Who's made or bought the perfect shooting stool for use at the bench?

MCMXI · Apr 2, 2019

I built a really nice steel shooting bench a few years ago and have been looking at local auctions for a good chair or stool to use but haven't found anything yet. I've been lugging one of the kitchen table chairs out to the garage and I'd like to put an end to that. So has anyone made their own shooting stool or chair. If so, a description with a photo or two and what you'd change if you could and/or what you like about it. One member here had built an adjustable stool on a swing arm that was fixed to the bench but I don't think I want to go that route ... or maybe I do.

Here's the bench.

Here's the bench in the garage with a mat that I bought from a local "farm" store. A good stool or chair would make all the difference.

entropy · Apr 2, 2019

We had a member of the gun club I shoot at make them from car tire rims for a base, a section of thick threaded rod, and a seat mounted on a nut for one. There is about 6" total vertical adjustment in them, works for most anyone.

You can see one in between my two friends in this pic. Mike is shooting Ron's Mosin M44.

horsemen61 · Apr 2, 2019

Offfhand · Apr 2, 2019

Go to a music store and check out the "drummers thrones." They are compact, comfortable and adjustable. And fit nicely under a shooting bench.

Armored farmer · Apr 2, 2019

Go to the woods and saw a chunk of log just the right height and plop it down at your bench. It will be there from then on.

entropy · Apr 2, 2019

That works, too. There are several of them in the pic, also.

wally · Apr 2, 2019

Upside down 5 gal bucket works for me. I've a near infinite supply of them from the pool chemicals I buy. You can go upscale and get a lid with a a rotating padded seat for them from Academy and elsewhere.

Light weight and convent for humping supplies to/from the shooting bench.

theotherwaldo · Apr 2, 2019

I take the wheels, the arms, and sometimes the backs off of old office and station chairs if I want the ability to pivot. Otherwise I cut the bottom rim off of old drywall buckets and turn them upside-down - or use a section of log..

<*(((>< · Apr 2, 2019

MCMXI said:
Here's the bench in the garage with a mat that I bought from a local "farm" store. A good stool or chair would make all the difference.
View attachment 834496

Would've been nice to have that bench extend back far enough for a prone position on it, for a sweet shooting range that you have there. I like the idea of adjustable height swinging stool attached to the rear leg.

Nature Boy · Apr 2, 2019

Funny you mentioned this. I was looking at this one at Northern Tool. Looks nice and sturdy

https://m.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200712279_200712279?cm_mmc=Google-pla&utm_source=Google_PLA&utm_medium=Automotive > Shop Seats + Stools&utm_campaign=Northern Tool&utm_content=61228&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkIzlBRDzARIsABgXqV-A4RtQLq4YGQD3C18YfKBb9jJsYAFkNGkPDP47ftIudOlMIGdGZoUaArLPEALw_wcB

I like that it’s pneumaticly adjustable

Sinclair makes one that looks to be more portable.

There’s a lot that have casters on them that are cheaper but I don’t think that’s a good idea for the intended purpose.

(Love that bench)

MCMXI · Apr 2, 2019

<*(((>< said:
Would've been nice to have that bench extend back far enough for a prone position on it, for a sweet shooting range that you have there. I like the idea of adjustable height swinging stool attached to the rear leg.

I never thought of that but it's a good idea. It would be easy to add a "leaf" to extend the table rearward. Maybe that'll be a project this fall.

Lots of good suggestions here. I've never heard of a drummer's throne before so thanks for that @Offfhand .

I think I'm going to make a steel framed bench of some sort that's wide enough for two shooters, heavy and sturdy enough to be stable, and possibly height adjustable. Last year I added nice casters to an aluminum military box that had something valuable in it at one time or another. A National Guard neighbor in Hawaii gave it to me about 10 years ago and I figured it would make a good shooting stool. For some reason I wasn't happy with it so now it holds lots of bullets and it sits in a corner in the garage ... but I can roll it around!

bob_atl · Apr 2, 2019

Keyboard bench works for me, stable, easy to fold up & throw in the truck & cheap:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0773R5QVY/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

someguy2800 · Apr 2, 2019

Big heavy piece of red oak

Rembrandt · Apr 2, 2019

Built these for our club, cheap and durable. Have seen over 25 years of bad weather and the elements. Base is a disc blade, threaded shaft and replaceable seat. Can be adjusted for kids and adults.

