HD Video: Caldwell Rock BR benchrest

G

gavingear

Guest
For any of you interested in the Caldwell Rock BR, I'm put together a quick video that shows an overview of the features, as well as me shooting my 22-250 with it. I also show the Caldwell rear rest in this video.

Here's a link:
http://ultimatereloader.com/?p=616

So far, I'm really liking this rest... I didn't realize that it had so many stainless steel parts.

4032981926_2a56c904df_o.jpg
 
not meaning to insult, but.....

posting that here is like asking a top fuel dragster engine builder to watch a video about rebuilding a Pinto engine in your kitchen.

Larry
 
What stainless steel parts ? Other than the feet?
For similar funds , I would opt for the Sinclair rest, or upgrade to a Cowan for a few $$ more.
Too many posters to these shooting sites have returned them after trying them due to stripped threads or herky-jerky operation.
This rest is definitely not BR worthy .....or even close.
Maybe Caldwell named it BR for Beijing Rest.
 
It looks like the lock screw shafts, windage plunger, and other fasteners are stainless. I think for testing handloads and shooting prarie dogs it should do well.
 
gavingear said:
It looks like the lock screw shafts, windage plunger, and other fasteners are stainless. I think for testing handloads and shooting prarie dogs it should do well.
Click to expand...

I would suggest that you go to a BR match and test the feel of a Farley or similar type rest and see if you still feel the same about your Caldwell Co-AX. Me thinks not. I looked at a Caldwell Co-Ax and tested the toggle. Just my opinion of course.......piece of junk. At least on some of their other rests the base can be used.

Donald
 
I have the Caldwell Rock BR. And have used it this year. My first year shooting Benchrest. Registered Matches.
Eastern Region. WWCCA and Holton. 6 tournaments and the Super Shoot.
The bag was changed to suit my rifle.
Last year, I shoot local range score(16 week league). Came in second. :)
I am very happy with it. And it works. $180.00.
Farley $850.00.
Donald.
Uppity attitudes keep NEW people from Benchrest matches.
I was one.
I hope your post was in some way an encouragement.
Go to the guys web site.
Rick Graham offered an invite. To join him at a match.
Rick. Thanks for helping the sport.
 
Midwayusa is a great company.
I found out about them. 20 some years too late.
The INTERNET is great also. For more info.
For some people. That is all there is.
And some people don't have computers.
I used to live in San Diego, CA. You are encouraged not to have a firearm.
And not to shoot.
And the few ranges are out in the desert. And hour away. Maybe more.
When I left in 2000. There was 1 range to shoot in San Diego. The others had closed.
My point some people don't have access to Quality ranges, access to shooting sports, A good paying job, or Friends that shoot.
Midway has helped a lot of people get into shooting. And competing.
knocking there products just gets people mad.
 
Uppity attitudes keep NEW people from Benchrest matches
Click to expand...

Not it bothers anyone I'm sure, least of all myself, but this one reason I seldom visit this site or even consider getting involved with this sport. To many of the old timers are locked into an attidude that anything that doesn't cost mega bucks or high dollars just isn't even worth looking at. No consiseration given to the entry level at all. Then I see threads asking why/or what you folks can do to get more younger shooters involved.

Maybe a little less snobbiness would help. The new people usually can't start out with the top grade, they work up to it, just as most of you old timers did. And the current state of the economy sure doesn't help either.

The attidudes need to change or this will continue to be a dying sport.
 
I don't think all of it has to do with high priced toys and attitude. For the most part the guys are trying to keep the new guys from spending their money on things that don't work. We were all new at one time. I have owned 6 rests and tops over 20 yrs. of shooting. I spent a lot of money doing my own thing.
Without shooting good equip., you have no basis for comparison. Being new what you are using is a little better than sandbags on the bench.
I think the attitude thing goes both ways. A guy asks for advice and when it is given, he is told he is full of ----- and is uppity. I had a lot of help when I started even though some were pretty dry with their comments. I took it constructively and didn't get a big chip on my shoulder. The problem with the internet as we have all seen is you can't listen to a guys tone of voice or see his facial expression. Some of us are 2 finger typers and are short and to the point. It comes out pretty blunt sometimes. Take that in consideration the next time a post bothers you.
Butch
 
Gosh, visited twice in the same morning.

