I need a front rest for going to the gun club and sighting in and just messing around.  Does anyone know anything about the Shooter Ridge front rest.  I can get it at gander mountain for $35 i think and it seems nice.  Its all metal I think and looks sturdy.  If anyone can help me out if they have experience with it or for a other front rest in the same price range (under $50) then your help would be appreciated.  Later

I've always made my own Marlin.  

I use old shot bags.  I put a plastic bag inside and fill it with fine sand.  Wire it closed and it works like a charm.  Don't fill it too full because you want to be able to 'form' it to the forend to 'bed it in'.

Cost?  Somewhere right around zero!

I also have a shop apron made out of old shot bags and lined with denium.  Some are really old and I imagine it might be a collectors item.

Like Jay, I make my own.  Just cut the legs off of an old pair of bluejeans, wire one end closed, fill with fine sand, and then wire the other end closed.  I like to have three; two for the front and one for the rear of the rifle.
 
As a note, nylon zip ties work even better than wire.
 
Daryl

Thats what I do now, but I wanted something more steady and with height adjustments. Here is the one I'm talking about. I dont know if the picture will work because I use fine pix program on my computer and i tried to copy the pic from online to the program like I usually do but it didnt work so I copied it straight in here. If it doesnt work you can go to: http://www.shootersridge.com/rests.htm and its the 4th rest down and its called steady point tri-stance rest. Later
 

 
or I could spend $2,000 (yes, thats the correct number or zero's) and get this beauty custom built by Don Geraci!!
 

Quote from: Marlin917VSThats what I do now, but I wanted something more steady and with height adjustments.  

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You lost me here Marlin...I cannot think of anything steadier (outside of a machine rest) than a good set of sandbags.  And without trying to give offense, I just cannot see the 'height adjustment' requirement as being that critical.  

On the other hand, I wouldn't even attempt to talk someone out of buying another accoutrement for their shootin' bench.  Hope it works out for ya bud.

A buddy of mine has a rest like that one.  I much prefer the sandbags, but like Jay, I won't try to talk you out of it.  :D
 
Daryl

Hey Marlin, that looks like a fine rest and if you have your heart set on it, then by all means try it out.  I must say though, that I do quite a bit of load developement and shoot a lot of groups on paper every year, and after starting with shot bags full of sand, and then trying a lot of different rests, I am back to using shot bags full of sand.  They just work very well.  I use four, three for the front of the rifle and one for the back.  By squeezing the back one with my hand, I can make infinite adjustments.  I guess I have to agree with Jay and Daryl on this one.  But that rest may work great for you.  Only you can make that decision.

Quote from: Marlin917VSThats what I do now, but I wanted something more steady and with height adjustments. Here is the one I'm talking about. I dont know if the picture will work because I use fine pix program on my computer and i tried to copy the pic from online to the program like I usually do but it didnt work so I copied it straight in here. If it doesnt work you can go to: http://www.shootersridge.com/rests.htm and its the 4th rest down and its called steady point tri-stance rest. Later
 

 
 

Fellers, I have to go with Marlin on this one! I used to use the bags like y'all described and most of the time worked pretty good. On my list of "here is how I do it", I am working on just this subject.........and the "where-fors & whys" for doing just what he described. But if you are happy -- well, by golly, I am just tickled silly! Just a different way to do things that might work just a tad better........Jay......that is one fantastic shop apron!!!! Neighbor, you do know how to "recycle"....I'm impressed and feel like an idiot for not doing something similiar.........never to oldt to larn new things-huh?
 
Ol' John..

Quote from: NUMBERFARMER. By squeezing the back one with my hand, I can make infinite adjustments. .

small world i do that too.

Marlin, I believe I've seen theserests used when I shot 22 cal. benchrest. BR 50. You can fit the rest to the flat foreend of the rifle put clay ,putty to lock it in tighter and sangbag the butt. Then use the adjustments to zero the crosshairs on the target and without touching the rifle touch the trigger to fire it. Pretty sanitized way to shoot. I use sandbags like Jay's. I set them as high as possible so my upper body is in an erect  position as in offhand shooting. I hold the forend with my hand and use a bag or two under the butt. This gives me the same zero from the bench as from sitting or offhand in the field. Probably not the tighest groups but a good zero. I can"t takethe bench with me so why bother to shoot groups from a true bench postion?

                                    Mark