Partial cut through the pedestal allows the internal nut assembly to be welded. Grease zerk was installed between the two nuts for shaft lubrication. Used a 3/4" threaded rod, later ones went to ACME threaded shafts. Probably have about $10 in each one.

MCMXI · Apr 2, 2019

@Rembrandt , very nice stools you made there. Thanks for the photos. It's always interesting to see how people solve a problem. At one end of the scale is a 5 gallon bucket or log, and at the other end of the scale is something like a swing arm support with coarse adjustment and thread rod for fine adjustment. I like the idea of the swing arm stool but it's tied to the shooting bench. A standalone stool can be used for other purposes.

Bfh_auto · Apr 2, 2019

I made my bench height work using using a folding lawn chair with me seated upright.
It took a couple tries trimming the legs to fit, but it was worth it.

Walkalong · Apr 2, 2019

Offfhand said:
Go to a music store and check out the "drummers thrones." They are compact, comfortable and adjustable. And fit nicely under a shooting bench.

That's what I did. Used it in Benchrest matches. The little adjustable four legged stools make good shooting seats, but they don't fold up.

otisrush · Apr 2, 2019

The stool I use is this one from Walmart. I removed the rubber feet and cut off roughly 1" from each of the 4 legs to lower the height a little bit.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-Folding-Metal-Stool-Black/17165149

Obviously the height is not adjustable. But I've used it at multiple ranges and it has virtually always been WAY better than what the range puts there for stools.

For a bench I made one using the legs found here:
http://www.ruggedbuddy.com/index.html

Overall this setup works pretty well.

<*(((>< · Apr 3, 2019

I keep looking at that shoot house you have, makes year around shooting very comfortable, quite jealous. Just need a little reloading setup behind and load workups would be very quick.

MCMXI · Apr 3, 2019

<*(((>< said:
I keep looking at that shoot house you have, makes year around shooting very comfortable, quite jealous. Just need a little reloading setup behind and load workups would be very quick.

My gunroom/reloading room is in the house just a few feet away.

Pat Riot · Apr 3, 2019

I have tried a number of seats and stools for shooting.
The best thing that I have found is a sturdy plastic and metal folding chair.
Make sure it’s heavy duty to take the odd sitting positions you may find yourself in when shooting.
It’s fairly light and it’s portable.
It’s white so it doesn’t get super hot in the sun.
You can lean back and relax your back when needed.

This isn’t exactly the one that I use (found mine at Costco) but it’s close and it’s not a lot of money so if it doesn’t work you have it as a back up for other things.

https://www.restaurantfurniture4les...piiY1qcVCbiw4k9cRbIp4su2hjeDY9gUaApm2EALw_wcB

doubleh · Apr 3, 2019

Rembrandt said:
Built these for our club, cheap and durable. Have seen over 25 years of bad weather and the elements. Base is a disc blade, threaded shaft and replaceable seat. Can be adjusted for kids and adults.

Partial cut through the pedestal allows the internal nut assembly to be welded. Grease zerk was installed between the two nuts for shaft lubrication. Used a 3/4" threaded rod, later ones went to ACME threaded shafts. Probably have about $10 in each one.

View attachment 834524 View attachment 834525 View attachment 834526 View attachment 834527 View attachment 834528 View attachment 834529

My skinny old rear end started hurting just looking at that.

I use a Harbor Freight mechanic's stool that is height adjustable and has a PADDED top for less than $20 when on sale and it often is. Lowes has a Kobalt brand stool that will raise a little higher, has a larger padded seat, is heavier, and costs more. The roller feet are fine on dirt and I really don't have any trouble with them on hard surfaces. They would be easily replaceable with something that doesn't roll if you wish.

Cemetery21 · Apr 3, 2019

Like Pat Riot, I like to lean back once in awhile, so I use a padded seat folding chair like this:

Nature Boy · Apr 3, 2019

MCMXI said:
My gunroom/reloading room is in the house just a few feet away.

Stop it!

Dave DeLaurant · Apr 3, 2019

Given your classy indoor setting, maybe a wooden piano stool with the spin adjustable seat is a suitable option. For quirkier stuff, it would depend on what you're used to parking your butt on: tractors, motorbikes, etc. Kaiser Bill had a special stool made up in the form of a equestrian riding saddle.

My usual shooting stool is yellow plastic Tidy Cats litter bucket with a padded wood top. It's part of a portable bench rig and has to serve double-duty carrying my rifle rest and rear bag.

Who's made or bought the perfect shooting stool for use at the bench?

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