DIY Portable Shooting Bench

[Koda]

It took me a while to get to this but Ive been staring at a pile of scrap wood and finally came up with a vision. My first attempt was super wobbly so I simplified it and now its pretty close to 100% stable for a portable DIY shooting table. Back and forth it doesnt move and solid, right and left is pretty darn good just a tiny amount of yaw thats stiff but not wobbly. The legs are tightened with 3/8 tee nuts and bolts, then slip out and store inside the frame for transport. I made it smaller and compact so it will fit inside my cab if needed. It weighs 42lbs. Its all repurposed scrap wood and testing in the woods is an unscientific guess of 95% stable platform to shoot from. How long it will last remains to be seen, I need to paint it.

 

[ELRShooter]

I built this one and am really happy with it.

 

[Koda]

I built this one and am really happy with it.

Thats definitely not gonna move around on ya. You must have private land to shoot on?

 

[ELRShooter]

I do, but I added a lip in the front by extending the 2x's about 2" so I can put it on the tailgate of the truck and tip it up in the bed pretty easy to move it around. I needed something that didn't move at all for longer range shooting and it works perfect. So portable if you have a truck. Not so much if you don't.

 

[Fatcat200]

I do, but I added a lip in the front by extending the 2x's about 2" so I can put it on the tailgate of the truck and tip it up in the bed pretty easy to move it around. I needed something that didn't move at all for longer range shooting and it works perfect. So portable if you have a truck. Not so much if you don't.

Got a tripod setup from Hart Rifles years ago that works great and is easily portable.Do not know if they still sell them

 

[bcp]

Buy a Jawhorse. Clamp your DIY top in it.



Bruce

 

[Fatcat200]

Buy a Jawhorse. Clamp your DIY top in it.

View attachment 2280510

Bruce

That will work

 

[Llatikcuf]

Fail

 

[Llatikcuf]

I don't know what happened to that other post, let's try again.
Here's a bench I made, laminated two pieces of 3/4" plywood topped with a piece of outdoor carpet. It's a bit heavy but I wanted it that way. Just don't look too close at my welds!

 

[MymuttBear]

I don't know what happened to that other post, let's try again.
Here's a bench I made, laminated two pieces of 3/4" plywood topped with a piece of outdoor carpet. It's a bit heavy but I wanted it that way. Just don't look too close at my welds!

View attachment 2287737 View attachment 2287738 View attachment 2287740 View attachment 2287741 View attachment 2287742

As my Avionics Technician brother used to say when soldering, "bigger the blob the better the job".

 

[MymuttBear]

Buy a Jawhorse. Clamp your DIY top in it.

View attachment 2280510

Bruce

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0AUm-vXdkw

 

[3MTA3]

I don't know what happened to that other post, let's try again.
Here's a bench I made, laminated two pieces of 3/4" plywood topped with a piece of outdoor carpet. It's a bit heavy but I wanted it that way. Just don't look too close at my welds!

View attachment 2287737 View attachment 2287738 View attachment 2287740 View attachment 2287741 View attachment 2287742

Where did you find the off road rated chair casters?

 

[Koda]

I don't know what happened to that other post, let's try again.
Here's a bench I made, laminated two pieces of 3/4" plywood topped with a piece of outdoor carpet. It's a bit heavy but I wanted it that way. Just don't look too close at my welds!

View attachment 2287737 View attachment 2287738 View attachment 2287740 View attachment 2287741 View attachment 2287742

I really like this design, well done.

 

[Spitpatch]

This is a bench constructed by a disabled friend years ago from plans he said he found in Popular Mechanics.

He built a pile of these out of some high-density plywood (MDO board). Six pieces that assemble with no fasteners, and includes a seat. (He also fabbed a "monopod" of sorts out of steel that attached to the front, but conventional shooting tripods/sandbags work better).

Collapsed, it is held in one stack by carriage bolts and wing nuts, and fits in the trunk of a mid-size car, can be carried under the arm to the shooting site.

A bit "rickety" before a human sits on it, when it settles nicely, and a couple coats of Varathane tightens it up a lot.

I have used this for over 30 years when I need a portable bench. I've not used it for "scientific" testing purposes, as I have a solid, attached bench at my home range, but this bench works perfectly for field use such as target practice, rockchuck, sage rat, prairie dog shooting,

As an aside toward pics posted here, I would advise those who may be using a bipod attached to their rifle for precision testing that they do an unbiased comparison with the same rifle on bags.

There is a BIG difference, boys.



As another option, a Black and Decker Workmate is pretty darned versatile, portable, sturdy and durable. This one was given to me by a remodeling contractor friend.
Platform surface area is small, but has a clamping mechanism. Height is perfect for use in tandem with your chair of preference.

FX .25 caliber Verminator not included.

 

[MymuttBear]

Look up something called a Stitching Horse. First job I had was in a factory that made soccer balls and footballs. All out of leather and all hand sewn.

When you sat on it the two upright arms clamped together with a lot of force. I can imagine using something like that with a small table on it for resting the rifle.

The heavier one is the greater the clamping force.

 

[oilybore]

I got tired of dragging a table out and went the tripod route.

What tripod did you go with? I shoot a lot of older World War Two rifles that are really long and sometimes bulky so I'm curious what's working for you

 

[powermad]

The Bog death grip tri pod has a saddle that works well for those type of rifles.