I like target shooting but have a tremor – that’s not a great combination. I am always on the hunt for better rifle rests when shooting from a bench. I owned the Caldwell Rock BR for a couple of years and it is a darned good rest in its own right. I wanted to see the Caldwell Precision Turret Rest was better.
The reason I bought the new Precision Turret was that I planned to do some test firing of four different .308 rifles and wanted to see if I could improve my own accuracy by using a better rest. Thus, I did some digging and went with the Precision Turret due to a combination of reviews, features and price.
Here are the two rests next to each other. On the left is the Caldwell Precision Turret Rest and on the right is the far lower Rock BR.We were setting up when I snapped this photo. The rear bag goes with the Rock rest – it’s too low for use with the Precision Turret.
The Rock BR has some real nice features
The foot spikes really get a good grip on our wood range tables. There are rubber pads you can optionally buy that prevent the spikes from damaging a surface if you need it.
At 13 pounds and very beefy, it doesn’t move – especially if the spiked feet are dug in
It has a great elevation ring that allows you to precisely adjust the height
That ring is on bearings so raising or lowering the saddle is very smooth
The saddle is adjustable to better fit the forearm of your rifle
It can get really low to the table or go as high as 11.5″
You will either need to shoulder the rifle or use a bag, and Caldwell sells many varieties, for the rear/shoulder portion of the stock.
Assembly was quick and easy.
Cool features of the Precision Turret
The feet are tipped with rubber and will not damage surfaces
The legs are solid steel and it weighs 10.6 pounds
The front non-marring saddle clamps the forearm in position
The legs are adjustable for height and can be set differently if you need to level the rest up to 6″.
The elevation and tilt are controlled through a ball connection that allows the saddle to move and you lock it in place.
Fine elevation control is done via the pistol grip platform. This works great if your firearm has a grip that can reach the platform and most of mine do.
Assembly was quick and easy.
This the Precision Turret holding a .308 Aero M5 with a 20 round magazine. John was holding the grip and using the grip platform to get him in the ballpark. The .308s did move the Precision Turret around a bit but not a lot. The Rock BR is a solid precision rifle rest. I dont have photos of me using it with my Aero Solus — I forgot to ask John to take some photos when we were at the range with both rests.
The Differences
The Rock can go lower to the table and the Precision Turret is higher and can better accomodate rifles with larger magazines
I feel the vertical adjustment in the Rock is smoother and doesn’t need a pistol grip
The Precision Turret really needs a rifle with a pistol grip to handle vertical adjustment.
The Rock has zero flex but the Precision Target is sensitive to how much pressure you apply to the pistol grip platform
The Rock either needs you to shoulder the rifle or use a rear bag. The Precision Target’s clamp and pistol grip platform hold the rifle in place — if there is a pistol grip – let me stress that.
Here you can see the pistol grip of the M77 resting on the pistol grip platform. The wheel to the front of the rest tilts the platform up or down thus changing the elevation of the barrel. Unfortunately that platform is not rigid and if you change the amount of pressure on the platform then the point of impact will shift.
The Verdict
They really are rests for two different use cases:
The Rock is really a precision rifle rest – hence having Bench Rest (BR) in the name. It is low to the table, heavy, rigid and excels at providing a solid front platform. I’d use the Rock rather than the Precision Turret for those situations.
The Precision Turret works best with rifles that have a pistol grip and a magazine that needs height for clearance. It is not as rigid as the Rock but I found I could figure out the loading to work the way I wanted it to. At any rate, if I plan to shoot a designated marksman rifle (DMR) with a pistol grip and magazine, I’d use the Precision target.
In Summary
I am keeping both rests because of the two different use cases. I have not had any problems with either one and recommend both. In case you are wondering – I bought both off Amazon and Caldwell didn’t pay or compensate me in any way.
I hope this helps you out.
Note, I have to buy all of my parts – nothing here was paid for by sponsors, etc. I do make a small amount if you click on an ad and buy something but that is it. You’re getting my real opinion on stuff.
