Shooting bag help wanted

[SteveBurton]

You are trying to accomplish 2 different things with the same equipment(bags). If you are working up a load and verifying accuracy/precision, you want the mostest, steadiest, rock solidest platform so that you don't affect the rifle when it goes bang. For that I would recommend a heavy bag front and rear. Doesn't really matter which brand or model you buy, just make sure it has a good heavy fill and the rifle doesn't move once you nestle it in there. You can also use a quality bipod (read as NOT Caldwell) but it will introduce more movement if you aren't careful. Also pay attention to what point on your rifle you have in contact with the bag. Make sure you aren't introducing any torque to your stock and put it in the same spot for every shot.
If you are practicing for hunting, I would get off of the bench and shoot prone with a bipod and a good rear bag. You could go with a Hunters Wedge for a solid rear bag or something like a Waxed Woobie Bag or sock to allow small changes with your off hand. I would also recommend practicing offhand, kneeling and sitting for shots closer than 200 yards. Those shots typically present themselves quickly and you may not have time to setup.
As a side note, get into PRS shooting. I can't say enough about how my shooting has improved by doing matches, and it's fun.

 

[foul bore]

For the bench I use a sinclair F class bipod and a rear bag by protector. no good for hunting but very good for what you are doing. Shoot and have fun

 

[Bruce Treloar]

I would like advice on what you folks would recommend for an easy to carry stable set of front and rear bags. I have a Sled but want to get a setup where I am more in control so hopefully it will increase my ability. Are the inexpensive Caldwell and the likes sufficient or is there better that I should be looking at? I would be willing to put $200-$250 in something if you can tell me that it's going to be worth it. I should mention that I am just talking about shooting from a bench/table not PRS style. I should also add that all my rifles are Remington factory style stocks, narrow buttstock and forend.

Thank you for any help!

I have tried just about all rests for field (Hunting) and have found them heavy, cumbersome , snag on branches or rocks and be too slow to set up. I buy a canvas bag similar to the WW11 gas mask bag and fit a block of NON CROSS LINKED PE into it. This plastic has very poor resilience and is quite dead to feel. I cut it to form a set of stairs so the forend can be raised or lowered with the heel of the stock on the ground. Setting up is so fast and it suits all forend widths though I mainly use 2 1/4" or 3" forends. There is usually 20 loaded rounds in the bag together with an 8 1/2" long skinning knife rolled up in a oiled rag. My shooting routine is alternate week ends one day shooting benchrest and the other field hunting. I use basically one hole rifles in the field and never go hunting without the bag.

 

[BallisticsGuy]

In my experience light weight and accuracy don't go together well. There are several makers of sand bags, protektor comes to mind. I have used a #7 style front bag, with a #13 style rear bag filled with sand for close to 45 years. But that's just me. Had a buddy with caldwell bags filled with walnut media, I didn't care for them at all

That's either poor media choice or overfilling the bag. Light weight and accuracy are no more strange bedfellows than peas and carrots. You just have to know what you're doing when you design a light weight rest/bag configuration.

 

[Ua26fitter]

Hunters Wedge from Longrange Only.
Supper light and shoots like a heavy sand bag.
I even take it when backpacking.

 

[PatriotHenry]

I would like advice on what you folks would recommend for an easy to carry stable set of front and rear bags. I have a Sled but want to get a setup where I am more in control so hopefully it will increase my ability. Are the inexpensive Caldwell and the likes sufficient or is there better that I should be looking at? I would be willing to put $200-$250 in something if you can tell me that it's going to be worth it. I should mention that I am just talking about shooting from a bench/table not PRS style. I should also add that all my rifles are Remington factory style stocks, narrow buttstock and forend.

Thank you for any help!

Armegeddon Gear's schmedium bag.

 

[Just a hunter]

I'm reading every reply and researching each recommendation, please don't think I'm not.

 

[nksmfamjp]

I would like advice on what you folks would recommend for an easy to carry stable set of front and rear bags. I have a Sled but want to get a setup where I am more in control so hopefully it will increase my ability. Are the inexpensive Caldwell and the likes sufficient or is there better that I should be looking at? I would be willing to put $200-$250 in something if you can tell me that it's going to be worth it. I should mention that I am just talking about shooting from a bench/table not PRS style. I should also add that all my rifles are Remington factory style stocks, narrow buttstock and forend.

Thank you for any help!

I really can't tell what you want.

For Benchrest & load development, I find a well fit pedestal with leather front & rear bags, hard to beat.

I would reccomend a Bald Eagle front pedestal and Protector bags. Shim the bottom of the rear bag up with plastic until it is the right height. I use a rabbit ear bag. I have a Caldwell pedestal. If buying again, I would get a bald eagle.

To practice, develop field skills, I have a tripod and I'm working through that and what rear support. Others do bipod and rear bag. Others work with barricade bags on natural rests.

 

[Just a hunter]

I really can't tell what you want.

For Benchrest & load development, I find a well fit pedestal with leather front & rear bags, hard to beat.

I would reccomend a Bald Eagle front pedestal and Protector bags. Shim the bottom of the rear bag up with plastic until it is the right height. I use a rabbit ear bag. I have a Caldwell pedestal. If buying again, I would get a bald eagle.

To practice, develop field skills, I have a tripod and I'm working through that and what rear support. Others do bipod and rear bag. Others work with barricade bags on natural rests.

Where do I find the Bald Eagle rest? The one thing I looked at online said the price list was from 1998?

 

[Fatcatbuster]

Im a frugal Yankee and re-use everything I can. Shooting bags are no exception. This is what works for me. I like the size of the 1 pound powder canisters as the optimum size for shooting bags. I cut off the bottom of the canister to make a kinda funnel and pull up a nylon stocking over it and fill with used tumbler media to the size I want. Then tie a knot at your desired size. A little bit bigger than a grapefruit. This has certainly helped my groups on the cheap. But I've sure looked at the new wiz-bang gizmos in the catalogs with envy.

 

[Just a hunter]

Im a frugal Yankee and re-use everything I can. Shooting bags are no exception. This is what works for me. I like the size of the 1 pound powder canisters as the optimum size for shooting bags. I cut off the bottom of the canister to make a kinda funnel and pull up a nylon stocking over it and fill with used tumbler media to the size I want. Then tie a knot at your desired size. A little bit bigger than a grapefruit. This has certainly helped my groups on the cheap. But I've sure looked at the new wiz-bang gizmos in the catalogs with envy.

I'm going to try that. I like the price for sure!

 

[Mrvmax]

I went with Protektor bags filled with copper plated shot. They are heavy but really stable. I'm shooting from the bench so weight is not an issue.

 

[nksmfamjp]

Where do I find the Bald Eagle rest? The one thing I looked at online said the price list was from 1998?

Amazon or Grizzly, but they seem low stock right now….price has nearly doubled too.