I'm mainly a handgun guy, but do like to shoot my custom 10/22 ever so often for good plinking fun. I usually shoot off of a sandbag, but want to upgrade to a rest. This will be for shooting at 50-100 yards and only for a .22. I would prefer something light, fully adjustable and not some sorry built piece of crap. Then again, it's for plinking so don't need any tournament stuff either. I figure a hundred bucks or so should be my limit that I wish to spend on this. So...............any good thoughts........................ck
Rifle rest recomendation?
- Thread starter clayking
- Start date
bigautomatic
New member
Best for the buck, Caldwell Rock BR. Slightly more than a hundred bucks, but you probably won't find much better in that price range. The standard Rock is less expensive, but not as adjustable as the BR model. Heavier is better when it comes to rests and bench shooting. Just my 2 cents of course.
I caught the Caldwell Rock Deluxe Front Shooting Rest on sale for $65/70-ish a year or so ago and gave it a try. I now have two and may get one more for my daughter. I use a suede bag-type rear rest filled with ground walnut hulls in the back. If you find yourself shooting the same rifle or three off the same bench every time you go out, a whole bunch of adjustment may not be required. Now that I looked up the BR units big automatic mentions they appear to be very nice indeed.
One thing I've leaned over the years is a low weight rest might have it's place but a cheap, too-low weight front rest is a darn poor investment if you're using it every weekend.
Best
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One thing I've leaned over the years is a low weight rest might have it's place but a cheap, too-low weight front rest is a darn poor investment if you're using it every weekend.
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Selfdfenz,
Is the Caldwell you mentioned heavy enough to stay put? With a bag for the rear support, are you able to fully adjust your aim without a bunch of body movement to get into position? Or is a rear bag built in better? Maybe that hundred dollar range is not so fixed if need be! This one?
http://www.midwayusa.com/mediasvr.dll/image?saleitemid=412484
bigautomatic,
So you are saying that the Caldwell Rock BR IS heavy enough? This one?
http://www.midwayusa.com/mediasvr.dll/image?saleitemid=348661
I noticed that both said bag not filled. If I already have a few suede/leather bags set of front and rear, can I use those or do they fit, or must I get ground walnuts to fill myself?..............thanks..........
Oh, one other question. What about Caldwell's Lead sled? Since it has a rear bag built in, would it be easier or having to tote lead bags (I've got plenty) too much trouble?.....................ck
Is the Caldwell you mentioned heavy enough to stay put? With a bag for the rear support, are you able to fully adjust your aim without a bunch of body movement to get into position? Or is a rear bag built in better? Maybe that hundred dollar range is not so fixed if need be! This one?
http://www.midwayusa.com/mediasvr.dll/image?saleitemid=412484
bigautomatic,
So you are saying that the Caldwell Rock BR IS heavy enough? This one?
http://www.midwayusa.com/mediasvr.dll/image?saleitemid=348661
I noticed that both said bag not filled. If I already have a few suede/leather bags set of front and rear, can I use those or do they fit, or must I get ground walnuts to fill myself?..............thanks..........
Oh, one other question. What about Caldwell's Lead sled? Since it has a rear bag built in, would it be easier or having to tote lead bags (I've got plenty) too much trouble?.....................ck
629 shooter
New member
The Caldwell Rock is a very solid rest for the money , mine was around $119 or so at the time if I recall. With bag installed it is about 17lbs according to my scale. I did not use the front bag that came with it , only part of the whole rest I was really not impressed with. Here is mine with rear bag , this is the set up I use for my centerfire rifles. The rest itself DOES NOT MOVE once it is set in place. If you are used to something like the old orange Hoppe's rest , this is a totally different animal!
Now the controls and the adjustable top do not have the fit and finish or precision of something like a Sinclair rest that I checked out but that was also a $328 rest!
I would think it is a lot easier to carry a front rest with rear bag , at least if you carry your range items in a car trunk like me. The lead sled (to me) seems better suited for those shooting very hard recoiling rilfles. Plus you have to weight it down with sandbags , I like the idea of a front rest and rear bag. You won't see a benchrest shooter using a lead sled.
