How solid is that wood bench? I have had the chance to shoot off of a number of them that wobble when weight is applied. If you don't do it evenly each time that can add to your chase on the paper.
That's a good question. It needs an update. I've got the wood and paint. I just need the time. It's fairly solid, but you have to have it on its sweet spot, otherwise, it rocks. This is due to the unevenness of the concrete front porch, and not the bench. The porch was poured on a footer that was too shallow. The whole house bucks and heaves from season to season. The sweet spot moves too.
The bench has an interesting history. I built it from a combination of scraps leftover from siding the house and pallets that I scored at work. The legs are red oak skid runners onto which 75 lb billets of aluminum were strapped. I had a gazillion of them at one time. The top lifts off from the base to make it easier to move. I will reposition it in the yard to shoot the 400-yard range.
Back in 2008, I came down after dark and found that the bench was gone. WtF? Who would steal a shooting bench? It really cheesed me. The next day, I was drinking my coffee out on the porch and saw an indentation in the grass that matched the legs of the bench. Then I saw another and then another. A trail of these led to finding the bench and the stool out in the pasture. I later found out an EF0 tornado had come through earlier in the week. The bench just needed a couple of screws to be put back together.
Blackfly: That's spot-on. I'm just starting to get that awareness. Honestly, when I look back 15 years ago, it's a wonder I hit anything. This has been a slow process. I really never considered any of this until a relatively short time ago.
