Shooting off your house’s deck

B

Blackbrush

Guest
OK, for those who don’t live in the city…

There has got to be a better way to get a better rest.

The only augment I have used is a sandbag, but I would like to see photos of someone’s “deck rail bench” contraption/setup to get ideas on how/what to construct.

Suggestions?
 
Many years ago, I corresponded for a short time with a 1000 yard benchrester who had a largish backyard. As I recall it, he cut three holes in his porch, sunk three posts into the ground & built a proper bench.

Why settle for second rate?
 
It is nice to be able to shoot off the deck, isn't it.. I do it too, I've got a pretty decent 3-Point gun rest set-up on a pretty good size table. The 'rest' is very easy to move around to get any angle you want.. Targets are preset at various distances from 20 yards out to about 150 yards; this I use on very nice days.. In order to shoot in all weather conditions, I also have the same type 'rest' set up in my 'gun room'.. When the weather is cold, wet, or deadly hot, I'm able to shoot right from inside my 'gun room'.. I simply open the window, slide open the screen, aim and fire.. I fire at the same targets I use from the 'deck'.. Sorry I don't have any pictures, cameras and I don't seem to get along very well :)).. You see, I'm in a wheelchair and being able to shoot from outside or inside is important to me, it's also convenient, easy, and very simple to do -- and 110% safe for all, and that's a "must".. There's a lot of room in the Nevada desert.. One thing more, I have never fired at any animal on my property, to me, that's not hunting; besides, now that I'm older, hunting isn't as much fun as it used to be.. But I still love to shoot...
 
Blackbrush ...

Blackbrush said:
OK, for those who don’t live in the city…There has got to be a better way to get a better rest. The only augment I have used is a sandbag, but I would like to see photos of someone’s “deck rail bench” contraption/setup to get ideas on how/what to construct. Suggestions?
Click to expand...

Take a gander at these for a start. Scroll down the entire page: http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/?s=shooting+benches&submit=Search.

Also, this is the best I've found for ideas on real solid benches: http://benchrest.com/articles/benches.pdf. :)
 
outside shooting

wldgoos said:
It is nice to be able to shoot off the deck, isn't it.. I do it too, I've got a pretty decent 3-Point gun rest set-up on a pretty good size table. The 'rest' is very easy to move around to get any angle you want.. Targets are preset at various distances from 20 yards out to about 150 yards; this I use on very nice days.. In order to shoot in all weather conditions, I also have the same type 'rest' set up in my 'gun room'.. When the weather is cold, wet, or deadly hot, I'm able to shoot right from inside my 'gun room'.. I simply open the window, slide open the screen, aim and fire.. I fire at the same targets I use from the 'deck'.. Sorry I don't have any pictures, cameras and I don't seem to get along very well :)).. You see, I'm in a wheelchair and being able to shoot from outside or inside is important to me, it's also convenient, easy, and very simple to do -- and 110% safe for all, and that's a "must".. There's a lot of room in the Nevada desert.. One thing more, I have never fired at any animal on my property, to me, that's not hunting; besides, now that I'm older, hunting isn't as much fun as it used to be.. But I still love to shoot...
Click to expand...
wldgoos,
I just had to respond to your post as I could have written it myself. I also, am in a wheelchair and shoot off my deck from a bench and from a bench just inside my shop. I shoot rimfire only as there are a few houses in the other direction a mile or so away.
I do some competitive benchrest shooting and sometimes find it hard to shoot from benches at other ranges. Mostly way too high. My home range has several benches that are of the right height for wheelchair shooters.
It is very important to be able the shoot from a bench of proper height. Those of you who can an adjustable height seat is worth the money.
 
Checkout the "very Sturdy Shooting bench" in the above link. It is the only one that has angle braces to provide rigidty. It doesn't matter how heavy of lumber is used if you don't use angled braces. A triangle is rigid a rectangle is not. Jon
 
So what I gather as of now is you guys are recommending backing away/back from the top rail and have something exclusive, correct?

In other words, don't use the rail as a support...
 
I think that we need to know some more about what you are shooting at. If you are shooting at targets that cannot be fired upon from a bench that is fixed, that is a major design consideration. On the other hand, if you are always shooting in the same direction than a fixed design may be just what you need. Another consideration is what degree of vibration or movement will be tolerated. If you need an absolutely still platform, that is one thing, on the other hand, if something that is the equal of the better field portable rests will do, than the task is less daunting.

A while back, I built a deck that was about three feet above grade. I order to make it more stable I used plywood shear panels, at right angles to each other. It worked well, even though it was not tied to the adjacent structure. Glued and screwed shear panels are even better than diagonal braces if there is the possibility of weathering. Fasteners tend to loosen as wood, that is exposed to the elements, swells and shrinks with the seasons.
 
Well, blackbrush, I won't try to interpret what the others mean but I will add that, IMO, simply placing a single point support on the deck rail really isn't going to give you the full blown shooting bench advantages that will make your shooting experience more enjoyable. You can, of course, simply build up a big sand bag and flop it over the deck rail but that's somewhat crude and I doubt that you'd be satisfied with it for very long.
Deck rails, built to code (where that's applicable) are usually higher (commonly 36 inches) than a typical shooting bench (somewhere around 34 inches) so using that as a foundation for a good shooting platform creates some issues right from the starting point.
 
Boyd Allen said:
...shooting at targets that cannot be fired upon from a bench that is fixed, that is a major design consideration. On the other hand, if you are always shooting in the same direction than a fixed design may be just what you need. Another consideration is what degree of vibration or movement will be tolerated. ...something that is the equal of the better field portable rests will do....
Click to expand...

Yes, these targets vary in range (125-450 yds) and direction somewhat...about 45 degrees. Secondly, I would like something I could "fold up and store" when it is not in use. "Off season" so to speak.

I have a bench I use for shooting at my range, it is heavy...portable but real heavy, did I mention that?
 
My Step dad, rest his soul, once shot his powdercoated steel deckrail.
He woke up one day during deer season and saw two bucks milling around near his house( He lives on 240 acres Wayyy in the country). Got his trusty rifle and took a rest on the hot tub ,all the while still in his undershorts,and proceeded to shoot the powder coated steel deckrail...below his LOS but not the path of the bullet. There was lead splashed down the side of the house and window, how the window didn't break is a miracle. So moms rule is,No shootin of the deck...too funny. thought I would share.Be safe yall.
 
Here in Australia, we use this little frame as a portable bench.

http://www.gorillaladders.com.au/html/mw-c.shtml

It can stand a tad of modification to stiffen it up & make it more comfortable.

  • We drill an extra set of holes in each leg midway between the standard ones to give it finer height adjustments.
  • Cross bracing the inside of each leg stiffens it side to side.
  • Most attach a wider top shaped more like a proper bench, but with enough bracing so it doesn't sag where it overhangs.
  • Some shooters put overcentre latches between the leg & top to take the fore & aft play out.
Here's one without the bells & whistles in use by an F class shooter who can't shoot prone.

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Thank you Mr Kielly,

What is the height as shown?

Wally
 
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