Adjustable shooting rests and shooting rest assemblies

1. A shooting rest comprising:

a housing including a housing body, a housing cover, and a cavity therebetween;

a support assembly at least partially contained within the cavity, wherein the support assembly includes a first plate and a second plate;

a rest assembly for supporting a forestock of a firearm, wherein the rest assembly is removably attached to the second plate;

a shaft having a first end portion projecting from the housing cover, a mid portion coupled to the second plate, and a second end portion coupled to the housing body, wherein the support assembly moves the rest assembly in any direction in a plane generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the firearm in response to a movement of the shaft; and

a non-planar base coupled to the housing.

2. The shooting rest of claim 1 wherein the support assembly is configured to move the rest assembly in a first direction in the plane and in a second direction in the plane generally transverse to the first direction such that the movement of the rest assembly in any direction in the plane is a combination of the movement in the first direction and the movement in the second direction.

3. The shooting rest of claim 1 wherein:

the first plate is configured to slide in a first direction; and

the second plate is configured to slide in a second direction generally transverse to the first direction, and wherein the second plate is configured to move with the first plate as the first plate slides in the first direction.

4. The shooting rest of claim 1 wherein the support assembly further comprises:

a first set of pins positioned between the housing cover and the first plate, wherein a longitudinal axis of each of the first set of pins is generally aligned with a first direction in the plane; and

a second set of pins positioned between the first plate and the second plate, wherein a longitudinal axis of each of the second set of pins is generally aligned with a second direction in the plane, the second direction being generally transverse to the first direction.

5. The shooting rest of claim 4 wherein:

the first plate is adapted to slide along the first set of pins in the first direction, and the second plate and the second set of pins move with the first plate as the first plate slides along the first set of pins in the first direction; and

the second set of pins are adapted to slide against the first plate in the second direction, and the second plate moves with the second set of pins in the second direction.

6. The shooting rest of claim 4 wherein:

the first plate is composed of aluminum and has a die cast geometry including a plurality of stiffening ribs on first and second sides of the first plate, and channels in the stiffening ribs on the first side corresponding to the first set of pins, and channels in the stiffening ribs on the second side corresponding to the second set of pins;

the second plate has a die cast geometry including a plurality of stiffening ribs on a first side of the second plate and channels in the stiffening ribs on the first side corresponding to the second set of pins; and

the housing has a die cast geometry including a plurality of stiffening ribs in the housing cover and the housing body, and one or move cavities in the housing body.

7. The shooting rest of claim 1 wherein the support assembly further comprises:

a first bushing attached to a first opening in the second plate;

a first spherical bearing positioned in the first bushing and adapted to move within the first bushing, wherein the first spherical bearing is coupled to the first end portion of the shaft;

a second bushing attached to a second opening in the housing body;

a second spherical bearing positioned in the second bushing and adapted to move within the second bushing, wherein the second spherical bearing is coupled to the second end portion of the shaft; and

a control arm removably coupled to the first end portion of the shaft.

8. The shooting rest of claim 1 wherein the support assembly further comprises a plurality of spring-loaded ball bearings positioned between the housing and the second plate, wherein the second plate includes a generally planar surface that contacts the ball bearings.

9. The shooting rest of claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of adjustment dials threadably engaged with the housing body at positions corresponding to the individual ball bearings, wherein the individual adjustment dials are configured to adjust a force exerted against the corresponding ball bearings.

10. The shooting rest of claim 1 wherein the rest assembly includes:

a base member removably attached to the second plate;

first and second upright members selectively positionable on the base member, wherein a distance between the first and second upright members may be changed; and

a support member positioned between the first and second upright members and at least partially compressed between the first and second upright members.

11. The shooting rest of claim 1 , further comprising an elevation assembly connecting the support assembly to the base, wherein the elevation assembly includes:

an elevation shaft extending through the housing and having a plurality of threads formed in a portion of the shaft;

a first dial coupled to the housing;

a pinion gear coupled to the first dial and extending into the housing, wherein the pinion gear engages the threads on the elevation shaft to move the housing along the elevation shaft in response to a rotation of the first dial;

a second dial coupled to the housing; and

a locking member coupled to the second dial and configured to engage the elevation shaft to at least partially restrict the movement of the housing along the elevation shaft.

12. The shooting rest of claim 11 wherein the elevation shaft includes:

a generally circular cross-sectional geometry, and wherein the threads are generally V-shaped and formed within a periphery of the circular cross-sectional geometry; and

an alignment channel generally opposite the V-shaped threads.

13. The shooting rest of claim 1 wherein the base is composed of aluminum and includes a generally arched middle portion having three legs extending therefrom.

14. The shooting rest of claim 13 wherein each leg may include an adjustable foot having a generally pointed end portion.