Build a Swivel-Seat Benchrest
Step-by-step directions and illustrations

By John Ross

Materials You'll Need | Step-by-Step Directions | Printer-Friendly Layout | Video

When a local sportsman's club decided to build a benchrest at its rifle range, its planners had a simple goal: To build a better structure than the standard T-shaped benchrests constructed of 2x6 lumber. It already had these. The tops look like weather-worn decking. The legs are bulky and tend to get in the way, and the seats are a collection of classroom and cafeteria chairs.

Yes, there were limitations to the new construction. It had to be easy to build in a day with materials purchased at the local home store. Beyond basic hand tools, a circular saw, cordless driver and reciprocating saw were the only power tools they wanted to use. Also this project needed to be economical. The total budget was $300 dollars.

The design and method shown here could certainly be improved upon with more time and/or money dedicated to the construction. The key benefits, however, are a swivel-seat design that can be adapted to many situations, and step-by-step instructions that enable any competent do-it-yourselfer to complete the installation in a single day.

The biggest obstacle to a better bench was the shelter where it would sit. The firing line is a freestanding covered porch with a plywood floor set over joists. It's solid, but prone to movement when club members walk up and down the area behind the benches. Pouring a new concrete slab is beyond the scope of the improvements the range can take on at right now. Yet the club wanted the bench to feel as if it were set in concrete. The design did this -- and solved other problems as well.

A swivel seat reduces clutter while a sturdy top provides support

With the old set-up, the seats tend to clutter the area behind the benches. They don't accommodate different body types, and they are unsightly, which doesn't do much to impress new members. The three-legged swivel-seat design is constructed from common galvanized pipe that is sold at home stores with the ends threaded. It is adjustable up or down, locks in place forward or back and can be used by a left- or right-handed shooter. It also eliminates the need for a separate chair.

The only drawback of the three-leg design is the extra support required to keep it from tipping. The top of the bench, constructed of plywood and 2x6 lumber, resists the lateral stress of the three-legged design and provides a flat surface on which to rest while shooting. The framing of the top consists of 2x6 lumber sandwiched between two layers of 1/2-inch plywood. The two front legs and the rear leg establish the three points of the triangle and transfer the lateral stress of the swivel-seat support leg to the front legs. This support system allows an open area under the bench for free leg movement as well as easy clean-up after shooting.

To provide support for the rear leg and prevent bench shake from the wood floor of the shelter, a round concrete support pier was poured into a cardboard form. The bottom of the form extends into the dirt below the frost level (about 20 inches.). The top is flush with the floor. The rear support leg (a 1-inch galvanized pipe) slips in a sleeve set in the concrete. By removing the screws that secure the front legs, the bench can quickly be moved out of the way for prone shooting or to clear the space for other activities.

After the bench was assembled and the concrete pier had time to set, the workers trimmed and rounded the seat (2x8 scrap of lumber) with a jig saw. Finally some paint from the utility room sealed the edges of the plywood to prevent moisture damage.

Build a bench that suits your needs

The concrete pier nearly eliminated any shake caused by people walking behind the bench, but to reduce the movement even further, 4x4-inch square metal tubing, available through most local steel-tubing suppliers, could be substituted for the 4x4 wooden posts.

Assembled framing pieces may seem like overkill, but for this situation they solved a big problem. Finding a straight stud at the local home store can be a challenge, because what is straight in the home store may not be straight two days later. Cutting 6-inch side pieces of plywood and gluing it to the studs guaranteed a flat surface. If you have access to straight kiln-dried Douglas fir, you may be able to skip this step and simply use dimensional lumber for the framing.