Are you looking for the best shooting bench? If so, you probably aren’t the only one. If you’re an avid bench shooter, you might want to look for a shooting bench that will last you a long time.
The bench you choose, even out of the six we’ll be listing below, will be something that can serve you in the long-term. So it’s important to find one that is reliable, sturdy, and in some instances, affordable for your specific budget range.
Before we get to the list, let’s talk about the benefits of investing in an excellent shooting bench and the characteristics of these shooting benches that make them better than the rest.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Shooting Bench
- OUR TOP PICK: Caldwell Stable Table Deluxe Shooting Bench
- RUNNER-UP: MTM PST-11 Predator Shooting Table
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Muddy Xtreme Shooting Bench
Comparison of the Best Shooting Benches
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Benefits of Investing in a Great Shooting Bench
There are a lot of great advantages to investing in a great shooting bench. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything with the potential to give more you possible advantages. Here are some you might enjoy:
Better Portability
Most shooting benches have the ability to fold in half into a much more compact size. This means it will be easy to store and even easier to travel with. If you’re looking to take your shooting bench with you (be it on a hunting trip or an outdoor range), portability will be a high priority on your end.
Better Stability
Better stability will yield another benefit: better accuracy. A bench will give you a better chance of the best possible stability for any application. Using a bench may be a lot better for shooters opposed to firing shots in a standing firing position. Some shooters might have some stability issues even while in the normal shooting position.
Best for Long-Term Sitting
If you plan on staying in one place for a long time, you’ll definitely need a great shooting bench. Especially when you want something that will keep you more comfortable for as long as you’re in the seated position. Hunters will likely benefit from this the most.
Characteristics of Our Favorite Models
These shooting benches were not chosen at complete random. While looking for a shooting bench for our list, we looked for characteristics that stood out. This same process might also be beneficial if you’re looking for a shooting bench for your own use. With that said, here’s what you need to look for:
Comfortable Seating
If you’re looking for something that best used for a long hunting day, comfortable seating is a must. So you’ll need to find something with a sufficient amount of cushioning. The softer the cushion, the better it will be for you.
Caldwell Stable Table Deluxe Shooting Bench
Folding Ability
Most of these shooting benches are large in size once unfolded and set up. But surprisingly, they can fit in most small spaces once they are folded up. If easy storage is a priority, then you’ll need to find a shooting bench that gives you the ability to fold without any issues.
Price
Yes, we’ll list price as a possible characteristic among our favorite models. That’s because we always keep the budget shopper in mind. If you’re looking for a high-quality shooting bench you can afford, you are in luck. Don’t just settle on a bench that is cheap in price since it might be low in quality and reliability.
Review of the Best Shooting Benches
The following is a list of the best shooting benches currently on the market as of this writing. While the list is subject to change between now and the next year, this will give you a good opportunity to find a great shooting bench that is currently popular among shooters right now.
Some might be affordable, while others might be higher-end and high in price. Either way, it’s important to find one that will give you the most value. Now, let’s take a look at the “best overall” choice to kick off our list:
Best Overall:
Caldwell Stable Table Deluxe Shooting Bench
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
This is a pretty solid shooting bench according to most recent buyers. It’s a portable bench that is easy to fold and store when not in use. While being used, it’s easy to unfold and deploy. It’s even comfortable for most hunters who prefer to stay in one spot throughout the entire day.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This shooting bench looks pretty solid in terms of construction. Seating-wise, it appears quite comfortable and sure enough, it is. The tabletop has the ability to withstand harsh weather conditions. It won’t ruin easily if a whole lot of rain comes down. This item is definitely worth the investment if you hate having to deal with benches that ruin easily due to wet weather.
Who Will Use This Most
This bench will be used by most hunters. More specifically, big game hunters will likely benefit from this since they have a good idea of where to set up. Leave it to a big game hunter to know where the hot spots are in their neck of the woods.
What Could be Improved and Why
One of the things that might be worth improving is making adjustments for lengths. This way, it might be able to benefit shooters who are either taller or shorter in height. Just adjust it to fit your seating height and you’ll be in business every single time.
