I'm fortunate enough to have a CNC Router with a 2' x 4' table surface, so I decided to design a custom bench for shooting, but tailored to my preferences for ease of use during gun testing and tuning. These are photos of the prototype I made using two laminated sheets of 3/4" MDF. This was only $16 worth of MDF material, so it serves as a practice piece for checking alignments and layout. The 20 degree angled leg bases are also only made from 2x6 pine for now. My final will use a 2' x 4' x 1.5" piece of hardwood (birch) butcherblock countertop. The angled leg braces will also be made from hardwood as well (oak). The butcherblock pieces are over $90 for one table top, so you can see my reason for proofing the design in MDF. I'll probably seal the MDF with multiple coats of Spar Urethane for outside use, but I'm hesitant to use MDF for anything that you wish to truly consider permanent. Plus, I believe MDF would eventually sag in the middle.
The basic bench is to be portable. This one is for right-handed shooters. Handle on the edge and the legs are removable. Equipment mounting locations/hardware are pre-located. Tripod leg base for stability and ease of leveling (a "T-Level" will be added to the front edge of the surface soon). A stop-bar (for pre-loading a bipod against) with 2" variable distance locations pre-drilled.
Legs are 29" lengths of 1 1/4" galvanized pipe, threaded on one end. A standard 1 1/4" galvanized floor flange mounts into the 5 1/4" square mounting block (recess is at a 20 degree angle to cant the legs). Mounting blocks go into a slight recess in the table bottom for alignment. Front legs can be rotated to point straight out to the side, or forward at a 45 degree angle. Rear leg mounting block can be adjusted to center of overall table, or center of narrower table width at back of table. I will be adding 1 1/4" pipe hangers to the underneath side of the table top to allow the legs to be store flat against the bottom of the table for storage/transport. (I was short by two on the T-Nuts, so I temporarily removed two so I could use them on my tank's carrier for allowing the under table mount. They mate up to the two bare bolts you see sticking up on the right side.)
Legs are made adjustable by sliding a 12" piece of 1" galvanized pipe inside the 1 1/4" leg. I will be putting a threaded 3/8" hole in the outer leg pipe and using a thumbscrew to provide tightened friction lock to the inner leg pipe. I haven't tested this yet, and it may require two thumbscrews to securely hold adjustment position. A standard pipe end cap used for the leg foot. I am considering dipping the end caps in rubber tool dip to coat them and provide a more gripping contact point. Would probably make it less likely to slip and move if bumped from the side when shooting from something like smooth concrete. A bare rounded galvanized steel end cap might slide somewhat easily on such a surface.
For accuracy testing and precision tuning, my Hyscore machine rest has mounting holes pre-located, as does the LabRadar for collecting chronograph and ballistics data. I also decided to pre-locate mounting for the carrier I made for my air tank. I will be placing a hole for the air line to come up from underneath the table to the gun's fill port to allow teathered operations.
For general shooting and practice, the bipod and sand bag configuration against the stop bar is perfect, and still lines up with the LabRadar should I want to keep an eye on velocities while shooting. Topped it off with an amazingly comfortable "drum throne". I wanted a tripod stool, and something that would remain comfortable for long periods. It was fairly affordable, but by no means a requirement.
Now... if it would just warm up above the current 6 degrees!
The basic bench is to be portable. This one is for right-handed shooters. Handle on the edge and the legs are removable. Equipment mounting locations/hardware are pre-located. Tripod leg base for stability and ease of leveling (a "T-Level" will be added to the front edge of the surface soon). A stop-bar (for pre-loading a bipod against) with 2" variable distance locations pre-drilled.
Legs are 29" lengths of 1 1/4" galvanized pipe, threaded on one end. A standard 1 1/4" galvanized floor flange mounts into the 5 1/4" square mounting block (recess is at a 20 degree angle to cant the legs). Mounting blocks go into a slight recess in the table bottom for alignment. Front legs can be rotated to point straight out to the side, or forward at a 45 degree angle. Rear leg mounting block can be adjusted to center of overall table, or center of narrower table width at back of table. I will be adding 1 1/4" pipe hangers to the underneath side of the table top to allow the legs to be store flat against the bottom of the table for storage/transport. (I was short by two on the T-Nuts, so I temporarily removed two so I could use them on my tank's carrier for allowing the under table mount. They mate up to the two bare bolts you see sticking up on the right side.)
Legs are made adjustable by sliding a 12" piece of 1" galvanized pipe inside the 1 1/4" leg. I will be putting a threaded 3/8" hole in the outer leg pipe and using a thumbscrew to provide tightened friction lock to the inner leg pipe. I haven't tested this yet, and it may require two thumbscrews to securely hold adjustment position. A standard pipe end cap used for the leg foot. I am considering dipping the end caps in rubber tool dip to coat them and provide a more gripping contact point. Would probably make it less likely to slip and move if bumped from the side when shooting from something like smooth concrete. A bare rounded galvanized steel end cap might slide somewhat easily on such a surface.
For accuracy testing and precision tuning, my Hyscore machine rest has mounting holes pre-located, as does the LabRadar for collecting chronograph and ballistics data. I also decided to pre-locate mounting for the carrier I made for my air tank. I will be placing a hole for the air line to come up from underneath the table to the gun's fill port to allow teathered operations.
For general shooting and practice, the bipod and sand bag configuration against the stop bar is perfect, and still lines up with the LabRadar should I want to keep an eye on velocities while shooting. Topped it off with an amazingly comfortable "drum throne". I wanted a tripod stool, and something that would remain comfortable for long periods. It was fairly affordable, but by no means a requirement.
Now... if it would just warm up above the current 6 degrees!
