Best Shooting Rest

colorado

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HI I bought a Caldwell "Rock Solid" shooting rest maybe 10 years ago. In my opinion it's a POS. The adjustment screws never really worked. Is there a much higher quality one out there? It seems like they jump from $100 to $700 really quickly. I found this one. Any opinions?




Thanks,

Chuck
 

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I tried a variety of rests over the years… nothing really worked any better than sandbags and a shooters sock (basically an old green army issue sock that I partially filled with rice and used as a squeeze bag under the rear / toe of the sock)… so that’s what I use now…

Caldwell makes a sandbag type rest that works pretty well called the dead shot bag… I use that on the front of the rifle but don’t use the smaller bag they provide at the toe… I prefer my old sock lol…

It’s cheap… I think it was about $30 the last time I noticed them on the shelf at Cabelas… and reasonably compact and not super heavy.. so pretty to tote around at the range etc if you need to…
 
I use something similar for rifles with little recoil, with no problem.


To "sight-in" heavy-recoil rifles:


I use bags filled with lead shot between me and the rifle, until the scope is sighted in.

If you are using a DG rifle - stop using a bench rest once your scope is sighted in. If you are using open-sights - don't waste time or ammo on a bench.

Shoot off sticks, or off-hand and learn to "roll-with-the-punches" after you are sighted-in. Your rifle will not you hurt you as much, and you will, certainly, not be on a bench rest when you are hunting.
 
Build your own. Think I have about $1.50 in the piece of 1" allthread and 2, 1" nuts. Another $8 or $10 in the leather front pad that straps to the top with a piece of canvas covered foam to completely cover the metal top plate. Gives me adjustability from about 8" above the bench to around 16". It doesn't move without my help. Just simple sand bags under the butt of the rifle. Oh, and I don't worry about it just living on the bench year round. Might go a little lighter on the steel if you need it to be portable :A Shades:
1676604243460.jpeg
 
Never used a anything other than sand bags to zero my weapons.
 
Hornady Delta Rest is as fancy as I get. Bought one as soon as they landed in NZ. Yes, that dates me but not a superannuant yet:giggle:! A .50 cal ammo box with a Swanni (heavy woollen bush shirt) on top can also work. Just put it on its side if you need to lower it.
Seriously though, my Delta Rest with pieces of rubber floor mat glued onto the various resting spots, is ideal for me. Nine (9) height options. Best to put some sand inside it though. Chased it once at the Range after the wind picked. Filled it with sand, a few days later.
Sinclair kit is always good. I have never been impressed with the Caldwell rests but, then again, they are very much an economy option for occasional bench-rest testing. Plenty of choices and … as stated above, you can make your own. Threaded rod is a pretty good bet but make sure that the adjustment nut is not too loose. If you go to a specialist fastener shop i.e., where carpenters (like me) and mechanics; prefer to buy, they can sell you a longer nut which will provide extra friction.
 
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I use something similar for rifles with little recoil, with no problem.


To "sight-in" heavy-recoil rifles:


I use bags filled with lead shot between me and the rifle, until the scope is sighted in.

If you are using a DG rifle - stop using a bench rest once your scope is sighted in. If you are using open-sights - don't waste time or ammo on a bench.

Shoot off sticks, or off-hand and learn to "roll-with-the-punches" after you are sighted-in. Your rifle will not you hurt you as much, and you will, certainly, not be on a bench rest when you are hunting.

I have good sandbags and the "rabbit ear" one as well. I use the Caldwell Lead Sled for the 500 Jeffery, which works fine. Once sighted in, which it usually is, I only shoot the 500 offhand or sitting with a sling. It's for my 270s etc. that I want a rest for
 
The Sinclair looks like a quality adjustable rest.

My setup is not adjustable, but works well for me. I like the rifle up higher than most and actually use it turned sideways with a thick squeeze bag under the buttstock.
20230217_130958.jpg
 
This is the one I made for myself about 30+years ago.Wanted one of the U-beaut upmarket models but the cost made me think again and with a bit of effort and the main adjustment wheel made by a local engineer I had this ready to go for fraction of the price and allowed for some of the best accuracy I ever got with some of my rifles including the 404 Jeffery pictured but also the 6.5Grendel-Max (.3moa @200yds) and my 20 VarTarg (.084 @ 100 yds)
404 Jeffery 046.jpg
 
The best shooting rest I've ever used or even seen for that matter is the 1000LP made by a man named Wally Brownlee. He's a very personable guy; I've spoken to him on the phone. I have the 1000LP for rifle and the 1500 pistol rest for handguns. The rests are awesome in their sturdiness and adjustability. We use the rests for everything from my 5mm Benjamin pellet rifle to the mighty .375 H&H magnum. He now offers a 2000LP rifle rest which looks a bit more exotic but which had not been introduced at the time I purchased my 1000LP.
REF:
https://targetshooting.com/product/model-1000lp-rifle-rest/

https://targetshooting.com/product/model-1500-pistol-rest/

 
At the home range with the 1000LP rest practicing with the M1 Garand. Getting into my competition coat for a tight fit LOL.

IMG_2694.JPG
IMG_2699.JPG
 
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The Grizzly front rest can usually be found used and somewhat cheaper in the used market. I have one in aluminum and one in cast iron. Different width bags can be purchased.

 

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