Caldwell The Rock Bench Rest

[big bear]

I have an orange unknown make simple bench rest I've used for 30+ yrs. Thought I'd buy a new rest, so got the Caldwell The Rock bench rest.I use for testing reloads and xeroing rifles. I put new rest together and it has 2-3 degrees of wiggle play,where stem fits in base. Seems to be the way its made. Bugs me... is it a problem? thanks!

I KNOW this is not a Cadillac bench rest but I don't want to spend that kind of money and my old, barely adjustable $30 , 30 years ago rest did the job pretty well for me all these years.

 

[furtaker]

I have a BR Rock rest if you wanna buy one...
I prefer a front bag...no wiggle...dead solid for me

 

[shotgunjoe]

I also have a Rock, with the screw on the stem tight there should be no wiggle.

 

[b72471]

They are good rests for the money and yes they have a little slop in the threads. However when the screw is tightened up it becomes fairly solid.
Making sure all the adjustments are tight gives you a good rest. If you are using a rear rest bag it can change after each shot so good idea to have a heavy rear rest that allows the rifle to track without moving the piont of aim much. Fine adjustments after a shot can be made with the rear foot.
Enjoy.

 

[big bear]

could one of you skillful fellows show me a picture of precisely where this "screw on the stem" is? Thanks!

 

[Rod B]

The base of the Rock BR is shaped like a letter "Y' The single leg goes to the rear (toward the shooter). The leveling screw on this leg can be used to make elevation adjustments.

Personally I prefer to use the fine elevation adjustment screw located on the left side of the rest.

I don't consider myself overly skillful but I hope this answers your question.

 

[big bear]

Ah ha! apples and oranges. I bought the cheap($107Cdn) Caldwell Rock"Deluxe" not the Caldwell Rock BR ($246 Cdn) , a much better and more expensive product. That explains why your help has confused me. For my purposes the cheapo will probably do.

 

[Terry Perkins]

Thought I'd buy a new rest, so got the Caldwell The Rock bench rest.I use for testing reloads and xeroing rifles.

You could always use sandbags for the front and rear rests. Just set the bags so that natural point of aim is set up and the recoil pattern is repeatable. Sand and cotton bags are commonly available. Works very well.
Don't spend the money on stuff you don't need, especially rests that are trying to intimate that they produce benchrest results.