Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What is the best rifle rest for the money?

I am looking to get a good rifle rest. I don't own any bench rest rifles but I want a good solid, affordable, and vertically adjustable front rest that I can use for load development, etc. for my various hunting rifles. Any recommendations?

Thanks gang.

Colin

An old jeans leg or three filled with sand and then sewn and taped shut. I have shot a lot of good groups with this kind of equipment.

For a metal rest, Caldwell, Hoppes and others are good for the money.

Colin,
What safariman suggested is honestly a heck of a route to go. I use canvas shotbags from my shotgun reloading. I own a Caldwell Rock front rest along with the appopriate rear bag, and I end up shooting from my shot bags more than anything else. One thing you should keep in mind in comparing using BR rest with hunting rifles is that hunting rifles have very different buttstocks on them. The BR stocks are made to "ride the bags" well and consistently, especially for free recoil style shooting. The most solid rest for my hunting rifles is the canvas shotbags, hands downs. I'll bet if you put out a request for some shotbags in the classifieds or over at www.trapshooters.com someone will be able to hook you up. I happen to know a lady that is handy with a sewing machine (my mother) and I had her sew four of these bags together in an "X" pattern like Caldwell's Bull Bags. Works GREAT! I know it doesn't fit your "vertically adjustable" qualification in the literal sense, but once you figure out the right bag configuration you won't ever have to worry about it. A 3/4 filled bag makes a wonderful rear bag as well.

For those of you with Caldwell Rocks, how do you keep the top from wiggling? I've looked at three at three different stores and all the tops rock side-to-side and front-to-back. I see no way to tighten the top to the post. Any tips/tricks?

Safariman: Perfect! Exactly what I was gonna post.Ya beat me to it!

I like this blue rest I bought from Midway. Paired up with the right Protector bags it's great for load development with hunting rifles. (Or killing prairie dogs in the next zip code)

If you're talking about what I think you are, there is a screw up under the bag that needs to be tightened. Mine got loose so I loctited it on. No problems now.

It's the only thing I know. I've even filled them with snow at times (like when the sand is under the snow and frozen rock hard.) Good bags front and rear are more important than having them mounted on any sort of special device. I have even carried the empty bags with me in warmer weather. I buy some double knit leftovers from the scrap tables in the the fabric sections of department stores. It costs next to nothing and it won't tear very easily.) I make the bags very long so I can simply fill one end and wrap the extra around it to hold everything intact. Double knit stretches to allow excellent adjustment. One of the things I like about simple sand-filled bags is that my rifles seem to shoot very much to the same POA offhand and on the bags.

Klik: They work good.I always have had them around.I have gone to a commercial leather design for the rear so I can squeeze the toe of the stock for group shooting at 100 yards.

Good point about the POI change with some rifles.If a rifle is sensitive about shifting like that, I will use a terry cloth towel on the front bag,and also put the front bag under the receiver instead of the forend;this can help.

Zero is not complete till you've tried the rifle at distance and field positions to be certain it does not change POI from that established off the bags.

Eberlestock is all I've known for many years.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

clark- you are exactly right. I went and looked again today and the screw that attaches the top to the post was loose. I asked the clerk to tighten it up and no more wobble. I hadn't looked under the bag before, only asked the store folks how it was supposed to tighten up. And of course they had no idea. I may have to keep my eye open for a good deal on one now.

Scotty, you need to give Mystery Ranch a whirl... I bought a Crew Cab on a NICE frame and GAVE away the two Eberlestock packs I had. You're fooling yourself if you think they're a good pack. The J104 I had, had a very high up and too far away balance to be comfortable. Just for gits and shiggles I shot a few groups off of the CC "High Western Montana Prone" (sitting off a pack) and I'd have no problems whacking anything inside 400 yards. I did not however, take pics... They're a heavy pack, but they make 15 Lbs go away once you're over 50 Lbs.

Buy one, you'll thank me later



Oh, one of the places I took all my schitt in my CrewCab... Does that count??

Ok Danny, but you can stop with the 'Scotty' anytime.

Scott, Do you carry a reoading bench in your pack? Whats with the bag of brass in the third pic?

A place to put empties.

That's all fired brass.

I use a Calwell Rock and a monkey bag.


Dan,

sent you a pm.

Jm.