Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience....

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mod71alaska
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Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience....

Post by mod71alaska »

I am soliciting shooting table CONSTRUCTION PLANS, PHOTOS of your tables, and your BEST IDEAS "tested under fire" to incorporate into building solid (rifle) shooting tables. I want to build two moveable (but not necessarily portable) tables. One will be for 50-100 yard target shooting, the other for long distance target shooting out to 300 yards. They will be in different locations on the property.

Thanks!
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BrentD

Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by BrentD »

This is a portable bench that I made some years ago. It is hollow core construction so it is very rigid and relatively light, and not too expensive.

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BenT
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by BenT »

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I built this one about 10 years ago out of left over treated deck boards and 2x4's and it is still is solid today. It is on landscape timbers , so I push it around with the lawn mower when mowing. I can drag it to where I want with a tow strap and ATV . It is set up for left and right hand shooters and it is also nice for someone spotting to have a place to sit.
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hightime
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by hightime »

I made this one. I needed to be able to lift it, but I wanted it to be staple on uneven ground. Thus both table and seat are three legged. I put a blanket over it to shoot.

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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by Sixgun »

Victor,
This one is heavy, solid, portable, and will even provide shelter if it starts to rain. :D

Hey, on a serious note, nothing is more worthless than a shooting table that's light and wobbles. Make it at least a couple of hundred pounds. Make it to the size where you can slide it on to a heavy four by eight piece of 3/4" plywood. Lag bolt a 4 x 4 to the front of the plywood with 2 "D" rings so you can drag it with your 4 wheelers. ----6

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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by Griff »

bench3_000.jpg
I emailed the plans to you.
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by Blaine »

I'm not sure I'd shoot for record on it, but, I use one of these that easy to carry around to different rural locations (I don't have a personal range). Equipment and sand bags more or less keep it steady.
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BrentD

Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by BrentD »

A good bench does not have to be heavy. It has to be rigid, and it has to be stable.
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by Blaine »

BrentD wrote:A good bench does not have to be heavy. It has to be rigid, and it has to be stable.
If other shooters don't touch, or fiddle with their stuff on the table, it is...
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BrentD

Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by BrentD »

Why would there be other shooters on the bench, or their stuff?

But still, weight is unnecessary if you have rigidity and stability. Those are the two issues that matter.
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by Blaine »

BrentD wrote:Why would there be other shooters on the bench, or their stuff?

But still, weight is unnecessary if you have rigidity and stability. Those are the two issues that matter.
Not everybody is thoughtful enough to bring their own...I do have a smaller one that I'll bring if I think I'll need it....
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mikld
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by mikld »

Regarding the pic Blain posted; those legs with a 3/4" plywood top (a bit shorter than the 6') would make a good, portable shooting table. Mebbe even sandwich 2, 1/2" slabs of plywood for added weight...
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by M. M. Wright »

Like 6 I usually shoot off the hood. Mostly my '78 GMC one ton with the crane on it. Guess I could put the outriggers down if the wind is blowing and I need it real stable.
Caution!! If you are looking through a high powered scope and scanning for targets, (prairie dogs), keep track of how close the muzzle is to the windshield. No, it wasn't me but I was in the truck.
I really like the design of that 3 legged setup hightime posted.
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by piller »

No pictures, but a sheet of 3/4" plywood, a couple of C-clamps and a Black & Decker Workmate and you have a stable solid setup that is tall enough for most people.
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Canuck Bob
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by Canuck Bob »

For compact shooting I tried a tripod shooting stick idea to go with my little tripod walking stool. I have no pictures but will work something up for the summer.

The folks in the UK and Africa like these shooting sticks. Not bench stable but surprisingly adjustable, simple, and outstanding portability. Matched to a little stool they are surprisingly accurate supports and comfortable. My next one might even be a old modified camera tripod.
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by vancelw »

BrentD wrote:Why would there be other shooters on the bench, or their stuff?

