MY NEW CUSTOM 204 MEETS SKIPPY! (Pics)

[birddog]

Rick-

I'm new to this sport and I'm just getting started. I've never hunted prairie dogs before and can't wait to give it a try.

I've got a Cooper Arms Varmint Extreme on order that I expect to arrive in August or so.

When looking at your great pictures, I had some questions about some items I saw there.

#!: What make and model of shooting bench is shown in your pics and where can I get one?

#2: What make and model of front rest is in your pictures and what do you recommend?

thanks,

Mike

[Captqc]

Hi Mike, welcome to the forum! The bench you see Rick sitting at is the BR Pivot which he designed and until recently marketed. He sold it to Midway USA and they will soon be selling them on their web site. The rest is from Sinclair and they are one of the best available. Hope that helps. Gary

[Rick in Oregon]

birddog: Yep, Captqc is right, the exact bench model you see is the BR Pivot Lite (as opposed to the Standard Model), and the front rest is Sinclair's All-Purpose Front Rest that has adjustable side-plates on the sandbag to fit rifle forends from thin sporters all the way up to 3"+ benchrest rifle forends.

MidwayUSA now has the BR Pivot in stock, but only the Standard Model. I'm told the Lite will follow next year. The Lite is 100% aircraft alloy (6061 T6), and has a 30% weight savings. The Standard Model has steel tubing legs, otherwise it's also all aluminum alloy. There's also a less expensive model available called the Stable Table, with one adjustable leg and lighter construction.

I've been shooting pasture poodles for more years than I care to admit, and the arrangement you see is the end result of this evolution of equipment. Others I'm sure have other opinions of what works for them, this is what has worked for me. If the shooting is very good, as it usually is, we don't move our benches for the entire day. If you're into roaming around with a rifle and bipod as I also do, you'll need both sets of equipment. A guy always needs a walkabout for a change of scenery, right?

Warning: This can get quite addictive and expensive. The Purchase Mentors here can also cause loss of wife, bank account, and living arrangements, so proceed carefully as you delve into the New World of Varmint Shooting. You may end up living in your camper, but you'll have a big smile as you fondle that new heavy barrel Cooper!

My Sako 204 on the BR Pivot Lite:



A better look at the Sinclair All-Purpose Front Rest with Superfeet under the rest pins to protect the wooden bench top:



Shoot me a PM if I can offer any assistance.

[birddog]

Thanks for the quick response guys.

That looks like a wonderful bench and rest. I now know what to purchase, although I sure like the sound of the ultra-light table. How long do you think it will be before midway starts carrying that model?

What are you using for a rear bag?

I'm sorry to have hijacked this thread with all my questions, but I saw pictures of your high quality gear and hadn't seen it in the magazines I've been pouring through, so thought I'd ask.

Mike

[Guy M]

Rick - looks good!

Weather is finally warming up here in central Washington. Snowed twice in April which put a damper on hunting our local rockchuck population so I haven't been out much with the varmint rifles. Glad your new rifle is working so well!

Regards, Guy

[Rick in Oregon]

birddog: The rear bag you see is from Protektor. They have a large offering of various sizes and shapes, and along with Bald Eagle are considered to be the best of the breed. Available from Sportsman's Warehouse and Sinclair. There are 'bunny-ear' and 'rabbit-ear' bag styles in various heights to suit any given application.

From what Battenfield tells me, the Lite model of the BR Pivot will be available some time next year. It took them almost a year to tool up for the Standard Model, so as the only change in the Lite is the legs, perhaps it may be available sooner.

Guy M.: Yep, snowed twice here during April too, once during that time while we were out shooting rats, we got caught in the middle of a virtual blizzard, broke down and drove home. One of the first times I can home with a dirty rifle barrel, but it's no fun trying to hold down cleaning patches during 30+ mph winds in driving snow!

PM sent.....

