Front rest question

R

Rhys

Guest
I've more or less lurked around here for a couple years just gathering information. I've been more of a predator hunter. I'm a gunsmith in Wyoming, and this last year took my first stab at the long range benchrest game. I built up a heavy field rifle figuring if it wasn't something that appealed to me I would still have something that would fit into the other types of shooting I do. Well this winter I'm building a 6.5x47L on a drop port viper in a Shehane tracker so I think the bug bit me.

Now to my question. For a front rest what is your preference for 600-1000 yards? What is the stance of the feet on the rest both front to back and sided to side? What does your rest weigh? I was looking at a Bald eagle Slingshot in the classifieds and himed and hawed to long and it was laready sold when I called.
 
Rhys,

I have used the Bald Eagle for years. I have 2 of them with the deluxe windage top. They work fine. I use the one more often because it is easier to switch tops from LG to HG. The one i will be selling is the Heavier of the 2. E-mail me and i can send you pic's. Inmate22554@yahoo.com
 
Rhys said:
I've more or less lurked around here for a couple years just gathering information. I've been more of a predator hunter. I'm a gunsmith in Wyoming, and this last year took my first stab at the long range benchrest game. I built up a heavy field rifle figuring if it wasn't something that appealed to me I would still have something that would fit into the other types of shooting I do. Well this winter I'm building a 6.5x47L on a drop port viper in a Shehane tracker so I think the bug bit me.

Now to my question. For a front rest what is your preference for 600-1000 yards? What is the stance of the feet on the rest both front to back and sided to side? What does your rest weigh? I was looking at a Bald eagle Slingshot in the classifieds and himed and hawed to long and it was laready sold when I called.
Click to expand...

Welcome to the LR BR game.
Where are you going to compete?
I live in Gillette.
 
Rhys

The Sinclair rest is rated to 18 pounds of weight.That means it is only good for a lightgun.It has a ring that holds the front bag in position so it won't move on you and can easily be swapped out.The windage on the Sinclair top has its pivot point out in front were the rifle stop is located.This means the windage travels in an arc or like a pendelum swings.If you leave the windage top bottomed out it makes contact with a little tightening screw and will wobble on you.If you go this route make sure and keep the top 1/16 off of the full bottomed out position.

The Bald Eagle can be had in either a conventional footprint or the slingshot.It also comes in lightweight aluminum or heavier cast iron.The windage moves left or right in a straight fashion or without any arc or pendulum affect.The bag is held in place with super glue meaning changing bags is not as easy an option.It has no weight limit specified but the center post only has one small bolt holding the windage top on.With a 65 pound heavygun the little bolt will allow the top to wobble requiring regular replacements.I have the 6 inch windage top on a slingshot base so I added a big aluminum plate to the set-up for a better footprint.The threads on the legs are different than that of the Sinclair Speedscrew but if you run the speedscrew in and out of the rear leg several hundred times it will work just fine.The liberal use of WD-40 helps in this endeavor.

Ransom also makes a nice rest.
Lynn
 
Rhys said:
I've more or less lurked around here for a couple years just gathering information. I've been more of a predator hunter. I'm a gunsmith in Wyoming, and this last year took my first stab at the long range benchrest game. I built up a heavy field rifle figuring if it wasn't something that appealed to me I would still have something that would fit into the other types of shooting I do. Well this winter I'm building a 6.5x47L on a drop port viper in a Shehane tracker so I think the bug bit me.

Now to my question. For a front rest what is your preference for 600-1000 yards? What is the stance of the feet on the rest both front to back and sided to side? What does your rest weigh? I was looking at a Bald eagle Slingshot in the classifieds and himed and hawed to long and it was laready sold when I called.
Click to expand...

a good compromiize is the Joh Loh rest. very stable but expensive, about 850. http://jj-industries.com/ want to see jon and a bunch of these http://www.sgbenchrest.com/page5.html and ugly shooters too.
 
xphunter said:
Welcome to the LR BR game.
Where are you going to compete?
I live in Gillette.
Click to expand...

I use the Farley, on my guns, I do not have anything over 17lbs but I am sure it would hold heavier than mine. I too am curious what competitions there are in Wyoming, being from there, I have never ran into any long range BR matches. Ron Tilley
 
For a Light Gun (17 pounds IBS or NBRSA), a regular point-blank rest is just fine. I use a Farley since reaching the age where bag squeezing became problematic. Before that, I used a regular Hart rest.

Heavy gun is an entirely different story. When you push the rifle forward, it has enough weight -- 65+ pounds -- to tip the rest. The most common solution is to bolt the regular rest to a 3/8 or 1/4 inch piece of steel plate. You then want two tops, one to match the LG forearm -- typically 3 inches, but no rule requiring that -- and one to match the HG forearm. There is less "typically" here -- I've seen 4 inches, 5 inches, and 7 inches for the bags, as a plate is also frequently mounted on a HG forearm.

