Been using sand bags but wanting to get a front rest, what do y'all recommend?
I know these can get expensive and budget pretty tight rite now so try to keep recommendations reasonable. I would rather save and buy a decent one if I have to to get one that works. Thanks

I have an older version of the Sinclair Heavy Varmint rest (mine no longer appears to be in production). The new Light Weight they offer should be just fine for $100 less (after buying a top). I have gotten to where I only do my initial sighting in and load development from one and do all the rest of my shooting from and Atlas bipod, Bog-Pod tripod, or backpack.

Has anyone used the Caldwell rock or rock br?

Save your money.....

The majority of the buyers of those tend to peddle them right quick when accuracy and distance get serious.

Any thoughts on the Bald Eagle windage adjustable rests sold by Grizzly Industrial?

NMSSHOOTER - The Caldwell's better than the less expensive (nothing's cheap anymore) Hoppe's front rest that I used for years. BUT as stated...when serious accuracy is desired, not just load development, a better, more precise rest i.e. Ransom is usually purchased. Caldwell's do make fine door stops however... Homesteader

The Bald Eagle is a good rest, but for normal plinking and range work, you don't need a windage top.

Budget is a subjective thing, but heavy is good. An aluminum, rest may be OK, but I'd keep a couple of sand bags on the legs to stop them from moving around. I prefer a rest top that lets you support and squeeze the sides of the bags to match the forend like Hart's Comp II front rest:

I have the Rock and a Hart like pictured above. Obviously the Hart is nicer, better, etc, but I still think the Rock is usable and has it's place. I take it for my son or a friend to use. When shooting lighter and/or lighter recoiling rifles it works just fine, but it's not heavy enough when shooting the bigger calibers.

This is Sinclair's latest version, not cheap at $300:



There's a pile of good used Hart and Sinclairs out there. I put an ad on Accurate Shooter looking for an older one, and found the one in my pics.

That's what I will probably do, find a used one. I'm gonna keep researching and hope a good one will find its way to the house.
Do y'all like the hart or Sinclair better?

I paid $150 for the base, mariner wheel, and stem. I had several tops, so it worked out well.

I use it for every day shooting, and to take prairie dogging. I ended up screwing lag bolts in from the bottom, so I could slide it around on the bench fairly easy, but the weight keeps it mostly in place. If it moves shooting the bigger stuff, I put a couple of sand bags on the legs.

Since this is in a hunting forum I suggest you rest the rifle the way you would in the field.

At the bench I use 'sand' bags with a soft folded towel over the front bag.

In the field I might rest the forend on my backpack which is soft and similar to what I use at the range.

I bought one of those heavy rests similar to whats pictured above.

I was shooting my custom stocked Sako .375 Improved. The wood was upscale and done by a favorite old smith. The rifle jumped off of the front rest and hit the edge of the solid steel plate that holds the front leather. It put a dent in the stock.

Now to think about it I am going to leave it at the local gun shop.

This is what I use:



Note the note paper on the bench under the stapler. I record the load, bbl. condition, wind, and where the first shot hits from cold bbl. along with the pressure indications and group.

The pre-64 custom above has a well done stock and I don't want to dent another stock on a metal front rest.

I don't rest the stock on the metal. Hence, no dents on the stock.

Here is the rest pictured in this topic.

See the metal front holder with the leather in it? My rifle is a .375 Improved and the recoil caused the forend to bounce off of the front leather.

My rest is a Sinclair with an even larger steel plate.

Since the OP asked about rests, we could giveashit what you suggest.....

I use the soft towel thats like the backpack I shoot off of.

Agreed! Who gives a $hit where the question was asked...???

Wow, you guys have light triggers. Seems to me that Savage 99 has a right to express his opinion too. For what it's worth, I work up my loads shooting off a front bag and a small rear bag. Works fine. Been doing it like that for years. Of course, if I was into serious long range competitive shooting, I'd upgrade the bags. Heck...I'd upgrade the rifle and scope...

603 - stick around a while and you'll understand!

Yes, I haven't been on this forum long enough to have an opinion on who to take seriously and who to take with a grain of salt. It won't take long.

TXRam,

My suggestion that the rifeman consider a soft bag and towel was an alternative. I gave a reason why I use it with the damage to the hard kicking 375. Of course with less recoil they are favored for the bench.

However I also mentioned hunting and to consider the way we test and sight in at the bench work when hunting.

I guess the Sinclair is the general idea for the best or standard

Yes, I agree with aalf. Sinclair's latest GenII is very nice but there's a lot of really nice used rests out there.

When I started BR I was on a very limited budget. I found a used Rock BR and was able to have fun.

This Rock BR weighs 17lbs 11.6ozs with heavy sand in a small sporter bag




Other than a good bag on top, the best option is the Rest Nest to haul around your rest.




And after I got into it on a regular basis I needed a better more precision rest. I tried a few high end rests that other were using out at our range and settled on the Sinclair Competition model. Now I can't use my rest as an excuse anymore.



This rest weighs 32lbs 2.2ozs with heavy sand in a 2.25" bag

[img]http://i1214.photobucket.com/a...d%20Varmint/5-8009_zps19dec716.jpg[/img]

I use my Hart/Sinclair rest for load work and PD's, but when the gloves come off, I use a 1st generation Competition Rest Sinclair made 20 years ago, for a short period of time, that they resurrected the blue print from for the new version like yours.

When the gloves come off I use either a NEO, MAX, or Joy-Pod.

Of course being a dealer sways your opinion.....

Bad azz set up there aalf....I'm liking your Dasher rig too !

Thanks....they're both Dashers.

Although I'm down to the grey Light Gun, I just sold the black/purple HG...

New Dasher on the way?

Cool thing I like about our Sinclairs is the windage and elevation knobs are close together. I can use either one without really moving my hand.

Nope, I'm scaling back. The little I'm going to shoot 1K, I'm going to have at it with just the Light. I have 3 barrels for it, 1 in it's golden years, another in it's prime, and the 3rd is a virgin, so I'm set for a while.

I cut my competition teeth on point blank BR and was never a bag squeezer, and hated the idea of a windage top being so far away, so when Sinclair came out with this one, it was a match made in heaven.

I am biased-I admit it!

Those are some nice setups there y'all have.