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I have and IWI Galil Ace rifle in 7.62×51 NATO and it’s exceptionally well made. I notice that IWI has it in and an Italian version of the Garand known as the “BREDA” in 7.62×51 also. I thought I would spread the word – I sure wish I had the funds to buy both models of the BREDA.
Just to make the lack of funds hurt even more, they have a FIME Molot RPK-74 in stock also. Where these came from, I don’t know but they command a princely price.
If you are looking for one of the above and can afford it – rock on! I hope this helps you out.
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Folks, the HK MR762A1 LR is a heck of a rifle. I’ve been tracking them for a while and am always wishing I could afford one for myself. They are consistent sub-MOA rifles and reliable as well. Check out this great MAC review:
Brownells has a good deal going for the MR762LRPA1 package. These LRP packages are not cheap by any means. List is $7,499.99 and Brownells is selling them for $6,499 and they have them in stock. Click here to go there now. Again, they have them in stock as well!
These MR762A1 LR rifles are really something and I sure hope to own one some day.
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Folks, the number one firearm at the top of my bucket list is a Dragunov. I’ve wanted one for years and years and maybe if I get lucky and a firm either decides to make or import them, I’ll finally get to own one. In the mean time, I enjoy reading articles and videos about them.
The three prototype designs competing for the Soviet sniper rifle from Simonov, Konstantinov and Dragunov. The SVD’s principle designer was Yevgeny Dragunov and he was a notable target shooter and this undoubtedly gave him significant insight into what was needed.The SSV-58 model from 1959 compared to the accepted 1963 SVD. Note the removal of the diopter sights, addition of a muzzle device and bayonet lug.Max explained there were bout 5=7,000 SVDs made each year and sometimes over 10,000.And this is the current model – the SVD-M. Note the heavy shorter barrel, modern optics rail, adjustable scope and adjustable side folding stock.
And Here’s The Video
I hope you enjoyed the video as much as I did!
Please note that all photos were extracted from the video and remain the property of their resective owner(s),
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This summer I switched to Honeywell’s Howard Leight electronic earmuffs and absolutely love them. The reason is simple, my hearing is horrible – I sure wish I knew to protect my hearing when I was younger and am paying for it now. When I wear traditional earmuffs, I can’t hear anyone talk. With these, you can turn them on, set whatever amplification you want and they automatically turn off when you shoot.
These things are slick. On one had they have a noise reduction rating of 22 whether turned on or off. Additionally, there are directional microphones on each side of the earmuffs and you have a volume control to turn the amplification/gain up or down. You can get up to an 82db gain in sound and the two AAA batteries can last 350 hours with a 4 hour automatic shut off.
This means I can hear folks talk around me without needing to pull off the earmuffs. I have used these extensively this summer with 12 gauges, 9mm, .40, 10mm, .45, 5.56, 7.62×39, .308 and .338 Lapua Magnum and use them exclusively now. To be perfectly clear, I have no problems with shooting my Lapua with this Honeywell hearing protection and that rifle is a cannon.
Let me caution you on one thing – there are counterfeit copies out there. Be sure to buy from a reputable dealer. In my case, I bought from Amazon directly and not just a third party selling on Amazon. Look under “Sold By” in the listing to see who it is. If it isn’t Amazon, change the seller to either someone you know or to Amazon as the seller.
I bought a carry case to hold them and my shooting glasses that has worked out really well.
Note, because I wear prescription glasses, I wear No Cry brand “Over spec” safety glasses that fit over my glasses. They fit well and I store them in the above case also.
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I’d already shot a few rounds through the rifle at a quarry but couldn’t really shoot for accuracy. We put about 10 rounds through it. To shoot it from a bench, I took the Sabatti to the Berrien County Sportsman’s Club’s 100 yard rifle range and set up. I’d already cleaned it the night before to get ready and it was a fine Michigan fall day to do some shooting.
The rifle is being held by a Caldwell’s “The Rock” rest. I really like it. First off it is way heavier than my old Caldwell rest and second it is adjusts very smoothly as you are trying to dial the rifle in.
The buttstock is held by Caldwell’s Universal Rear Shooting Bag and I bought it filled. They have on that is unfilled if you prefer to use your own material and also determine how full to make it.
