Springer shooting bench different?

[wahoowad]

I predominately shoot springers, and from a bench. I've used the same ghetto bench for several years and always think of making something better. But I am worried the traditional bench with a cutout for resting your elbow, and the way you sit closer into that cutout area, would interfere with cocking the springer.

Any springer shooters care to comment? Do you use a traditional bench with the cutout? If so, do you have to slide away from the bench to cock the springer, then back?

[marty2]

Benches with cutouts are what I shoot my springers from. I just turn sideways a little and rest the butt of the stock on the top of my leg to cock the gun.  Every once in a while I will tap the corner of the bench with the bottom of the stock while bringing it back to the shooting position. I find it harder shooting off sticks with a springer.

[tennx]

I posted a pic of a bench I just put together, I only have one springer Hatsan 95 and as mentioned above using that technique works fine....good luck

[shooter r]

Nice job on the bench. It looks like you're a lefty.

At a club I shoot at they have chairs with wheels on them, like most "office" chairs would. It's easy to swivel a bit, and the cutout style bench seems very natural to get setup in.

[anti-squirrel]

When I shoot my springers (side, under, and break), I always turn slightly to load for each shot anyway.  I've found this slows me down and encourages me to take my time with each shot.  Getting a comfortable chair that pivots probably helped my shooting off a bench more than anything.  I find my back, shoulders, and core relax more, and I'm not pre-tensioning my body.  The end result is less tiny movement when I'm aiming and pulling the trigger.  As my shooting improves, I found it also helps with my breath-control to  minimize tension in my muscles.

What I'm saying is that-regardless of using a board, a picnic table, or an elaborate shooting bench- if you are more comfortable by turning slightly to cock/load, then do it.  Bench shooting in your yard isn't a race.  It's about shooting at a high level of accuracy.

[Pbchange]

I use a little folding bench from Walmart and a folding chair. I sit behind the table using a protector front rest with a microfiber cloth over it (allows the rifle to slide). To cock the rifle I set it on the chair rail between my legs for support.

[Geoff]

currently I use a rectangular board mounted to a folding saw horse to shoot benched.

[Sfttailrdr46]

When I shoot my springers in the man cave at my ghetto shooting bench I have a modified 1" x 8" piece of wood that I cut and clamped to my folding table tuning bench and I too turn slightly to the left rest the butt on my left thigh and cock the springer whether under lever or break barrel it is both comfortable and easy

[Ghosth]

This time of year all my shooting is done indoors.

I normally shoot from an office chair. I have a second office chair set low with a folded towel on the back that is my rest. My feet brace the bottom of the rest chair, rifle on top right up next to the trigger guard, left hand pulls the chair back toward me to lower POA.

Paper targets at the top don't need this but my home made spoon spinner at the bottom does. Also I have a wood block at the bottom edge with 5 one quarter inch diameter ball headed pins inserted into it. If I am having a good day I try at a pin.

Only 20 foot range, it is all I can manage safely in my small house's basement.
Fargo laws say no shooting pellet rifles, bb guns, or airsoft in my backyard.

So it is this or wait for warmer weather.

I need to find a place outside city limits where I can get permision to shoot.

[bReTt]

I am not sure how you are cocking your gun while seated but I have not had any issues with the table being in the way when I cock and load.  I use three different setups depending on what is convenient at the time that I am going to shoot.  Since it's winter time and wet out, I shoot from under the carport out into the yard.  I use either a portable table or a wooden outdoor table to shoot from, which ever is easiest to access at the moment.  Currently I am shooting off of the portable table (rectangle) and I turn it diagonally to be able to get in tighter to the rested rifle.  Just like in the picture below.

If you can imagine a tin of pellets on the table just to the left of the rifle, to cock and load I would lift the rifle off the rest, shift left while seated and place the butt on my lap.  I would use my right hand to break the action and cock while my left hand is on the forend of the rifle.  Once cocked, I would hold on the the barrel/cocking lever with the right, grab a pellet and load into the breech with my left hand.  I would then close the action and place the rifle back on the rest and shoot.  If seated with the table in directly in front of me (not diagonal but perpendicular to the direction I am shooting) I would do the same thing but rotate while seated to the right so the barrel/lever comes down clear of the bench.



I also use this round wooden table to shoot from but it's a bit more wiggly and I can see the movement through the scope.  Right now its the overflow table to hold any shooting extras like pellets, rifles or whatever that I may want to keep close.



When it's dry out I like to shoot from this large, heavy wooden picnic bench.



I have even shot off of saw horses and a scrap piece of wood laid over them.  It just depends on what is easiest at that moment for me.  I prefer to shoot off of the large heavy picnic table for it's stability and lots of room to scatter my stuff on.



If I am just going out to plink and have some fun, I just shoot from a chair off of my knee like this....



I am sitting at a table in this video and you can see how I cock my springers.  I just sit back some and rotate if needed to rest the rifle on my lap away from the table.  The table has never been an issue for me personally but I haven't been shooting from a bench with the cutout like you describe.  I can't imagine that it would much different from any other table based off of how I cock and shoot.

[Artie]

Here's a pic of my redneck shooting parlor. The steel extension in front, with magnets, is for the chrony and pivots out of the way for non-use. On hand stuff/junk all of it. Found the chair in a ditch and the board was headed to the burn heap when I decided to grind the brown, red, black and blue lead paint off to see if it was worth salvaging. Anywho.. the swiveling padded chair with adjustable arm rest is worth every penny I didn't pay for.

[39M]

I've had some good success using the top rail of a deck.

[39M]

Here's a pic of my redneck shooting parlor. The steel extension in front, with magnets, is for the chrony and pivots out of the way for non-use. On hand stuff/junk all of it. Found the chair in a ditch and the board was headed to the burn heap when I decided to grind the brown, red, black and blue lead paint off to see if it was worth salvaging. Anywho.. the swiveling padded chair with adjustable arm rest is worth every penny I didn't pay for.

That looks like a comfortable chair.
I could shoot out of that.

[Artie]

Very much so, my session time sure has increased. I may have to begin a pellet diet.

[wahoowad]

Here is what I made - and went with the cutout (it's on the other side). I used 3/4" oak plywood, but it is already developing a slight bow along the length so am heading back to Lowes and getting yet another sheet to fasten together and stiffen it up. The oak 2'x4' was $20 and I should have just purchased a full sheet of high grade particle board for the same amount and had enough to do 2 layers. I'm going to seal it with polyurethane anyway so think the particle board will be fine (it felt stiffer in the store when I was looking at them).

Aside from sealing it I feel like I should put something on the top surface to make it more finished. Like either low nap outdoor carpet, or rubberized type carpet runner or maybe even that hard surface stuff they apply to kitchen counters?

[Sfttailrdr46]

Particle board will also sag over time get a couple pieces of 2" angle aluminium and brace from underneath that will stiffen the plywood and not add a ton of weight

[wahoowad]

Particle board will also sag over time get a couple pieces of 2" angle aluminium and brace from underneath that will stiffen the plywood and not add a ton of weight

I already bought the plywood today, but am gonna take it back and do the aluminum angle. I like that idea better! Thanks!

[grimeszee]

I purchased a Big Game shooting bench from Cabelas for $75. It has right and left elbow support, it swivels on a tripod base, adjustable seat height and folds up to put it in your trunk.

[Mikeflys]

Hay TennX! I like your Workmate shooting bench, here's mine!

[lefteyeshot]

I use a folding tables from WalMart. They're rectangular. I shoot left hand so I turn them at an angle front right corner forward. Works good.