Henry Rifle Forums

'Bench testing' a contraption I threw together today. A small car scissor jack, a hard rubber 'V' block for a boat trailer and all mounted to a board which I can clamp to the table and I have a 'prototype' adjustable rifle rest! It actually works quite well - at least just testing it for sighting and positioning anyway.
I cut a piece of thick leather and glued it in the 'V' block and slathered it with neatsfoot oil to soften it to protect stocks.

Looks pretty solid.

Yea the hardest part was figuring out how to secure the V block to the jack.
Well since it has a 1/2" hole for a bolt I cut a short section of 1/2" aluminum round stock the width of the block, drilled a 1/4" hole through the center of it and pressed it into the hole.
I then cut a hole in the block at the bottom of 'V' and pressed a 1/4" bolt through it and the hole in the rod.
With a flat washer on the underside and a nut on the bolt I tightened it and the aluminum rod was pulled down and secured the block.
The bolt head was pulled down below the V groove and out of sight so no interference!

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Now that is clever!

Mistered wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 01, 2019 9:32 pm

'Bench testing' a contraption I threw together today. A small car scissor jack, a hard rubber 'V' block for a boat trailer and all mounted to a board which I can clamp to the table and I have a 'prototype' adjustable rifle rest! It actually works quite well - at least just testing it for sighting and positioning anyway.
I cut a piece of thick leather and glued it in the 'V' block and slathered it with neatsfoot oil to cushion and protect stocks.

IMG_1616.JPG

Good idea Ed! Matter of fact, I think I have one of those old jacks out in my shop. Might be a copycat.

nice use of a stabilizer .... well designed and built .... I can't see the other end of the adjustment screw but as I'm sure you know, depending on its design, a small variable speed drill with a 3/4" socket or heavy Allen wrench could provide you with quick height adjustment

I can't see the other end of the adjustment screw

Its a large tab actually with a hole in it for the original crank handle.
Easy to spin up or down by hand but if this all works and I continue to use it I may bend a piece if 1/4' round stock into a small crank handle and weld it on.

I might replace the rubber V block with a shaped hardwood block - again that is if this works out which I should know today!

10-4 on the "hole in it for the original crank handle" .... I've found that an Allen wrench (about a 1/4") with the long end inserted in a drill chuck works well .... having something like that could sure collapse jack when packing it for travl

markiver54 wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 02, 2019 9:23 am

Good idea Ed! Matter of fact, I think I have one of those old jacks out in my shop. Might be a copycat.

I was thinking the very same thing Mark. 'ol Mistered came up with a very novel idea. I like it! Search is on!

I'm kinda interested in what's in that jar! Hmmm....

I bet neatsfoot oil.

Shakey Jake wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 02, 2019 1:04 pm

I'm kinda interested in what's in that jar! Hmmm....

Ha! I think Shakey Jake is on to something.

I'm kinda interested in what's in that jar! Hmmm....

Nothing special - just Miller beer!

However I'll have to call my rest a success!

I was testing some new 30-30 loads out as well so it was a two-fer.
This is five shots of some mixed 170 grain bullets I found while re-arranging my bench so I loaded them up - not a great group and I didn't expect much. They were just some loose bullets to get rid of.

Now this is much different. This is a six shot group with 150 grain Spire Point bullets. I previously mentioned how SP bullets can make a tackdriver out of a 30-30 and this is proof. Not bad for a 53 year old rifle!

I had to do a sight swap around on my Henry and shot a few just to make sure to make sure it was what I needed. I'll give it touch up later.

Bottom line is my rest works well and I don't think I am going to change anything right now. It supported my rifles very well and I attribute tighter groups to it. I do need to find a seat with the proper height that works for this. I have a heavy duty plastic grocery store packing crate that worked very well just a bit too tall so I I'll address this later.

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I'll grant you success credit too. Well done. Now about that Miller beer ... is that factory or home brew?

Mistered wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 02, 2019 3:33 pm

I'm kinda interested in what's in that jar! Hmmm....

Nothing special - just Miller beer!

However I'll have to call my rest a success!
...

is that factory or home brew?

Unfortunately factory - but I use to make my own beer many years ago - got into it as a hobby but man it takes a lot of time!