Do you love shooting? If yes is the answer to that question, you should consider building a shooting bench. How hard is it to build one? It will take some hard labor and resources, but it will be worth it in the end.
The first thing that comes to mind when talking about a DIY shooting bench is usually something wood. It’s no surprise since wood has been used for thousands of years. But if you’re some kind of creative type, you should consider using other materials as well. There are dozens of different projects out there that are not just about the shooting bench, but about a shooting table, a stand for your gun, and so on.
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DIY Wooden Shooting Bench
Building your own shooting bench is a great way to save money while creating a useful tool that will come in handy during those long days of shooting at the range. These make the perfect gift for hunting guides and outdoor enthusiasts. Below are a couple of DIY wooden shooting bench plans to choose from.
1. How To Make A Wooden Shooting Bench
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood. |
Cost | $5 – $15 |
Today, the creator of this time-lapse video tutorial guide is going to show you how he made a wooden shooting bench with a few easy-going supplies such as 8-foot deck boards, nine 7 inch bolts, deck screws, and other wood pieces. In this video guide, you’ll see how to make the desired cuts in the wood boards, and get the right measurements to make everything fit together correctly, and perfectly.
The creator started the build with the frame structure, this will give the entire bench some form and design, making it easy for you to follow and replicate. Check the guide to learn more now.
2. How To Build A Shooting Bench
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $40-$80 |
You can make this nice wooden shooting bench within 24 hours. You need plywood, lumber, wood glue, screws, drill machinery, carpentry square, sander, miter saw, hammer, tape measure, and more. The first step is making the top frame of the bench then, building the legs, and finally fitting all the pieces together. The process is relatively easy to follow if you know your way around woodworking.
3. DIY Cheap Shooting Bench
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $40-$90 |
If you are looking for a portable shooting bench, then do not try this project. This bench is large and heavy and not easy to carry. If you can find someone who can give you an empty wooden reel at no cost then, that will be great. Your job is to cut out pieces of the reel that you don’t need with a saw to give the bench the hope that it should have to serve its purpose as a shooting bench.
4. DIY Shooting Bench
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $35-$55 |
This is a cool left-handed and right-handed shooting bench. It is easy to build and can be done within a day. It is also a stable platform to shoot from, and you will like it. To start out this project, make a quick but clear sketch of the shooting bench, and start cutting out your wood to the right dimensions.
You can use any kind of wood that you have; there is no specified wood for this tutorial, but ensure the wood is strong and straight. The calculations of the dimensions might get confusing, pay attention to all the measurements. It is the right calculations that make this bench so stable.
5. How To Build A Shooting Bench Table
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $40-$70 |
We found another fantastic DIY shooting bench that you can DIY using a couple of tools you might already have. In this tutorial, the creator uses Box of ¾ outdoor decking screws, Box of 3 1/2 outdoor decking screws, 6 – cedar decking boards, 4- 2x6x8, 2- 4x4x8 also, and a couple of other materials. The guide will show you how to piece all of these materials together. This is a very easy project to complete, but it does require some time and patience. It is also important to note that you will need a few basic tools for this project.
6. Shooting Bench Build For Less Than $100
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Treated wood(lumber). |
Cost | $50 – $100 |
You might check online and see a lot of amazing shooting benches that you could buy, but actually making one yourself is way easier than anyone thinks. The creator of this guide has experience of using lots of shooting benches over the years, so he’s got some knowledge on how to make one that’ll last a lifetime.
Now, in this video he’ll share some features with you that’ll enable you to understand the importance, use, and eventually learn how to build an effortlessly. For the materials you’ll need to make this bench, you’ll need some deck boards, treated lumber, screws, and a few minimal power tools such as a drill and a circular saw. This video guide comes with a detailed step-by-step practical making process that’s seamlessly easy to follow. Check the guide to learn more today.
7. Free Shooting Bench Plans
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $20-$40 |
Here’s a good shooting bench made of wood and an iron wheel. The iron wheel helps for easy movement of the shooting bench. The process is super easy and affordable. All you need are old wood pieces, two wheels from a lawnmower, and wood paint of any color. The DIY shooting bench is perfect for anyone who loves hunting. It’s very handy and easy to use, plus the materials are affordable. The DIY shooting bench can be used by hunters and even people who are just into target shooting. It’s very handy, easy to use, affordable, and durable.
