My Mod of a Cheap Hoppes Benchrest!

[JWFilips]

Hi Guys,
Not sure if you are interested but I have been living with a cheapo Hoppes front benchrest
Here are a few mods I have just made to help me get through a range session!

This is how it looks now:

I drilled & tapped the knurled nut to add 120deg shafts

MY FIL was a HAM radio builder So I was left a large amount of his stuff. Hexagon shafts with a 10x32 thread. just drilled & tapped 3 holes around the knurled nut! to get a better grip and added a rubber O ring on the shaft!

For added weight I just zip tied an ingot of pure lead on all 3 legs!

Fast & cheap!

 

[62chevy]

If it works price don't matter with free being the best price.

 

[Ben]

The russians hated us because we were able to do things like that.

I like it !

Ben

 

[Ian]

I was thinking about getting one of those Caldwell saddles for mine, but wasn't sure how it would fit. Looks like it's really close to just right. Thanks for sharing, Jim.

 

[JWFilips]

Glad it was a help!
I also forgot to show that I needle pointed the leg pins so they really grab the wooden shooting bench!

 

[fiver]

I was thinking about modifying and pouring the bottom of mine full of lead.

 

[JWFilips]

Fiver,
I too had that idea but was not sure how to fix it in place!

 

[Missionary]

It all looks and probably works good. Nothing like jumping in and fixing a need.

 

[Ian]

For filling the bottom full of lead, that's simple if you have some body lead. Body lead has an extremely long mush phase and can be heated up in a skillet to the right temperature and applied like mortar with a trowel or putty knife. Drill just a few holes through the legs to give the stuff something to mechanically lock into and pack the alloy in place. A piece of conduit could be used to keep it away from the threaded shaft.

I've got about ten pounds of Kester body solder (18% Sn) that I've been saving for just such a project. It worked well for weighting the bottom of my RCBS powder trickler.

 

[Brad]

I got a Sinclair for Christmas years ago. My Hoppes sits around and gets in my way.

It isn't just weight, a wider leg spread helps too. Keeps it from wanting to tip.

 

[Ian]

The only problem with the Sinclair rest (other than affording one) is that it needs wheels and a trailer hitch.

 

[Brad]

Yeah but it lets me add the body solder I have to my lead pot, not my front rest!

My Sinclair lives behind the drivers seat of my truck.

 

[freebullet]

Are yall'd saying my wobbly tippy plastic front rest is not conducive to premium accuracy? I thought if I can do well with it I could do well anyhow but, sometimes it's quite a hinderance.

 

[fiver]

a steady rest makes a big difference in group size.

I can sit down and make good shots on ground squirrels further away just by using a shooting stick.
shots out to 125-150 yds are doable with it, 60-70 yds is about my limit for consistency without it. [over 70%]
same size targets, almost double the range just by adding a stick.
get me a rock and I can go 200+ yds and increase my hit ratio [to over 90%] at the same time.

 

[quicksylver]

The russians hated us because we were able to do things like that.

I like it !

Ben

The Brits couldn't get the hang of it either....

everything over engineered...

Not counting ignition wires I think our Jeeps ran with only three additional wires...

Ditto with our WW1 and WW11 motorcycles....

One other comment...I think rest are only as good as what they are sitting on...

GOOD WORK !!! Jim..