anyone build their own shooting bench?

[brandon_mcg]

I have some scrap 2x4's and plywood laying around. people have mentioned i need to shoot my pistol from bench rest to get an idea of how different loads effect accuracy.

looking for any suggestions or examples of some handcrafted shooting benches.

 

[Hot brass]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMIWFXJ-8R8

 

[rcmodel]

Here is a portable bench I built a few years ago. It is self-storing when apart, and very portable. Also solid as a rock on uneven ground due to the three leg design.
Total cost was under 50 bucks.

No, it's not a solid concrete Bench-Rest monolith, but serves very well for sub-MOA group shooting & sighting-in chores.

Note: Trough routed around outer edge to keep brass from rolling off on the ground.





Note: Hose covered wire gun rests along right edge to lean guns on without them falling over.
Note: Separate front & rear rests are trapped by legs when they are screwed into the holders under bench.



rcmodel

 

[mcdonl]

Brandon, I built one like RC's (Well... imagine RC with only one hand, blind and drunk....) but I made it too heavy, and akward. I ended up getting a $50 rubbermade type table, and a piece of carpet to put on it. Works well, and I also use it for casting, etc.... Cheap alternative. Some of the tables out there (I know, you get what you pay for...) cost upwards of $250!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMIWFXJ-8R8

Thats awesome!

 

[brandon_mcg]

thanks for the replies. i saw that youtube video a few nights ago. can't see paying 40-60 bucks for those legs though.

i think ill try the same type set-up but with banquet table style folding legs. got some folks on the lookout for some on a broken table.

 

[788Ham]

Where's his seeing eye dog? They don't let him throw any down range while that dog's setting targets do they? LOL Now I know who rc is, doesn't look like the guy I thought he was. Ha Nice bench rc, better looking rifle !

 

[brandon_mcg]

that is a nice bench and nice rifle. a lever action rifle is at the top of my most wanted list

 

[Magoo]

I'm still slapping paint on mine-it will live outdoors at an outdoor range. It's very similar to rcmodel's in design. It ain't quite as pretty though as it's built completely from scrap scrounged from the shop. I'm going to have to buy ~$5 of nuts and bolts though unfortunately .

I'll post some pics when it's finsihed in a day or so. I also made a rifle vise and figured I'd post 'em both up in a thread titled "Scrap pile projects" or something of the sort.

 

[Rembrandt]

Here's pics of what I built for our club and my home range. When planning the design, needed something that could be easily moved, right or left handed, fully adjustable for adults or kids, and weather proof.

Materials list is a follows:
- (1) 3/4"X4'X8' sheet pressure treated plywood
- (2) 2"X10' lengths of black pipe
- (1) 3/4"X12" All Thread
- (3) 3/4 nuts & washers
- (12) 3/8"X4" Galvanized carriage bolts & nuts
- (1) 18" diameter Disc blade
- (3) 1/4"X4"X4" plate
(Material Cost, about $75)

Used left over heavy walled black pipe from salvage.


After cutting to proper length a tube bender was used to make the frame and legs of the shooting bench.

Bench design uses a 3 legged format with two identical pieces of formed pipe.


After bending the pipe they are welded at one end with the framework in a "V" pattern.


Next step was to cut the 3/4" treated plywood sheet in half (4'X4'), then glue and screw both halves together....making an 1 1/2" thick top for the bench.


After the plywood is glued and screwed together, cutouts are made for the right and left handed shooters. Saved these scrap cutouts for a bench seat top. Edges are sanded and smoothed.


Holes are drilled through the wood and pipe, insert carriage bolts.




Next step is to build an adjustable "Piano" style stool that has height adjustment....

Piano style stool uses an 18" disc blade for stability. Piece of black pipe is welded to the base and a notch is cut partially through the pipe about 6" down....this will be used to locate and secure nuts inside the pedestal.


One nut is welded to the base of the All Thread to act as a stop, then a second nut is welded to a washer, but allowed to spin freely on the threaded shaft.


This is then inserted into the pedestal where the washer then lines up with the previously cut slot...then welded.




Top of pedestal is then capped and a mounting plate is installed for the wooden seat. Threaded shaft allows 6-8" of height adjustment.


Finished seat assembly.


Here's pics of some built for our club's outdoor range 12 years ago...heavy duty, weather well, and can be moved out of the way for other shooting disciplines. Smallest kid or biggest adult can use them.

 

[brandon_mcg]

thanks for the in depth post! nice work. good, solid craftsmanship!

 

[TH3180]

A friend of mine cut a pinic table in half, put wheels on one side and a hitch on the other. He pulls it with his 4 wheeler. It works great.

 

[brandon_mcg]

got done with this last night after 3 coats of polyurethane. works great but may be a little on the low side.

 

[yzbdsbp]

My Jawhorse Bench!

This is how I did mine...I wanted an easy way to take mine down for storage, and It worked out perfect! You need a Jawhorse, but I already had one, so I just built the Table top and the target stands out of old scraps laying around the house, Whole thing cost me $0. I researched and researched and combined several ideas i found on THR, and came up with the perfect set up for me.

 

[gunhog1950]

Qucik easy /Workmate bench

Here's a quick easy portable bench I thru together , ,Get one of the smaller cheapie workmate work vises and cut a top peice and add a strip down the middle on the underside . then just clamp it on the top of the workmate you can remove it anytime to use the work mate for other projects ,I got my workmate fro a little over $20 and used an old half sheet of plyboard i had lying around . folds flat weighs little , an old 5 gal buket makes a cheap seat ~~GH50

 

[TechBrute]

The lumber and hardware cost me a little under $100 for this. It is very solid. The legs are 6x6. It is, um... not portable...

I modified plans I found online. Basically, the only thing I changed is that the two sections of the top part are longer so that I wouldn't have to rip any decking. Tool-wise, this only took a chop saw and a driver, so you don't need anything too complicated/expensive.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

For a portable bench, I use an ironing board. Works great and is light to tote around. The taper on them makes it ideal for shooting rifles from a rest.

 

[hiker44]

I am always pleased to see the engineering enginuity I find here. I built my bench from scrap plywood that I treated first with water repellent, because it will need to live outdoors all the time. I built a shelf under the table top to hold small items while the bench is in use, then cut a piece of hard board siding to cover the top to help keep the weather off. It is anchored to the ground with a couple lengths of rebar driven through some braces at the bottom of the legs, sinc eour wind can reach uncomfortable speeds. It has survived 5 years in the elements, so far, and remains serviceable on my private 200 yard range.

 

[Irish Bird Dog]

Find the NRA bench plans and go from there. Made mine from greentreat wood. 4x4's for the legs and 2x6 for the frameand deck boards for the top & seats (R&L). Dug into ground about 2ft and tamped in place. Very sturdy.

[/IMG]

 

[Irish Bird Dog]

Help........I was trying to post and image in my previous post above and can't seem to make it happen.

it asks for url of image, I guess I don't know what is wanted.....or where to find the url of an image I have saved. I use Picasa 3 for my pictures.

is this above here what is wanted???? didn't get a picture anyway.

not sure I understand what I did to get the image below to show up....went to Manage attachments and messed around.

ANYWAY, THIS IS AN IMAGE OF THE SHOOTING BENCH I WAS TRYING TO DESCRIBE IN THE POST ABOVE...............

 

[jmorris]

Here is one I built, 1.5" angle iron, 1x3 and 2" box tubing and 2x4's. The seat is two way adjustable and it is quite solid.

 

[ICALL2MUCH]

These are sweet. very nicely done!