Here at Gear Diary, we write about a huge variety of products and services. One area that we rarely touch on is the hobby of shooting. Living in South Texas and being a country boy means that I have done my fair share of shooting. I love to hunt, despite rarely getting the chance and I love to shoot targets. To be able to shoot well, you must practice. It just so happens one of my best buddies is a gunsmith and NRA registered 600 and 1000 yard F-Class shooter and 1000 yard bench rest shooter. He has a target range set up next to his shop and practices quite often. I was able to acquire an X-Rest from Montie Gear to review so I took it out to the range to try it out. Let’s take a look.
The X-Rest is a lightweight shooting rest for just about any firearm. The rest is designed to be lightweight and highly portable making it perfect to carry into the field or anywhere you need a steady gun. Not only is the X-Rest lightweight and portable, it is also extremely durable and will last for many years.
Only the best materials are used in constructing the X-Rest. It is made of 5052-H32 aluminum and sports an attractive black industrial grade powder coat. Heavy duty black rubber padding is placed where the gun rests and at the bottom of the product both for protection as well as grip. The entire unit is held together while in use by a stainless steel pin. The X-Rest is made with precision and with superior materials and looks and feels like a high quality item. The product only weighs 16 ounces and will raise the gun about 6.5 inches off of the table.
Three pieces is all that make up the X-Rest and they are simple to assemble. What I do is make the X with the front legs making sure that the rubber gun bumper is placed in the middle. Then I put the looped end of the back leg through the slot and insert the stainless steel pin. It literally takes a few seconds to assemble and disassemble. the unit. The pin is held onto the back leg with a wire so there should be no worries on losing any parts.
The photos are of my friend (also named Travis, but he is tall so my boys call him “Big Travis”) shooting and siting in my .30-.30. The video is of my oldest son and is his first ever shot with a gun other than a BB gun. He is shooting a .22 Magnum and the X-Rest was an integral part of making his first shooting experience successful. It is important to learn proper gun safety and use at a young age so that we understand and respect firearms. The X-Rest is light, durable and made with high quality materials. My shooting was much more accurate using the rest than simply placing my arm on the table and holding the gun. Peyton was able to take his time and site in the target and actually hit the paper from 50 yards on his first attempt. The simple design of the rest makes it useful for just about any firearm so shooters can use it every time they shoot. The X-Rest is American made and definitely a high quality product. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys shooting.
X-Rest gun rest
MSRP: $49.95
What I Like: High quality, well made and beautifully designed gun rest that is easy to take on the go.
What Needs Improvement: I seem to constantly knock the rubber bumpers off of the bottom of the feet — I may glue them in place so I do not lose them
