Need help on shooting bench

[jspick]

I am building a shop on our new place and the single car garage in the house is going to become a gun room. Where the garage door is is going to be a walk in door and a window. I am going to build a shooting bench so I can shoot out the window! How cool is that? Clean out to 600 yards!

My question is What is the height of most shooting benches? So I can frame in the window to the right height.
Thanks for all the input. And I am too far away from any shooting range to go measure.
John

 

[rog8732]

My comment is out of place, and certainly no help on your question, but...as so many other things in the U.S get compared to:...it sounds like your shooting range is "about the size of Rhode Island".

Unless you plan some official sanctioned matches, I think I would begin with a comfortable seat height for myself, and judge the table top and window height the same way.

 

[lrrifleman]

Hi,

I envy you! Since your project is customized to your needs, go all the way. If you have a Samsonite style card table, belly up to it and see if you can assume your shooting position. If it is too low, you can build it up with pieces of 1x4s until you get a comfortable height. If it is too high, try to assume your shooting position on a TV tray or your dining room/kitchen table. As a point of reference, Caldwell (Battenfield Industries) doesn't show a table height, but a range of heights for the adjustable seat on their shooting bench.

Best of luck!

 

[S&W ucla]

Mine is 30" which (for me) works fine with pistol and rifle. Some people like to shoot upright and some leaning over and all in between. Personal preference. What is important is the adjustable stool or something similar. Sounds like a great setup you'll have there. Post some pics along the way. Good luck!

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6Mm979YeoQ[/ame]

 

[DWalt]

The top of the bench should be around mid-chest height from whatever bench or chair you will be using to sit on. The top should be rectangular with a protruding section on the back to rest your arm on, and large enough to hold your spotting scope, ammo, etc. while you are shooting. The largest top you can fit in your available space will be the best. And the heavier the construction, the better. You need mass and rigidity. Concrete and steel are better than wood.

 

[Farmer17]

The outdoor benches at my club are about 40" and that is too high. They are also made of concrete and have deteriorated over time and very rough and your elbows would bleed if they touched it. Most guys bring out a piece of old carpeting and lay over the bench. I would get a comfortable, padded steel folding chair and size the bench from it for what is comfortable to you. If you want to sit more upright to handle the recoil of a hard kicking cannon you can easily do that with higher rests. Since it will be indoors I would build it out of 2x4s and two layers of 3/4 inch plywood glued and screwed together. Use a lot of bracing because you do want the bench to be sturdy and heavy!

 

[DWalt]

I have my bench covered with a salvaged piece of commercial low-nap carpeting. It will last forever. Kept rolled up when not in use. Mine has a 3/8" steel plate top and 3" diameter steel pipe legs set in concrete. It is rigid. Nothing is worse than a wobbly shooting bench. Some use 4" thick reinforced concrete slab tops set on concrete block legs. Make a form and pour the slab on the ground. Those are also good and probably cheaper than steel. If you make it out of wood, do not skimp on the bracing and make the top out of at least 2x6 lumber. As stated above, doubled 3/4" exterior plywood would also be OK. Nothing less. You need to be able to park a tank on it.

 

[bigwheelzip]

That sounds like a sweet setup John. Don't forget to post a pic when your done so we can all turn a proper shade of green.

Gonna do some sound deadening for the other occupants?

 

[LVSteve]

Please explain two things:

1) Only one garage.
2) Not having at least one vehicle in a garage.

 

[jspick]

Please explain two things:

1) Only one garage.
2) Not having at least one vehicle in a garage.

I don't follow you there Steve. But here are a few pics of my gun room project. The garage door. The garage door with the walk in door and window propped up. And what it will look like shooting from inside!

 

[bigwheelzip]

Wow, the trip to the neighbors to borrow a cup of sugar must take a while.

