First look: SmartRest UTV Side Mount

There’s another way to mount a rifle to a UTV other than across the front: SmartRest’s UTV Side Mount fixes to either side of a buggy and keeps your rifle handy in case a shot suddenly presents itself.

The Side Mount utilises SmartRest’s gun cradle to secure your rifle, and a pivoting mount with a gas strut for control gives you plenty of latitude to swing it into position at the critical moment.

You can see how the UTV Side Mount works in this video

U-bolts fix it to the UTV’s frame, and on mine I just knocked up a small wooden spacer to ensure everything was set tight and away I went.

The main pivots run very smoothly on bearings and it’s easy to bring the gun into position without leaving your seat.

Adjustability in the cradle lets you tailor the rifle’s position for both better balance and a closer fit into your shoulder.

The Side Mount’s stability is a real aid to accuracy, too.

SmartRest UTV side mount — Adding a simple wooden spacer helped securely attach the mount to the irregularly shaped frame bar of the UTV

When you’re travelling, an ARCA rail clamps the whole mechanism shut to prevent your rifle swinging around. The Side Mount I sampled was fitted with the optional quick-release version, making it several seconds faster to deploy and put away.

When the clamp is released, you can swing the Side Mount away like a door to get in and out of the UTV.

And if you want to remove the rifle from the cradle, just flick off the silicone straps and you’re away. Very easy.

If you run a windscreen on your buggy, or for any other reason want your rifle on the side instead of the front, the SmartRest UTV Side Mount is not just the only option I know of, it works bloody well.

It retails for a recommended $439. For more details, visit the Eagleye Hunting Gear website.