On my 22 rimfire rifles I use a swivel bi-pod and rear bag and shot a lot of good groups with this set-up. The fore end on my CZ is so narrow that the bipod actually works better than the rest!
Now the controls and the adjustable top do not have the fit and finish or precision of something like a Sinclair rest that I checked out but that was also a $328 rest!
I would think it is a lot easier to carry a front rest with rear bag , at least if you carry your range items in a car trunk like me. The lead sled (to me) seems better suited for those shooting very hard recoiling rilfles. Plus you have to weight it down with sandbags , I like the idea of a front rest and rear bag. You won't see a benchrest shooter using a lead sled.
On my 22 rimfire rifles I use a swivel bi-pod and rear bag and shot a lot of good groups with this set-up. The fore end on my CZ is so narrow that the bipod actually works better than the rest!
Light it isn't but I bought Cabela's Premier Rifle Rest and love it. Very solid rest : http://cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat602007-cat20793&id=0020904227856a&navCount=1&podId=0020904&parentId=cat20793&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=QW&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20793&hasJS=true
And it's on sale for $99 right now.
Bill
And it's on sale for $99 right now.
Bill
Nice lookin LTR you got there 629. I've had a Varminter for as long as I can remember. I would reather have the Caldwell with a rear bag than that piece of crap, but i can't force myself to spend the money. If you're only shooting a 22 and maybe some pistols, I'd look into the MTM rests. I think this one comes apart for the pistols and it's only around 50 bucks.
http://cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ...ode=IH&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20793
http://cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ...ode=IH&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20793
clayking
I think the weight of the units I mentioned is a good compromise between a super heavy weight or a sled and something that's still heavy enough to do the job w/o being so bid or so heavy I hate to pack the thing back and forth.
I shoot off of a concrete table with a piece of think woven material thrown on top. With the little screw pins of the front rest down just a tad it is very resistant to moving. The rear bag I use has ears on it. I want the rifle to move so I put a little talc in the front bag and none on the rear. With a semi getting back on target between shots is easy. Any bolt gun is going to require more gyrations.
I'm right handed so with my left hand a reach under the stock and pinch those ears on the rear bag a tad till she's settled on the target and then BRASS. Works well for me.
This design has been a great choice for me and my kids. As I said, my kids shoot off the same setup and once it's dialed it from one weekend to the next they can place it on the bench & get going. No adjustment required as they shoot the same rifles all the time
For me, I might shoot 1/2 dozen different rifles in a day at the range. Most will be rimfire but one or two will be centerfire. It's also not impossible that in one session I might shoot bolt guns, a lever action and break barrel units. I was looking for a sturdy system that was flexible for changes and not constraining as to rifle design. I ended up with the two rest system c/ a good fixed rest in front and a bag behind as a result. I watched a lot of the "old guys" and followed their lead back in the day and that's what they did. Now I qualify as an old guy myself.
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I think the weight of the units I mentioned is a good compromise between a super heavy weight or a sled and something that's still heavy enough to do the job w/o being so bid or so heavy I hate to pack the thing back and forth.
I shoot off of a concrete table with a piece of think woven material thrown on top. With the little screw pins of the front rest down just a tad it is very resistant to moving. The rear bag I use has ears on it. I want the rifle to move so I put a little talc in the front bag and none on the rear. With a semi getting back on target between shots is easy. Any bolt gun is going to require more gyrations.
I'm right handed so with my left hand a reach under the stock and pinch those ears on the rear bag a tad till she's settled on the target and then BRASS. Works well for me.
This design has been a great choice for me and my kids. As I said, my kids shoot off the same setup and once it's dialed it from one weekend to the next they can place it on the bench & get going. No adjustment required as they shoot the same rifles all the time
For me, I might shoot 1/2 dozen different rifles in a day at the range. Most will be rimfire but one or two will be centerfire. It's also not impossible that in one session I might shoot bolt guns, a lever action and break barrel units. I was looking for a sturdy system that was flexible for changes and not constraining as to rifle design. I ended up with the two rest system c/ a good fixed rest in front and a bag behind as a result. I watched a lot of the "old guys" and followed their lead back in the day and that's what they did. Now I qualify as an old guy myself.
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