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a shooting bench considered the best of the best, you’ll want to consider looking at the Caldwell Stable Table Deluxe a little further. It’s sturdy, can stand up to any weather conditions, and will definitely be the closest thing to stable no matter what terrain you're on.
Runner-up:
MTM PST-11 Predator Shooting Table
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
This might look like some cheap kitchen table, but it is actually quite solid for all kinds of shooting applications. That’s what one recent buyer said about this bench. Meanwhile, they were able to enjoy some stable shooting. As a result, better shooting accuracy was much more noticeable.
Why it Stands Out to Us
While it doesn’t look like your standard shooting bench, this was designed to fit your hunting needs. Even if you’re a casual target shooter, you still get some pretty good stability out of the deal. The surface is weather-resistant and will handle all kinds of bad weather.
Who Will Use This Most
This is for use as a multi-purpose shooting bench. Whether you’re hunting or shooting targets at a gravel pit, there’s a good chance you’ll use this for the sake of overall stability. And knowing what you’ll get out of better stability, you’d be insane to pass up on the opportunity to enjoy a benefit like that.
What Could be Improved and Why
One of the improvements might be to make the legs a little sturdier. We’re not saying they are flimsy. They are sturdy to an extent. But if stability is a concern for some, then the manufacturers should find a way to make the legs more solid.
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for something decent in both design and stability, then the MTM PST-11 shooting bench could be exactly what you’re looking for. Especially if you’re looking for something a bit more spacious than most benches. This bench might just be what you’re looking for if you need a much larger surface top.
Best for the Money:
Muddy Xtreme Shooting Bench
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Most recent buyers found the bench to be comfortable in terms of seating. They can sit there for hours and not have to complain about being uncomfortable. The tabletop is sturdy and therefore makes it a whole lot better in terms of accuracy, according to other recent buyers.
Why it Stands Out to Us
One of the major reasons we consider this to be a great shooting bench is that it’s much more affordable than it should be. With comfortable seating and a very solid top surface, you would swear this is something worth a lot more than the price it’s going for.
Who Will Use This Most
This bench will be best used by hunters, especially if they have a history of buying much-needed accessories on a budget. This will also be used by big game or small game hunters that want to stay around in their favorite spot all day long. it will also be beneficial to most shooters who want nothing more than a solid top surface for the best in stability.
What Could be Improved and Why
The seat cushions could be improved for one reason: weather resistance. The material might be suspect when it comes to dealing with heavy rain. Maybe they could use material that won’t allow the water to absorb inside the seat itself.
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a shooting bench that will be solid in most terrains and is great for most hunting applications, the Muddy Xtreme Shooting Bench might be your cup of coffee, especially when it’s an affordable shooting bench that might just fit your budget.
Best Folding Bench:
MTM HLST High-Low Shooting Table
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
One of the major positives that recent buyers reported was the ability to handle its own on rough terrain. Some recent buyers even bought this for the sake of making it easier on themselves as left-handed shooters. After all, the tabletop is ambidextrous.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Rough terrain can be the bane of any hunter’s ability to remain stable. But this shooting bench will lessen that issue. If you’re looking for something that will give you more stability and accurate shooting regardless of the terrain’s condition, this shooting bench might be the closest you can get to the best.
Who Will Use This Most
This will most likely be used by hunters that are either varmint hunters or deer hunters. They will use this when they want to get the best accuracy possible out of their favorite hunting rifles. This will also be used for the hunter who plans on moving about during the day.
What Could be Improved and Why
One of the things that might be improved is making the legs more adjustable in height. This will benefit shooters who are either on the taller or the shorter side of average. Yes, the legs are stable but it would be a lot cooler if there were some added adjustments.
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a folding bench that will give you the best in stability no matter the terrain, this MTM Shooting Bench might be your best shot. While it’s foldable for the purpose of compact storage and portability, it does a great job working just about anywhere outdoors. This might be your long-term hunting buddy should you choose this specific shooting bench.
