Shooting bench

Double K · July 19, 2020, 07:15 PM

I've been hauling my portable bench over to my friend Gary's farm for quite a few years, he has a table to shoot off of but it's a poor substitute for a real bench. With work slow I decided to build a bench that could be left on his range. I love to repurpose things so when I saw a lady had an ad on nextdoor for lumber from her old deck I went over and checked it out, it was in very good shape for being 22 years old so in the back of my truck and home it went.
I also picked up a huge box of 3" deck screws from a farm sale for 4.00 and a quart of mis-mixed paint from HD for a dollar!
Anyways I copied the dimensions of my portable bench adding 6" in width and length, also raised the seat by 1.5".
It took about four hours to cut and assemble, got up early this morning and painted it, was shooting on it by 10am.
Some of my friends as well as Gary's thought it was outstanding! It's the third one I've built over the years and definitely the most stable without being overly heavy, I'm now looking for a set of wheels and axle for the front. Click on image to expand.

Bfglowkey · July 20, 2020, 04:31 AM

I like the simplicity. I am not what you would call a "wood whisperer" like my father who has been in carpentry and now furniture repair/refurbishment, so I appreciate things like this. I am on the fence if I am going to use wood or make mine from the cinderblocks that you can find the plans for online.....gotta finish this berm first....

Double K · July 20, 2020, 09:19 AM

If my father would have built this bench it would have taken a month with dovetail joints, hidden fasteners and 7 layers hand rubbed oil finish. The only problem being you couldn't leave it outside or even put a rest on top with padding!
I on the other hand am a stickler for getting the design right so that it's comfortable and fits the human {ergonomics}.
One thing I didn't do was take into consideration brass, Gary picks up all of it at his place and some of his friends are seniors who have difficulty seeing and picking it up.
I came home yesterday and built one, just need to paint it and put it on, I'll post some picture of it next weekend.

Double K · July 21, 2020, 08:51 PM

With the shell catcher installed, screened bottom so rain and snow doesn't accumulate. I put a new scope on my Diana outlaw pcp air rifle yesterday and sighted in at 58yds. Funny that this wood was being walked around on last week as a deck! Click on image to enlarge.

Double K · August 13, 2020, 10:52 PM

Because I have a static backstop and need to move my bench around a good bit I put wheels on it, easily moved by one person now just like a wheel barrow!
Just needs a little paint.

Double K · August 19, 2020, 06:33 PM

I finished it today, works like a wheelbarrow when moving it around, feels much lighter than it is.

jmhyer · August 20, 2020, 08:36 AM

I like it. Very nice!

Double K · August 20, 2020, 08:54 AM

Thanks, the beauty is I have less than 10.00 invested in a great bench.

July 19, 2020, 07:15 PM	#1
Double K Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2020 Location: Colorado Posts: 486	Shooting bench I've been hauling my portable bench over to my friend Gary's farm for quite a few years, he has a table to shoot off of but it's a poor substitute for a real bench. With work slow I decided to build a bench that could be left on his range. I love to repurpose things so when I saw a lady had an ad on nextdoor for lumber from her old deck I went over and checked it out, it was in very good shape for being 22 years old so in the back of my truck and home it went. I also picked up a huge box of 3" deck screws from a farm sale for 4.00 and a quart of mis-mixed paint from HD for a dollar! Anyways I copied the dimensions of my portable bench adding 6" in width and length, also raised the seat by 1.5". It took about four hours to cut and assemble, got up early this morning and painted it, was shooting on it by 10am. Some of my friends as well as Gary's thought it was outstanding! It's the third one I've built over the years and definitely the most stable without being overly heavy, I'm now looking for a set of wheels and axle for the front. Click on image to expand. Last edited by Double K; July 19, 2020 at 08:25 PM.

July 20, 2020, 04:31 AM	#2
Bfglowkey Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2018 Posts: 302	I like the simplicity. I am not what you would call a "wood whisperer" like my father who has been in carpentry and now furniture repair/refurbishment, so I appreciate things like this. I am on the fence if I am going to use wood or make mine from the cinderblocks that you can find the plans for online.....gotta finish this berm first....

July 20, 2020, 09:19 AM	#3
Double K Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2020 Location: Colorado Posts: 486	If my father would have built this bench it would have taken a month with dovetail joints, hidden fasteners and 7 layers hand rubbed oil finish. The only problem being you couldn't leave it outside or even put a rest on top with padding! I on the other hand am a stickler for getting the design right so that it's comfortable and fits the human {ergonomics}. One thing I didn't do was take into consideration brass, Gary picks up all of it at his place and some of his friends are seniors who have difficulty seeing and picking it up. I came home yesterday and built one, just need to paint it and put it on, I'll post some picture of it next weekend.

July 21, 2020, 08:51 PM	#4
Double K Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2020 Location: Colorado Posts: 486	With the shell catcher installed, screened bottom so rain and snow doesn't accumulate. I put a new scope on my Diana outlaw pcp air rifle yesterday and sighted in at 58yds. Funny that this wood was being walked around on last week as a deck! Click on image to enlarge.

August 13, 2020, 10:52 PM	#5
Double K Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2020 Location: Colorado Posts: 486	Because I have a static backstop and need to move my bench around a good bit I put wheels on it, easily moved by one person now just like a wheel barrow! Just needs a little paint.

August 19, 2020, 06:33 PM	#6
Double K Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2020 Location: Colorado Posts: 486	I finished it today, works like a wheelbarrow when moving it around, feels much lighter than it is.

August 20, 2020, 08:36 AM	#7
jmhyer Senior Member Join Date: June 19, 2012 Location: MS - USA Posts: 899	I like it. Very nice!

August 20, 2020, 08:54 AM	#8
Double K Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2020 Location: Colorado Posts: 486	Thanks, the beauty is I have less than 10.00 invested in a great bench.