Leave the heavy, bulky bench rests and sleds at home. Real Avid’s new Ratchet Rest delivers a lightweight support system that’s toss-it-in-the-truck friendly and it works!
by Rob Reaser
I must admit that when I received test samples of Real Avid’s new Ratchet Rest shooting system, I was a bit skeptical. Why? I’ve been trained to be rather particular regarding bench rests. I want a rock-solid foundation and precision adjustability. I’m not talking about weighted sleds. My belief is that sleds introduce dynamics that shift the point-of-impact when you change shooting positions to off-hand or field rests. My preference when zeroing a rifle is a sturdy front support and a rear bag.
Being such a rest snob, you can see why I had reservations about this new system the DIY gun tool and cleaning kit folks at Real Avid has developed. It’s not heavy, it has no bottom spikes to grab a wooden bench top, and it has no yoke in which to nestle a rifle forearm or buttstock.
Nevertheless, field-testing products is my job, so I decided to give the Ratchet Rest system a try while I was zeroing a T/C Encore Pro — chambered in .350 Legend and sporting Dead Air’s Primal suppressor — for an upcoming whitetail hunt. This rifle hosts a prototype barrel, which we’ll discuss in-depth as soon as the gun comes to market later this year.
The Ratchet Rest comes in three sizes. There is a large rest, a medium rest, and a small rest. The large rest is intended to support the rifle beneath the forearm. The medium and small rests are used as rear bags to support the rifle buttstock.
The outer shell is constructed of a canvas-type cylindrical bag, with the top made of waxed canvas for water-resistance and reduced slippage of the rifle forearm. On the bottom is a rubberized base that does an excellent job of keeping the bag in place under recoil. Sewn onto the top of each bag is a carry handle strap. On the two rear bags, these handles can be positioned to cradle the rifle’s butt plate to minimize movement under recoil.
The star of the show is an adjustable ratchet strap system. Here’s how it works…
Inside the rest is a removeable nylon bag filled with small, plastic pellets and a foam disc that serves as the base of the rest. On the outside of the outer bag is a ratchet strap system.
When the ratchet strap is tightened, it squeezes the pellet bag, effectively raising the height of the bag. By raising or lowering the height of the front and rear bags, the shooter can dial-in an optimal rest position and align the rifle to the target.
It’s that simple.
Does the Ratchet Rest provide the kind of precision adjustment and stability you would get from, say, a 17-lb. Sinclair Heavy Varmint rest (which is what I typically use for bench work)? No, but the Ratchet Rest does work without a struggle, and its grab-and-go construction makes it perfect for impromptu shooting sessions, whether from a bench, prone, off the hood of your truck, or on a portable shooting table like MTM Case-Gard’s Predator Shooting Table.
In short, the Ratchet Rest is wholly viable for your bench shooting needs. What’s more, it’s portability makes it great for field shooting adventures, such as hunting groundhogs from a field edge or barn, or knocking down prairie dogs in the great, wide-open country. Toss it in your truck, your ATV, and go!
