Recommendations on a portable bench rest

[richhodg66]

Wife and I closed on a house Friday with some acreage that is gonna allow me to have my own range. Best option looking at the terrain would allow me a 100 yard rifle range if I could set up a bench rest basically on the front porch. Obviously, I don't want something permanent there and a portable one would be nice if I ever do get around to driving west to shoot prarie dogs and such.

Anyone know of one available that is easily portable and stable?

[altheating]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...Shooting-Bench

take a look at post#20, I made that one two years ago. Love shooting from it. Put two handles on the bottom to carry it from place to place.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

This may not be as sturdy a suggestion as you are looking for, but I have had a lot of good service from a good old fashioned ironing board. it is light, portable, can be easily regulated to any height. It collapses to flat and has a cover that can be washed if necessary. Just an idea that hs worked for me. LLS

[richhodg66]

Thanks for that thread, lots of good ideas in it.

I had thought about an ironing board or card table but wondered if it could be made sturdy enough.

[altheating]

Having shot from a card table and an old ironing board and 55 gallon steel barrels, they suck! Better than nothing but nowhere as sturdy as a good bench designed for shooting. Problem with card tables is they are to short, ironing boards don't have a wide enough footprint and are very wobbly. For my bench I took a 5 gallon pail with lid and cut a piece of 4" thick foam, attached it to the lid and covered it with a waterproof covering and use it for a seat. Inside the bucket goes my sand bags, stapler, targets, spotting scope, note pad, pen and range cleaning kit. Put it in the truck and nothing is left behind. Adjust the thickness of the foam to get the perfect height for your needs.

[winelover]

I used about a five foot section of laminated counter top with steel folding legs, for a portable bench on my patio/covered porch. It's not perfect but steadier than some of the other options.

Winelover

[Artful]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...nd-Suggestions

[country gent]

I made one for a friend years ago. It was a butcher block top from 2X4s and 2X8s one board in from each side was a 2X8 the 2X4 and another 2X8 and the same stack down the center. These formed the hinge sides for the legs. 2 in front one in back. 1 1/4" dowels were the hinge pins. Legs had a 15* angled set to help keep stable. Legs were 2X8s and folded under top with no tools needed. I finished the top down flat and true with a hand plane. sanded and finihed everything. I believe the top was 3 foot wide and 4 foot long With angled sides in the back. He used this for wood chuck hunting.

[Artful]

country gent - how much did that butcherblock one weigh?

[country gent]

It was heavy but could be carried before I got MS. It was simple pine clear lumber 1" wood dowels for top glued and pinned together. One big tip is if you decide to build like this fit everything together before hand. Have clamps set up and ready (3-4 bar clamps) I used 1/2" all thread ready rod washers and nuts every other hole to clamp together. dowels in open holes for alighnment. Have evverything ready to go and a helper is very handy Helper spreads glue on one side of board hands it to you and you slide over dowels and rods lightly onto previous. Having the boards in order is a big help also.

[Razorback]

Take a look at Knothole designs model 2000. Saw a write up about in the blue press late last year & decided to give it a try. It is made in Alva Wyoming & you won't find nicer people to deal with. Shot off mine today & like it more each time it's used. Was planning to make one, but this design is amazing. Have no connection to promote their bench other than to make others aware of what's out there. I would take twice what I paid for mine....... John

[Razorback]

Correction would not take twice what I paid.......

[Artful]

Take a look at Knothole designs model 2000. Saw a write up about in the blue press late last year & decided to give it a try. It is made in Alva Wyoming & you won't find nicer people to deal with. Shot off mine today & like it more each time it's used. Was planning to make one, but this design is amazing. Have no connection to promote their bench other than to make others aware of what's out there. I would take twice what I paid for mine....... John

this the one?
http://www.knotholedesigns.com/



Knothole Designs Model 2000 Portable Shooting Bench $99.00
Weight 32 Pounds
Height 32 Inches
Height of Seat 16 Inches
Top 18 x 48 Inches
Seat 12 x 16 Inches
Folds To 18 x 48 x 4 Inches
Seat Capacity Tested to 350 Pounds
Made From 3/4 Inch Grade AB Fir Plywood, 1/2 and 3/4 Inch square tube steel, grade 5 bolts at critical joints, nyloc nuts, Porch and Deck stain finish on plywood, and Powder Coat on metal parts.

Available in Right or Left hand

Knothole Designs
Jim and Doris Gotsch
160 Buck Creek Trail
Alva, WY 82711
Phone (307) 467-5635

Email khd@rtconnect.net

[altheating]

Looks neat, but I doubt it will work well on wet ground. When you sit on it that side will sink into ground causing the table to be crooked. I still like one with a separate seat. JMHO

[JSnover]

I think the OP was planning to shoot from his porch. Even if he wasn't it shouldn't be hard to come up with some feet for that rest if the ground is a little soggy.

[alamogunr]

I built this one about 10 years ago. Kind of heavy with the double thickness top and pipe legs. I added pipe caps to the bottom of the legs to keep it from sinking into the ground.

http://www.larrywillis.com/shootingbench.html

Someday, I'm going to learn how to post pictures.

[JSnover]

http://www.larrywillis.com/shootingbench.html

Someday, I'm going to learn how to post pictures.

Nice work!

[ascast]

my 2 cents - if you have to go outside get a log picnic table and tell the misses it's for tea parties.

truth is you should have the bench upstairs just inside the window in your reloading run, sorry MAN CAVE.
It's safer.

[alamogunr]

I built this one about 10 years ago. Kind of heavy with the double thickness top and pipe legs. I added pipe caps to the bottom of the legs to keep it from sinking into the ground.

http://www.larrywillis.com/shootingbench.html

Someday, I'm going to learn how to post pictures.

Nice work!

That is not my work. The link is where I got the plans. My bench is not as nice in detail although the brackets for the legs are very nice since I got a friend to weld them up.

[Bent Ramrod]

I used a Black & Decker Workmate for a base. I bolted a 2x4 across the bottom of a lightweight table top and clamped it in the Workmate to make the shooting bench. The assembly was pretty stable, but it did need three parts, including the seat, to function.