Bench shooting on glass

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Good Ol' Boy

Good Ol' Boy

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I am currently lucky enough to do some shooting on my own property. I've done a little with a 22 from my back porch shooting resting on our glass table just because it's there and convenient.

I'm wondering about shooting rifles with more punch from the table. Any reason to worry about I don't know, concussion from the blast breaking the table?

Probably seems like a stupid question but I figured I'd ask anyway.
 
I've ruined some paint on a truck using it for a rest. A lot of glass tables are tempered glass, and could be sensitive to concussion. I would always prefer wood.
 
I’m not an expert, but my knowledge of breaking things allows me to offer you this.

If you like the table or if the Mrs will kill you if you break it don’t do it. I’d say that your chance of breaking it will depend on the condition of the glass, it’s thickness, the temp, the recoil, and of course luck.

I’d probably do it, then be made at myself knowing I shouldn’t have.
 
You may want to invest in one of those portable shooting benches. I've seen them, don't remember pricing but I think it was reasonable. A much better shooting platform than a glass table.
P.S. you're luckily to be able to shoot from your back yard, I envy that!
 
I shoot off the glass table on my patio occasionally. Actually fired five shots with a 45-70 today from it.
Haven't broke it yet but I'm sure I will if I keep using it. It makes a lousy shooting platform anyway, not stable enough and to low.
 
Normally I'd set up in the back yard. The back porch is very nice for plinking with the 22 but I've been itching to try out my new 308 and the whole east coast is getting snow this weekend.

I'd just like to take a couple shots tomorrow to try it out, not necessarily a normal shooting spot for guns with boom.

I may just take Hokies advice and try it and just see what happens. The wife never complains when she gets new stuff anyway.
 
drunkenpoacher said:
I shoot off the glass table on my patio occasionally. Actually fired five shots with a 45-70 today from it.
Haven't broke it yet but I'm sure I will if I keep using it. It makes a lousy shooting platform anyway, not stable enough and to low.
Click to expand...


This is a big table for 6 people. It's actually a good height with a bag or bipod.
 
I shoot off a glass table from time to time. I have a lead sled on it so maybe that helps, though I think that would make it worse... Either way, it hasn't broke yet.
 
Advice? I tried to discourage you.!
Sorry the last sentence should have said, I’d be mad at myself when I break it!
That what I get for posting when I’m about to fall asleep.

And yes, I think you have 50/50 odds of breaking it.
 
Tempered glass is really pretty good for impacts along and parallel to faces.
The Achilles Heel is the thin edge.
You can plop a full ammo box on the top face, but a 4d finish nail just touching the edge with a few ounces of force will turn the sheet to powder.

It's a handy thing to know for building demolition. Not so good for tables.
 
I have won libation monies from temporary help in this same fashion. If they can break it with a hammer they win, If I can break it with a screw driver I win!
The best part is telling them that we must get these windows out in one piece for the owners to reuse them. "We" are very careful, the whole time myself "worried" about slicing off a leg. Then when we get it down to the dumpster to set it aside for later, I'll walk us down the narrow side and bump the edge on the dumpster. When the whole thing bursts and we have two handfuls of small glass squares I look them dead in the eye and say with a "we just got fired" look, "Oh no! What did you do!"
More than one has scrambled to try and catch all the little pieces.:evil:

Completely worth the time sweeping up the pavement! Sometimes the college kids will see and add to the amusement.:D
 
We're fortunate to have a 150yd range.... 50,100,150 berms.Heck,even have indoor range (rarely use it anymore) with vent systems.It sort of boils down to how serious "you" want to get?If it's all about having fun,be safe and use whatcha got.

Concrete shooting station tops on substantially built "leg systems" are the foundation and gold std from a testing/BR perspective.They're not that hard to build?Same with vent systems and bullet traps.

My interests these days only see me on the "heavy bags"(BR equipment) when dialing in loads on usually,new rigs.That's when the chronos,windflags,rests/bags come out.Way more often,and in some ways more fun.... I just use an Uncle Buds X bag and shoot off a wicker ottoman that goes with a cpl rocking chairs.Or,shoot off my hunting backpack.....Or with a bipod if the rig has it.But don't shoot that off a solid bench,instead,shoot it off the ground as that's how it's gonna be used in the field.
 
While I can applaud thoughts of the beloved, if the top does happen to break, all that was on it will be falling down onto the steel or aluminum legs and the pile of glass shards and bits.

That would wreck my morning.:(
 
I've got a "glass" table on my back deck that I shoot off quite a bit whenever I don't feel like the 100 yard commute down to my bench. From the back deck I have swingers at 407 and 547 yards. Zero issues so far.

Chuck
 
A family member used the back deck of a Corvette he owned a few years ago as a rest to take a shot at a coyote on his property with 357 Magnum. Coyote got away, it completely shattered the back glass out of the Corvette. I would have loved to have been there and seen the expression on his face.

My little story is no help but when talking about glass shattering there is no warning up until catastrophic failure.
 
While probably not the same thing, i shoot off the hoods of my vehicles with the muzzle sometimes less than a foot from the windshield. Worst thats ever happened is my muzzle loader left a nice stain across the hood.

I shoot off of 6x3ish folding plastic tables when i have time to set up (and i remember to bring one). They are steady enough for most of what i do and stow away easily. that might be a better option.
 
Wow, really. I wouldn't imagine using a glass table as a shooting rest for anything but maybe .22. Most of the time I use either the handrail of the balcony or a purpose-built rest. I had an old office table there for a while until it rotted away. The next step will be cast concrete on the yard once I find time to do it properly.
 
Glass topped tables tend to not be solid enough. Lot of 'em have been breaking for no apparent reason lately too. Mostly Chinese made I think. Buy your self a picnic table. They come as kits or ready made. Wally World will sell you one that has Mossy Oak camouflage padding on the benches for $129. They ship for free too.
 
Chuck R. said:
You might change your mind once you see how much time I spend mowing!!

Chuck
Click to expand...
"It's not how fast you mow,it's how well you mow fast!"
See your participating John Deere dealership for details.

And to the OP I wouldn't try it ,not worth a face full of glass or the time to sweep it up if it did decides to give out. On the bright side you would probably know what those NBA players feel like when they dunk hard and break the back board.
 
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