[Captqc]

Mike, we love that new guys ask questions, and you will find that most of the advice you find here will be very accurate and helpful (you don't always get that on some other sites). There are a bunch of great guys here and and ton of knowledge (just don't ask for our "honey holes") Also, remember that we love pictures so go to "Photobucket" and set-up an account. Welcome aboard! Gary

[futuretrades]

(just don't ask for our "honey holes")

hey bird dog
we are leaving at 6 am for a rat shoot here in N Kalifornia. meet me in the morning and I will show you a honey hole.

And RIO, i finally made a list of the essentials to take with me on a shoot, and it includes a camera. now all i have to do is to remember to take some pics. if i do remember to take a picture or 2, i may need a lesson on how to post them.
futuretrades

[Rick in Oregon]

future: Go easy on our honey-hole now, buddy! We want survivors for next month when our crew comes down there.

No worries on posting pics.....you know how much we like to see them, so shoot me a PM when you return, and we'll fix you up. We leave in a few more days for another go of it too. I love this time of year! Go out and empty a few hundred cases, come home, load 'em all back up, go out again and empty them....good stuff......I'm sure Skippy has a vastly different view of it though.....

[futuretrades]

No worries on posting pics.....you know how much we like to see them, so shoot me a PM when you return, and we'll fix you up.

Rick, you ain't gonna believe this crap, but here we go anyway. i had the truck all loaded up and ready to go by around 4:30 pm the night before. had to make a run to the PO and mail a package. when i got home, i backed the truck up to the back door and i heard a funny noise, i turned the radio off and the noise was definately not funny. the noise was the engine knocking. i just had a mechanic fix an oil leak, so i thought he had not put oil back in the engine. so i got out to check the oil, and noticed a trail of oil to all the way to where i had parked. checked the oil and none in the engine. so i unloaded the truck, and called the mechanic, to send a tow truck. (come to find out, i had blown an oil line). man was i pissed. i called my shootin buddy and told him what happened and he volunteered to take his truck, which worked out good. the only thing is, in all the unloading and reloading his truck, my camera got misplaced, so i didn't take any pictures.
but we had a good shoot anyway, and i was able to smile again. the honey hole paid off again. we did leave a few for seed, too.
believe it or not, this happened to me!

[Rick in Oregon]

future: Oh maaaaaaann...so sorry to hear of the engine oil woes...the best laid plans.....

Glad to hear you were able to make the shoot anyway. I'm also hoping your truck engine is still good, and no bearings were fried or siezed.

As for the camera, I solved that issue by packing what I call my "optics bag", a mini-duffle in which my bino's, rangefinder, camera, and belt gun reside in from home to the field. It sits beside me on my truck seat in case I want to glass anything (or shoot anything) along the way. That way, the camera never gets forgotton (as in times past).

Thanks for leaving a few rats for seed. Maybe we can hook up at the honey-hole next month when we come down to visit Skippy..... The Silver Princess of Death is whining now to get out......

[futuretrades]

hey rick
i really lucked out with my pick up. oil hose is fixed. filled with oil, and running . no unusual noises so far. keeping fingers crossed though!

as for the camera, i have a nice little compact digital that i was going to take with me, but the battery keeps running low. guess i will just have to take my minolta slr digital with me next time. and i have 2 batteries for it. i will make sure that both are charged and put it in my optics bag tonight for my next trip. thanks for another great tip. weather is supposed to warm up quit a bit this week, maybe even get hot. so will try to make 1 or 2 trips this week. as you said, i love this time of year too.
let me know when you find out when you are coming down my way. i would love to get together for a skippy party.

[Rick in Oregon]

future: Glad to hear the truck is alive and well. It's hard packing ammo, all your gear and a 204 into the hinterland without a truck!

As for your camera(s), I have to have a list every trip, or my CRS would kick in, and I'd be lucky to have ammo once I got to the varmint patch. I'm told this CRS thing only gets worse. (I have an Elk List, a Deer List, Varmint List, and Range List...computer-made lists w/check boxes, copied en masse for years to come.....CRS indeed.....)

Next Skippy trip down your way: See PM sent.....