Rifle Racks
Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 7:09 pm
I am starting Smallbore Rifle matchs in Jackson, MS. at Magnolia Rifle and Pistol Club. I have my animals, new berms and firing line cover in place. I would have the rails completed but an injury to my hand has caused me to be off schedule to start matchs by about two months.
I need ideas, plans or pictures to build the behind the firing line rifle vertical racks. Club Officers have determined the following specifications because of a narrow firing line front to back and range vandalism:
(1) Racks must be 6 feet long, portable and light enough that two average men can pick it up and place it in the back of a 4WD truck. Portable so that we can lock it up in the storage building so nobody will shoot it.
(2) The rack must hold rifles on only one side.
(3) The surface the rifle butts rest on should be 28 inches or so off the ground because we will not have concrete. This is to keep the rifles out of the dirt as much as much as possible.
(4) I would like to use as much steel or plastic and as little wood as possible for durability since they will be moved so much.
I built one rack out of 11 guage 1 inch square tubing. It was not too heavy and it was tough but I could not come up with a good design. It looks like a table with rifles on top of it. The thing that turned out best about this rack was the way the barrels are supported. I used a section of white plastic lattice bolted to a length of 1" X 2" 11 guage tubing as the horizontal upper crossmember. The lattice was easy to cut and you do not have to paint it. It does not make any marks on the barrels. Wood puts more marks on barrel bluing that this plastic lattice. The shooter does not lean the barrel against the notch in the lattice but places the barrel into one of the holes. That way nobody can knock the rifle out of the rack. Dan Healy is the person who gave me this idea.
I can weld, cut and fabricate steel and plastic but I am not good at design. I can bend heavy guage round tubing up to 1 and 1/4 inches. Any designs, pictures, or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
My e-mail is: [email protected]
If you want to snail mail me plans, etc. e-mail me and I will give you my address.
Thanks,
Bobby R. Huddleston
I need ideas, plans or pictures to build the behind the firing line rifle vertical racks. Club Officers have determined the following specifications because of a narrow firing line front to back and range vandalism:
(1) Racks must be 6 feet long, portable and light enough that two average men can pick it up and place it in the back of a 4WD truck. Portable so that we can lock it up in the storage building so nobody will shoot it.
(2) The rack must hold rifles on only one side.
(3) The surface the rifle butts rest on should be 28 inches or so off the ground because we will not have concrete. This is to keep the rifles out of the dirt as much as much as possible.
(4) I would like to use as much steel or plastic and as little wood as possible for durability since they will be moved so much.
I built one rack out of 11 guage 1 inch square tubing. It was not too heavy and it was tough but I could not come up with a good design. It looks like a table with rifles on top of it. The thing that turned out best about this rack was the way the barrels are supported. I used a section of white plastic lattice bolted to a length of 1" X 2" 11 guage tubing as the horizontal upper crossmember. The lattice was easy to cut and you do not have to paint it. It does not make any marks on the barrels. Wood puts more marks on barrel bluing that this plastic lattice. The shooter does not lean the barrel against the notch in the lattice but places the barrel into one of the holes. That way nobody can knock the rifle out of the rack. Dan Healy is the person who gave me this idea.
I can weld, cut and fabricate steel and plastic but I am not good at design. I can bend heavy guage round tubing up to 1 and 1/4 inches. Any designs, pictures, or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
My e-mail is: [email protected]
If you want to snail mail me plans, etc. e-mail me and I will give you my address.
Thanks,
Bobby R. Huddleston