The HG class allows a rear pedestal, that's where you want to put your windage top. So, the HG front rest top needs no windage adjustment. For the LG front rest top, you can either use a windage top, or squeeze the rear bag.

I wouldn't sink a bunch of money or make a lot of chips before going to a match & seeing what's used. One of the bet rests I had was a 3/8-inch steel plate tapped to take two threaded rods (as well as the feet). I had a stack of 3/4 ply boards & a 3/8 ply board, notched to go in the threaded rod. Wing nuts to hold it them down. Gross elevation set by the number of boards, fine control by the rear leg screw. Mounted a windage top (for LG) on one board. Worked just fine. Got some sideways looks from some people, but won enough to keep them down. And let me tell you, that sucker was solid!

So beg or borrow or buy a regular rest & go to a few matches, You'll get plenty of ideas, including the one of adding a handle to help pick up & carry the darn thing.

Good luck to you,

Charles
 
Which ever rest you end up using, please make sure that the bag meets the rules for whatever sanctioning body you are shooting under. At the last IBS Nat'ls, we could have DQed about a quarter of the competitors. Some had been shooting for many years and should have known better.
In IBS, only a half inch contact on the sides is the hard part for everyone th remember.

Danny
 
Bits

Hi Rhys. Have been making my own gear for years, i thing i see as important is the dia of the post .. Saw a unit made in the US the other day (Caldwel,i think) at a gun shop and it had centre post that would be about 11/16==3/4 in dia ,this believe is too light on to support a 17 lbs gun .. I would rather see a new shooter in my area with a second hand unit that is built well than a new shiney one that flexes all over the place ..In this pic the H/G rest i made to get the controls right to the rear has an 1.500ins post..JR..Jeff rogers
Rhys said:
I've more or less lurked around here for a couple years just gathering information. I've been more of a predator hunter. I'm a gunsmith in Wyoming, and this last year took my first stab at the long range benchrest game. I built up a heavy field rifle figuring if it wasn't something that appealed to me I would still have something that would fit into the other types of shooting I do. Well this winter I'm building a 6.5x47L on a drop port viper in a Shehane tracker so I think the bug bit me.

Now to my question. For a front rest what is your preference for 600-1000 yards? What is the stance of the feet on the rest both front to back and sided to side? What does your rest weigh? I was looking at a Bald eagle Slingshot in the classifieds and himed and hawed to long and it was laready sold when I called.
Click to expand...
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0763 (Medium).jpg
    IMG_0763 (Medium).jpg
    35.3 KB · Views: 266
Thanks for the replies

The rest that I've been using is one of the Wichita rests. I used it up at the VHA Jamboree this last year, and found out about one of the problems with leather bags. When the rain shower came through right before my relay my bags got wet on the bench. The stock started grabbing them enough that it was lifting the front 2 legs of the rest off the bench top. This became a big issue when I wnet out to the 500 yard targets. The next day after things had dried out a bit I put a pollishing cloth between the leather on the front rest and the stock, and proceded to break 4 clays in a row at 600. I was just using my .308 in a Mcmillan Baker Special with a fixed 10X USO on it. I have since replaced my leather bags with a set if Cordura bags and sciliconed them, much slicker and more consistent than the leather ones were.

My current front bag fist most of my rifles at about 2.5 inches wide which is also the width for the rifle my wife will be using. I'm looking to go to a heavier rest for use with the wider forend that will just go with my lightgun. Most of the shoots I will be going to are either in SD, or at Beyers, CO. I'd like to see some shoots closer, buty don't know of any.
 
Rhys And aJR

Rhys
The only rest I know of that fits your situation is the rest made by Bob Pastor.It has alot of the little inconveniences associated with the other rests already worked out.If that doesn't work for you go to a metal supplier with a plasma cutter and have them cut you out a plate.Most of the plates I've seen at matches only add weight.The one on my Bald Eagle has a much wider and longer footprint so you gain alot in stability.The plasma cutter will most likely want a drawing and the easiest way to make one is to set your rest on the backside of a large target.Now place aluminum or tin cans were you want the corners to be and using a yard stick connect the cans with a pencil line.Also draw around the cans.You will end up with a very nice triangle shape with nice smooth rounded corners.Make sure as Charles E said earlier to have the plasma guy cut a nice carry handle into the plate.
I covered my plate with an old target and some epoxy before mounting the rest.It adds a nice finished touch to the job.

aJR
I am using a 2.5 inch center post on my heavygun rest and couldn't agree with you more on bigger is better.
Lynn
 
Rhys,

As it turns out, my HG front rest is a Wichita, with a custom top. (Wichita has that nice 1-inch center post). It is bolted to a larger plate, however.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top