Shooting Range Bench Height?

Jerry Williams · Post by **Jerry Williams** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 9:56 am

I am designing a shooting bench for use on my son-in-laws farm. It will save me a bunch of driving time to find decent facilities. ( I'm beginning to really like this kid [Marine].) My question is what is the concensus on the proper finished hight of a good perminate (hell-for-stout) range shooting bench?

. What do you think rdneck? You been playing with this stuff for ever? Thanks for your advice and council.

Ray Newman · Post by **Ray Newman** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 11:51 am

You can only answer that yourself thru trail & error.

I think what you need to do is get a table & the stool/chair that you usually or would use. Then I would place the rest(s) & a rifle in the rest(s) & raise the table by placing blocks under the legs until you reach a height that is comfortable for you.

I’ve seen shooters sit differently @ benches: some sit very upright; others place the stool away from the bench & lean into the bench

IronSight · Post by **IronSight** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 8:39 pm

Jerry W.
I also need to come up with a slick design for a bench next spring as i have a 120+ meter area with a natural 12 foot berm on my property. Some of the ideas i have so far:
- The bench needs to be long enough to accomodate resting the barrel near the muzzle
- It needs to be sturdy.. no 1/4" plywood here
- Since it'll be outdoors most of the year, i'll probably use treated lumber
- Plenty of rest area for both elbows
- As far height, i'm leaning towards a separate adjustable height stool and possibly an adustable height bench with maybe 5/16" carriage bolts and multiple holes in the legs as I don't want to have to build a second bench.
-I'm also thinking about putting this thing on retractable wheels with a hitch so i can pull it in the barn for winter storage. Come to think of it, i've got an old 4 HP lawn mower engine just lying around collecting spiders!!

Jerry Williams · Post by **Jerry Williams** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 12:24 pm

Ironsight, Now I like the way you think. Lets do it. A self propelled shooting bench. To take it one step further, we could use it to post and retrieve targets. Oh, Nut! some already invented the truck. Oh, well, we will keep overdesigning these things so, when completed, they will be a permenant part of the landscape. Peace!

IronSight · Post by **IronSight** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 7:50 pm

Jerry,
This idea of a self-propelled shooting bench is starting to grow on me. Think of the advantages:
-Instead of moving targets, why you could have a moving bench instead!
-If i made it 4 wheel drive it could be used to plow snow off the driveway!
-With the right size wheels it could plow a field!
I'm thinking 4 HP might not be enough now. I'm starting to eye up my 20 HP lawn tractor!
Maybe i'm watching the Monster Garage series on the Discovery Channel too much!

Grizzly Dave · Post by **Grizzly Dave** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 10:04 pm

Aha!
At last a post I can reply to with at least a small amount of expertise.

I have been reading posts and collecting valuable information
on this amazing site for about 7 months now, and hope to soon
order my [first] Shilo Sharps.
So I have little to contribute as a black powder shooter,
however I have done some bench-rest shooting, and as an
architect have some working knowledge of ergonomics
[like how to spell it!].

Jerry W:
I would start with your seat height first:
Find out what seat height is most comfortable sitting with your feet
flat on the floor, and your thighs parrallel to the ground
Most likely a 16", 17", or 18" height will work.
Then select a bench height based on a 32" high bench for a 16" seat,
34" height for a 17" seat, or a 36" bench for an 18" seat.
Of course this is just a suggestion to get you started - as Ray N.
says: trial & error.

IronSight:
There is a very simple and I think very good bench design to be
found at this website: http://www.larrywillis.com/shootingbench.html

Dave DeJaeger

Jerry Williams · Post by **Jerry Williams** » Thu Jan 15, 2004 8:08 am

Thank you Gentlemen, especially GrizzlyDave, that is very helpful and excellent advice. Peace!

ocharry · Post by **ocharry** » Fri Jan 16, 2004 12:59 pm

hi jerry,, hope you are wintering well,,, hey my bench is really simple,, i use a black and decker work mate for the base,,, i then cut a peice of 3/4 ply wood to what ever size you think it needs to be,,,screw a 2by4 peice to the bottom of the ply wood to clamp it in the work mate and there you have a nice table to play on,,and when you are finished you can use the work mate for the next honey do.... i also made a set of table top cross sticks that are ajustible for height,,,, that way the barrel presure is very similar to when you are playing for real,,,, hope this helps

oil can