# Shooting bench Plans



## whitetailmonster (May 13, 2009)

I would like to make a wood shooting bench for my camp and would like a couple of different options to decide from. Anybody have any plans they can share or have a picture of?

Thanks


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## 3fingervic (Jan 28, 2009)

I'm sooo building one of these.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMIWFXJ-8R8"]YouTube- Build Your Own Shooting Bench[/ame]


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## ENCORE (Sep 19, 2005)

whitetailmonster said:


> I would like to make a wood shooting bench for my camp and would like a couple of different options to decide from. Anybody have any plans they can share or have a picture of?
> 
> Thanks


My plans started with tearing down the ol' outdoor "2-holer". And no, I didn't use the seat... :lol:

I just made mine using some old 4x4's that were laying around. Used them for legs, a wall (OSB stained) from the "2-holer" for the top and made it so that it can be utilized by either a right or left handed shooter. Used the left over pieces of 4x4's for legs on a bench and the left over 2x4's from the wall. SOLID AS A ROCK and it accomodates both left and right handed shooters. I'll snap a couple pictures (check out my personal pics it shows the range also) tomorrow and take a couple leg measurements if you'd like.
Main thing is to seal the top.


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## UNREEL (Jun 8, 2007)

Very cool, but...

That was the most annoying thing I've ever had to watch. Turn down the volume when he cranks up the saws..

Love the closing remark of "Don't buy a crappy bench"..but crappy tools are OK

Had to rant, still a cool find


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## ENCORE (Sep 19, 2005)

Went out and took some measurements this morning on my bench. Again, this was just materials that I had laying around. However, you could drive a truck on this and it won't move. EXTREMELY SOLID. If I can get the pictures on here, you can see how I have it set up for both right and left handed shooters, of which two friends are both left handed shooters. I use an adjustable rest that I keep in the garage. The bench is large enough to hold all the gear for a couple guys shooting the muzz.

Table: measures 3' x 6' (used some old 2x6's for outside frame, OSB top)

Table legs: 33 1/2" long

Rifle rest butt: 8" x 16"

The bench sets outside year round and is 5 years old. I sealed it before placement. I should seal the top again this summer to keep up with the weather. Thousands of rounds shot off that bench!

Sorry for the poor quality pictures. I have to drastically reduce the resolution with dial up.


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## NoWake (Feb 7, 2006)

Here's some plans for a bench that I built a couple years ago. I made some minor changes but for the most part it's just like the plans.

Shooting Bench Plans


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## BirdieShooter (Feb 7, 2010)

I have been working on plans for a bench I am going to build this summer. After a lot of googling and looking at countless different designs and plans I realized the best thing was to decide on what was important for our use at the farm. I looked for a standard height and found numbers ranging from 30 to 36 inches so I decide for us the best thing was to build it to suit my brother who is wheelchair bound and anyone else can just compensate. I already did some experimenting for myself and found an 18 seat height and a 30 table height works pretty good for me, we are going to see how that works for my brother before we build. I am going to build mine semi-portable, meaning really heavy but I can still move it from my 200 yd range to the big fields out back for long shooting (probabely with a tractor). If I was going to be using it in just one place I would sink posts in the ground, best way to get REALLY solid. I have seen a lot of plans that incorporate the seat and bench into one unit. Now obviously for my brother that wont work at all but I still dont think I would do it that way, too hard for anyone to adjust where they are sitting and to easy for movement of the seat to move the bench. As far as the top I am going to use a huge piece of sign board that I happen to have. Its like they make highway signs with and tough as nails. I like the idea of a one piece top vs. a lot of the board tops I have seen made out of 6 boards like a deck. Easier to keep one piece flat and level. If I had to go buy something I think I would spend the extra money and go find a 4x8 sheet of plastic. Basically plastic plywood replacement, very strong and will last forever.You can find different variations at Alro Plastics http://www.alro.com/ For the top layout my board is so big I am going to use both a left and right side notch for shooting with either hand but in between these I am going to cut a semi-circle in the middle. I think if I had to use just one I would go with the semi-circle cut out, it is very versatile. You basically just belly up to the cut out and you can shoot either left or right and find the most comfortable position. I have some good pics on my PC at home I would post if I was there but you can just do a google image search and look at tons of different ideas. Make sure you find one with the semi-circle cut out and look at that. I think you would like it. Here is a link to a square cut out of the same idea as the semi-circle. Only pic I could find quickly. http://www.blueridgesc.ca/Blue Ridge Rifle.jpg


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## Jim..47 (May 5, 2009)

When it comes to shooting benches heavy is best. The reason being if you want top accuracy then the bench can't move. I once shot in rifle competition at an old range in Penn. that had all solid wood benches. I first thought they were junk by their appearance as I was used to shooting on all concrete but they actually worked pretty good. Encores bench design should work good, just make sure you build at a height that you can get your chair and legs comfortably under and wide enough to get turned into your shooting position. The bench should be at least 3 feet deep.


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## ENCORE (Sep 19, 2005)

Again, mines been outside for 5 years and still fine. You state that you want it for camp, so leaving it outside will probably be a given for you too. One thing that you can really improve its life with, would be spray truck bed liner. You could spray the top of the bench or any part. I think that stuff is about $7.00 a can or so a the "Mart". It will seal up the bench top.

Making it heavy and large will provide many different benefits. Like Jim47 said, no movement is a must. Large is outstanding when you can put all of your shooting equipment on the bench and not worry about things on the ground. Large really shines when you're shooting the muzzleloader.

Good luck and let us know how you come out with your finished bench.


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## BathCity (Jul 14, 2009)

I found this on the net, it has severla diferent types of benches. Pick one. I have a portable one that has fold up legs, I love it.

http://renovation-headquarters.com/plans-shooting-bench.html


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## whitetailmonster (May 13, 2009)

Sorry i haven't got back very quickly... Great designs and thanks for the input. I will definitely make it sturdy because I am leaving it outside in Marquette and they get a lot of snow lol. The truck bed liner spray is a very good idea. Does it for sure bond to wood? 

I will definitely post pictures when I am done but I am not sure when that will be because I am in college and I have been pretty busy lately.

Thanks,
Ryan


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## bhhad25 (Nov 30, 2005)

BathCity said:


> I found this on the net, it has severla diferent types of benches. Pick one. I have a portable one that has fold up legs, I love it.
> 
> http://renovation-headquarters.com/plans-shooting-bench.html




That's a great link. Mine is pretty much just like the "small shooting bench". Except I didn't use the wood shims. I bought some threaded couplings and cut them at an angle and welded them to a 3"x3" metal shim, then bolted them to the top. I was afraid of wood shims and screws weakening over time. If you need your bench to be portable, that design is the way to go.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## BirdieShooter (Feb 7, 2010)

Yes, it for sure bonds to wood. I put it on my pontoon boat deck. The brand I used could be colored which was nice so I could make it light to not get hot in the summer sun. It also had a UV additive which helps with the sun. I looked in my pontoon file for the name of it so I could post it her but I can't find it, if I do I will be sure to pass it on. The other option which I might try is RustOleums outdoor stone finish which can be had in lighter colors.




whitetailmonster said:


> The truck bed liner spray is a very good idea. Does it for sure bond to wood?


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## KS up north (Jan 2, 2004)

I built one using a basic picnic table plan but only have a bench on one side. used 3x5 landscape timbers for legs and 5/4 deck boards for the top. two 2x6 for bench type seat. about 8 years on it and still rock solid. about 7 feet long, table about 3 feet deep.


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