Thinking about a new shooting bench

[Charlie1022]

I have a heavy wooden bench now and have been thinking about building one with a cement top What is everyone using for a solid bench? What did you use for legs? Did you pour a cement pad to build it on? I was even thinking if I do a cement top I would have it spray coated with a bed liner material to protect my guns.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Search 'reloading bench" here and you will find many ideas.
A cement top doesn't sound very convenient to me. You will want to bolt presses and other tools to it, go with wood.

Oops, misread the title. I still think a heavy wood top is better.

 

[Ks5shooter]

However you do it ,it will be rock solid. Please post picks when done.

 

[earlthegoat2]

The very best benches I have ever shot off of were of all concrete construction. Concrete piers with a slab top.

That said, they are a bit more expensive to build, labor intensive, and permanent.

A heavy wood bench would be what I would go with. I would use 6x6 legs, 2x8 outside stringers and build it in a U shape as I prefer those to the trapezoid shaped ones and lag it together with construction lags that have a flanged head not the standard ones which require washers. They are easier to use, stronger, and don’t loosen up as easily.

 

[Charlie1022]

Since I bought a new rifle the other day I decided to work on my old wood bench made with 4x6 legs and 2x8's. I replaces all the deck screws with #10 3" deck screws and added braces to the legs and it really firmed it up. I added a patio umbrella for shade and that really helped when the sun is out. It just moved when the wind picks up very much. May have to get my 10x20 car port out and set it up to provide more shade. Been looking at cost of building a roof over the bench and putting gravel down to help with brass recovery.

 

[dh1633pm]

We used a wood frame. Then poured concrete. Used a front end loader to flip it upright. Advantage of wood with weight of concrete.

 

[Rembrandt]

I prefer using heavy wall steel tubing (2" blackpipe) for a frame. Pipe can be bent with a simple hand tube bender or taken to a muffler shop and done. After bending two pieces identical, join them together in a "V" pattern and weld the legs together. Add some plates to the bottom of each leg to prevent dirt getting in the pipe ends. Top was a 4X8 sheet of treated 3/4" plywood, cut in half (4'X4') and glued together (liquid nails) for a 1.5" thick top. Drill and bolt the top to the legs using carriage bolts. Don't need materials with mass to get strength. Bench in top photo is over twenty years old, they weather very well.

Cut outs allow the top to be ambidextrous and scrap can be used for a seat. Seat is more black pipe welded to an old disc blade with threaded rod for height adjustment, just spin the seat up or down. Have less than $100 in each build. Top could be formed up and concrete substituted for the wood. Built about a dozen of these for our club range and at the farm. Easy to move and sturdy as a rock. Fits any sized shooter to the littlest beginner.

 

[Chuck R.]

My current bench is one of the popular designs found on the net using 4x4s and synthetic decking which I have on a concrete slab. It works very well and is stable enough. I've thought about a concrete top, but the weight is a concern because sometimes I like the flexibility of being able to move the bench out of the way for position shooting. As it is now by myself I can at least slide it off to the side.





IF I had to do it over again, I'd put in a larger slab as it stands now I can accommodate two guys firing at a time. There's times when I have more out.

 

[jmorris]

The one we use down at the farm has a built in seat that has tool free height and in/out adjustment. Even if a home shooters have a different idea of “get comfortable” than I do.



I do have a small concrete one I use here at the house. The legs thread into it, female couplers are in the concrete so it can even fit in the trunk of a car.



It’s the most stable portable bench I have.

 

[tlf65]

I just finished building one like Chuck R's it's very sturdy and heavy. The only problem I had was finding treated lumber there is a shortage right now related to covid. Haven't used it yet waiting for my Son and SIL to help me move it