You have a point Butch, but looking at it from a new persons standpoint just starting out, not knowing if he really wants to get into BR big time, should he go out and spend $1000.00 on a rest, and another $1000.00 plus on a scope, ect., ect., ect. then drops out. Doesn't make much sense does it. Now than compound that with some working stiff trying to raise a family, with a house payment, it gets even worse.

Then he comes here and gets put down by being told how what he has is trash. I took what you said into consideration and this is what I came up with.

Yup, keep building up your sport with this attidude and keep wondering why the matches keep going down.
JMO
 
If you don't want opinions, then don't ask for them.

jcwit said:
You have a point Butch, but looking at it from a new persons standpoint just starting out, not knowing if he really wants to get into BR big time, should he go out and spend $1000.00 on a rest, and another $1000.00 plus on a scope, ect., ect., ect. then drops out. Doesn't make much sense does it. Now than compound that with some working stiff trying to raise a family, with a house payment, it gets even worse.

Then he comes here and gets put down by being told how what he has is trash. I took what you said into consideration and this is what I came up with.

Yup, keep building up your sport with this attidude and keep wondering why the matches keep going down.
JMO
Click to expand...

If you're gonna let people hurt your feelings, then you'll have a tough time in life all the way around. It's up to the person to determine how to spend his money. It's up to the person to be a working stiff or do better, and whether to start a family or not, and buy a house or not. If the person asks for opinions, then he better be prepared for answers he may not like.

There are lots of forums for shooting topics of a general nature, vs. the salty dogs that frequent this forum that caters to the competitive shooter. To each their own.

I think it's cool that the OP took the time to make that video, and I commend him for trying that piece of gear. That's what makes it a horserace.

You want everybody to play nice. I get that. Some of the range Nazis at the local facilities are a disgrace. Maybe they get off on their little power trips, or maybe their deep-cover agents for Feinstein and Schumer and Nobama, trying to further erode the shooting sports. I don't buy my gear for anybody's satisfaction buy my own. I hope the OP did the same. I bet he did.
 
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If you're gonna let people hurt your feelings, then you'll have a tough time in life all the way around. It's up to the person to determine how to spend his money. It's up to the person to be a working stiff or do better, and whether to start a family or not, and buy a house or not. If the person asks for opinions, then he better be prepared for answers he may not like.
Click to expand...

Just the attidude I've brought up. Have a tough time with life all around. Not hardly, own my own home and its paid for, won 4 vehicles, 2 new, all paid for, raised my family, all married off and long ago paid for.

Hurt my feelings, not hardly, but I guess constructive criticism is not welcome here. With that I'll let all you "Salty dogs" fix your own problems and keep asking yourselves, where are all the new shooters?
 
jcwit,
I hate you feel that way. I don't know about your club, but ours has had our best year. We have several new shooters.
Butch
 
Butch Lambert said:
I don't think all of it has to do with high priced toys and attitude. For the most part the guys are trying to keep the new guys from spending their money on things that don't work. We were all new at one time. I have owned 6 rests and tops over 20 yrs. of shooting. I spent a lot of money doing my own thing.
Without shooting good equip., you have no basis for comparison. Being new what you are using is a little better than sandbags on the bench.
I think the attitude thing goes both ways. A guy asks for advice and when it is given, he is told he is full of ----- and is uppity. I had a lot of help when I started even though some were pretty dry with their comments. I took it constructively and didn't get a big chip on my shoulder. The problem with the internet as we have all seen is you can't listen to a guys tone of voice or see his facial expression. Some of us are 2 finger typers and are short and to the point. It comes out pretty blunt sometimes. Take that in consideration the next time a post bothers you.
Butch
Click to expand...

Butch. I agree.
But, I am just a new guy.
I started with the Caldwell BR. And A Savage .223. And was lucky enough to meet someone that was willing to help out. Answer any questions.
His major advise after getting the basic stuff. "Buy the good stuff, pay once".

The uppity sentence sounds confused. I have seen on here. The advise seeker, told he has junk.
And the adviser told he has junk.
But, it is all opinions. :eek:
 
Oh,yea. The OP was just throwing out some info.
Not asking advice.
A couple of days ago. Someone was asking advice.
Nice web site. That took some work. Good job.
 
