SmallCaliberCentral

Well it is almost done. I just need a tripod base of some sort so it is steady on uneven surfaces...and when it is extended all the way up. Then I need to tack on some kind of wheel for raising and lowering.

If you cannot tell, it is a scissor jack from my '99 S10 ZR2 (may it rest in peace). I ground off the bump that was on top and welded a strip of scrap metal across it for the bag. Ground off the excess welding and got it nice and smooth so I hopefully won't find any small flakes of metal down the road.

The Protektor bags are not cheap, but my C&R discount at Midway helped a bit. Stuffed them myself with sand. I lost the shoe lace thing that came with the bag in a matter of hours. :banghead: But I found a old piece of leather I think came off a rifle sling a while back, so its all good.

I was thinking of buying a $2.50 valve that a garden hose hooks up to and using the metal knob they come with. Ideally something like a miniature version of the wheel they use on submarine doors would be nice, but I don't know where to find something like that.

But anyways, to the gun porn....minus the guns.





It looks dirty in the pics, but I cleaned off all the grease except for on the threading. I will get the bags stitched up when the sand settles in case I need to add more. Overall I am convinced I cannot by something nicer than this for less than $150. That Caldwell BR thing looks nice and is about $140 I think, but it doesn't come with Protektor bags, so that is an extra $40 or so. If I buy anything it will be either that one from Sinclair, or something comparable. Then this can be for a back up or something. It raises extremely high, so it won't lose it usefulness even with a pricier competition style bench rest.

Thats the second one of them I've seen. Hope it works out well for ya....I might be able to set you up with a hand wheel from a old machine at work. I remember seeing some when we moved.I'll look in the morning. Thanks for the AH-64 Apache desktop background. Been using it for about a year now.

Ha. No problem. I love that desktop.

Let me know if you find a wheel and I will hit you up some cash. Another forum showed me an eBay auction for a 6" lathe carriage handwheel. Looked like a good idea.

If you have access to a welder or oxy acet. torch tack or braze a set of 1/2" nuts around the drive nut if thats not large enuff go around it again

outlaws, I used a floor flange for threaded pipe for my wheel. Fit perfect, all I had to do was drill and tap for set screws. I also put a sleeved bolt thru it as a quick turn handle. I find it is easier to just grab the wheel with my fingers than use the spinner. One other thing I done was to screw the jack to a piece of oak. It was a bit unstable until a bigger base was put on. The bottom of the base has sheet rubber glued to the corners to minimize slipping on my laquered bench top. These are cheap to build and work great, even if cobbled together in a garage........

Outlaws; A lot of woodworking tool supply outlets carry handwheels for just a few bucks. There is an outfit called Busy Bee Tools in Canada that has them but I'm sure there are plenty of stores and online sites in the US that could supply one as well. Nice job on the jack rest. As Red Green always said, "íf the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy" .

Or make a bench that adjust on its own no need for mech rest
g]MG]

Outlaws
No luck finding a wheel in the size you need..... Huntsman's "POST BASE" looks like it'll do the trick.

majcl5 wrote:Or make a bench that adjust on its own no need for mech rest

Nice. Reminds me of a tie rod.
Good idea.

Outlaws
No luck finding a wheel in the size you need..... Huntsman's "POST BASE" looks like it'll do the trick.

Thanks anyways.

Huntsman22, I was looking at the photo you posted with your homemade rifle rest and am interested in how you mounted your spotting scope. It looks like some type of clamp with scope mounting hardware attached. This would be perfect for my setup as I have 100,200 and 300 yard benches and would like a simple way to move the spotting scope. Could you tell me if I am correct and the parts that you used. Thanks in advance, BerettaBob

Bob, The scope mount is just a quick grip clamp that was cut to length, a bolt welded on to accept a ball-mount from a broken spotter window mount. The clamp does double-duty by holding the bench legs in the stored configuration. here's a pic......


I have used these clamps for another gunny related deallie, too. I made a cleaning stand/gun vice utilizing them. Works great........

Cleaning goodies, screwdrivers and other necessities store in the box part..

Clamp bar is padded with neoprene pipe insulation, covered by elkskin to protect gun finish...

Being a carpenter, and having a few spare clamps, never hurts......

Sorry for the temporary hijack, outlaws. Don't forget to show us the finished product. Don

If you have more homemade stuff like that then keep posting.

huntsman22, That is a very nice box. I just might have to add that to my winter project list.