8. How To Build A Shooting Bench From 2×4’s
Level | Easy |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $25-$35 |
Using 2×4’s, you can build any shooting bench you want; here is how to begin. First, cut the wood into several sizes; the dimensions were not explicitly given in this video. After cutting, use screws to assemble all the pieces. Start with the top of the bench, build your way through to the legs, and then, finally, add the top wooden slab that must have been neatly carved out. Once you have the entire shooting bench assembled, it is time to stain and seal your new creation. This will help protect it from the elements and prevent wood rot.
9. How To Build A Shooting Bench
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $35-$50 |
You are looking at getting a cedar board for this project, a durable one at that. You should also polish the wood to make it smooth and free from wood dust. The process starts with you working on the legs first.
Split the cedar wood board into two halves and cut it to the length you want; there is no detailed measurement; you can choose how tall and long you want the board to be, although the size used for the shooting benchtop makes it 4-feet long and 28-inches wide. It’s a great shooting bench if you follow the guide correctly.
This video tutorial will guide you on building the shooting bench from scratch using a sawmill to cut the wood and create a simple design top. The shooting bench is small in size and comfortable for two people to carry.
10. DIY Shooting Bench
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $20-$35 |
Here’s a strong and steady wooden shooting bench to build; all you need are some plywood, miter saw, drill, screws, carriage bolts, wheels, and other materials that are quite affordable to purchase. The first step to build this is to cut the wood into their desired sizes with the right dimensions. You’re not going to be making the parts separately like other video tutorials; you’re going to assemble the pieces at once as you build.
11. Cheap Shooting Bench Build
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $50 – $100 |
Looking for a cheap, easy-going and effective shooting bench today? Look no further, this video tutorial guide will teach you how to make a cheap shooting bench for right and left-handed people, and this video has a detailed explanation and a step-by-step guide that’ll show you how to build one yourself. All you need are a few tools such as a DeWalt lithium-ion brushless drill driver, and an impact gun.
You’ll also need wood, and you can choose what kind of wood you desire for this project. The practical making process starts off with measurements and cuts made to the wood, assembling of the frame, and finally attaching flat boards on the bench top, and top of the bench seat. Practically anywhere on the bench frame that needs to be covered. The dimensions and cut list are available in this video, check now for more information.
DIY Portable Shooting Bench
Portable shooting bench? What’s that? Well, a portable shooting bench is basically a miniature version (or full sized) permanent shooting bench that you can easily transport around. Portable shooting benches are very convenient for shooters that enjoy shooting on the go. But you may not know it’s also extremely easy to make your own homemade bench with a few tools and supplies from a hardware store. Making one of these shooting benches is easy and will only take you a little bit of time. They can be used for either hunting or target practice.
12. DIY Shooting Bench
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood. |
Cost | $20 – $50 |
Hello sharpshooters, are you keen on making a portable yet sturdy shooting bench today? It’s pretty inexpensive, and it’s seamlessly easy to build from start to finish. Relatively, the materials and tools required are minimal and easy-going. This guide offers a free building plan that’ll rightly guide you through the making process. So the creator broke down the entire bench built into 5 parts such as the tabletop where you put the gun, the front part, the backbone of the bench, the rear support, and the seat.
The video didn’t show how these parts were measured and cut down, but rather how you can take them and assemble them into one portable bench piece that’s pretty sturdy and easy to dismantle and assemble anytime it’s in or not in use.
13. DIY Portable Shooting Bench Rest
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Metal |
Cost | $25-$50 |
This shooting bench is portable enough; you can also easily carry it around; you can fold the legs and move it to another position. Simply get a metal sawhorse at home depot or somewhere else, get plywood, and use carriage bolts to fix the wood on the sawhorse. This bench is strong enough to carry the gun’s weight and sandbags that you will place on it. The bench is not only cheap and easy to build, but it also offers a lot of utility. You can use it for many different purposes, including as a shooting bench or as a temporary workbench. The materials required to make this project are inexpensive and can be found at home improvement stores.
14. Homemade Portable Shooting Bench
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Plywood |
Cost | $5 – $20 |
Nothing is better than making a simplified portable shooting bench from an easy-going material like repurposed plywood. Now, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have any repurposed plywood at home, any good plywood will work just fine. In addition to how small and portable this shooting bench is, it’s also foldable.
The creator used some locking hinges, this enabled the creator to set up the bench, lock the hinges and keep it sturdy while shooting, and fold it back up when not in use. The only downside to this build is it’s quite small, but it’s very effective. It’s also quite cheap, and you can finish building one in a few hours. Check the video to see more information.
