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Old 02-13-2010, 10:51 PM
nvreloader nvreloader is offline
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Default Portable bench

I will be heading into Reno in a few days, I am thinking of getting one of those RCBS shooting bench's etc. I thought one of the members had posted info about it, but the search dog here, won't work for me.

Any thought's suggestions of Ideas's etc. I may just make one also, depending on what I find, I have to use a bench now, as gettin on the ground causes me lots of pain, since the operation etc.
Tia,
Don
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Old 02-13-2010, 11:12 PM
ray h ray h is offline
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Don I have one and not impressed. Those outriggers used for leveling are not very safe. I set mine up in the drive and never made it around the thing before I tripped. Lots of parts to the rest. There's play in the collar that holds the top. The tops shooting rests are poor designed also and there's no place to put anything. I do like the quick top leveling feature. I'm making a wooden top for mine. I also removed the outriggers. I moved the leg levelers inboard. In short I'm trying to make it like Ricks BR pivot. The Caldwells version are showing up and about the same price as the RCBS.
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Old 02-14-2010, 01:31 AM
Chucker Chucker is offline
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Default I have one.

The RCBS adjustable type.
They put way too many adjustments on the silly thing it kind of wables every where. I make a good buy on one but now not so sure. For the money it was ok but I think there are better ones out there. The one I build seems more stable but I did make it to fit me.

The ones which will pivot 360 degrees are great out in the virus infected prairie poodle pastures. It keeps you out of the dirt, provided the wind is not blowing too bad.

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Old 02-14-2010, 02:00 AM
race4hills race4hills is offline
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If you are spending the money I would spend a little more and get the Cadwell, I have one of Rick's benches and wouldn't trade it for any the others out there.

Last edited by race4hills; 02-14-2010 at 02:06 AM.
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Old 02-14-2010, 02:51 PM
Rick in Oregon Rick in Oregon is offline
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Potterfield told me they were having trouble with their vendor's aluminum castings; excessive porosity/voids. As we used a Boeing Aircraft alloy casting vendor during our production of the BR Pivot, our castings were of aircraft quality. Now that the Chinese are making the BRP, they (Caldwell) had to go back to an all steel base assembly weldament, resulting in good stability, but heavier, due to the Chinese's inability to produce good quality aluminum castings.

The new benches are nice and stable, just heavier as a result. They've also reduced the price considerably to better compete with other portable rotating field benches now available. As an aside, many of the benches we sold just before selling the patent, were to owners of the RASS. These folks complained about tripping over the overly high legs, one fell on the leg adjustment rod and had what could have been a serious chest trauma injury. Some complained about no bench top, too wobbley because of too many adjustments. Good thing this is the USA and we have many choices, eh? (That's the old Canadian in me coming out again.....)

My No.1V in 223 atop one of my BR Pivot Lites in the field here last season working over Skippy and his pals.

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Last edited by Rick in Oregon; 02-14-2010 at 03:51 PM.
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Old 02-14-2010, 03:28 PM
ab_bentley ab_bentley is offline
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Ok, he's a deal. I will carry the new steel benches if I can go on your next trip.
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Old 02-14-2010, 03:40 PM
HOGGHEAD HOGGHEAD is offline
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I have seen a lot of posts about these so called "portable tables". I am not sure how some of these tables can be called portable?? To me portable is something you can throw over your shoulder and it will work on any terrain. I am not sure how a flat table with wide legs can be used in any other terrain except flat land?? I just do not understand?? But then we do not have any flat land in WV.

I can see using a table like that in a flat prarie dog field where you can pull your pickup right alongside of where you are shooting. But "portable"--no way.

I bought one of the "Ultimate Tripods" from Hart and Sons. It really is portable. You can throw it over your shoulder(it has a shoulder strap). And it works in any terrain. And it is rock solid for shots out to 600 yards, and is quickly adjusted for the next shot, the rifle cradles in the rest and the rest moves. Just an opinion. Tom.

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Old 02-14-2010, 03:59 PM
Rick in Oregon Rick in Oregon is offline
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Default Hogghead:

"Portable" is a relative term. These types of portable rotating benches are what we used to term "vehicle served", borrowing from military lexicon. They were never intended to be thrown over ones shoulder, but offer a fixed, solid platform that rotated 360* from the sitting position.

As for uneven ground, our BR Pivot had/has three fully adjustable legs, allowing leveling on all but very steep terrain, which colony rodents are not usually found. In the 15 years I've been shooting from these benches, I've never encountered a situation where the bench was not useable because of local conditions. When I need to really be portable, I screw on a Harris bipod.

Truthfully though, most if not all our shooting is 300+ CF rounds a day from one fixed position in alfalfa fields. Not much need to really be portable. Besides, the cooler is in the back of the truck, which is 6' from my bench. This all seems to work quite well.
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  #9  
Old 02-14-2010, 04:35 PM
Chuck Miller Chuck Miller is offline
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Default portable benches

I've traveled the length from the Booger Bench to what I currently use, here's some pics. The folding legs while convenient frankly move all over the place. Not so much a deal killer for impromptu shooting but if your going to be in a P dog field for any length of time they just don't cut it. Also the leg height if your over 6' will make you miserable. I tried 3 legged benches and finally went with this 4 legged one. It takes a little welding to make the bases but all the stuff is available at Home Depot or Lowes. Legs hand screw on and I leave the pipes open on the bottoms so they'll push into the dirt. Mine is 36" tall so I can sit comfortably and move over to the rifle without having to lean over it. I've made several tops of all sizes, all using the same 4 legs, here's the top I use for fun or comp shoots where you have to use your own bench. My PD bench is a lot smaller but uses the same legs with the only limiting factor being able to swivel, I just sit up and pick up the table and move it. Not very high tech but it doens't break the bank, is rock solid and I can break it down quickly.

My version of the Booger Bench


Bench I use for comps
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Old 02-14-2010, 08:23 PM
GLWenzl GLWenzl is offline
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Rick, thanks for sharing the info on the Caldwell BR. I am definitely getting one and have been calling into Cabelas to see if they will add it to their product line. That way I can get it purchased with my points but as cheap as they are selling right now for I may not wait… sure be nice if Caldwell would offer the LW legs as an option for guys who may want to spend more for the less weight…. Still kicking myself for not purchasing one of you originals!

Been thinking one like you have Hogghead would be awesome to have since my back can’t take long periods of sitting anymore and something like that built for a 6-4 tall guy would be awesome to change up too from time to time!

Yes portability can have many meanings…For me and I know a few others it is something that can be pulled out of a pickup, set up with min effort/time and can be taken down, loaded to move over the hill or down the road a ways and set back up again… like you the Harris b-pod gets it for portability but thanks to one of our great purchase mentors who gave me an b-stick to shoot off of with his Tac 20.. I… uh… well had to have one of them as well “since I couldn’t miss” with it! When I die and they go through all my junk my wife will just shake her head and say, now I know why I didn’t get new kitchen cabernets, carpet, addition and had to eat off the Mc-Ds dollar meal on Valentine’s day….
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