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September 12th, 2014
Here’s the deal of the year if you need a quality, windage-adjustable front rest. Pay just $165.00 for a competition-grade rest that normally sells for well over four hundred bucks! You heard that right. Bullets.com is offering aluminum-base front rests, with flex-shaft remote windage adjustment, for just $165.00! Choose either the popular slingshot-style rest (model BE1005) or a triangle base version (model BE1004). These front rests previously retailed for $425.00 each (with windage drive). But Bullets.com is having an “overstock” sale so you can get blow-out pricing on both these rests. At these prices ($165.00) you can afford two rests — one for yourself and one for a shooting buddy.
Slingshot-Style Front Rest Now $165.00 (BE1005)
Here is the slingshot model BE1005. Note, the optional bag is NOT included in the $165.00 sale price.
Remote Windage Adjustment System
What looks like a cable connected to a knob is actually a flexible drive shaft. This connects to the front bag carrier assembly (windage top) and moves it left and right as you rotate the knurled knob. This allows you to conveniently (and precisely) adjust windage from any shooting position.
Triangle-Base Front Rest $165.00 (BE1004)
Here is the triangle-base model BE1004. Note: Optional front sand bag is sold separately.
Premium Rests at a Blow-Out Prices
These Bald Eagle front rests can be used on the bench or on the ground for prone shooting. Designed by a benchrest shooter and refined by a member of the U.S. F-Class Open Rifle Team, this rest system has been thoroughly tested and proven to be capable of quick, precise adjustments during string shooting. There are two different models available for $165.00 — Slingshot base or Triangle base. The Slingshot model has an elongated front leg to keep the rest stable as well as keep the Windage adjustment knob within easy reach. These Bald Eagle rests feature a flex-shaft-drive Windage System that allows you to quickly and easily adjust for changing wind conditions. Front bags are sold separately. Minor modifications are required for left-hand shooters.
May 10th, 2014
Need a high-quality front rest at an affordable price? Here are some of the best deals we’ve seen in years. Bullets.com just announced a massive price cut on its Bald Eagle brand front rests. Both the regular rests and the deluxe rests with flex-shaft windage adjustments are on sale. (These windage-adjustable rests are great for F-Class shooting.) Windage-adjustable rests start at just $215.00, while the conventional rests are marked down to $179.95 (less than half the original price!) Choose from Cast Iron or Aluminum bases, triangle or slingshot (wishbone) footprints. These are high-quality rests, with CNC-machined parts. They have been used successfully by many top F-Class and benchrest shooters.
Bullets.com tells us: “These rests were originally designed by a Benchrest shooter and refined by a member of the U.S F-Class Open Rifle Team. The rests have been thoroughly tested and proven to be reliable and capable of quick and accurate adjustments during string shooting.”
Bald Eagle Shooting Rests with Windage System ON SALE
BE1004 – Triangle, Aluminum, Reg. $425.00 — SALE $215.00
BE1005 – Slingshot, Aluminum, Reg. $425.00 — SALE $215.00
BE1006 – Slingshot, Cast Iron, Reg. $475.00 — SALE $235.00
Bald Eagle Shooting Rests without Windage System ON SALE
BE1128 – Triangle, Aluminum, Reg. $375.00 — SALE $179.95
BE1130 – Slingshot, Cast Iron, Reg. $399.95 — SALE $179.95
BE1129 – Slingshot, Aluminum, Reg. $375.00 — SALE $179.95
Along with offering super deals on front rests, Bullets.com has also slashed prices on its front and rear sand bags. Front Bags are marked dow to $27.50, while Rear Bags are on sale from $52.50 – $64.50. Large-diameter F-Class rest feet are also on sale currently. Get more details at Bullets.com.
November 14th, 2013
 Do you need a solid, yet affordable front pedestal rest for load testing or varmint shooting from a bench? Here’s very good deal from Grafs.com. Right now the Caldwell Rock BR front rest is on sale for $129.99. That’s $20-$50 cheaper than you’ll find it elsewhere. And Graf’s $129.99 price includes ground shipping (after a single $6.95 handling fee for any order). The Caldwell BR rest isn’t super high-tech, but at 15.5 pounds, it provides a solid platform, with a wishbone-style, cast-iron base. A knob on the left allows easy windage adjustments. The three-lobe bag works fine for prairie dog safaris and general use. For competition, you may want to upgrade to a higher-quality front bag from Edgewood or Protecktor (this may require some minor modification to bag cradle).
