Caldwell the Rock BR 1000

Epoxy7

Epoxy7

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
71   0   0
So I'm trying to find out how accurate some of my rifles actually are. I ended up buying a Caldwell Rock BR 1000 rest and a rear bag. My previous efforts were off a front bag and a back bag.

I have a couple of questions with regards to precision rifle shooting. I'm very new to this and have acquired a couple of fairly accurate firearms. What do people think of this rest? It looks to be high quality and I think will work well.
I'm not planning on getting into Bench rest competition. I just thought it would be good for testing out the accuracy potential of the firearm. Maybe for long range varmint hunting as well.

Would this set up work Ok for F-class in the divisions where it's allowed?
 
Last edited:
Hmm no one else has one?

Well let me do a quick initial review then.

I bought "The Rock BR" 1000 model. The quality and construction appear to be very good. The fit and finish is definately decent. It appears to be all metal and or alloys excpet for plastic on the adjustment knobs. As for cost, this unit is at about the middle. So probably the lowest end of the decent rests. At about $260 it's not cheap but it's not commanding the $700 + price tags of the big named stuff either.

Weight wise I'd put it at around 20-25 pounds. There are three feet with the front two being closer together than that of a Hoppes brand rest.

Adjustments: There are four main adjusments. The first are the metal feet. They appear to be stainless steel with points on the bottom. You can adjust all three individually. The second adjustment is for height which allows the middle tube to extend or lower. I extended this upwards to check for wobble. With the adjusment screw firmly in place, it's solid. No wobbling. It works well. The rest allows for the standard rotation of the top. There's is a large ring at the middle of the rest which allows you to grab onto it like a steering wheel to aid with this adjusment. Once again a screw fastens it in place when it's set. The fourth adjusment is a fine windage adjustment. Turn the top screw left and it rotates the very top of the rest Counter clockwise. Turn the screw to the right and the rest goes Clockwise. It works well. No play, very smooth and fairly precise. Also there is no play with the top of the rest after it's set.

Well until I fill the front bag and use this thing I won't know for sure how it is. Initial impressions are favourable.

I think if you've managed to read this far, you deserve a picture. So I'll try to dig one off the web to post.

highresimage.jpg
 
Last edited:
I use the smaller BR version and have been happy with it. The windage top in mine is not strong enough to work with my F class rifle. It moves one way but the spring pressure isn't strong enough to go the other. Works great when there is no rifle on top though.

For me, that is not a big thing as I usually steer with the rear bag and leave the windage top fixed. When I get a minute, I will drill some holes and bolt the top together ensuring it can never move.

The bags that come with these rests are horrid and I switched to a protecktor. I fill mine with sandblasting grit which increases the weight and adds some rigidity too. Has worked great for years.

These are certainly legal for F class - no restriction in the front rest. I found some very long carriage bolts to help raise the rest when shooting prone. I do not want the central post to be too high in case it wobbles. Has worked very well.

All the knobs lock up nice and tight and there is no wiggling during fire.

For the money, can't beat it.

Jerry
 
Good stuff mystic player.
I think I'll be looking into the protecktor bags and the sand blasting grit.
Thanks for the help.

I bought a rabbit eared rear bag just to get started. I went with a Shooting ridge one. I wanted something ready to go. It looks ok. I guess I'll find out when I go to use it :D. I'll be looking into the protecktor bags though for the rear as well.
 
Last edited:
Quality bags are so critical to consistency. I used to 'save' some money here but found out I was loosing accuracy instead.

Protecktor bags are likely the best we can get in Canada. There are some custom US ones but not sure if they would do much more. The material needs to be stiff enough to keep a consistent shape. My bag set up is not ideal but gives me the flexibility of dealing with varying terrain.

If the rules allowed it, I would make the rear bag 'solid' to keep the rifle from canting during recoil.

Keep an eye on the bags in the first while as they will stretch and need more fill. Then they will simply wear and need replacing - but that can take years of abuse.

Good luck with your shooting.

Jerry
 
Like mystic I have the BR version and the 1000 on order.

Been using the BR for a few years and no complaints other than already noted on the front bag.
 
The fit and finish on the Caldwell products are not what i would call good. But then everyone has there own standards ... i am building a rest i designed that is good for 50yrd to approx 1500yrd work and i was hopeing to use Caldwells universal and their windage adjustable tops which are not that great but are cheap and do the job , but have been informed that they are going to be discontinued because of lack of sales and the same goes for their BR1000 rest.
 
If I understand right the BR1000 has been discontinued but replaced with a model with more of a sinclair windage top, the whole top slides back and forth rather then pivot like the model shown and discussed here. I have been using a BR 1000 for the last six months and love it, I have all the caldwell front rest bags and rear bag although i prefer the hoppes number 9 rear bag, more rigid i found. I have filled my bags with both sand blasting media and sinclairs heavy sand. I can shoot that goofy looking 30x44 on my BR 1000 which was a real surprise as the forestock is a solid three inches wide. I give it two fingers up :D
 
Glad I got one then if it's going to be discontinued. Since they didn't have the box for it (display model) I got it for a discount price as well.

Fit and finish seems fine to me. We'll see how long the green stuff lasts. But otherwise everything is metal and works as it's supposed to. No complaints. I've seen firearms with much worse fit/finish. So like you said Winchester to each their own I guess.
 
Last edited:
Well, BR Rock 1000....

I have one that does not get used much any more. It can go up for sale if anybody ends up wanting one.

For the money difference between a Sinclair rest and the BR 1000 there is no comparison in my eyes. The Sinclair rest is by far better.

It did the job at the time but I learned my lesson the hard way. I bought it cause it was there right in front of me while the Sinclair was not.
 
Epoxy7 said:
Good stuff mystic player.
I think I'll be looking into the protecktor bags and the sand blasting grit.
Thanks for the help.

I bought a rabbit eared rear bag just to get started. I went with a Shooting ridge one. I wanted something ready to go. It looks ok. I guess I'll find out when I go to use it :D. I'll be looking into the protecktor bags though for the rear as well.
Click to expand...

Coarse grit or kitty litter or deal with leaks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom