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Field target hamsters

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zebra

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Sep 29, 2015
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New York
I understand that those rests people use for field target shooting are called "hamsters". Where do people buy them from in America or do they make them themselves for guns that didn't come with them?

If people make them themselves, are they adjustable and what parts are used for the mechanism to make them adjustable?

I am working on a DIY target stock but I'm not sure where to start for this componant...
 
If you install an anschutz accessory rail on the bottom of the forend of your stock...you will be able to accommodate most any knee riser out there. It's basically just a t slot profile aluminum extrusion. Most accessories are mounted this way.

The Rowan engineering knee riser mechanism is the best and by far the most versatile. It's not cheap, but I wish I had overlooked the price and bought one earlier.

Mike 
 
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Got mine from MAC1. I have 2 of them. One has a longer link (he calls them dog bones), the other shorter. Very adjustible. one fits
the Anschutz rail on my Steyr. The other uses an adapter piece I had made with a male threaded end that replaces the stock bolt of my Daystate Panther, and the other end has a female thread to fit the bolt from the hamster. The body in the middle of the adapter is long enough so it sticks out of the stock. Both work very well for me.
 
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Ah it makes more sense now. I guess people in America call it a knee rest or knee riser (which is a much more sensible name) while people in Europe refer to it as a hamster for apparently no other reason than it is roughly the same size. 

The only search results I was finding were from the UK and Eastern Europe when I google field target hamsters. They seem to have much cooler air gun accessory shops than we do btw. I particularly appreciated the designs sold in this store:

https://www.maestro-design.co.uk

but not their prices so much. 

Is Mac1 the only place to make and sell them in America? Does anyone make a lower cost product for people who are just dipping their toe in the sport?

I could be wrong but it seems hard to believe that people who use $400 air rifles like a CZ200 would be investing $175 or more in a knee rest for one.

Making the actual rest out of carbon fiber or fiberglass would be very easy for me. It's the mechanism that makes it's height adjustable that I'm not sure about. Do they have to be height adjustable or, if you were making one as a custom job, could you just make it the right height for yourself and keep it fixed? I.e. Is there any need for the same person to have it at one height for one thing and then adjust it for another position etc?

The only way I can think of to do it easily is to use a quick release bar clamp and attach the rest to a carbon fiber tube. It doesn't look like anyone else does it that way though...
 
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Zebra,

For me, the vast majority of my sitting shots are taken with my knee riser in the very same position. So you could easily just make a static riser and probably be all set for most of your sitting shots, too. For my kneeling shots, I like a different position. For offhand, i typically don't use the riser at all. However, there are times when targets are placed in trees that require an uphill hold of maybe 30-40 degrees. The offhands and kneelers can be very difficult to find a steady hold if you don't have a good range of adjustment on
the riser.

I would suggest just making some simple static risers that connect to your Anschutz rail and shoot for a while to see what your particular needs are. Here in the US, we can change accessories on the lanes in the open class. Wftf does not allow adding or removing during the match. Lots of open class guys have static risers of various height that they freely change out as necessary. That would be the least expensive route to take.

I read somewhere that a guy used toilet flange bolts to hold accessories on his Anschutz rail. I don't know if they required any additional modifications to utilize, as I have not tried them myself.

You can buy Anschutz rail sections from Champions Choice for about 15.00 for a 15" piece. I don't have a direct link, but if you go to their site and search rail sections....it should come up.

Mike 



 
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"thomasair"Zebra,

For me, the vast majority of my sitting shots are taken with my knee riser in the very same position. So you could easily just make a static riser and probably be all set for most of your sitting shots, too. For my kneeling shots, I like a different position. For offhand, i typically don't use the riser at all. However, there are times when targets are placed in trees that require an uphill hold of maybe 30-40 degrees. The offhands and kneelers can be very difficult to find a steady hold if you don't have a good range of adjustment on
the riser.