Best Portable Bench:
Goplus Portable Shooting Table Bench Seat with Adjustable Gun Rest and Ammo Pockets
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
A lot of recent buyers were happy with the portability of the bench itself. Other than that, the seating is much more comfortable for whatever application they’ve used it for. Most of the recent buyers were hunters or outdoor target shooters. The stability is top-notch and has contributed to some consistent, accurate shooting.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Aside from its ability to be portable, the construction is quite solid and this is one of the main reasons it's quite stable for a shooting bench (as it should be). Other than that, the seating is quite comfortable for all-day use.
Who Will Use This Most
This is designed to be a multi-purpose shooting bench. Whether you’re a hunter or a casual target shooter, there’s a good chance that this will be a reliable bench for the long term. This is also perfect for those who want a shooting bench that is easy to carry from point A to point B.
What Could be Improved and Why
One of the things that might be improved is to make it a little smaller in size. Some might complain that this bench may not be as portable as some assumed. To address the problem, fixing the overall size might just be what the doctor ordered.
Bottom Line
The GoPlus Portable Shooting Bench is exactly what you're looking for if you hold portability to high importance. It will fold to a small enough size so you can fit it into your vehicle on the way to the range or field and while you're returning home. Aside from the portability, it does provide solid and stable shooting for most shooters, regardless of application.
Best Swivel Shooting:
X-Stand X-Ecutor 360 Swivel Shooting Bench
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers were happy with the shooting bench overall. The stability is quite solid and it’s sturdy enough to handle some heavy-duty rifles (i.e--AR-15 rifles). They are also quite satisfied with the swivel ability since it allows them 360 degrees of unobstructed shooting ability. They can move around without having to make any additional adjustments.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The swivel ability is one of the main reasons why we chose this. If you’re sick of having to switch positions all the time by moving the entire bench, this might be the shooting bench that will get rid of that problem. Since you’re able to move around in a complete circle, all you have to do is move around until you’re able to find a position you’re comfortable with.
Who Will Use This Most
This will definitely come in handy if you’re in a hunting situation. It might not be as effective if you’re hiding in some shrubbery. If you’re out in an open field, the swivel ability might work to your advantage. This could also work if you’re firing off targets in a gravel pit.
What Could be Improved and Why
One of the things that could be improved in our opinion is making the swivel a little more fluid. The manufacturer could make it feel like they just added some WD-40 so it could move better. It might be a little stiff at first, but why not save the frustration for new users and make it easier to move around?
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a shooting bench that will give you a full circle of excellent shooting ability, then the X-Stand X-Ecutor Shooting Bench might be the closest thing you can get to such an ability. You can move around and still maintain your shooting stability, no matter how many times you switch positions. This is a lot better than having to make all kinds of frustrating adjustments.
Shooting Bench Techniques
A shooting bench will give you all kinds of shooting positions and techniques to work with. This quick guide will give you a good idea of how to shoot from a bench, especially if you’re new to using a bench yourself. Here’s a technique that you can use:
- First, adjust the rifle to a proper resting position (depending on the gun’s length). Make sure it’s nice and stable on the rear bag.
- Center your rifle and square up your shoulders. Put the recoil pad between your shoulder and pectoral muscle. Next, align your intended shot with your right eye. Rest your cheek on the stock so you have a good look at the sight picture through your scope.
- Allow for free recoil. Make sure the stock is able to stay on the rear bag. If the gun recoils before the bullet exits the barrel, it will change the harmonics of your shot.
- Follow through with your shots. In order to do this, get your sights into alignment. Then, apply the necessary pressure on your trigger. Finally, release once you’re able to get your shot off. You’ll also need to mentally visualize your shots.
- Adjust your technique if you see any vertical dispersion in your shots. You may also adjust your scope’s parallax if that is possibly a contributing factor.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for the best shooting bench, then you’re in for a treat once you find one for your own. If you want the best out of your rifle shooting, no matter the application, then a solid, well-constructed bench might be exactly what you’re looking for. Once you find one, you’ll be able to make hunting or targeting a whole lot more enjoyable and accurate.
