Help with a Caldwell rest

[Wapiti]

Hi all,
Any of you been to a gunshop lately and been able to take a look at one of these things?

CaldwellRestScreenshot.jpg (233.45 KiB) Viewed 175 times

The question I have is, they look like hard plastic, but that wouldn't work at all... Surely they are semi-soft so the rifle doesn't jump off them when you fire?

I have used some foam block rests before, got sucked in to buying SmartRest MaxBoxes that also are supposed to magnet onto themselves and to doors, but for our use are just a gimmick and some cockatoos got to them and chewed them to bits anyway. That's what was left after the sun crumbled them.
And they don't have a rear rest either.

This thing, if it's soft, would be just the thing for toting to the hay yard and shooting at targets over a soft rest for a bit of practice. Sitting on top of big wrapped bales. Just for fun, I know they won't replace a bipod or a benchrest for steadyness.

Anyone had a chance to know if they are hard or soft plastic?

[Wapiti]

Be nice to replace the dead old one. It was never that good anyway, wobbly thing.
But only replace it for a light rest that I can use for fun around the house yards, not on a vehicle.

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The innertube strip around the "Maxbox" was an attempt to try and keep in on the (extra cost) U-shaped foam thing that you sat on your door with the window down... the "new improved nuclear magnets" did not keep in on in a fit.
They aren't made to a dimension that fits Cruiser doors anyway, maybe they were designed by a Triton owner.
An example of someone having a great idea, but either not having the skills to get it right for what you tell everyone it does, or see profit more important than performance.

[Wapiti]

No one? Surprised me.
I can can't find bugger all online except for every supplier, quoting the exact same words of description as Caldwell have on their own website.
There was one passing description that it was made from "advanced polymer" so maybe that's a hint. Whatever that is.

[Wapiti]

So my rest came in the mail today, super pleased with it. It's as simple as.
The old "Maxboxes" or which I have two, have self-destructed and never were any good anyway.

These things are made from this semi-soft polymer. I guess you could equate it to the hardness of a sand-filled set of leather shooting bags. But way lighter. They won't mark your guns finish, but aren't soft enough to flex when you put weight on the rifle to hang onto it like you do with a kicker or leaper.

CaldwellDSrest1.jpg (691.73 KiB) Viewed 6 times

The foam Maxboxes compress with any tension, by the way so do the Lead Sleds with their soft spongy cradles. Awful. I reckon they've got these ones right.

CaldwellDSrest2.jpg (689.74 KiB) Viewed 6 times

Each side of both the front and back cradles have a different set of heights, so anything is pretty much possible. To remember which is right for your gun, I suppose you could mark it with a Texta. I found even with this impromptu set up on the silage bales, the crosshairs didn't move from the 30 year old VX2 on the same age old many-thousands-fired 7600 pig hammerer, at my bissaloy pig swinger at about 200m.urprised me how steady and firm this gizmo is.

CaldwellDSrest3.jpg (694.72 KiB) Viewed 6 times

The rear rest sits inside the bottom of the front one, squeezes easily inside and stays there. the whole set-up is light and unbreakable. I'd probably advise not to leave it cooking in the sun for months tough, it is May-In-Chyna.
But then, the "Australian Company" foam and wobble-rest Smartrest MaxBoxes are Chinese-made too.

CaldwellDSrest4.jpg (682.66 KiB) Viewed 6 times

Now if you are a benchrest paper shooter, this is not for you. Big wide flat forends and sliding sandbags that allow a target gun to recoil back are what you need for that. But this thing, for a bloke in the bush, weighs SFA, won't smash all your other gear up when packed in a car hammering over corrugations and is way steady enough to both test loads, varmint shoot (Is more steady than a bipod) or just practice.
There you have it.