We think this $129.99 price is a stellar deal. Check out the prices for the Caldwell Rock BR rest at other vendors (prices effective November 14, 2013):
Will this Caldwell Rock rest perform as well as a Farley, John Loh, or SEB front rest? Obviously not, but not everyone needs a state-of-the-art rest costing more than a factory hunting rifle. And consider this, you can buy the complete front rest for less than the cost of some of the super-deluxe, large-footprint rear bags. If you’re looking for a general-purpose rest that may see hard use around a ranch or farm property (or on varmint hunts), keeping your investment down isn’t such a bad idea.
June 29th, 2013
When you’re shooting an F-Class match, the last thing you want is for your fancy front rest to sink into soft ground, hop on hard ground, or otherwise move around from shot to shot. And with more F-Open shooters shooting heavy (180gr+) bullets these days, F-Class front rests have to cope with more torque and recoil than ever before. Well, our buddy John Perkins from 21st Century Shooting has a solution. The new 21st Century Phoenix Foot features unique, bell-style geometry. This allows your rest to sit securely in turf and the feet are very stable even on loose soil or gravel. The Phoenix Foot, shown here with 21st Century’s Front Rest, is compatible with a variety of front pedestal rests with 1/2″-diameter adjustment legs. The bell-shaped foot design (narrow at the bottom and flaring at the top) makes it easy to level the rest front-to-back and side-to-side. Price for a set of three (3) Phoenix feet is $99.00.
21st Century’s Impressive Crank-Windage Front Rest
Also shown in the photo is 21st Century’s impressive new Front Rest, proudly CNC-machined in the USA from aircraft aluminum and stainless steel billet barstock. This big boy, which retails for $1095.00, features a super-large-diameter mariner’s wheel for elevation adjustment, and an ultra-smooth crank adjustment for windage (horizontal). Finish and function are impressive. Elevation and windage can be easily adjusted with fingertips (this is made possible by the ball screw design). This “Rolls Royce of rests” is made to last — all aluminum parts are anodized and the base is machined from 1″-thick 6061 T6 aircraft billet aluminum. If you’re interested, call 21st Century at (260) 273-9909. When production permits, rests usually ship out 3-6 weeks after an order is placed.
Product Tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
April 28th, 2013
 Sinclair Int’l announced that it will reveal a new heavy-duty Varmint Shooting Rest at the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits next week. The new rest (photo right) features a beefy center post with large-diameter control knobs. There is a rest-top control for windage, and you can quickly adjust the 3-lobe bag to handle different rifles. Using the quick-release handles, slide the bag side-plates in and out for various forearm widths. Price has not yet been set. Geoff Esterline of Sinclair says: “A bunch of Sinclair folks will be there in Booth #3433 to talk shop with our customers. We’ll be unveiling our new Sinclair Heavy Varmint Rest at the show. Attendees can enter a drawing to win one of three shooting rests. So drop by and sign up for your chance to win.”
Beefy Sinclair Competition Shooting Rest on SALE
In related news, Sinclair has put its popular Competition Shooting Rest on sale. The price has been marked down from $669.99 to $599.99. That’s a pretty good value compared to other high-end rests with this kind of quality and precision control systems.
Here are some user comments from our Forum members:
Great rest. Easy to convert to left hand as well. — Geronimo Jim
I have one and really like it a lot. I’ve not encountered any issues with mine. — DReever
A friend has one, I have used it. All machining is top-notch like all Sinclair stuff. I prefer a joystick, but if I wanted a knob-type rest I would buy the Sinclair. Very nice having the elevation and windage knobs close to each other. — Zfastmalibu
The only thing I do not like about them is the horizontal adjustment pivots instead of going straight side to side… which can put the rear stock and rest in a little bit of a bind if you have to go far. I do like that the Sinclair is quite a bit heavier than the J.J. Loh rest. I think you would be plenty happy with [the Sinclair rest]. — Bozo 699
April 24th, 2013
This story first appeared last year. We’re featuring it again by popular request.
