Rifle rests

J

Jo6pak

New member
I need a bit of tutoring on rifle rests.

I'm looking for a rest or support to find the potential accuracy of several rifles. I want to have something that will eliminate as much human error as possible, and not break the budget.

I've been looking at lead sleds, and sight-in vises, etc. on line and in stores. But I can't decide which is the way to go.

Must be able to mount many rifle types; military style (both modern and vintage), bolt action hunting rifles, rimfire rifles, and maybe even muzzleloaders.

Basically I'm looking for something to "lock" the rifle precisely on target for a few shots without moving.

As this device will be used more or less to satisfy curiousity, I don't really want to spend over say $100. But I am willing to pay a little more for a good product that will meet me requirements

Thanks in advance for any opinions and advice
 
Basically I'm looking for something to "lock" the rifle precisely on target for a few shots without moving.
Click to expand...

You're not going to find that, recoil being what it is. Even with handguns, a Ransom rest allows for the firearm to move under recoil. For the most frugal of us, a few good sandbags is certainly sufficient. Prices go up from there, but even with a high-dollar rest, the rifle is going to move under recoil.

I've got one of these and it is sufficient to my purposes. It allows me to fine-tune loads without lugging a bunch of stuff around to the range. A simple rest, a few sandbags, some ammo and I'm ready for a day at the range. My benchrest technique is indifferent, but it allows me to see the results of my labor at the reloading bench.

Technique is everything in bench shooting, just as technique is everything in position shooting.
 
Bullsbag (made by various companies) is just my preference. Seems
more natural than sleds. Reduces recoil somewhat in centerfire rifles
and is just easy to use. Kitty litter filling!

Oh, today while changing out a scope I used the bullsbag to stabilize
the rifle at 90 degrees to me. Not the perfect vice, but it worked.

Less than $100, especially if you use sand.

.02 David :)
 
I make my sandbags from whatever's handy. Bank bags--the zipper type--work. Old shirt sleeves and pants legs. Shot bags. Vermiculite is lighter than sand, but sand is free. :D I commonly use a chunk of 4x4 under the front bag when shooting from my benchrest.
 
I have 8 lead shot bags filled with sand 5 go in front and 2 or 3 in the back. I make them myself cheap and easy.Fill the bags with fine sand and sew them up with fish line. I use the old cloth or canvas bags not the new style, the new style bags leak.
 
sandbags

You sandbaggers are a bit of a PITA--I need to pack a whisk broom in my shooting kit to clean up after you. Get a proper front rest and a rear bunny bag.
 
Use one of these machine rests. Here's a picture of what David Tubb (and a few others) use to test rifles. One of his Tubb 2000 match rifle's in it. Best one I know of as it has a 3-point suspension design which is the most repeatable and recoils with the rifle virtually identical with how shoulder fired rifles do.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12787226@N00/page3/

They've been used to test wood stocked Model 70 Winchester target rifles shooting .308 ammo into 10 shot test groups smaller than an inch at 600 yards. A dozen or so were custom built back in the 1960's by/for top level high power rifle competitors. What they learned about ammo, reloading tools and processes and building very accurate rifles is amazing.
 
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Im with bn12gg and homesick. I made up sandbags 35 yrs ago that I still use. SHOT BAGS filled with kids play sand. Im sure if ya look around you can find someone in your area that reloads shot shells. Thats where I got mine. They work well and didnt cost me much. Back then there were about 4 of us shooting together and we bought a bag of sand at the local bargin store and made em up.
 
I use sand bags. I have a friend who uses old inner tubes filled with sand.

My complaint with them is that they don't hold their shape as well as cloth sand bags.

With mine I load them tight enoug to hold their shape but loose enough sculpt a channel which conforms to the contour of my rifle.

To combat the sand leakage I carry a draftsman brush in my kit and sweep away the dust. The brushes are available from harbor Freight for a couple of bucks.
 
Another vote for sandbags but if you have you heart set on a mechanical rest save up a little more money and get a good one. I bought a cheap rest at WalMart and what a steaming pile of poo it is. It wobbles and is terrible to adjust.
 
i plant to buy a lead sled soon. i would love to have one for sighting rifles in, and seeing just how much error i cause.
 
Lead sled plus with a 20 lb bar bell weight!

bba1f928.jpg
 
If you're making your own bags from old jeans, bank bags, cloth shot bags or whatever else, you can smear a very thin layer of silicone caulk on the inside of the fabric and let it dry before filling it. Don't make it too thick, though, or you will lose flexibility in the fabric. Use a little extra around the edges where your seams will be. This should eliminate any sand leakage. It will also keep out moisture if you are shooting outside in less than perfect conditions... sand bags get really heavy when the sand is wet!
 
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Thanks for advice.

Lots of suggestions for sandbags. I use sandbags now, but was looking for something a bit more consistent and eliminate even more human input.

I do understand that recoil will be present no matter what it used. That is why I used quotes around "'lock' the rifle on target."

@Stealth01= The lead sled is the one I seem to keep coming back to. Do you use it with different rifles? I need it to be adjustable from anything from an AK to a Browning A-bolt. BTW, that's a pretty rifle.
 
I use the lead sled for sighting in all of my rifles.

For an AR or AK you will need something smaller than a 30 round magazine as the magazine will interfere with the tube running down the center line of the sled. I use a cheap 5 rounder that works well.

I've used mine to sight in AK's, AR's, Garands, Ruger's, Browning's, Sako's, Tikka's, Winchester's, and Remington's. Running the gamut from .22LR to .338 Win Mag.

It works extremely well and takes me pretty much completely out of the picture.

You can see most of what I shoot at this link, they've all taken their turn on the sled. This doesn't account for my bud's who use it as well.

Click
 
I think the lead sled would be your best choice.
I use bags and a bipod- but these devices do not remove shooter error (which is your goal) since the shooter is still handling the weapon.

Bags will not provide the absolute stability you're seeking.

Any type of rest that will lock the rifle securely in position, so that it is not handled by the shooter will work. Consider adding a remote trigger release as well. We all know how critical a perfect trigger squeeze is, and this will eliminate that aspect of human error as well.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/510268/hyskore-hydraulic-trigger-release
 
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