front rest for benchrest shooting

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  • Last Post 25 August 2023
TheMrNotSoFamous posted this 30 May 2018

What kind of front rest is everyone using? When I attend local benchrest matches, most everyone is using a Caldwell The Rock BR with a few using much more expensive Sinclair models. One very serious gent paid a machine shop $1000.00+ 10yrs. ago to make one to his specs and I gotta say it is a quality rest all the way. All I've ever used is bags and I do alright. I can say I'm competitive but as always looking to do better. Is The Rock any good or are people just using them because of their lower price? What are some pros and cons to look for in a front rest? Thanks in advance for your opinions. John

Owning a firearm doesn't make you armed anymore than owning a guitar makes you a musician...words of Jeff Cooper

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RicinYakima posted this 30 May 2018

IMHO: It has to be solid, every moveable part should have a lock. It should not move before, during or after of the shot. It should have a large footprint. Weight makes them more stable, heavy is good and heavier is better. The top must fit the forend, shooting a sporter or military rifle with a 3 inch benchrest bag is a waste. Windage adjustable top is not required in CBA style shooting.

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Scearcy posted this 30 May 2018

One thing I find helpful in a front rest is the windage adjustment. This allows you to fine tune your hold without pushing the rifle somewhere it doesn't want to go. Unfortunately this does push you toward the more expensive rests. Many good shooters shoot really well w/o this feature, however. I seem to recall a couple of scissor jack front rests at the nationals.

Jim

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John Alexander posted this 30 May 2018

I think having the front bag fit your forearm is the most important feature. I like a windage adjustable front rest and a speed screw on the back leg to make things a bit easier and avoiding having to wiggle the bags about, but they aren't essential.

Dan Hudson shoots with a scissor jack with some kind of bag on top and has won the CBA Nationals a couple of times and won his class several times.

John

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R. Dupraz posted this 30 May 2018

I have been using a Caldwell Rock BR for several years now. At the time I was looking for a decent front rest and found this near new Rock rest at a local gun show at a reasonable  price, so ended up with it. For my purposes, it works ok after I made some modifications.

Don't know what they are made of now but the base on mine is cast iron which adds to the weight of course. But it will still move  on a bench. A sand bag or two on the legs helps.

Both the elevation and windage  adjustment have a habit of loosening when in use and must be continually checked throughout a match session to prevent groups from going south all of a sudden.

The fine windage adjustment is not a good design as the adjustment shaft is opposed by a spring. Consequently, this adjustment can't be locked up tight and allows some movement after it is thought to having been set. I removed the spring from mine. Then drilled the spring hole completely through the housing and out the opposite side. Threaded the hole. and made another threaded adjustment shaft that screws into the other side which in effect opposes the original windage adjustment shaft. So that now when setting windage, both shafts can be locked up against each other.

These are the two major downsides that I have found. But all in all, the rest works for what I do once getting acquainted with it. Guess it's like anything else, depends on how deep your pockets are.

 

R. 

 

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Pentz posted this 30 May 2018

Ditto on the Caldwell, except I installed very stiff springs on either side to have opposing forces.

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Bud Hyett posted this 30 May 2018

I have had many variations; leather sandbags filled with heavy black sand, Freeland rest, B-Square, Hart rest with windage top, scissor jack adaptation and now the Sinclair rest. All have done the job and worked well, my thought is the user has to adopt to the rest and learn the idiosyncrasies.

Currently using the Sinclair rest with windage adjustable tops. I have two tops with one base to use for both Military Rifle and Benchrest competition. The top is easy to change and this works well plus saves weight on trips. I did carry two rests, but that took up extra space. 

Also, I am thinking of adding stiffer springs to my windage tops to assure they stay in place. during recoil. My scissor jack rest is adapted to prairie dog shooting with springs added to hold the position down. 

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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Scearcy posted this 30 May 2018

BH

Can you post a picture of your scissor jack setup? I am always trying to improve on my  prairie dog set up.

Jim

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OU812 posted this 30 May 2018

This is way out of my league, but the Farley Coaxial rest is about the best you can get. You control windage and elevation with one extended knob. Heavy also.

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TheMrNotSoFamous posted this 31 May 2018

Thanks to all for your input. That Farley rest is similar to that custom $1000.00+ rest I spoke of earlier. The custom rest looked quite a bit different but was also controlled by a long extended knob and was made entirely of stainless. When I see that custom rest again I'm gonna take a much better look at it and ask the gent what features he was wanting out of it. He did say it is the best rest he's ever used.