Some of our mechanically-skilled readers chamber their own barrels or bed their own stocks. But these are relatively simple tasks compared to the jobs of constructing an entire rifle plus building an advanced front rest from scratch. Well that’s exactly what Forum member Steve B. (aka Essexboy) did. He built his own rifle and an impressive twin-belt-drive pedestal rest. (Click photo below to see large version). And get this, Steve’s home-made rifle was victorious in its first-ever match. Steve reports: “I shot my first Comp with the rifle this weekend and managed to win with a score of 239-21!” (The match was shot at 300/500/600/1000/1100 with English scoring of 5 points for center bullseye).
Do-It-Yourself F-Open Rig from England
Steve, who hails from Essex in the UK, constructed virtually every component of his skeleton-style rifle except the 28″ HV Bartlein barrel (chambered as a 6mm Dasher) and the Tikka 590 donor action. Steve also did all the design and fabrication work on his one-of-a-kind front rest. Steve tells us: “Over the last year or so, I made this rifle stock and rest. I managed to make it all on a little Myford Lathe, as you can tell I’m no machinist but it saved me a load of money — so far I’ve got about $200 invested plus the barrelled action. The stock is aluminum except for the stainless steel bag runner. The rifle came in at one ounce under weight limit for F-Class Open division.” Steve did get help with the chambering and barrel-fitting, but he hopes to do all the barrel work himself on his next project.
 The gun is very accurate. Steve notes: “I have shot the rifle to 1100 yards and it shoots well. Last time out the rifle dropped just one point at 1000 yards and 5 points at 1100 yards [English scoring system]. I know it’s not pretty, but it got me shooting long range F-Class for peanuts.” Message to Steve: Don’t worry how it looks. As another Forum member observed: “Any rifle that shoots well at 1100 yards is beautiful….”
Steve started with a Tikka 590 action: “The whole stock was made on a small (6.5×13) lathe and a vertical slide. This caused a few head scratching moments, figuring out how to hold the T6/HE30 alloy for the milling/turning operations, but it did teach me a few things. The hardest parts were clamping the longer sections (such as the fore-end) and keeping it all square. Due to the short cross-slide travel I had to keep re-setting the parts. I managed to keep all measurements to .0001″ (one thousandth). I’m most proud of the trigger guard (photo below). This took a full day but came out really well, even if I say so myself.”
Belt-Driven Front Rest
We’re impressed with Steve’s ingenious front rest. Steve explains: “The rest is belt-driven and still in the experimental stage — hence no powder coating or polishing yet. I may have gone over the top as the key moving parts (the pulleys) run on three (3) types of bearings: radial; reamed bush; and a ball race. The main post runs on a radial bearing and the feet even have bearings in them, so when I raise the main body up (for rough height adjustment) the foot stays static.”
Will Steve build another rifle? Steve says he will, and he’s upgraded his tools: “Since building the rifle I have acquired a bigger lathe (Harrison m250) and a milling machine. For the next project I hope to be able to do the barrel work (threading, chambering, crowning) as well.” The next gun might be another Dasher. Steve explains: “After extensive reading on AccurateShooter.com, I chose the 6mm Dasher chambering, as I have a shoulder problem and can’t shoot a rifle with a lot of recoil.”
March 19th, 2013
In the benchrest game, a rock-solid front rest with precise, easy-use controls, is essential. The Farley and Sebastian rests provide a joystick that allows the shooter to adjust both horizontal and vertical position with a single move. However, many top shooters prefer more traditional rests. When you’re centered up horizontally and just want to make a very tiny vertical adjustment, a rest with a separate vertical control is hard to beat. Likewise, separate windage controls ensure that you can move left to right without altering your vertical point of aim one tad.
Among the premium non-joystick rests we’ve tried, the John Loh (JJ Industries) rest and the Randolph Machine (Fulghum) rest stand out for quality of workmanship and the smooth, precise functioning of the windage and elevation controls.
In this article we review the Fulgham Front Rest, produced by Ken Fulghum of Randolph Machine in North Carolina. It offers a unique, belt-driven elevation control. This rest has been very successful in IR 50-50, ARA Outdoor, and RBA Indoor rimfire disciplines. (Ken Fulgham himself is a highly successful rimfire benchrest shooter.) But, when fitted with a conventional front sandbag top, the rest also works great with centerfire rifles.
