Over the years we have accumulated quite a collection of high end shooting rests. You know, the kind we use to make precise elevation and windage adjustments when shooting. They are great, but unnecessary for the weekend plinker or seasonal hunter.

Don't get me wrong, if you can afford one and do not mind hauling a 15 or 20 pound piece of equipment from your vehicle to the shooting bench, then so be it. However, if you have ever wished for a solid shooting rest that did not strain your back when carrying it, the Matrix might be for you.

Specifications

• Weight: Approx. 5 pounds
• Length: 21.75" to 26.25"
• Width: 19"
• Frame Material: Synthetic
• Front Cradle Height: 7.5" to 10.5"
• 2018 MSRP: $64.99

The Matrix is a solid, well constructed rest that will handle lever actions, bolt actions and AR platform rifles with ease, yet it only weighs about five pounds. The tough polymer, two-piece sliding frame absorbs a lot of the recoil, yet makes it easy to move around on a bench.

If you are sighting in a target rifle, you probably would not use the Matrix. There is no windage adjustment and the front elevation adjustment is not as precise as required for something like F-Class or bench rest competition. However, if you want to get a newly mounted scope on paper, re-align a scope, check to make sure that your gun is still shooting properly, or just want to play, the Matrix is a rest you should consider.

Now, don't get us wrong, this is not a second rate rest. The elevation cradle utilizes a spring-loaded riser that is easily operated with one hand and locked into place via a second knob. This design has produced a no-wobble elevation adjustment. The over-molded front and rear cradles not only protect the finish on your guns, but they provide solid support without give or play.

Not only will the Matrix handle any rifle design on the market, but by simply loosening the two screws and sliding the rear frame out you have a pistol shooting rest. As an extra bonus, the rest for the pistol also serves as a small storage compartment. The Matrix has been Guns and Shooting Online's Gunsmithing Editor Rocky Hays' go to shooting rest for both rifles and handguns for several years.

We were both very impressed with the versatility of this rest, as well as its affordability. With an MSRP of $64.99 it has no equal in the marketplace.

In fact, the Matrix has become what Jim grabs every time that we head to the range for testing, or just plain fun. It may not have all the bells and whistles of our more expensive rests, but it is easier to carry and move around on the bench, performs just fine with every gun we have used and it has not degraded our shooting accuracy. Bottom Line: the Caldwell Matrix is not fancy, but it gets the job done and it is priced right.