Caldwell Matrix
combination rifle/handgun shooting rest, 2009
combination rifle/handgun shooting rest, 2009
Less than a year after the highly successful launch of the Steady Rest NXT, I was asked to design a new bench rest to replace it. Sort of. The NXT was selling well online and through catalogs, earning a 5-star rating on the industry-leading website MidwayUSA.com.
The problem was getting it on store shelves. Our mission with the NXT family had been to reduce weight, packaging, and costs. We did so with flying colors, but to retail buyers, our new product lacked a certain weight and ruggedness. They didn't think it would function, let alone sell. And if you can't get it on the store shelf, time to hit the drawing board.
The focus on the initial sketch phase was mass. The product had to look rugged and heavy duty. Our aim was to create a new niche - a solid, massive rest, suitable for high-power rifles. At the same time, we had just rolled out an entire new line of shooting rests, so it had to look like it belonged in the family. The NXT family borrowed heavily from sports car design cues. For the Matrix, we aimed a little higher, instead looking to aircraft design.
We found ourselves having to add features and functionality to the product to make sure we weren't cannibalizing our existing product line. To that end, we made the rest adjustable for everything from handguns to shotguns to good old-fashioned AR-15 semi-automatics. Why not?
This sounded great at first, but once I got into the 3D modeling, the range of sizes proved quite challenging. The removable rear rest had to be length adjustable, but it could not interfere with any clips, handles or trigger mechanisms from any of the identified target firearms. The entire central zone had to be recessed. The removable handgun platform doubled as an ammunition storage - and became another set of dimensions to accommodate.
Another new feature was the one-handed front adjustment. The engineering team had already developed a solid, highly functional system for use on some new die-cast steel rests. We took their existing CAD models and adapted them to fit the Matrix. Early SLA's demonstrated a marked weakness in the plastic parts so we redesigned the cradle to beef up it's strength. I think the visible mechanical details add to the rugged look of the design.
The Matrix is just as rugged under the hood, or at least underneath. We had to get creative with our ribbing in a number of areas, especially along the smooth sweeping side wings to prevent sink marks. Because the assembled product has so many parts, we had to incorporate tabs for rubber parts to snap in, recessed areas for fasteners, and protrusions for non-skid feet to slip on. I got a lot of practice designed and modeling part ribbing with the Caldwell shooting rest lines, and I have a particular appreciation for designers who take the time to make them look as good as they are functional.