 

[Old_Cop]

If you do a search for Horst and McCann shooting bench you will find the plan that I used for an outdoor bench. It's been in the woods for five years and given good service. If you are going to use it inside, you may want to shorten the height a bit, so your feet are flat on the floor.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

One form of noise reduction, bolt 4 to 8 car tires together. Make a rack to hold the tires so the gun barrel sticks in about 8" just below center so the scope has a good field of view. To you the noise level will seem the same or a little louder to the rest of the people in your house or close by it will be very quite. Some people report that neighbors never hear them shooting!

Ivan

 

[jspick]

I'm not worried about the noise. The only other person is my wife and she is use to it from me shooting at our present home.

 

[H Richard]

Just be sure to have a "flag" or "light" or something to let anyone know when you have a live round aimed out that window. With the deck open above and left could anyone walk down past the window?

 

[jspick]

Just be sure to have a "flag" or "light" or something to let anyone know when you have a live round aimed out that window. With the deck open above and left could anyone walk down past the window?

Yes they could......Once!!! LOL I love all the comments of things to do to eliminate noise and safety and all. I really doubt that the neighbors would hear me shooting unless the wind was right and they were outside and listening real close.
LOL This is central Montana guys. The wide open spaces where the deer and antelope play.

 

[S&W ucla]

Great place you have there! Had to go to buddy's place for something else and measured his benches. 32" high primarily longrange benchrest rifle. I would steer away from the tires idea next to the house. Also would rinse area off every now and then to flush powder residue away from building. When's the BBQ and shooting contest?

 

[Huskerguy]

A few thoughts.

How about putting in a window that opens out and gives more space to move up and down rather than be restricted by a double sash window?

Put the window where it would normally be in a house so it looks right.
Then inside the house make an elevated floor in the area you are going to put the shooting bench. If the window is too high, not a big deal, just step up to the platform and put it where you want it.

Put security cameras that show both directions of anyone or anything that may venture into the path of your shooting. I have always wanted to build a system like this and although it would be way out in the county I would want to be safe. I also like the idea of a red light.

A friend of mine has a 100 yard range and made his platform out of an old radial arm saw table using the crank system. It works great. I would want my bench to be movable up and down because not everyone sits at the same height. I think you could easily do this with 3/4" plywood doubled up. You could make a system that is adjustable where you move it on a metal slide on the wall and tighten bolts to hold it tight.

Of course we are all jealous and look forward to seeing pictures.

 

[jspick]

A few thoughts.

How about putting in a window that opens out and gives more space to move up and down rather than be restricted by a double sash window?

Put the window where it would normally be in a house so it looks right.
Then inside the house make an elevated floor in the area you are going to put the shooting bench. If the window is too high, not a big deal, just step up to the platform and put it where you want it.

Put security cameras that show both directions of anyone or anything that may venture into the path of your shooting. I have always wanted to build a system like this and although it would be way out in the county I would want to be safe. I also like the idea of a red light.

A friend of mine has a 100 yard range and made his platform out of an old skill saw table using the crank system. It works great. I would want my bench to be movable up and down because not everyone sits at the same height. I think you could easily do this with 3/4" plywood doubled up. You could make a system that is adjustable where you move it on a metal slide on the wall and tighten bolts to hold it tight.

Of course we are all jealous and look forward to seeing pictures.

Thanks for all the ideas. But I like this idea of making a platform to fit the window. I think things are developing here. Thanks and keep em coming!

 

[SC_Mike]

I built this one from an old piece of deck I found at the local recycle place. Originally was a 4x8' with all four corners torn up from the removal and disposal. I cut it down to just over 6' wide, flipped alot of deck boards over and replaced some and cut out a notch in the middle for right or left handers. I wanted to build one with the U shape cut because the standard seat and bench on the right side left no room to put mags, ammo etc except on the other side of the rifle away from me. I used treated sturdy 4x6" legs and kept it as heavy as possible.

I rode around for about a week with it and some temporary bracing upside down in the back of my truck until we could get it to our range. It looked like I had lost my cow out of the back of my truck.

This pic is when my buddy and I set it up for the first time and I couldn't keep him off it to finish it. Also built a seat from scraps I had left over. Total project cost me about $100.