But still, weight is unnecessary if you have rigidity and stability. Those are the two issues that matter.
Thanks for proving my point :roll:
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vancelw
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by vancelw »

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/739045 ... ting-bench

Victor, I didn't build this, but I have a table like this and it is very good. The table is laminated. I use it off the back porch to shoot at targets and have used it for 8 to 10 hours a day shooting prairie dogs. It folds up flat and is portable. I have considered adding lawnmower wheels to mine so I could drag it instead of toting it.
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BrentD

Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by BrentD »

vancelw wrote:
BrentD wrote:Why would there be other shooters on the bench, or their stuff?

But still, weight is unnecessary if you have rigidity and stability. Those are the two issues that matter.
Thanks for proving my point :roll:

You are most welcome puppy dog. The point is still both relevant and correct.
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by Les Staley »

Vancelw: my wife came home from a run to the dumpsters about a mile away from the house and told me there was something I better go check out someone had leaned up against the trash bin.. Turned out to be the shooting bench you linked to. San Angelo portable shooting bench.. Couple coats of enamel and tightened a few bolts.. Works good...
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by Mescalero »

My half brother did the mirror on a Jeep like that.
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by jnyork »

Mescalero wrote:My half brother did the mirror on a Jeep like that.

I did one on my Toyota FJ40 about 30 years ago, wife has still not let me forget it, she was there and saw it, thought it would be forever before she quit laughing. :oops:
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by Mescalero »

It is funny................... after the shock wears off and you figure out everyone is ok.
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by TedH »

One time I was sitting the bed of my truck, shooting my 270 on sandbags over the cab. Got done and went to leave and discovered a nice crack the entire width of my windshield. :oops:
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Canuck Bob
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by Canuck Bob »

Rolled up coveralls on the hood of my TJ is still my favorite. A thermos of double cream coffee and Timbits, donut holes from Tim Horton's, is almost more important than the rifle!
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vancelw
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by vancelw »

Les Staley wrote:Vancelw: my wife came home from a run to the dumpsters about a mile away from the house and told me there was something I better go check out someone had leaned up against the trash bin.. Turned out to be the shooting bench you linked to. San Angelo portable shooting bench.. Couple coats of enamel and tightened a few bolts.. Works good...
I don't think mine is San Angelo brand (I bought it from Cabelas) but it is the exact same construction. Some kinda funky orange instead of green. I usually use sandbags on a bench but I've used the support on this table to sight in rifles and make long shots on prairie rats. I'll shoot for a while until targets get scarce then get up and rotate my table 90 degrees and settle back in for a while. Need to rig me an umbrella holder on it, too, to keep the sun off :D
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TedH
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by TedH »

vancelw wrote: make long shots on prairie rats. I'll shoot for a while until targets get scarce then get up and rotate my table 90 degrees and settle back in for a while. Need to rig me an umbrella holder on it, too, to keep the sun off :D
I've got to try that one of these days.
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vancelw
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by vancelw »

TedH wrote:
vancelw wrote: make long shots on prairie rats. I'll shoot for a while until targets get scarce then get up and rotate my table 90 degrees and settle back in for a while. Need to rig me an umbrella holder on it, too, to keep the sun off :D
I've got to try that one of these days.
If you ever make it to the Quigley the same time I'm there, we'll go slaughter a few.
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mod71alaska
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by mod71alaska »

Thanks for the help, Guys. Keep your photos and ideas coming. Some good ones already.
Thanks. Mod71
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Re: Your shooting table building plans, ideas and experience

Post by madman4570 »

6" reinforced concrete wedge shaped top.
Base from treated wood 4"x4" tri-legged.
Separate stool from 2"x 6" treated wood.

Top fastened to base with an anchor rod in base at each leg and sleeve halfway in bottom section of top. Can be put on and removed if needed.

Since we did eight of them had the forms filled at local concrete plant then picked two days later.
Very reasonable,weather proof,absolutely rock steady.

The tables are basically shaped like if you took a piece of pie(wedge slice) cut it in half across wise not length wise ( the fatter piece where crust would be would be front of table) this wedge shape allows unique position from table when shooting.
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