NOTE: The test unit shown in the photos is fitted with a Fudd Rest Top. Randolph Machine no longer sells Fudd tops. Instead Randolph produces a similiar adjustable front top with thin sand bag sections. This cost $150.00.
Fulghum Rest is Beefy and Stable
The Fulghum Front Rest is rock-solid and very stable on the bench. A large knob on the left controls the windage. The entire center section of the rest slides left and right on precision-machined cross-shafts riding in bronze, oil-impregnated bushings. The movement is super-smooth, with no grabbing or jumping. As we’ve seen with the John Loh rest, horizontal tracking is superb, and you can easily make very fine sideways adjustments with ZERO vertical shift.
Belt-Drive for Vertical Adjustment
What’s really special about the Fulghum Rest is the vertical adjustment system. This uses a synthetic toothed belt that connects a large knob in the center of the rest to the ram which supports the rest top. The belt drive runs over sprockets that provide plenty of mechanical advantage. This allows you to effortlessly raise/lower even very heavy rifles. The up/down movement is very smooth. However, there is a little slack in the belt and you can feel the belt’s teeth engage the sprockets one by one. Once you get used to the feel of the belt and how it engages the sprockets, however, you can make very precise adjustments.
Importantly, after you’ve adjusted the vertical, there is enough drag in the system that it holds vertical perfectly. There’s no “post-adjustment” vertical slippage at all. You can take your hand off the vertical knob and shoot with confidence that your aiming point won’t shift.
Overall, this is an excellent unit. Since you have to adjust windage and elevation separately, it’s not as fast as a joystick rest, but it has its advantages. There’s none of the vertical notchiness we’ve seen in some joystick units. Unless you are 100% certain you want a joystick-type rest, you should definitely “test-drive” a Fulghum Rest and see how it suits you.
Rest Retails for $750.00 without Top
 The Fulghum Front Rest currently retails for $750.00 with no top. Randolph Machine offers two different tops for the unit: the $120.00 Randolph MK1 Top (User supplies owl-ear bag), or the $150.00 Adjustable MKII Top (see photo at right; similar to Fudd Top). Fulghum also offers a one-piece rest (front and rear support) for $750.00.
All Randolph Machine Rests are made one at a time, by hand, so you should call for availability. Normal delivery time is “about a month” once you place your order. Here’s the contact info:
Ken Fulghum
Randolph Machine, Inc.
www.randolphmachine.com
P.O. Box 147, 1206 Uwharrie St.
Asheboro, NC 27204
Phone: (336) 625-0411
Fax: (336) 625-0410
November 13th, 2012
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Available for under $180.00 including front bag, the Caldwell Fire Control front rest is a remarkable value. It makes the co-axial, joystick design more affordable than ever. We used the Fire Control front rest when testing our Ultimate Varminter 20 Practical AR. Once we removed some sand from the tri-lobe front bag, the rest worked quite well.
Get a Fire Control Rest for Just $179.40
Amazon.com currently sells the Fire Control rest (item 956104) for $179.40. That’s a really spectacular deal for guys on a tight budget, looking to try out a joystick-style front rest. With the conversion described in this article, you can put together a system that works pretty darn well, and is more than adequate for many applications, including prairie-dog hunting (from a bench). |
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While most Fire Control owners are happy with the product, many have wanted to replace the tri-lobe front bag with a more conventional front bag from Protektor or Edgewood. This isn’t as easy as it looks because the width of the Fire Control top is too narrow for most standard 3″-wide front bags. On a “special order” basis, Protektor has crafted some narrower leather front bags that fit pretty well, but some shooters have decided to “upgrade” the entire front assembly.
Forum member Doug M. (aka DrJeckyl), has come up with an elegant solution that allows a Sinclair Int’l Benchrest Rest Top to be fitted to the Fire Control Rest. Doug notes: “The Caldwell Fire Control is a nice rest for the money, but it comes up short in the rest top department. The Sinclair RT-3 [or its replacement, the Gen II B/R top] fits perfect with minor modifications.” Shown below are the main components:
To adapt the Sinclair RT-3 or Gen II B/R top, Doug merely had to drill a couple holes in the RT-3 baseplate, and adapt a spacer to get the height correct: “The Caldwell factory top has a raised mounting portion so a 1/8″ piece of stock will be needed as a spacer to the flat-bottom RT-3. The spacer needs to be cut to the same length as the movable portion on the rest. And you should plan the mounting accordingly so the left thumbscrew clears the vertical height column at full left position (there is a cutaway in the rest under the thumbscrew that allows for easy access to the screw).” We have labeled the photo with dimensions, but Doug cautions you should measure your own original plate to insure the drill locations are correct for your unit.
