How to Make a Shooting Rest

This shooting rest is relatively portable and easily stored. All necessary materials cost about $15 or less. It uses three legs for support and can take quit a bit of weight pressing down or pushing forward. It will hold up to most common small arms such as shotguns or .30 caliber hunting rifles.

Things You'll Need

  • Battery or electric drill
  • Phillips head drill bit
  • 1/8-inch-by-3-inch general purpose drill bit
  • 10 3-inch long coarse thread dry wall screws
  • C-clamp or wood vise
  • 2 7-inch-long soft wood 2-by-3
  • 2 7-inch--long soft wood 2-by-2
  • 15-inch-long soft wood 2-by-2
  • 66-inch-long soft wood 2-by-3
  • 2 66-inch-long soft wood 2-by-2
  • 2 medium to large tube socks
  • 3 lbs. raw rice
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Instructions

  1. Rest Assebly

    • 1

      Drill a hole 1 inch in, on each end, on a narrow side of the 7-inch-long 2-by-3. These should be about 1 inch deep. Now drill two holes on one side of a 7-inch-long 2-by-2, each one being an inch in from the end. These holes should go clean through the 2-by-2. Line up the holes in the 2-by-2 with the holes in the 2-by-3 and screw them together. This should now be one 2-by-5-by-7-inch piece.

    • 2

      Clamp the other 2-by-3 to the 2-by-2 of the piece you just assembled so that looking at it from the end the pieces form an even V. The 2-by-2 should form the point of the V. Next starting 2 inches in from each end of the 2-by-2 drill a hole 2 1/2 inches deep so that the bit goes straight through the 2-by-2 and into the second 2-by-3. Run a screw into each hole so that all three pieces are now joined and release the clamp. Again, when viewed from the end, these three parts should form a 7-inch-long V piece.

    • 3

      Line the V-piece up with the 66-inch-long 2-by-3. One inner side should be centered on a wide side of the 2-by-3 and the other inner side should be centered against the end of the 2-by-3. Clamp both pieces together. From 1 to 2 inches down and away from the edges drill two holes through the 2-by-3 and into the V piece. Drill about 2 1/2 inches deep. Run a screw into each hole to connect the V-piece to the 2-by-3 center leg and release the clamp.

    • 4

      On the same side of the 2-by-3 you just put screws in, center and clamp the 15-inch-long 2-by-2 at a right angle to the 2-by-3 center-leg 5 inches down from the top. This becomes the brace for the two outside removable legs. Near the middle of this 2-by-2 drill two holes an inch apart, through the 2-by-2 brace and into the center-leg. Make these holes 2 1/2 inches deep. Screw these two pieces together and release the clamp.

    • 5

      With the center-leg pointing away from you and looking at the top of the V piece, clamp the second 7-inch-long 2-by-2 to the side of the V piece facing you. It should be lined up with the top edge of a 7-inch 2-by-3. Now drill two holes at least 1 inch apart and at least 3 inches from the edge, through the 2-by-2 and into the 2-by-3 about 2 1/2 inches deep. With two screws, fasten the 7-inch 2-by-2 to the top side of the V piece.

    • 6

      Pour about 1 1/2 lbs. of rice into each sock. Tie the end of each sock with an overhand knot.

    Using your Shooting Rest

    • 7

      Lean the center-leg toward you until it is at the height you wish to shoot from

    • 8

      Use each 66-inch 2-by-2 as a support leg -- one for the left side, one for the right. Wedge each leg under the V piece beside where the center-leg joins the V piece.Each leg should angle away from the V-piece to form a tripod and they should be in firm contact with the brace on the center-leg.

    • 9

      Press down firmly on top of the rest to be sure it is firm and the legs are well-wedged. Place the shooting bags on the groove along the top.