Recommended Bench

[jaytortorelli]

Having finally accepted defeat in trying to find a BR Pivot bench, I am now looking for the next best thing. I already have a couple three legged fixed position benches that I have built myself. They work great, but I'd like to upgrade to a rotating bench. I have been looking at the DOA Tactical bench. It seems to lack adjustable legs, but the rest of the bench looks decent. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with these benches, or can recommend another bench?

[BabaOriley]

I can recommend this one. I got 2 of them for $89/pc which I think were the last 2 Sportsmans Guide had. Very solid due to it's weight. Maybe 80 pounds, plus your body weight. Sorry I can't find these in stock anywhere either.

[Mike]

Why not buy Caldwell's version of the BR Pivot? I've seen them for sale on a few web sites (I believe that Midway dropped it). A quick search should give you some options.

[Rick in Oregon]

Midway does indeed still sell the BR Pivot, having just talked to them (Battenfield Technologies/Caldwell) last week. They will have more in the warehouse soon, but are having problems with the tripod base casting assembly from their current supplier. The issue is quality control and tolerances.

If you're willing to wait until they have the quality thing worked out, or a new supplier of that specific part, you'll be the proud owner of the "real meal deal" when it comes to precision rotating field bench rests. Of course, I'm not biased in any way.

[Mike]

Good info, Rick. I've wondered for a while why the BR Pivot suddenly disappeared from Midway's web site. As Paul Harvey would say, now we know the rest of the story...

Sidebar: Would you shy away from any current Caldwell BR Pivots that are floating around? I understand if you can't really comment on that, Rick.

[Rick in Oregon]

Mike: I've had one of Caldwell's 'new' BR Pivots here, shot from it, checked it out very throughly, and found it to be a very close clone of my Standard BR Pivot. They even completely sealed the laminated hardwood bench top, something we did not do when we made the bench here (we left it stained only with Watco Oil, so the customer could darken it up if wanted prior to final sealing.)

They do not have the BR Lite available at this time, but I'm told after a full year of production of the Standard model, they'd seriously consider the Lite when all the associated production problems they've encountered with their vendor(s) are straightened out.

In terms of comparing it to the original Standard model, there really is no difference, as they're working from my original CAD drawings. The only negative thing we found was some of the castings could have been finished just a bit more carefully in regard to finish grinding the casting spruils, but otherwide, they did a good job.



Sitting side by side, other than the manufacturers data tag, there's not much difference:



As there probably are not many of the Caldwell units floating about, if a fellow really wanted a BRP and found a Caldwell bench and purchased it, he'd avoid the wait while Battenfield got their vendor on track, and be in the field having his way with Skippy.

[Mike]

Thanks, Rick. I've seen Caldwell's version of the BR Pivot for sale on a few web sites (for much less than Midway was offering them) and wondered if the manufacturing problems might have been the reason.

[jaytortorelli]

Thanks for the all the info! I will wait it out. I have contacted just about every vendor that has the br pivot listed on their web site, and none of them said they actually had them in stock and can't provide an eta. I tried to order one from Midway as soon as they were available for backorder (I believe it was sometime in May). I kept getting notices saying that my backorder status had changed and my wait would be longer. Then they reported that it was discontinued from the manufacturer and my order was cancelled. As long as I can find one by late March/early April I'll be happy.

[majcl5]

Make this yourself for much much less and works just as good or better.

[mrmarmota]

I have a Caldwell BR Pivot on backorder since last Sept 25 from Optics Planet.Having tired of the continued delay in shipping,I called Battenfield Tech myself.The customer service person told me the bench would NOT ship until this fall.I left the bench on back order.It is a good thing I don't need it this summer.We have an old Roto Bench that my wife uses.It serves her well.