Owning a firearm doesn't make you armed anymore than owning a guitar makes you a musician...words of Jeff Cooper

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OU812 posted this 31 May 2018

I stopped carrying my heavy Hart/Sinclair rest to the range years ago. I now use the bipod only.

I think  the Cast Bullet Assoc.  should give you the option of using bipod in competition. 

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lotech posted this 31 May 2018

I've used a Hart pedestal rest with a Protektor leather bag for at least thirty years and have not found this setup lacking in any way. With the bag, total weight may slightly exceed twenty pounds, but it doesn't move around on the bench. I would assume this rest is still marketed. 

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John Alexander posted this 31 May 2018

I stopped carrying my heavy Hart/Sinclair rest to the range years ago. I now use the bipod only.

I think  the Cast Bullet Assoc.  should give you the option of using bipod in competition. 

======

OU812,

That seems like a reasonable suggestion and will suggest it to the CBA board for their discussion.

John

 

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OU812 posted this 31 May 2018

John,

    Just a reminder that the bipod will add weight to the rifle. I use the simple Harris with adjustable cant, but there are some more extreme options out there...such as wider and lower foot print. Sinclair catalog shows most of them.

Thanks

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John Carlson posted this 02 June 2018

I use the Rock BR.  I like the windage adjustment because I like to set the rest up, shoulder the rifle with my eyes closed, then adjust the rest so it will consistently be on target when I open my eyes.  I then use the windage/elevation adjustments to move from the sighter target to the record target or from one bull to another on the postal targets, trying to keep the mating of the rifle butt to my shoulder always the same.

John Carlson. CBA Director of Military Competition.

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Bud Hyett posted this 03 June 2018

Pictures of the scissors jack front rest. Ed Doonan built the rest. I added the J-hooks and the spring to hold tension against the screw. Setting the spring in the various J-hooks allow for raising the height.

 

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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TRKakaCatWhisperer posted this 03 June 2018

I'll have to take pix of mine!  The spring sounds like a good idea!

 

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Scearcy posted this 03 June 2018

BHyett

Thanks for sharing the pictures. 

Jim

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TRKakaCatWhisperer posted this 06 June 2018

 

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2frogs posted this 09 August 2023

I use the bipod on my heavy 223... works good for me..

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RayHoagland posted this 11 August 2023

I've had success using the Fulgham rest from Randolph Machine, Inc. in NC. With the premium MKII (I think it's called) adjustable top, it costs in the thousand $ range. Paired with a high quality rear bag, this combination will provide the stable platform needed to be competitive in all types of benchrest competition. 

I've bought and used lesser quality and lower priced rests - several of them. I've sold off most and still have a Caldwell Rock for my guests - not for me.

Buy once  -  Cry once  ..........................  Good Shooting!

RayH

 

 

RayH

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pat i. posted this 11 August 2023

Okeymaple I couldn't agree more about your buy once cry once remark. I could never understand a guy showing up to a match with a 1,000 or 5,000 dollar gun let alone a 60,000 dollar pickup and then pulling out a 50 dollar rest and 75 dollar 24x scope on his rifle. Just never made sense to me.

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muley posted this 12 August 2023

John, we brought that recommendation to the board a couple years ago and was recommended by you.

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John Alexander posted this 12 August 2023

muley,

You are right and it was discussed and vote on by the board and passed.  I must have been half asleep when I posted above. The article in our rules of competition is pasted below.

John

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          5.10       Rests (Rifle) – In bench rest matches, rifles shall be fired from a sandbag front rest which may be supported on a      pedestal, and a sandbag rear rest supporting the underside of the buttstock. Neither sandbag will be utilized in a manner which will restrain recoil. Bipods of 2 pounds or less will be allowed in place of a front rest, but will not be allowed with any other front bag or support equipment. The bipod weight will not be included in the firearms weight.  Firearms entered in the Plain Based Bullet class, Unrestricted Rifle or Unrestricted Pistol Classes are exempt from these requirements

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Tom Acheson posted this 13 August 2023

If you ever get to the National Tournament, take a look at what people use for a front rest. Oftentimes it is a traditional 3-legged Hart or Sinclair type. But…there are also a lot of interesting, innovative, unusual and home made approaches to the front rest. I’ve taken quite a few photos during my time at a few NT’s, of the unusual ones, thinking I might try to get creative when I get home….but I never do!