15. Portable Shooting Bench Hack
Level | Beginner |
Material | Steel, wood. |
Cost | $50 – $180 |
This video guide will show you how to make a simple portable shooting bench from a Wen miter saw stand. So, for the materials, you’ll need a Wen miter stand which will cost you about $77, some lock pins for about $15, a steel tube for $37, and a seat for the shooting bench which will cost you $50. In addition, you’ll need a shooting bench table top.
Once you have all these supplies ready, all you’re left with is time and opportunity. This shooting bench is pretty sturdy, and can carry about 750 lbs weight if anything got, bring it on! This portable shooting bench is perfect for anyone. It’s also easy to build, it’s a simple beginner’s project with a straightforward step-by-step practical guide. It’s also easy to carry about when you choose to change locations for a better shooting experience.
16. Portable Shooting Bench Build
Level | Easy |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $30-$50 |
This portable shooting bench is about 24 inches wide and 30-inches long; this was also made with a lid around the edge so that loose ammunition won’t easily roll off. Now, what actually makes it portable is that the legs are folded at the back of the benchtop.
This is something that you can even put under your armpit and carry around, find a good location, remove the legs, mount it, and start shooting. The only important material you will use is a sheet of ½” Baltic birch plywood. Cut it to the size described in the video and create the legs from the same wood as well. The only downside is that it might not carry a heavy gun’s full weight when shooting because it is light.
17. Portable Shooting Bench Modification
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Steel. |
Cost | $20 – $50 |
This guide will totally teach you how to modify a foldable shooting bench that the creator purchased and decided to modify the height, making it easy to adjust the angle of the bench, so, this project kicked off with the creator first removing the bench’s factory support arm and reinforcing it with support brackets.
Next, install an adjustable table support instead of the factory fixed length table support, and the modification will be complete, and ready for testing. Yes! It’s that quick and easy. With 5 easy-going steps, you’ll be able to build this shooting bench and use it for as long as humanly possible, you might just need to keep the modifications going to keep the bench alive.
18. DIY Shooting Bench
Level | Easy |
Material | Metal |
Cost | $40-$80 |
This is a super cool shooting bench; it is small and portable but also quite heavy. It is made of steel, conduit, iron pipe, and other materials. You will need grinding equipment, a drill, and a welder. This shooting bench is built in a way that you can easily dismantle it, fit it into a large duffle bag, and carry it around. You can easily assemble it and attach it to the back of your car. This shooting bench is not for everyone; it is made for people who want to take their shooting experience to the next level. It is a must-have item if you are planning on spending some time in the field or at the range.
19. How To DIY A Portable Shooting Bench
Level | |
Material | |
Cost |
DIY Shooting Bench Plans
Building a shooting bench is a lot easier than you think. Building a shooting bench can be a great project for any level of DIYer. There are plenty of great do it yourself shooting bench plans available today. In this section, I’ll share some of the best plans, tips and tricks for building a good quality shooting bench in the backyard or at a shoot range.
20. Low Budget Shooting Table DIY
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Metal, Wood |
Cost | $20-$40 |
Today you’re going to learn how to build a low-cost shooting bench for the range. The process will take less than a day, and it’s simple. For just $60, you can build this with scrap wood board and the legs that cost about $39 from Amazon. The legs are very portable and foldable. It’s a simple and great way to start your shooting exercise. The bench board is 40-inches wide, and it can carry the size of a standard rifle but might not carry the weight of a heavy-duty gun or machine gun.
21. Free Shooting Bench Plans
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood. |
Cost | $30 – $50 |
Here’s a great shooting bench with free shooting bench plans that you can apply to make a stunning bench with two seats in case you wish to change directions while exercising. This was made out of lumber and these Lumbers were divided into several parts that made up the entire shooting bench.
First, you’ll start with the overall frame, which will require lots of log pieces of Lumber. Next, the top and the legs are also made with long Lumbers. Finally, the braces and the seat. In addition to the Lumbers, you’ll also need wood glue, paint/stain, and a rifle stand. This guide features a step-by-step practical process accompanied by pictures, which makes it seamlessly easy.
22. DIY Adjustable Shooting Bench
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $20-$35 |
Before you start buying any wood, you need to illustrate the shooting bench on paper, how it will look, piece by piece. Then, start working, cutting out the wood to its desired shape. You need plywood, a miter saw, and other essential tools. The process is easy to follow and does not require top-notch carpentry experience. The bench is not somewhat adjustable like what you might have in mind, but it’s still great in its own way.
