New Garmin chrono rifle mount, side rails/thumb rests, and more

[Keith Johns]

Edited: Scroll down to see the Garmin mount.


My teammate made us some new thumb rests, side rails, and bag riders that we’re trying out. I think he did a great job.
We’re impressed with how strong they are. Haven’t been able to break them yet by use, or by over-tightening the mounting screws.

We’re using MDT chassis mostly, but will be making some for our MPAs as well. They could be made to fit anything.

Let me know what you guys think of this version. It’s just a prototype, and the finished product will have better texturing and corners. The top rim of the thumb rest is too sharp, for example, and that’s been changed.
I’d like to try some like this, but 2” longer with a 3rd mounting screw.
I’ll post pictures of the bag rider/side rail soon.

I know it’s hard to judge something without using it, but thanks for any feedback.

 

[charbroiled]

Wouldn't the front on that sled be problematic during recoil?

 

[Keith Johns]

How so?

Thumb rests or side rails(like this) are used to pin the rifle down onto your center bag, and manipulate the rifle better with your support side. You can also oppose the recoil a bit with it.

Similar to the Baker wings, and many others, but not nearly as large.

 

[Keith Johns]

I’m curious how guys like to move with their bag. Lifting the bag and rifle together, it seems to help to have a thumb rest or plate you can pinch the bag to, and this does that. But things like width, length, how close it is to the ARCA, what type of ledge a guy might want to pinch the bag to it better, .. that type of stuff.
Any cool ideas.

I’m trying to keep them slightly narrower and much shorter than the baker wings, which is a great product, but the wings are kinda hard for me to grab with one hand due to the width.

 

[atomic41]

Looks cool. If it works out are you going to make them to sell?

 

[Keith Johns]

Sure, if there’s interest.

 

[TACC]

Pictures or short video of these in action would be very beneficial

 

[A.sosa]

Pretty neat

 

[Rio Precision Gunworks]

I like it from the pics and agree.....current solutions on the market aren't the greatest.


As far as moving the bag and rifle at same time, I likely wouldn't worry about that unless in the top few % of shooters and the difference in a win and top 5 is a few seconds on a tiebreaker stage.

 

[Keith Johns]

Pictures or short video of these in action would be very beneficial

Next time we shoot I’ll take some video. He needs to make some modifications to them first.
The thumb rest I’m pretty excited for. They might need to be a bit longer but I already like the feel better than the currently available options… not that they aren’t good, they’re just either too small or too large for me, and not to mention expensive additions to an already expensive chassis system.
Grey ops has a thumb rest for the MPA chassis that I bought for my wife’s rifle last month, and it’s great, but this thumb rest is way better for us and less than half the cost FOR TWO.

 

[Keith Johns]

I like it from the pics and agree.....current solutions on the market aren't the greatest.


As far as moving the bag and rifle at same time, I likely wouldn't worry about that unless in the top few % of shooters and the difference in a win and top 5 is a few seconds on a tiebreaker stage.

I definitely can’t say we expect to finish in the top % of shooters, I hope to one day, but we are at the point where seconds matter. If I lift my bag separately I can place it better, usually, but it eats up an extra second or two per transition and on stages where we have to move 9-10x it adds up.
I watch Allison move her 18lb rifle like a champ and she seems to usually pinch her bag to it(or she might be using the Bra or some type of strap(I couldn’t see well enough in the videos of her). Does look like she was using a mini plate at that time. I don’t love the way those mini plates feel though.. the way it raises the rifle up and, for me, makes it harder to quickly level. I like the bag to wrap around the rifle a bit, rather than sitting flat like it does if you’re using a mini plate or baker wings.

I’ll post pictures today which will show it better, and then some video when I can get out to the range.

 

[Keith Johns]

Few pics from different angles.
Next version will be slightly closer to the bottom of the chassis(closer to the ARCA). The sharp top edge will be rounded off, and we’ll try one an inch or two longer.

 

[Keith Johns]

Gray Ops thumb rest for comparison.

 

[Keith Johns]

Some pretty basic but surprisingly effective rails. Theyre less intrusive than the thumb rests but still do the job very well.

 

[Keith Johns]

 

[Keith Johns]

They’re a great start but they definitely need to be lowered and lengthened a bit.
Once we get them “finished” I’ll send some out for free for guys to have and review.