Tom

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Wm Cook posted this 13 August 2023

IMHO the most important investment you'll ever make towards accuracy will be the bench and reloading equipment you buy.  Rifles and barrels come an go but your bench and handloading equipment is a long term investment. 

Rick said:

It has to be solid, every moveable part should have a lock. It should not move before, during or after of the shot. It should have a large footprint. Weight makes them more stable, heavy is good and heavier is better.

Spot on correct.   Once you get your front and rear rest on the bench it should never be moved until you put it back in the truck.  Again, IMHO weight is critical. Very critical.  15lb + front rest and 10+ lbs rear rest.   We always put water under the rear bag and under the foot pads for the front rest adjustment spikes so that they don't move. (Check that statement about water under your rear bag, front pads on days when temperatures are below freezing.  That first shot with your front and rear rest sitting on ice is hilarious to everyone at the match except for you.  Been there, done that.)  Most all use heavy sand.

Scearcy said:

One thing I find helpful in a front rest is the windage adjustment.

For me its an absolute must.  With the proper spring loading you can move laterally +/- 14+ inches without touching your rear bag.  If you only move your rear bag once you'll probably forget to realign it again (at least I would) and you'll take the recoil cockeyed.  And then maybe continue shooting out of alignment for the rest of the match. 

 Richard said:

Caldwell Rock BR  it works ok after I made some modifications.. 

Midway has a birthday perk where they give you special discounts on some items on you birthday.  This year they had the Caldwell BR rest with front and rear bags for $100.  I needed (wanted) a second rest so I bought one.  Like Richard said it will take a few hours to get it ready to go. The bags were a no go, the forearm stop was too long and had to be threaded, shortened etc.  On a positive note my Edgewood bags fit the front rest plate.  That's important because you need to be able to switch from 3" BR flat to rounded wide production class to factory class by just popping in the right bag.  If cost is an object I would go with the Caldwell as a short term first step.  But its light (~12lbs), not as stable as old designs, the bags have to be replaced and modifications have to be made.  I would not recommend buying a one of a kind home made design.  

I shot a Farley for decades and it was solid.  The Farley went away a few years back during a "health emergency looking like range time was about over" period in my life.  Before the Farley I had a Sinclair and its the last rest I'll ever own.  The front pedestal top allows me to pop in Protector front bags so its easy for me to convert to the forearm style I'm shooting.  If I ever so desire to go back to a joy stick I can put one of Butch Lambert's top on my old Sinclair.

And you'll find that after a bunch of years shooting over the same front rest it becomes a bit Frankenstein looking. 

Bi pods work great for prairie dogs because you can walk your shots in.  But it requires skill levels I'll never have to shoot small groups. 

The choice of front rest has to factor in whether you're a bag squeezer or if you want to run a joy stock.  With a 3" BR forearm (Heavy Rifle) I would choose the joystick.  For Production or factory class I'm thinking bag squeezing is best for me.  Always prefaced by saying that I could change my mind on that. 

Bill Cook

 

 

 

 

Patience isn’t a virtue, it’s a delay tactic.

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Pentz posted this 13 August 2023

The only problem with the Grizzly troangle windage rest is the whiplash in the windage adjustment, which can be easly fixed with a carburetor threaded bolt.  great value for the money  https://www.grizzly.com/search?q=(category:%22Shooting+Rests%22)

Triangle Windage Rest - Cast-Iron (be1153)

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JetMech posted this 24 August 2023

I'm using a Joe Cowan front rest with 3 protektor bags. It's fully adjustable and fairly heavy with it's brass legs.

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lotech posted this 25 August 2023

I've never owned a Sinclair rest, but it appears to be a fairly close copy of the Hart. In actual use, I'd consider them to be virtually the same rests. I bought both of my Hart rests forty or so years ago from Sinclair before they marketed their own version. I have to agree with Mr. Cook on these. They are very heavy, a foremost consideration. They are simple and rugged and you won't outgrow one. And leather Protektor bags - none better.  

Lightweigh rests seem to be a waste of money. Any rest that will move on the bench certainly is. Be wary of Midway-branded products like Caldwell. They may work fine, but check them out thoroughly before purchase. Or better yet, spend more and get something you know is of good quality. 

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smokyboom posted this 25 August 2023

Buy once, cry once. A lodge brother offered me a Sinclair International Benchrest. Good deal. Very pleased with it, just a bear to carry around, I'll be getting wheels for its carry case soon.

 

Web Pic, not mine.

-------- Andrew BPCR in 45-70, and 38-55

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