For hearing protection, I switched to Honeywell’s Howard Leight electronic earmuffs and absolutely love them. The reason is simple, my hearing is horrible – I sure wish I knew to protect my hearing when I was younger and am paying for it now. When I wear traditional earmuffs, I can’t hear anyone talk. With these, you can turn them on, set whatever amplification you want and they automatically turn off when you shoot.
This means I can hear folks talk around me without needing to pull off the earmuffs. I have used these extensively this summer with 9mm, .40, 10mm, 5.56, .308 and .338 Lapua Magnum and use them exclusively now.
I bought a carry case to hold them and my shooting glasses that has worked out really well.
Note, because I wear prescription glasses, I wear No Cry brand “Over spec” safety glasses that fit over my glasses. They fit well and I store them in the above case also.
For targets, I started with a big 18×24 Splatterburst target as I dialed the scope in better and then I broke out some smaller Orange Peel targets with four circles per 8.5×11 page.
I did the sighting in with the balance of the Hornady ammo and then settled in to test with Federal 168 and 175 grain BTHP Match ammo as well as Remington 168 grain BTHP match ammo,
A problem popped up at this point that I did not expect, a slight wind had picked up and was causing the target holder to sway back and forth a bit. I’m sure it affected results a bit but it’s hard to say how much – I think the results are pretty darned good.
For each type of ammo, I would let the rifle cool down to ambient temperature and then fire two five round groups, let it cool and then the final two groups. Yes, I intentionally let it heat up and I did not clean the barrel at all during this range session – it was cleaned prior to the session.
Here are the results:
Federal 168 grain BTHP Match
This is the only one where I only fired three groups. I ran out of Hornady ammo while sighting in, switched to Federal and then set up the targets once the rifle was ready to go.
The three groups are: 1″, 0.54″ and 0.84″. The odd bullet hole at the top right was from when I was setting up – it was not part of the five shot group. The average here is 0.793″ — that’s pretty good.
Federal 175gr BTHP Match
Here are four groups: 1.37″, 0.97″, 1.1″ an 0.81″. The average here is 1.06″. Both the A and C targets look like I had a flier as part of the group. In other words, I bet it was me making a mistake vs. the rifle or the ammo.
Remington 168gr BHTP Match
The Remington ammo was shot on two targets because I had an oddball hole from when I was setting up. — The groups are: 0.75″, 0.82″, 0.82″ and 0.76″. The average was 0.79″ — the winner for smallest group.
I asked Justin Todd, with Italian Firearms Groups (IFG) what he heard about accuracy. He said my results are very typical and he knows handloaders who are getting 0.15-0.25″ groups.
Tell you what, I really liked the rifle. It had mild recoil due to the effective brake. The trigger was really nice at 3-1/8″ pounds and the bolt cycles easily. I did not have any problems with reliability and the accuracy sure is there.
If you are looking for a solid tactical rifle to engage targets within 400 meters, I really think you ought to give the Sabatti Urban Sniper a serious look and consider pairing it with a good scope like I did with the Vortex PST.
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Travis always asks if I want a Minute of Angle (MOA) or Mil-Radian (MRAD) reticle. I understand the MRAD system and stuck with that. They have a really cool reticle for the scope known as the EBR-2C. What I like is that it looks like a Christmas tree and as you get near the bottom it has marks for the offset right there. Vortex provides an excellent guide on how to use the EMR-2C reticle.
I paired the scope with Vortex Precision Series rings – PMR-30-126. They are for 30mm tubes and are 1.26″/32mm high. In other words, they hold the center of the scope 1.26″ inches off the base. My goal is to get the scope as close to the bore as possible to reduce parallax plus the PMR rings have some advantages:
They are machined as a pair and are held to a 0.0005″ tolerance. No need to do hand lapping to get a precise fit.
They can be torqued down to spec. The base clamp screws are 45-50 in/lbs and the ring screws are at 15-18 in/lbs. The reason so many cheap rings lack torque specs is because they simply threaded soft aluminum and they will strip out.
