Bruno Tests New ShadeTree F-Class Rest Base
Butch Lambert sent his new ShadeTree Engineering F-Class rest base to German Salazar in Phoenix for testing and evaluation. The Daily Bulletin previewed a prototype rest base last month. (CLICK HERE for previous report.)
ShadeTree Rest is Lightweight and Easily Assembled
Designed to be light for air travel and easy carrying at the range, the anodized aluminum rest base weighs just 3 pounds without the top or feet. Once fully assembled, this rest base is lighter than anything else on the market, but provides all the stability needed on the range. The legs attach with thumbscrews and the center section slides right in. Assembly was a matter of a minute or two and can be done at the range without any tools. The legs have an I-beam section for light weight and rigidity, the anodizing is well-executed. Almost any currently-made top assembly will fit the base as will the leg screws. We found the rest to be well designed and manufactured.
Bruno Wins Match Using ShadeTree Rest Base
Well-known benchrester Lester Bruno of Bruno Shooters’ Supply also shoots F-Class in matches at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility. Lester volunteered to give the rest a workout. Lester used the rest in a local 600-yard match May 2nd. Lester’s first comment was that the ShadeTree rest was a lot easer to carry on and off the firing line than a heavy cast iron rest. After shooting the match, Lester confirmed the rest’s ease of use and stability. Given that Lester won the match, we can surmise that the rest was an effective tool for the job and a worthwhile product for any F-Class shooter, particularly one who travels by air. To learn more about price and availability of the F-Class rest base, call Butch Lambert at (972) 524-2247 or email papawlambert [at] starband.net.
Last year, the Cornell Ornithology Lab conducted 
Rosenberg also gave high praise to the Swarovski ATS 65 HD, noting that it was much lighter and compact than the Kowa 883, while offering nearly the image quality. Rosenberg concludes: “For birders willing to take the plunge for the very best optics at whatever cost, the top choices, in my view, are either the Kowa 883/884 or 773/774 or the Swarovski HD 80mm or 65mm scopes. Any of these top scopes will give you years of pure birding pleasure. Although the larger Kowa offers the brightest, sharpest image available from a conventional zoom scope under the toughest birding conditions, the small Swarovski still delivers the best image per ounce of any scope.”
