Swiveling Portable Shooting Bench

[Danny]

Originally Posted by bburrell

The DOA bench is probably the best bench on a swivel (I'm looking too!). Aside from that, you can build your own fixed position bench quite easily. There are quite a number of youtube video's on different builds. Here is one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMIWFXJ-8R8. Most of the the benches at places like Cabela's don't seem very stable, but the DOA does. Keep us posted on what you decide. Burt

I looked at the DOA Bench. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like there is no way to adjust the legs to get the benchtop level, and if so, I would consider that a big flaw in an otherwise great bench.

Danny

[hemiallen]

Originally Posted by Rick in Oregon

Good luck with the quest, and beware of ChiCom crap. The DOA bench is a veteran owned company (USMC).

The one in your picture were a veteran owned company manufacturer as well.

Sure wish I knew you Rick when I first saw them advertised in my FIL's copies of Varminter magazine, as I would have one or 2 of them beauties to use by Michael and myself .

I notice the one on the truck's flatbed has a thinner seat foam and not cast legs.....

I have one of the swivels with the expanded metal top/ vinyl cover that I don't like, I should replace the top soon. I made 2 wood tables using folding table kits, they are T shaped and I can slide my rest side to side, but my left hand gets tired on day 2, lol. I can swing a pretty wide area, but the swivel seat and top would be a lot nicer. I have shortened regular folding chairs, I believe 4", so my body sits more upright like Rick's image shows, sure helps neck pains. I should give the pivoting system a go, but my wood table setup is easy to move around compared to my swivel setup. Yours with the optional carry bag would be sweet.

[SmokinJoe]

Again, thanks for the comments, keep'em coming. Nobody has commented on the seperate swivel of the seat and top like the DOA & Morr have. Would really like some commentary on how that works out. Thanks, Joe

[Rick in Oregon]

Originally Posted by hemiallen

I notice the one on the truck's flatbed has a thinner seat foam and not cast legs.....

We were indeed a veteran owned company, but back then we did not see the need to flaunt the fact.

As for the thinner appearing seat, it's really not, it's just compressed by Danny's 235 lb. arse. That is a "Standard" model bench, meaning it had rectangular steel tubing legs versus milled T6 alloy legs of the Lite, saving about 25 lbs. weight.

My own 185 lb. arse shown compressing my BRP seat for comparison (shooting my Sako L461 Vixen/Shilen/Canjar/McMillan in 17 Mach IV):



A local friend found an original BRP here in town last year, so there are still original versions floating around out there if they can be found. He found his on Craigslist for crikey-sakes.

As for the seat being able to rotate separately, 'yes' it does, and this feature provides an optimum table/seat relationship for each individual shooter. Once set up, you lock the table top and the seat to prevent any movement up/down or axially. Once you are shooting, the only movement is the seat and bench top rotating together in unison.

I'm sure glad I kept two of my original Lite models after selling the patent. I've been offered silly amounts of money to part with one or both of the ones I still have. But now it won't be long until my personal BRP is once again set up in the rat patch.........my favorite place to be!

[GLWenzl]

Combo of lots of kids and bad guys here (lol purchase mentors) kept me spending money faster than I could make it and I always had to cut corners and missed the boat for the best swivel bench (the one that Rick made)! Honestly it was all their fault! Lol

Seriously I ended up with a Caldwell and it ended up being better than I expected. At first I wanted to make it a little tighter but then gave up once I knew that it didn’t seems to effect long range shots.

My only desires for anything else was a seat with a back rest because of a back issues. And I kind of wanted to make myself a wood top and have that option available thinking I’d prefer the wood on days when my the pain wasn’t too bad and plastic on the more painful days.

It’s not too bulky and easy enough for me to move and store in my vehicle.

I have not been able to use it in the last few years and lost track of the new designs.

Regardless, I sure enjoyed having aswivel bench verses anything else I have sat in.

http://www.saubier.com/forum/showthr...light=caldwell

http://www.saubier.com/forum/showthr...light=caldwell

[bburrell]

Originally Posted by Danny

I looked at the DOA Bench. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like there is no way to adjust the legs to get the benchtop level, and if so, I would consider that a big flaw in an otherwise great bench.

Danny

I talked with them yesterday and asked about being able to level the table top. They told me that you could to some degree, and that the legs were held in place with a cotter pin. They said that additional "pin" holes could be drilled to adjust mechanically. Many of the places that I shoot could be leveled with the heel of your boot. He also mentioned that to stabilize the table it was best to put two legs out front and sit over the third leg in the rear. Makes sense.

[SmittyWerben]

Originally Posted by moorepower

The Big game rest works fantastic. I would like to get another UHMW washer for mine to make it swivel a little easier. The only thing bad about it, is the black vinyl cover. It gets really warm, really fast. It sets up in seconds, so it's really easy to drive from dogtown to dogtown and pull it out and start shooting. I bought mine on sale for under $100.

I have a Big Game also and have been well pleased with it. I modified it with an added elbow rest from a 1x6 and a handle on the front of the table to make up for the shallow depth of the table. I don't use the little goose neck thing that came with it.

[moorepower]

I agree the top needs to be longer. The only stability issues I have had with it, is high winds, like 25-35mph winds. I set up behind my 8500lb Dodge pickup, which was also moving, and mostly took care of it.

[Don-T]

After using a couple of different outfitters several years back who availed me the Caldwell Stable Tables, I went and got my own. The only change I made after the first year was to add another 1" of foam padding to ease the pressure om my hemi's. I tried adding a seat back but it got really tippy.

[georgeld]

Rick: I was going to ask if you'd kept a few.

Seeing these years ago and not having the spare change to buy one.
I welded up a three piece set up that swivels around the pole.
Table and seat all turns together.
For a seat I used one of those light weight molded chair seats. Mounted on a
1"x2" tube that slips into a socket. Sure fits me nice, fairly easy for me to get in and out of by just straddling the seat and stepping over in place. Only one other thing I've planned to do and haven't. Is make up a sun shade to slip on the back.

The only time I've had it out in the p/dog fields I let another guy use it. He was a bunch shorter than me and his gut lead him by two feet. I tease guys like that! ha!~ Anyway, due to his big belly the seat was crowded for him and he didn't like it much. Iv'e never shot from it. Just played sitting and turning around in the shop.

I have serious back problems too and have to have back support. For coyotes I made up another one with just the seat and put shoulder straps on it. Just set it on the ground without legs and it's just right. Raise my knee's up and set the bipod. I've leaned back in it like a recliner when shooting p/dogs for a long session. Don't think it's over 5#s or so. Put a canvas canteen cover on the back to hold a small can of flea spray, couple plastic bags and some rope. With a helper along, we've tied one or two bagged and sprayed coyotes on the seat. Other guy helped me stand up and packed them a mile to the truck several times. Sure beats slinging one of those nasty things over a shoulder. We bagged 'em up and sprayed inside the bag with the spray and tied it closed. By the time we got home to skin them out all the fleas were dead and no blood all over things either.

Junk stores have those old chairs for a couple bucks each. Take the legs off and use the seat.