The new & much improved shooting bench

[Ninering62]

Until this past sunday, my very hucklebuck excuse for a shootin bench was simply my sawhorses with the old concrete pad from an AC unit on it with a bent up folding metal chair on a half-rotted pallet.
Decay & his brother came over to help build a good one. It was a joy spending the day with them & a real treasure working with them both. I've got the skills & tools to build anything I could ever want, just not the health & motivation any longer to do it alone. By the time we got done, we were all shot in the hind parts & hurting, & they had to leave for their 2.5hr drive back where Decay's stayin while down here. So we didn't get a chance to make any smoke, hopefully, they can make it back for some shooting before Decay's brother heads back home. I'd love to spend another day with them both.
The bench is about 4'wide x 5' long with 2' or so seating space with 18' of elbow rest. Its on old oak 4x4's set 2' deep in concrete, it doesn't budge even when tryin to move it. The concrete pad is now a very solid floor. Decay gave me his permission to post these in MML to share with the class.
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[Slingingslugs]

Looks good buddy

 

[phalanx]

Sweet looking! Thanks for sharing.

John

 

[michiganmuzzy]

It looks great brother.

 

[Ninering62]

It looks great brother.

Thanks bro, we're all pleased as punch with how it turned out.

 

[deermanok]

That's really nice. Sounds like it was a fun time.

 

[Decay]

It truly was a great day together. The bench didn't cost much and it's as stable as a giant boulder. Maybe some day it'll get braces, but not yet. The arthritis really acted up, but then it rained so it couldn't be used anyway.
Then on the way home, a damn deer ran into my truck. The damage estimate so far is $3628. Insurance covers it though.
When the rain quits and the sun comes back out we'll see some one hole groups from the Accura and maybe the Paramount.

 

[Ninering62]

It truly was a great day together. The bench didn't cost much and it's as stable as a giant boulder. Maybe some day it'll get braces, but not yet. The arthritis really acted up, but then it rained so it couldn't be used anyway.
Then on the way home, a damn deer ran into my truck. The damage estimate so far is $3628. Insurance covers it though.
When the rain quits and the sun comes back out we'll see some one hole groups from the Accura and maybe the Paramount.

When it took the tumble off the tractor bucket & it didn't phase it & knew we built it very well. Then, once in the ground, you tried moving it & it didnt budge I was pleased & impressed. I'm hoping to break it in this wknd if this rain stops by then.
These Fl critters sure dont like your nice truck bro, between the black bear chewin dents in your tailgate & holes in the camper top door before ya get here to the deer at " Ramming Speed " on your way home from here. Is that Ford the Anti Peta model or somethin lol.

 

[Decay]

I just bought a hunting license for my truck so I don’t get in trouble for killin deer. I poured honey on a fire ant colony beside my parking space so the neighbor hood bear gets his tongue bit.

 

[bstorric]

I’m hoping to built a shooting bench with my father next time I go visit him (hopefully in the next couple months). He bought a small chunk of property as an investment and also to play around on in his retirement. It had a nice large metal building already on it and it had a bar and “dancing” pole in the metal building… it used to be a hang out spot for the previous owner. He and his motorcycle club would hangout there once a summer every year (so kind of a biker clubhouse). My dad pulled up all the wood from the bar and “stage” and we’re going to recycle that into the shooting bench. Any suggestions of constructing the bench? My dad does a lot of woodworking as a hobby and is pretty handy when it comes to that stuff. I am too but I don’t have nearly the experience he has though

 

[Decay]

We built Ninering’s bench in the shop and hauled to the range. The outer frame is 2 x 6’s and the surface is 2 x4’s, but you could use 2 x 6 or 2 x 8’s too. We nailed it together but could have used treated deck screws. It’s simple work. Your dad could build it in an hour if he sees the photos Ninering posted. We dug the holes about 34 inches deep and poured about 40 lbs of dry Sakrete in the holes. The T rain do it too bench sits about 33 inches above the concrete floor. Pour a gallonl of water in with the sakrete and let rain do the rear and it will be solid.

 

[TiggerLueb]

I had a three extra wooden fence posts and and some repurposed western cedar 20 years ago and built a triangular wooden shooting table. It survived a three inch tree branch falling on it, cattle rubbing on it, thousands of rounds sent down range but it finally rotted away. I have a friend in the shipping industry that gave me this platform for the 2’ x 4’ top with a rubberized coating. The legs are 1” x 3” pieces that have been sitting around for years and I couldn’t find a use for them until this project. I welded it up in the shop and moved it with my tractor to the sight of my new range location. The legs are setting in concrete and I have treated pine surrounding my shooting area. I am also waiting on drier weather to put down creek gravel to finish up the project

 

[Jstouter7]

Nice looking bench. Might have to steal your idea if you don't mind.

 

[TiggerLueb]

Nice looking bench. Might have to steal your idea if you don't mind.

Go for it.

 

[The long rider]

Great looking bench! I made one 2 years ago very similar to yours. It really helps tighten those groups especially on the long shots. Good luck with it.

 

[Decay]

I'll recommend that you look at the "L " shape rather than the rectangle. You can lean your chest into it for additional stability. Look at the photo of Ninering building his to see the shape.

 

[Ninering62]

I’m hoping to built a shooting bench with my father next time I go visit him (hopefully in the next couple months). He bought a small chunk of property as an investment and also to play around on in his retirement. It had a nice large metal building already on it and it had a bar and “dancing” pole in the metal building… it used to be a hang out spot for the previous owner. He and his motorcycle club would hangout there once a summer every year (so kind of a biker clubhouse). My dad pulled up all the wood from the bar and “stage” and we’re going to recycle that into the shooting bench. Any suggestions of constructing the bench? My dad does a lot of woodworking as a hobby and is pretty handy when it comes to that stuff. I am too but I don’t have nearly the experience he has though

Thanks for the cool story Bri, sounds like you & your dad are gonna have fun building a very cool shooting bench. I've been in a MC & grew up around them. I've been around a dancing pole or two in my day too. I hope you & your dad enjoy the property & building & using the new bench together. The bench we built is on my folks property & the father we got cursed with, if he was still able to do anything, he'd have never let me build it there just as he kept me from shooting & hunting for 5 yrs just to be a spiteful AH to me. He has no idea the bench it there fortunately.

 

[Ninering62]

I'll recommend that you look at the "L " shape rather than the rectangle. You can lean your chest into it for additional stability. Look at the photo of Ninering building his to see the shape.

Absolutely! L shaped is the way to go.

 

[Shorty]

Bstorric that is a good thing to have extra biker wood for building a shooting bench. The real plusses would be the pine pole that smells like tuna fish....

 

[BlackPowderGuy (AJHS)]

Use it in good health!