Benchrest support
- Thread starter Skip-in-WV
- Start date
ive never been an avid target shooter but have set up a little range out the window theres so many airguns i mess with now lol .. a solid bench is a prerequisite, but a caldwell rock jr and rear bag is a good setup for me for any range .. lightyears ahead of a bipod or just steadying it freehand on something, shots to 60y are just with impunity now, which is about the fenceline on that side ...
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I use a variety of objects. None of which were MADE for the purpose of resting a rifle upon.
One day I would really like to have a GREAT fully adjustable bench rest to take ME out of the equation as much as possible.
However, for now, for my backyard pesting, not having one is not a big deal. My improvised rests give me good results... most of the time.
However... I AM getting older and shakier. (chuckle/sigh)
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I mostly use two set ups. A Tier 1 bipod and Hole Shot rear mechanical rest or Accutac bipod and a squeeze bag. I’ve gotten into ARA .22LR BR shooting and really appreciate how a good bipod mitigates the rifles torque so I guess I’ve carried that over to my airgun shooting as well.
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I like my Randolph front rest and a protector bag in the rear. I sometimes use a target.com rear adjustable rest.
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I use a Protector rear bag (heavy sand because i didn't know any better ) and a Protector front rest . I use this set for Both air and powder .
Really i bought these for powder burners before i had air guns .
Really i bought these for powder burners before i had air guns .
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Wonder why we can't see SEB, Lenzi, Farley, Shadetree, joystick type rest, available from a major retailer? I know there is the Fire control, but it's not the same build quality as the others. I want a good rest as well, and have been looking for quite a bit now.
Magnum Metal Toggle Rest (benchrest.com)
This is the most economical thing I've found. Looks just like a Farley to me.
Magnum Metal Toggle Rest (benchrest.com)
This is the most economical thing I've found. Looks just like a Farley to me.
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I use a Sinclair front rest and am starting to suspect that the benchrest setup and operation is an important part of getting from 730-740 scores to 750.
- I sometimes find my POA jumps a bit to the right after a shot. Sometimes the POI jumps a bit left, sometimes right when this happens
- I switched from a conventional Protector type rear bag with ears to hold the rear stock to 3D printed bag riders with flat bottoms - one 1" wide the other 4" wide. When put on a flat sandbag, I got less consistency until I added teflon self-adhesive film to the bottom of the rest. Before adding the film, the rider would squeak a bit as I raised/lowered the front rest (which actually also pulls/pushes the gun forward/back). With the film, the squeaks went away and groups improved greatly.
- My bag riders are several inches below the bottom of the stock. I'm thinking about another design where the rider ends up just a couple inches below the bore line, i.e., at about the same height as the forearm rider for the front rest sand bag. With the point of contact so far below the barrel, it seems easy for the action to sway left/right.
Can anyone provide some of the learnings they've come upon from shooting 2 piece rests for USARB? For example,
- How critical is maintaining alignment of the front rest and rear rest? (Folks like Mike Niksch at Thomas who use one piece rests can always maintain alignment; as we pan the target card, our front rest moves)
- Is torque on the front rest caused by the panning a detriment? Would getting a Rodzilla front rest top (that freely rotates), fix this and improve air gun groups?
- Would it help to have the rear bag rider be as high as or above the gun's center of gravity? I see the Thomas benchrest stocks enabling very high rear rests
- Is the shape of the bag rider surface important? What works best? Flat, slight curve, curved v, spoon oval, other?
Am I overlooking other important variables?
Do any front or rear rests seem to greatly outperform others? What are the reasons they provide advantages?
Regards.
- I sometimes find my POA jumps a bit to the right after a shot. Sometimes the POI jumps a bit left, sometimes right when this happens
- I switched from a conventional Protector type rear bag with ears to hold the rear stock to 3D printed bag riders with flat bottoms - one 1" wide the other 4" wide. When put on a flat sandbag, I got less consistency until I added teflon self-adhesive film to the bottom of the rest. Before adding the film, the rider would squeak a bit as I raised/lowered the front rest (which actually also pulls/pushes the gun forward/back). With the film, the squeaks went away and groups improved greatly.