 

[Keith Johns]

I developed a longer, lower thumb rest/bag rider. We used them at a match this weekend and they worked great, took first and third.

In a month or so I can send a dozen pairs out for people to keep and give me feedback. These first batches will be with M-lock design for MDT chassis and AR handgaurds.

There’s a shorter version of this rail too.
Im right handed, and prefer a longer rail on the left of the rifle and a shorter one on the right side because it’s easier to grab the rifle and move.
These weigh nothing(1-2ounces) and would be great for rifles with a weight limit.

Once we have more finalized designs I’ll post some good pictures to show the models.

 

[Keith Johns]

Made some Garmin Chrono mounts for MDT ACC chassis. Hardware shows up for them next week. Pics with the Garmin on the rifle to come.

 

[Keith Johns]

Made some tripod leg braces too. I wish tripod leg rear support wasn’t allowed in PRS, but if it’s gunna happen, I might as well try to be great at it.
I know a few tripods have legs that lock out and won’t fold in, but I still feel play in them, and most tripod don’t have anything to keep the legs from folding in. These braces keep the legs locked out tight with no play. Helps a lot when shoving the tripod back and forth behind a prop trying to get it in the perfect spot for rear support. Going to make leg covers too so every leg is the same diameter, so no matter which leg I have to use it’ll feel the same.

 

[Keith Johns]

Garmin Mount with built-in ARCA clamp:

Pics aren’t the latest version, the new ones are better, but it’s at home and this one’s with me at the shop. The newer version has a thumb wheel screw replacing the Philips screw, the company name has been centered and made not so pronounced, and an unseen improvement has been made to the D-ring Camera bolt that stays in place while the Garmin is removed.

I’ll be selling these at a very affordable price.
They’re strong, won’t ever scratch your chassis, less vibration from the rifle will be sent into the Garmin, and if the garmin took a hard hit this would absorb the tiniest bit more shock than an aluminum mount.

They’ll come with a free replacement warranty and I’m torture testing them to death over and over while improving them any way I see necessary. I’m blown away by how great these are coming along.

 

[Keith Johns]

 

[Keith Johns]

Took the Garmin mount to the range today. Very impressed

 

[sgtsmmiii]

And, where did you find all of this free time to do this, young man ??

 

[Keith Johns]

Pics of side rails, thumb rests, and mount

 

[Keith Johns]

And, where did you find all of this free time to do this, young man ??

lol I’ve spent about 6 hours a day for the last three weeks working on this stuff.

I’ll have some Garmin mounts ready to give away next week if anyone would like to try it and review it. Shoot me a text if so: 4804678090

The hardware comes in this week to finish up the first of them. The guide rods are HSS, not some crap steel, and I just used an impact driver to tighten and loose the clamping bolt about 50x, letting the impact driver have at it for about 6 good impacts per tightening, no stripping and no breaking. Very impressed. As I said the Philips clamping bolt is replaced by a thumb wheel.

 

[Keith Johns]

I have to admit, I didn’t think I’d want to shoot much with this garmin attached to the rifle, but after today, I’ll be shooting a match on the 6th with it attached. Two special reasons, I want to test the mount as thoroughly as I can, and I have some velocity spread issues right now with my factory ammo and it’ll be interesting to get an entire match worth of velocity data. I can quickly remove it on stages with props that’ll be a problem.

The chrono did show some error message about movement, one time, but I’m not sure what that was all about. Maybe you can’t move around too far too quickly with it on. Or maybe it was just me moving the chrono when it was initially being turned on.

 

[Keith Johns]

New version is getting a 1/4-20 anchor on the bottom of the mount to screw the Garmin tripod into. That way the chrono can always stay in the mount, and go on your Garmin tripod, or rifle, quick n easy.

I’m working on an adapter sleeve that will allow it to also mount to picatinny rails as well. We will see how that goes.

 

[Keith Johns]

Should have pics of the finished version 1 within a day or two. I’ll be shipping them to my testers first thing next week.

I have a PRS22 match this week I may shoot with the Garmin on the rifle to see what happens.

Version 2 is underway which will come with an anchor on the bottom to attach your Garmin tripod to, and I don’t see why I can’t make these mounts attach to picatinny rails as well as ARCA, using a simple adapter sleeve.