I would suggest just making some simple static risers that connect to your Anschutz rail and shoot for a while to see what your particular needs are. Here in the US, we can change accessories on the lanes in the open class. Wftf does not allow adding or removing during the match. Lots of open class guys have static risers of various height that they freely change out as necessary. That would be the least expensive route to take.

I read somewhere that a guy used toilet flange bolts to hold accessories on his Anschutz rail. I don't know if they required any additional modifications to utilize, as I have not tried them myself.

You can buy Anschutz rail sections from Champions Choice for about 15.00 for a 15" piece. I don't have a direct link, but if you go to their site and search rail sections....it should come up.

Mike 



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Thanks for the info. That all makes sense to me. I think I need to start experimenting with what feels comfortable for me in various positions. If I can switch it out then I could make multiple screw on attachments if needed. Or, I have parts here to go with my bar clamp idea. It would only need a few of those screws you can turn without tools. I started carving the master forend for the stock today.

On a separate note, how on earth did an argument happen on a thread about hamsters. Getting mad at hamsters is like getting mad at popcorn. Nobody could get angry at popcorn - it's just so delicious!



 
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I built my own for a Benjamin Marauder. It's nothing fancy to look at, but it works great. I'll post a pic later. I added a sling stud just anterior to the pressure gauge. That allowed me to install a picatinny rail adapter. I screwed a quick release adapter to the top of a 3/4" dowel (I actually used two 3/4" dowels about 3" long) with a flat piece of wood screwed to the bottom. I attached some egg crate foam to the bottom of that. It's easy to connect and disconnect and it can be reversed depending on what kind of support I need. Wish I had a pic with me. It's hard to explain all the details one pic can show. Good luck on your knee riser!
 
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"kevmck1"I built my own for a Benjamin Marauder. It's nothing fancy to look at, but it works great. I'll post a pic later. I added a sling stud just anterior to the pressure gauge. That allowed me to install a picatinny rail adapter. I screwed a quick release adapter to the top of a 3/4" dowel (I actually used two 3/4" dowels about 3" long) with a flat piece of wood screwed to the bottom. I attached some egg crate foam to the bottom of that. It's easy to connect and disconnect and it can be reversed depending on what kind of support I need. Wish I had a pic with me. It's hard to explain all the details one pic can show. Good luck on your knee riser!
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I would be interested to see the pics when you get a chance.
 
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"T3PRanch"I hate to say I was not familiar with the term "Hamster" as applied to FT. Upon initially reading the title a vision of a "Hampster Dance" (google it if you don't know) airgun shooting gallery came to mind!:p

Thurmond
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Glad to help bring back old memories!

Check out this store from the UK:

Custom stocks[/QUOTE]http://sureshot-airguns.co.uk/custom-stocks/embed/

They are one of a number I found that use the term "Hampster" so I guess it's standard over there. Their custom FT and BR metal chassis systems for the Air Arms guns and the CZS200 look pretty good for the money.
 
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If you have some money to spend on the best hamster out there, have a look at www.rowanengineering.com

They make the best hamster out there. They make several other items for air rifle shooters. They also make hamsters for others rifles, like the AA rifles.

If you have a rifle with an accessories rail, buy the adjustable forend mechanism. Many guys have made their own palm shelf, but the one Rowan makes is awesome.

I hope this helps

Biagio
 
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"kevmck1"Zebra - Here are a few pics of the knee riser I built. It's not pretty to look at, but it's rock solid and great for standing and kneeling positions as well. Hopefully this will give you some ideas.




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I like it. As someone who enjoys making things almost as much as air guns, it always makes me happy to see other people's DIY projects.

Where did you get the rail clamp from? Was it taken from from some scope rings or something like that?

I am not planning on attaching mine to a rail. I have ordered some additional 1/2" bar clamps and some aluminum rods. I'll use the rods to make carbon fiber tubes and they will attach to the stock with the bar clamp. This will give me vertical adjustability (albeit with a rather simple mechanism). 
 
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