23. How To Build A Shooting Bench
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Deck boards. |
Cost | $100 – $200 |
With just a few basic woodworking tools and some materials, you can make this shooting bench for quite an affordable price. All you need are some treated deck boards, framing screws, and lags. This shooting bench is pretty easy to assemble, plus it’s super sturdy, and strong with a relatively large tabletop, having enough space for more shooting accessories. This bench will give you an amazing shooting experience.
The creator kicks off this project by cutting and assembling the deck boards to form the tabletop frame. Next, he attached the legs and secured every angle and inch of it, ensuring its sturdiness before testing it on ground. Finally, he attached the table top and screwed down everything to finish. You can give it a good stain if you prefer. Check the video to learn more.
24. Shooting Table Plans
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood, Plywood. |
Cost | $25 – $50 |
Today in this guide, you’ll learn how to use some lumbers, and plywood to build a shooting bench. You can make this in less than a week or that’s if you devote more time to the project. They’re project plans in this guide that’ll assist you with anything you need, from the cut list down to the finishing.
This shooting bench was divided into parts to make it easy for anyone to assemble them into a fantastic shooting bench. You’ll need to build the legs, braces, frame, and tabletop. All these will be put together with proper guidance from the step-by-step guide. Check the link to learn more today.
25. Shooting Bench Plans
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood, plywood, glue. |
Cost | $50 – $100 |
This guide features simple shooting bench plans that can be used by anyone in making a bench in less than a week with basic woodworking tools and materials. You’ll need 6 pieces of lumber, plywood, wood stain, wood glue, brad nails, screws, a miter saw, a piece of drill machinery with drill bits, a chalk line/carpentry pencil, and some safety glasses and gloves.
The making process is a step-by-step practical one, centered on finishing this bench to be strong, lightweight, portable, and effective in shooting exercises. Check the link to see the plans and other related benches that were made which might just be what’s perfect for you.
DIY Concrete Shooting Bench
Sure, you can pay $100 or more for a concrete shooting bench online but why would you want to do that when you can make one yourself? In this section, you will find that I’ve put together a few DIY Concrete Shooting Benches that you can build yourself. Note that some STILL require lumber.
26. DIY A Concrete Shooting Bench
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Cement, concrete blocks, wood. |
Cost | $15 – $30 |
It’s time to make something more concrete, and long lasting, this video tutorial guide will teach you how to mix, and build a concrete shooting bench from cement. The creator started by building a template tabletop frame for the cement mix, and some iron mesh.
After the cement hardened, he took out the wood frame and mounted the tabletop-sized cement mix on a pile of old concrete blocks that served as the legs. This is super sturdy, strong, and long lasting, you definitely have a shooting bench for life with this guide. You’ll also need some reclaimed materials, check the link to learn more from the description in the video.
27. DIY Concrete Shooting Bench
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood, Cement |
Cost | $100-$200 |
If you wish to perfect your shooting accuracy and ability, you need stable shooting support; a concrete shooting bench is an ideal shooting bench that stays firm on the ground. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to build a 6-foot x 6-foot pad with cinder blocks, the support, and a concrete slab on the top. The bench is relatively low, but you can add more cinder blocks to increase the height if you want something higher. The only downside is that it might lose its balance.
28. DIY Concrete Shooting Bench
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Concrete |
Cost | $30-$50 |
This is one shooting bench that you can never move even if you wanted to. Why? It is made of concrete. This project will cost you $300, but it is relatively easy and straightforward to build. Here is a rundown of the things you need.
You need a concrete base that will cost you $93, top concrete or$40, concrete blocks for $19, concrete pavers for $12, Remesh for $19, mortar mix and form. The first step is to build the concrete slab, the top then, mix concrete for the base and let it dry; this will take days to finish.
29. DIY Concrete Shooting Bench
Level | Experienced |
Material | Concrete, iron mesh. |
Cost | $20 – $50 |
This guide is focused on teaching you how to build a concrete shooting bench in a step-by-step format. Now you can make as many concrete benches as you want in several locations since it’s not movable. Every area of the construction and assemblage process is explained and illustrated in the guide.
There’s a building plan available In case you need more clarity. This is a permanent shooting bench because you’ll first need to create a slab foundation that’ll accommodate the bench, then the support legs(pillars), and finally the tabletop, which are all made of concrete mix. So, in 15 steps, you will finish making an all-concrete shooting bench today.
Conclusion
There are many advantages to building your own shooting bench. You can build it to fit your shooting needs and comfort – you don’t have to settle for a one-size-fits-all like some store-bought benches. During the construction phase, you can make changes and try different features based on your preferences. The great thing about building your own is that if you don’t like how something turned out, you can just redo it.