They are beautifully finished with a Type 3 Hardcoat.
You have so see and use a pair to get an idea how slick these are. I switched to Vortex precision rings in 2017 and have never regretted it. I also always use their offset mounts on my AR-optics too.
Mounting the Scope
I placed the Urban Sniper in my Tipton “Best Gun Vise”. Yeah, the name makes me choke a bit but I actually really like it. It’s a work stand with an adjustable clamp for the buttstock that lets you adjust the hold on the rifle until the top rail is flat/horizontal per a level.
This is where a photo would really be nice but the two I took turned out to be out of focus. Let me try and explain what I do. I use a Wheeler Scope Leveling System. It is very simple and contains two parts. The first is a simple flat bottomed level that you put on the base while you adjust the vise until the rifle is level.
Next, to ensure it stays level, you attach the barrel mounted level and true it up with the other level. At this point, both levels should be saying the same thing – that the rifle is level. You then remove the little level from the base and install the rings.
I use the driver to tighten the base down to 45 in/lbs first. I then set the scope on the rings and install the top parts of the rings /the caps very lightly so I can still move the scope with just a little effort. I then make sure I have the eye relief right when I bring the rifle up to my shoulder. I then make sure the rifle is level again based on the Wheeler level on the barrel.
I then put the small level from Wheeler on the top scope elevation knob and adjust the scope left or right until the scope level and the barrel level match. Once it is good to go, I torque the ring screws down to 15 in/lbs. Call me paranoid but I target the lower end of the spec on all of the screws – base clamp and caps. I’ve not had a set shoot loose yet doing this and I’ve done this on 5.56, .308 and .338LM rifles.
In this next photo you can see the scope installed with the Vortex Defender lens caps. You can also see that my shop really needs a good cleaning as I have a ton of junk on my bench.
Plano All Weather Case – Model 108180
Egg crate foam requires no fitting but I really do not trust it to protect a heavy precision rifle. I can’t tell you how many times over the years I have dropped a case with the egg crate style foam and then found the rifle and other accessories had all shifted/slammed down in the direction of the drop. Thus, I don’t use it any longer instead opting for custom fitted hard cases.
I go back and forth on two styles – foam that requires cutting or pluckable. To be honest, I think the foam that requires cutting (or melting if you have a hot wire system which I do) is the best. Pluckable foam is pre-scored to be pulled, or plucked, out to fit the contents of the case. The problem with it is that even if you use a spray adhesive to secure it to the bottom of the case, it wears at the top as the weapon and accessories hit the edges when they are placed in the case. You can’t make it as tight fitting as a result. On the plus side, a pluckable case is easy and fast to do.
With that said, I’ve been using Plano cases for the last few years. They are less expensive than a Pelican case and, if you want my honest opinion, Plano has really upped their game in terms of turning out some very rugged cases.
I purchased a Plano All Weather model 108180 in green. The green was partly to pay homage to the original green hardcase the rifle came in from Sabatti and also to help me visually spot it quickly. When you have a bunch of black cases, life can get interesting.
External case dimensions are: 54.625″ x 15,5″ x 6″
Interior case dimensions are: 51.5″ x 12.63″ x 5.25″
The All Weather series have pluckable foam, a gasket to help keep out water, and wheels on one end for pulling it.
These are solid cases. My intent in explaining the shortcomings of pluckable foam was for you to know the pro and the con. You’ll note that I did buy this case for this rifle — end of the day, it is a quick way to build a pretty good case to protect your rifle and scope.
Next Up Was to Fit the Plano Case
Okay, most pluckable foam cases have three layers – an egg crate top, a pluckable middle and a foam bottom. We will be working on the middle piece and do note you can order replacement foam should you ever need to.
I lay things out that I want in the case in a mirror image. I really want the scope to be located at the top by the carry handle vs. down by the ground. The rationale is that the scope will take less stress this was as we usually set a case down on the hinged “bottom” and not on the top with the handle.
I also like to have a spare magazine, the bipod, ammo and space for any special tools, batteries for the scope, etc. My first aim in the layout is to try and keep the rifle as far away from the sides as I can. As you can see in this case, the fit is pretty close and I don’t have as much spare room as I would like at the top of the scope but I still think it will be protected.