A good piece of advice would be for everybody to use the search function first. Most of the answers are there and it would make it easier to ask further questions.
Butch
 
It's "hardly", if you want to be accurate

jcwit said:
Just the attidude I've brought up. Have a tough time with life all around. Not hardly, own my own home and its paid for, won 4 vehicles, 2 new, all paid for, raised my family, all married off and long ago paid for.

Hurt my feelings, not hardly, but I guess constructive criticism is not welcome here. With that I'll let all you "Salty dogs" fix your own problems and keep asking yourselves, where are all the new shooters?
Click to expand...

1/2, take a deep breath. We don't need, nor want, to know about your financial straits, but congrats on apparently having a good situation. The "constructive criticism" shared on this forum won't cause even one person to avoid the range, or the shooting sports. It might result in them finding another forum to ask questions or share opinions though.

If you really want to get your paid-for shorts in a bunch, go have a read on the rimfire forum in topics concerning Bill Calfee. :D

Think them folks can agree to disagree? Not hardly you might say.
 
zippy06 said:
I have the Caldwell Rock BR. And have used it this year. My first year shooting Benchrest. Registered Matches.
Eastern Region. WWCCA and Holton. 6 tournaments and the Super Shoot.
The bag was changed to suit my rifle.
Last year, I shoot local range score(16 week league). Came in second. :)
I am very happy with it. And it works. $180.00.
Farley $850.00.
Donald.
Uppity attitudes keep NEW people from Benchrest matches.
I was one.
I hope your post was in some way an encouragement.
Go to the guys web site.
Rick Graham offered an invite. To join him at a match.
Rick. Thanks for helping the sport.
Click to expand...

Well Zippy, I think you misread my reply. Now I only tried one Caldwell Co-Ax and it was like it had gravel in it. You would have had a difficult time adjusting that thing in a Benchrest match. It was in my opinion a piece of crap. Maybe the newer ones are OK. I started out with a basic Caldwell rest, then advanced to thier better one with the windage top. Its a decent rest for what it costs. But its the little things, like the center post had cast threads and no amount of lapping would smooth them out. Finally I got a Farley Compact top and put it on the Caldwell base. Works just fine. In fact I like it better than the big Farley. Yes I still buy stuff from MidwayUSA. Just placed an order with them today.

Some come to this site for advice and when they are given the best advice they will ever get, they get thier feelings hurt. If you want to shoot true Benchrest competitively you better get ready to spend some bucks. But if you just want to shoot Benchrest and just have some fun then its still gonna cost a bit. But what hobby sport is not expensive. Playing poker for matches I guess. At the last shoot at Denton there were at least 6-8 $30,000 bass boats pulled by $40,000 pick ups parked at our motel. Makes them ole fish cost a lot per pound. Or how about golf, green fees, cart, etc. I am retired and far from rich, but by selling some of my old hobby stuff, I have been able to afford a couple of full race competition rifles and all the stuff that goes with them. And this year I was able to afford a $1,000 scope, but to tell you the truth, I shot just as good with my $400 Weavers. So you see, what you thought was "uppity" was just straight from the shoulder good advice. Any time I am at the range and other shooters show any interest in my equipment I invite them to set down and shoot a group. I love to get others interested in extreme accuracy. And when I was young and had kids in school, there was no way I could be playing the game I am now. Its all about where your priorities are. I know a shooter that lives on a very modest income but saves his quarters and such to buy only the best equipment. You take care now, but just remember, you are not going to get any BS from the people that compete in matches. They tell it like it is because they hate to see people make the same mistakes they did.

Donald
 
I have watched the video several times.
Since you posted it for our critique.....here's mine ........after "locking" the mariner wheel, the poster then proceeds to illustrate the "windage":rolleyes:feature of this rest.....but notice the top wiggle at 1:00 AFTER supposedly locking down.
Using this rest will only result in BIG disappointment in trying to get the most accuracy out of your rifle. .....which is what this rest is marketed as.

As far as the Caldwell Fire-Control rest ....yeah they'll do the task......for a while........................until the steel balls start to grind away at the white metal sliding plates rendering the rest useless....but not to worry Caldwell warranty is good for a FULL YEAR.....this being a precision instrument and all:cool:

My point is.....with component costs spiralling upward, I want to learn from every shot and make the most out of every round fired.
Using these rests yields false economy. I would expect better results shooting from shot bags filled with sand.
 
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