Anyone have any recommendations for a portable shooting bench? Something store bought and collapsible for transport and storage is preferable. Of course I want it to be stable, weight is not a huge issue, it wont be moved around a whole lot. If I need to build one, anyone have any written/drawn instructions? Also looking for the same options for target holders/boards/frames. Thank you all for you time and consideration on these matters.
Portable shooting bench
- Thread starter GMAN_R
- Start date
Rock Knocker
Well-known member
It's tough to say. Lightweight foldable tables are floppy and unstable even with a good gun rest on top of it. You could make a small but heavy wood bench. Or you could buy a good set of shooting sticks and foldable seat instead of trying to make a cheap table work, equal or better stability and true portability.
I hike into almost all my shooting spots with everything whether shooting 100 or 1200 yards so I've tried to get creative with portable targets. I made a big long range target frame with wood dowels and screw in U shaped tool hangers on top of two vertical dowels and a horizontal dowel with a larger piece of fabric to tape targets to.
My current favorite portable targets are simple paper grocery bags, I magic marker or tape on some targets then fold them up and stick them in a pocket. When i hike out to where ever I'm going to shoot i half fill the paper bags with snow and set the bags on top of the snow, yell out a few anticommunist insults and shoot the target.
I hike into almost all my shooting spots with everything whether shooting 100 or 1200 yards so I've tried to get creative with portable targets. I made a big long range target frame with wood dowels and screw in U shaped tool hangers on top of two vertical dowels and a horizontal dowel with a larger piece of fabric to tape targets to.
My current favorite portable targets are simple paper grocery bags, I magic marker or tape on some targets then fold them up and stick them in a pocket. When i hike out to where ever I'm going to shoot i half fill the paper bags with snow and set the bags on top of the snow, yell out a few anticommunist insults and shoot the target.
I have a DOA shooting bench and though they are a little expensive, they're solidly built. https://www.doashootingbench.com/
Rustydust
Active member
I'm quite fond of my Caldwell Stable Table. After I bought mine a few years ago several of my shooting buddies got one too. I bought the optional bag to transport mine in. Is it as sturdy as a good solid wood bench? Nope. But sure do like the fact that it swivels and it is adjustable for however the shooter likes it. It goes where I go when my guns are in the truck.
crittr gittr
Well-known member
I don't have one yet but after shooting off my buddies Caldwell stable table I will have one for this year shooting pdogs and ground squirrels. I don't think you could build one for what the Caldwell sells for.
Brad Phillips
Active member
I have a Caldwell stable table. I use mine quite a bit. On non windy days, I just leave it in the truck and shoot from there.
No, it is not as sturdy as a concrete bench. But it is handy.
No, it is not as sturdy as a concrete bench. But it is handy.
muskrat30
New member
If we’re talking for use on prairie dog fields, I have another method. I like true mobility.
My system is a Browning ‘Strutter’ chair paired with two leg shooting sticks. If available, your back to a post helps stabilize even better.
I like to get away from the truck, plus the smaller, lower profile offers more stealth & is less obvious to doggies. Just sit a bit & things start back to normal, yeah, I’ll take that 75 yard ‘chip shot’.
My system is a Browning ‘Strutter’ chair paired with two leg shooting sticks. If available, your back to a post helps stabilize even better.
I like to get away from the truck, plus the smaller, lower profile offers more stealth & is less obvious to doggies. Just sit a bit & things start back to normal, yeah, I’ll take that 75 yard ‘chip shot’.
Brad Phillips
Active member
I use two plastic electric fence posts and a couple of spring clamps to hold targets.
Rustydust
Active member
Originally Posted By: 204 ARYou stable table guys, are you using the tripod looking one, or the lite version?
The tripod one. A buddy replaced the plastic top on his with an oversized one made from a nice piece of plywood. I would not mind doing that too but then it would no longer fit in my carry bag if I did.
The tripod one. A buddy replaced the plastic top on his with an oversized one made from a nice piece of plywood. I would not mind doing that too but then it would no longer fit in my carry bag if I did.
Brad Phillips
Active member
Tripod with grey plastic top. I did add some 3M non-slip to the top of it.
Originally Posted By: kooman Originally Posted By: 204 ARYou stable table guys, are you using the tripod looking one, or the lite version?
Mine is the heavy duty tripod type with the grey top, absolutely love it but it’s not easily portable
I usually just leave mine set-up on a trailer during groundhog season since we usually hunt all day, and we just pull it from field to field or sometimes just set it up in the bed of the truck.
Mine is the heavy duty tripod type with the grey top, absolutely love it but it’s not easily portable
I usually just leave mine set-up on a trailer during groundhog season since we usually hunt all day, and we just pull it from field to field or sometimes just set it up in the bed of the truck.
Originally Posted By: Rich44Originally Posted By: kooman Originally Posted By: 204 ARYou stable table guys, are you using the tripod looking one, or the lite version?
Mine is the heavy duty tripod type with the grey top, absolutely love it but it’s not easily portable
I usually just leave mine set-up on a trailer during groundhog season since we usually hunt all day, and we just pull it from field to field or sometimes just set it up in the bed of the truck.
Do you use jacks or blocks to stabilize the trailer when shooting?
Mine is the heavy duty tripod type with the grey top, absolutely love it but it’s not easily portable
I usually just leave mine set-up on a trailer during groundhog season since we usually hunt all day, and we just pull it from field to field or sometimes just set it up in the bed of the truck.
Do you use jacks or blocks to stabilize the trailer when shooting?