Again, this is a mirror layout so that I can pluck out the foam and not worry about the permanent marker lines being left behind. I needed to remember the wheel cutouts were there also.
So once you have your lines drawn, you start pulling the scored little rectangular sections out. I use a small razor blade box cutter on any that don’t want to pull apart the way I want them to.
I always draw my lines and then pluck tight. You can always remove more if you need to. You need to test your fit several times to make sure you have it just right.
I then take the insert outside and carefully make sure I spray adhesive on the side that is going down. Notice how I point that out! Guess who did the wrong side once years ago 🙂
I spray a heavy coat of adhesive on the insert and the parts of the lower piece that will not be exposed. Note that I use 3M Super 77 Spray Adhesive. It was recommended to me years ago and I have used it ever since to bond case foams together.
If you need to remove overspray, use mineral spirits, Goo Gone, turpentine, etc. before it dries. I wear nitrile gloves when spraying to avoid getting my hands sticky.
Follow the recommendations on the can. You want to let the stuff get tacky then carefully reinsert the foam into the case. Watch the orientation!! Don’t put it in facing the wrong way. Also, don’t worry about adhesive getting in the wrong place – just clean it up as mentioned above. The stuff sets quickly but takes a while to cure.
Let it dry overnight or longer if cooler. I can pretty much guarantee you will have some stick on your rifle, etc. If you do, it will come off with the aforementioned solvents plus stuff like penetrating oil, etc. I would not put oil on the foam so I didn’t mention it earlier.
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The rifle was quite striking. I immediately liked the heft, balance and features. It’s 41-3/4″ including the removable brake. Weight of the empty rifle is about 8-3/4 pounds.
It comes with the green hardcase with eggshell style foam interior that you see in the photos. Note it is really just for shipping as there isn’t room for an optic. Not a big deal but worth noting. I think most guys will want to get a better case anyways – I always make a case for my precision rifles to protect them and their optics better plus carry whatever accessories I want securely.
Let’s start our review at the back
The glass reinforced nylon stock caught my eye right away. I like polymer stocks and this is very well executed. There is a nice recoil pad and then two half-inch spacers that you can remove if so desired. The cheek piece allows for tall scopes. I found that I did not need to adjust it. I would recommend applying Vibra-Tite 213 VC-3 to these so they don’t shoot loose under recoil (Vibra-Tite stays flexible/gummy so it can be reused vs. many thread lockers being one time use).
Back to the stock, there is a comfortable hook for the supporting hand and the pistol grip is quite comfortable for me. Note, I wear XL sized gloves. Someone with small hands might find it too big. My bet is that if you wear at least a medium glove you will be ok.
Now, let’s look at the middle
On top, the rifle comes with a Picatinny optics rail, which is great. The bolt has an oversize screw on knob. The trigger is crisp with very little travel. I used a Lyman digital trigger gauge and 15 consecutive pulls and it averaged about 3-1/8 pounds. The bolt release is on the other side and is a small lever you actuate to remove the bolt.
The magazine is an AICS pattern and a 10 round unit comes with the rifle. The magazine release is on the front of the trigger guard. I found it a bit awkward at first but got used to it.
You’ll note the lower Picatinny rail at the front ready for a bipod.
Let’s look at the front
As you can see, it has a short thick bull barrel — it is 20.47″ (510mm) long and measures .86″ (22mm) at the muzzle. It has 1:11.5 twist rate and you can just make out the “MRR” logo for Multi Radial Rifling on the barrel.
I immediately had high expectations of it! The barrel is threaded 5/8″-24 and comes with a muzzle nut protector you can install if you would rather not have the brake. Let me jump ahead a bit, the weight and the brake really do a great job of controlling the .308’s recoil.
Last comment, note the front swing swivel that is out of the way of the rail. I thought that was a nice touch.
The Verdict?
I was very impressed to say the least. This rifle can be found on Gun Broker and other websites for under $1,200 and has an impressive list of features for the price.
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