasn't treated and I couldn't get it to lay flat so all I had laying around was some treated 2x6's I used for the top (3) and that's what I used for it. It's a tad bit overkill for that but cost wise that's all I got in it. The rest I sawed out on a portable bandmill some time ago. I'll send some pictures of it when it quit's raining and I get it set into place. I thinking of maybe buying a caldwell rock or maybe making my own rest.

RE: Wished I had a shooting bench.
 

As you might be aware, I built my own table and gun rest. The rest was simple, out of a $3.00 garage sale trailor jack. The table is on wheels and is rolled from station to station. Trouble now is, it is frozen to the ground at the 30 yard station. [&o]

RE: Wished I had a shooting bench.
 

TC209x50, I like that bench. looks real solid and with treated stuff would last a very long time. I may just build one to use at the cabin. I really have a long waysI can shoot there, like 500 yards or more across the cramberry bog withUS land beyond that.
Cayugad, I saw that jack set up you had on another post. I read it first and said to my self Hey I have 4 of them. ThenI saw the picture. We call those sissor jacks here. ButI do have four of those tripod leveling jacks. On the same principal as Jack stands but they have a screw set up to raise and lower them.
Your set up does look good to me too.

:) Al

RE: Wished I had a shooting bench.
 

i used ironing board before, worked great. got one a yard sale for 5 bucks.also portable work bench works ok too as i had one in my workshop. they are around 50 dollars at lowes.

RE: Wished I had a shooting bench.
 

I saw a synthetic (plastic of some sort) basketballbackstop at a yardsale and drove off with it in my truck. Took it to my bud that is handy and had a lot of tools. Told him my thoughts and he put it together. Makes a lightweight folding bench, your own weight stabilizes it nicely, and no splinters or reactions to wood treatments. No plans, but you can figure it out.:D

RE: Wished I had a shooting bench.
 

I know this is a little pricey, but I had some Cabelas bucks and bought one of these for my brother, and we both love it. Not too heavy, very stable, and folds flat for transport and storage. Works for me.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0016127225332a&type=product&cm Cat=search&returnString=hasJS=true&_D%3Aha sJS=+&QueryText=shooting+bench&_DARGS=%2Fc abelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.22&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mod e+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=shooting+bench&no Image=0&returnPage=search-results1.jsp

RE: Wished I had a shooting bench.
 

txhunter58

That's the one... That is the one I got a Sportsmans Wharehouse $99.00. I really do likeit. I had another one before this an aluminum one and it was just light - this one is stable....

RE: Wished I had a shooting bench.
 

:D:D:DI have been using my portable Black&Decker work table.

RE: Wished I had a shooting bench.
 

I have a cheap ($15)version of the B&D workmate that Iclamp a homemade top on that I use for a shooting table. It works real well with a folding metal chair. I made a front rest out of some scrap lumber and have a rear sandbag rest from WalMart. Most of it I made up from scraps I had laying around the garage so I don't think I've got more than $25 in it, and the workmate does double duty as a work table/clamp when I'm not using it for a shooting rest. The whole thing folds down and the top comes off easily so I can put it into a car trunk or where ever I need to store it.

Here are some links to some pictures of it.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/dmurphy317/Target%20Bench/DSC00147.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/dmurphy317/Target%20Bench/DSC00146.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/dmurphy317/Target%20Bench/DSC00145.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/dmurphy317/Target%20Bench/DSC00144.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/dmurphy317/Target%20Bench/DSC00143.jpg

RE: Wished I had a shooting bench.
 

Lots of good Ideas and suggestions here. Many I never thought of my self. I have only tried to make use of my saw horses, but they are just to short to use if you use some type of standard chair/stool. There to tall if your trying to sit on the ground too.
I had got a gift cardfor Christmas to Lowe's, so today I went and got a pair of folding table legs ($18.60) so I can build the booger bench. Even though I have a long box truck I like the small simple portable design in one piece when assembled.
The ironing board is a very good Idea too, what gave ya'll the idea to use it is beyond me and my poor brain. I also like the portable work mate idea a lot and it just may end up being what I use at the cabin. I will be able to do repairs and such then shoot off the thing.

Thanks and keep the ideas coming as some one else may not like any of these so far.
I did see one that used caster wheels for on the top to pivot the rifle when varmit shooting but can't find it now.

:) Al

RE: Wished I had a shooting bench.
 

alleyyooper, if you should decide to use the Ironing board,a wood top is easy to work with;the ones with adjustable heighth are nice, I picked one up at a yard sale36 years ago and I am still using it.
You may want to cut the pointed end back then cut a V in it to place and brace the rifle while reloading, on the wide end I bolt a short peice of 4X4 with a 1 inch hole drilled through it, I put a 1 inch hickory doll with a padded V block on top of it. I drill a .5 hole through the side of the 4X4 and centered on the 1 inch hole on each side of that hole I put one of the type screws that has a wood screw on one end and a metal screw on the other you put a strap between them and wing nuts onto tighten the strap down with a .5 hickory doll in the .5 hole thats a bit longer than the distance to the 1 inch doll it allows you to adjust the higth as needed.
If you find the ironing board at a yard sale you couldget by real reasonable. Lee

RE: Wished I had a shooting bench.
 

I wished I would have seen this post. I put up the same question on another forum. Someone posted the exact same bench as TC209x50. I guess great minds think alike :).

Very nice to see other ideas though. HEHE black and decker work bench
and Cayugad with the trailer jack.good stuff..