- My bag riders are several inches below the bottom of the stock. I'm thinking about another design where the rider ends up just a couple inches below the bore line, i.e., at about the same height as the forearm rider for the front rest sand bag. With the point of contact so far below the barrel, it seems easy for the action to sway left/right.
Can anyone provide some of the learnings they've come upon from shooting 2 piece rests for USARB? For example,
- How critical is maintaining alignment of the front rest and rear rest? (Folks like Mike Niksch at Thomas who use one piece rests can always maintain alignment; as we pan the target card, our front rest moves)
- Is torque on the front rest caused by the panning a detriment? Would getting a Rodzilla front rest top (that freely rotates), fix this and improve air gun groups?
- Would it help to have the rear bag rider be as high as or above the gun's center of gravity? I see the Thomas benchrest stocks enabling very high rear rests
- Is the shape of the bag rider surface important? What works best? Flat, slight curve, curved v, spoon oval, other?
Am I overlooking other important variables?
Do any front or rear rests seem to greatly outperform others? What are the reasons they provide advantages?
Regards.
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For usarb, you must use a 2 piece setup for LV avd HV. I wasn’t that fussy about how I set them up. My opinion is that it doesn’t matter much for 20fpe guns and below.
For slug guns with power….that’s a whole different matter. Getting things as close to the same every time as possible is very important to manage vertical. I never bothered with a one piece until I got into slugs.
Mike
For slug guns with power….that’s a whole different matter. Getting things as close to the same every time as possible is very important to manage vertical. I never bothered with a one piece until I got into slugs.
Mike
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Mike,
Thanks for the comments about slugs and one piece rests. i'm still a newbie focused on 25 meter heavy varmit benchrest with my .177 (Daystate Pulsar) using Air Arms 10.3 or JSB 13.4 RD.
You've been able to achieve groupings like 1.8 mm CTC 25 shots at 50 yards. What type of benchrest setup do I need to be highly competitive in my discipline, i.e., get 25 shot CTCs of under 3.5 mm at 25 meters? I can regularly get 720s in light winds, 730s on very light or calm days. I haven't hit 740 yet. No big fliers, just small misses. Usually my POA stays on target after each shot, but sometimes it shifts a bit after a shot and that usually is when I don't hit the center bull. It isn't scope shift because when I re-aim at my target the next shot is usually OK. This is why I think it might be my benchrest set up, or my shooting technique. I try to maintain exactly the same trigger pull routine on all shots and I don't feel a change in technique when the misses occur.
Thanks for the comments about slugs and one piece rests. i'm still a newbie focused on 25 meter heavy varmit benchrest with my .177 (Daystate Pulsar) using Air Arms 10.3 or JSB 13.4 RD.
You've been able to achieve groupings like 1.8 mm CTC 25 shots at 50 yards. What type of benchrest setup do I need to be highly competitive in my discipline, i.e., get 25 shot CTCs of under 3.5 mm at 25 meters? I can regularly get 720s in light winds, 730s on very light or calm days. I haven't hit 740 yet. No big fliers, just small misses. Usually my POA stays on target after each shot, but sometimes it shifts a bit after a shot and that usually is when I don't hit the center bull. It isn't scope shift because when I re-aim at my target the next shot is usually OK. This is why I think it might be my benchrest set up, or my shooting technique. I try to maintain exactly the same trigger pull routine on all shots and I don't feel a change in technique when the misses occur.
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I would suggest you find a place to shoot indoors at 25m. That will answer a lot of your questions.
Mike
Mike
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For BR25 and BR50 I use a mini SEB with a sandbag on the back. For BR25 I have to move the rest, the SEB range doesn't cover all the official target, in BR50 I don't have that problem.
The SEB mini is very comfortable to carry and stable to shoot
The SEB mini is very comfortable to carry and stable to shoot
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