Below you’ll see the completed installation, with the RT-3 installed on the Fire Control rest. Doug says it works very well. For more information on this Fire Control rest top conversion, with Doug’s measurments for the hole-spacing and his specs on the fasteners, go to the original thread in our Shooter’s Forum. NOTE: Sinclair no longer sells the RT-3 top, but Sinclair’s $69.95 Gen II B/R top can be converted just as easily. LINK to Fire Control Rest Top Conversion Forum Thread.
September 25th, 2011
Forum Member Rod V (aka Nodak7mm) commissioned a full-bling “Extreme Make-Over” of his Bald Eagle Slingshot Front Rest. The visual change was dramatic — a benchrest version of “Pimp My Ride”. But Rod’s old Bald Eagle was also fitted out with new controls and new, large-diameter F-Class foot pads. Those hardware additions add more than flash — they improve function too.
 Plain Jane Rest Becomes
Black and Gold Beauty
The whole rest body was powder-coated black and the controls were finished in gold-tone. This has got to be the best-looking Bald Eagle in the galaxy. Rod says: “I had Bob Pastor of Viper Rests make me some F-Class feet for my Bald Eagle Slingshot rest. Since Bob does powder coating and such, I gave him the go ahead to make it look sweet. And he sure did!”
Rod adds: “Man do I have a ‘kick-butt’, hot looking rest for F-class now! Pastor did a great job and I really owe him a thanks for exceeding my expectations and for his craftsmanship. Bob is a great guy to work with. He is a top-shelf shooter too, so he knows what he wants in a rest and why.”
What’s involved in an “Extreme Make-Over” by Bob Pastor?
Here’s the description on Bob’s Website, www.ViperBench-rest.com:
- Each rest is customized for the individual shooter. All the brass knobs and handles are melted down rifle cases from my foundry.
(Aluminum knobs and handles can be substituted of weight is a concern.)
- Each knob and handle is individually knurled and turned on my lathe.
- All threaded stainless steel rods, knob screws and knob extensions are used. These are all highly polished before installation.
- The Viper Double-Edge F-Class Feet are 4″ wide, with a large tapered spike turned concentric to the center hole.
- All corner stainless steel rods are ½ x 13 threads per inch for added stability.
- All corner stainless steel rods have concentric points turned on the ends for use on a shooting bench.
- All corner holes in base are drilled and tapped for ½ x 13 tpi., from 3/8 x 16 tpi. For better stability.
- The base is stripped of any paint and all sharp edges and burrs are removed prior to powder coating.
- The entire rest is either powder-coated or painted according to the material.
- All threaded rods are burnished to remove any small burrs, before applying synthetic grease and assembly.
- All brass is highly polished, unless a matte finish is desired.
- Each rest is then packed in liquid hardening foam for safety during shipping.
To order an “Extreme-Makeover” visit www.ViperBench-rest.com, call Bob Pastor at (269) 521-3671, or email robpas [at] btc-bci.com . Bob says the Make-Over price “depends on the customer’s desires and is quoted before the rest is shipped to me.”
July 29th, 2011
 If you have a limited budget, but you need a solid, heavy front pedestal rest, the Caldwell Rock BR 1000 will probably fit the bill. It’s not as sophisticated as a SEB or a Farley, but then it sells for a fraction of the price of those high-end joystick rests. And right now, the BR 1000 is on sale at a big discount.
Cabelas.com has the Caldwell Rock BR 1000 front rest on sale for just $129.99. That’s a great price. MidwayUSA sells a similar (but lighter) Rock front rest for $169.99 (item #348661).
This BR 1000 rest has a heavy, slingshot-style base. It is very stable (even with magnum calibers). The two-stage elevation adjustment reaches up to 11-1/2″. The rest comes complete with two three-lobe front bags, and the rest will accept other Caldwell Deluxe bags. Some guys toss the Caldwell bags and run a Protektor leather front bag. If you need a sturdy rest that will work with heavy recoiling rifles, it is hard to beat the Rock BR 1000 for the price.
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