During the course of some fifty plus years of shooting off a bench rest, I have come to understand the value of a quality system. Something that is simple to use, light to transport or carry, and for the most part gets the job at hand done well. I have used systems that were flat out not transportable, and at times actually caused me pain and bodily damage when parts locked up or pinched off an appendage here and there.
In some cases, bench rest systems are so complicated that it takes the use of a manual almost very time the unit is set up in the field. Nothing worse than spending half your allowed shooting to set up a complicated shooting table or bench.
As an answer to some of the above noted issues, MTM Case-Gard has come at the problem from a whole new direction. To my belief they have hit the target dead center with the new High-Low bench rest system. By utilizing the surveyors tripod design, and mating that three legged unit to a simple but efficient short bench top, Case-Gard has bypassed many design flaws associated with their competitors.
Set up time is minimal at best. Let’s say about 60 seconds from folded to standing. Using a center brass nut that fits the fixture on the bench table, the tripod is inverted on top and simply screwed into the bench top at the center point. Now by simply extending the tripod legs up or down you can adjust the bench for a standing shot or a sitting position. The tripod mounting claw grips make direct ground contact the bench won’t move even under heavy recoil. I have been shooting the 338 Lapua during ultra long range bullet tests and target accuracy engagements for two months with the system and have as yet not found a single glitch to the design. When shooting 300 grain bullets handloaded via a heavy Montana Model 1999 Pro Hunter (a very heavy rifle) the bench just won’t move at all. Now, make a switch to a lightweight Savage Model 110 338 Lapua using an H.S Precision stock system on the rifle and again in even an easy to produce recoil mode I can observe my bullet splash at 1000 yards with ease. Try that with some other light bench rest systems and all your going to get in return is a blinding flash and some fuzzy observed results down range.
At some 76 years on this pile of rocks I can say for a fact that my upper body is still in working order, but any elimination of field recoil or stress when shooting is much appreciated. The High-Low table takes care of my need for comfort nicely. When friends have shot with me, or even new to the range shooters see the setup the most often statement made is “where can I get one”?
When my wife Colleen was spotting long range for me up on the Bad Lands in West River South Dakota, she offered to carry the bench table back down the ridge to the truck for me. She is about 5.4 inches tall, and 105 pounds soaking wet. The carry weight of the bench rest system is under 10 pounds and did not strain her in the least.
There is a place I shoot up on the Missouri breaks in central South Dakota that involves a very tight static position over looking a series of creek draws that come together right over a large cat tail swamp. Talk about a constricting area funnel zone that develops a for sure killing hole. In this case the High-Low system has found a new home as I can sit on the ground with the bench in full low extension position (18 inches) making for a much reduced signature on the skyline. When I hunt this setup via my Polaris RZR support vehicle, and I will be doing just that shortly, I tend to stay out for the day on stand at this position. Using a lightweight Bulls Bag under the rifles forend is all that is required as I shoot the new 6.5 Creedmoor, or my Weatherby 257 Magnum. Neither rifle cartridge produces much in the way of recoil. If on a hill side or uneven ground (which is the case on this stand location), the High-Low system will adjust each leg to the exact length required so as to maintain a solid level shooting surface. This is done without making stressful adjustments or taking the chance of pinching your hand or finger during some elaborate setup in late season, cold weather conditions.
Recently the High -Low tables were illustrated in two back to back issues of Gun Digest for reviewing three different long range rifles. This is because all of my current field work is being completed using this outstanding static shooting system. In short, the table system is one of the best I have ever seen as applied to a solid-functioning, portable shooting surface.
- A Quality Bench Rest System - September 29, 2017