PS, I overtightened my prototype clamp with the impact driver again thinking “alright THIS time it will strip or break”, it didn’t lol.

 

[Keith Johns]

Thumb bolt came in. 40mm long threads!

 

[Keith Johns]

Hey guys, I appreciate the interest in the Garmin Mounts. I’ve sent out about a dozen of the older version for guys to try. My computer died and I’m having some supply issues, so I can’t resume selling them for a couple weeks.
I’ll make a post when I’m back in full swing with them.
Thanks very much

 

[Baron85]

Mine showed up today. Heading out tomorrow to try it out. Light weight and looks very well made and thought out.

Like the ability to have the tripod mounted on the bottom of the rail if/when I want to run it remote from the rifle.

Only issue so far is it won’t fit on my xlr envy chassis with all the side weights installed and with my element chassis with side weights it won’t fully seat on the arca but does work. Maybe adding a little more length to clear weights for people that run them. Maybe this is just an XLR problem?

 

[Keith Johns]

Glad they arrived, and thanks for the review!

Check out the for sale thread in “accessories” I made for updates guys…
I have a wider version for people using external chassis weights, or with incredibly wide stocks, that I can’t make until my new computer arrives. Hell I may be able to make them width adjustable to clear external weights but still stay as close to your rifle as possible.

My computer went belly up about a week ago. I have some big improvements to make to these but can’t do that until the new computer arrives.

Once I make these improvements I’ll be sending the new version out to the few people that already got them, and if I’m happy with everything I’ll be offering them up for sale again.

The material is being changed entirely.

The Garmin tripod insert has been changed and has 3x the surface areas as the old ones.

They’ll all be spring assisted(for opening).

Either I’ll make them width adjustable, or there will be a narrow and a wide version for guys using or not using external chassis weights.

Working on a picatinny adapter as well, so they’ll mount to ARCA and Picatinny


My computer died at the worst possible time.

Thanks everyone!

 

[akmike47]

I like it, I designed a full cover for the MDT forend but can’t get anyone to make it(right) the last folks kept bending them wrong or putting measurements in wrong before cutting lol.

 

[Keith Johns]

New computers in, I hope it’s full of gold bars for the price it was, and I’ve resumed making the Garmin mounts. New version is width adjustable, made from better material, stronger in every way(hardware has all increased in size). They were good before, they should be overkill now.

 

[Keith Johns]

Also made from two rounder mounting plates for MDT ACC chassis. I’ve always wanted a good way to attach my SAP two rounder…

The two rounder plate mounts to the chassis with one 10-24 bolt I’ll be providing with them. You just screw it on and slap your two rounder onto it. Gives the Velcro piece a nice flat surface to stick to, rather than sticking it to the side of the very uneven chassis surface.

 

[Keith Johns]

Also made my teammate a new grip center for his MDT chassis. The MDT grip mount put the grip uncomfortably low for that particular chassis. He hated it, told me about it, and when I felt it I agreed it ruins the chassis. So here’s a fix…

The new centerpiece grip mount thing moves the grip up about 3/16”, and it may not seem like a lot but it makes all the difference. It made us both agree the chassis went from “I’m selling this”, to “hell ya, new NRL Hunter rifle”.

If you see that little piece of chassis portion hanging down in front of the grip, the grip was flush with that(about 3/16” lower). I’m letting him confirm he likes the grip in its new position, then we’ll mill down that hanging piece of chassis and recoat it.

 

[Keith Johns]

Made a timer holder. Perfect position for me. My left eye picks up the level and timer perfectly, one on top of the other. I don’t plan to use it every stage, but there will be some where it’s useful
(Edited above, my phone was glitched out and wasn’t putting in punctuation, autocorrect, or capitalizations).

 

[Mr.BR]

 

[Keith Johns]

Cool, is that for adjusting parallax without needing to take your support side hand off the bag/plate?

 

[Mr.BR]

Cool, is that for adjusting parallax without needing to take your support side hand off the bag/plate?

Yes

 

[Stoweit]

Can I buy the Garmin and mount as a package from you?

 

[Keith Johns]

Can I buy the Garmin and mount as a package from you?

No I don’t sell the chronographs