Shooting bench "cooling/stand-by rack"

Stalker

Stalker

New member
Having never been prairie dog shooting, I'm not sure if this will work or not? I built one of those "Booger Benches" for my up coming trip and thought it would be nice to have a place to lean spare rifles up against it while not in use. I looked around the garage and found a spare fishing rod holder, the kind that holds six rods (like this)

Since the stocks wouldn't fit between the fingers, I cut every other one out leaving spaces for three rifles of varying sizes. When I cut the plastic frame I took out the foam liner, so that when it was reassembled I could trim the foam leaving enough to still have some cushion from the hard plastic frame.

What do you think? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif Think it will work just fine, or did I hack up my fishing rod holder for nothing?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif
 
Stalker, since I too have never been PD shooting (but am going this year) this may be "the blind leading the blind"......

I think you have a great idea. It should work.

BUT...I have heard that you need to leave them in the shade so they'll cool better/faster. Table got one of them fancy umbrellas on it?
 
If you really want to "class" it up, attach a light colored piece of cloth to hang over the rifles, to cut down on the sun hitting the rifles...

From experience, the sun out on the plains will slow down the cooling effect.. It will heat up barrels just sitting there... Not to the point of damage, but it just takes fewer shots to bring up the temps...

I think the rack idea is great, if you have that many targets in one sitting. Past experience on my part has been that usually, I wind up having to relocate my table if I'm using one, and then I have to move all the guns anyway, so they are usually left in the back of the Suburban until we trade them out.

Usually, there are three or four of us shooting, each in a slightly different direction and all traveling in the same vehicle, so it doesn't take a real long time to decimate a modest PD town. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Those umbrellas come in handy.
P-Doggin_2.jpg
 
It's just a screw clamp umbrella that flexes at the base so you can angle it . I picked it up at Wal-Mart or K-mart for around 10 bucks.
 
I've got one just like it,only mine is bright white and yellow /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif I was going to weld up a clamp that would hold a big umbrella, like a golf umbrella to cover the whole table.
 
If you are truly concerned with barrel heat, take a cooler full of ice water poke the rifles in it muzzle first. Standing around waiting for a rifle barrel to cool down in 95-100 degree weather just doesn't happen. I take 4-5 rifles and have at times had all of them hot with a couple guys shooting.
 
I just bought 2 of the little umbrellas at Sportsmans Whse for $6.99 each. They got neat little clamps on them that look like they'll adapt to most anything. Probably the best money I have spent on relation to going to S.D. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
The only problem that is see is that you will find that you will keep moving the table. Sometimes just a few degrees right or left and other times to new locations. Rarely will you find that you will sit for a couple of hours in one spot.
 
I have not had good luck with the small clamp on umbrellas. It doesn't take much wind and they are airborne. I have gone to using a "beach" umbrella, it has a 6' pole that is pointed on the end for sticking into the sand. Then I took a 6" piece of 1X4 and drilled a 1" hole in it. I clamp this to my shooting table and put the umbrella pole through the hole with the pointed tip stuck into the ground. This seems to do well in wind. Not that there is wind in PD country. The next bench I make will have 1" holes drilled in it on the left, right and front. This will make it even easier.
 
I drilled holes in my shooting benches for a beach umberella but I have never used them. I got to thinking that I might be asking for trouble. It doesn't take much wind to blow those things over. And if it is hooked to your shooting table, there goes $2,000+++ worth of guns and equipment. So while I would love to have an umberella to shoot under, I haven't come up with anything I trust not to blow over. Still searching. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

Paul
 
How about a weighted flag pole base. Like the ones used indoor for boyscouts color guards? Maybe weld a larger flat square piece of steel to add weight and cover more surface to keep it from tipping over as easily. Atleat it wouldn't be atached to the bench, but more crap to set up and tear down.
 
I shoot a while and then just get under the table in the shade for a while to let the guns cool. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Quote:
How about a portable gazebo from Walmart or elsewhere for $80.


0008595599787_215X215.jpg


Should give plenty of shade and be fairly wind resistant.



I like the idea of this , but in Wyoming they might find that thing somewhere in eastern colorado /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

"They call the wind Miriah" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Quote:
How about a portable gazebo from Walmart or elsewhere for $80.


0008595599787_215X215.jpg


Should give plenty of shade and be fairly wind resistant.



same as an easy up canopy...........
 
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