I have read various and contradictory opinions of how to properly position and hold a rifle off of sand bags and was wondering what you do for the best stability and accuracy.

Has anyone used the Redhead Shooting Bag Combo and is it really as large as advertised? What do you think of them?

What is your favorite medium for filling the bags?

Thanks, Wayne

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its a workable system. you can fill them with fine silica sand for good weight.
I prefere a two piece shooting rest with front bag that fits the forearm.
The rest should hold the stock streight and level and be at the right height so you are neither over top or behing your set up.
check out some of these I use the protektor leather bags on the rear and a caldwell front that fits the forearm.
Dave

http://www.exploreproducts.com...ts-shootingrests.htm

quote:

fine silica sand

Thanks dave. Where do you get the sand?

These guys have some pretty good options for what you want to do, and at a fair price.

http://www.battenfeldtechnologies.com/caldwell/

If you are going to try to get best accuracy, don't forget the wind flags, too.

Aerostarp:

I use an Uncle Bud's Bull Bag for the fore arm and a couple of regular small sand bags for the butt. I think the two piece's provide more stability.

You can get sand from any garden center, Home Depot type of store. Regular sand is fine.

If I filled the Bull Bag with sand it would probably weigh 50# and I want it some what portable. I used ground corn cobs, similar to brass polishing media, that I bought in a local feed store. Very solid yet flexible enough to adapt to your rife and shooting style and a whole lot lighter, maybe 10-12 lbs.

Do a search on the bull bag. I Googled it and can't recall where I got it. Might have been Natchez SS or Mid South.

Good Luck.

RCG

Thanks for the responses. Much appreciated. Wayne

Wayne,

Bags are diverse. There'as weight, stability & portability.

Bags for the Bench where you pull stuff outa your auto/car/SUV trunk and pile it on the bench are made with Leather & Sand = heavy & as dense as you can make them.

Bags to tote are different - the outer liner especially, leather, synthetic, old Blue Jeans, etc; whatever you want for an outer layer but they start getting filled for mobility; peas, beans, rice, synthetic filler, ext.

I use two empty shot bags, filled with sand from a nearby construction site. I'm a cheap bugger.

I have also used pea gravel, and corn kernals in past bags with good results. The key is using something that stays dry, has some weight, and forms readily to the shape of the stock.

When shooting from the bench, I rest the rifle on the front bag so it is balanced... usually a few inches forward of the trigger guard. I then adjust the rear bag to the right elevation.

quote:

When shooting from the bench, I rest the rifle on the front bag so it is balanced... usually a few inches forward of the trigger guard. I then adjust the rear bag to the right elevation.

Good point. I hadn't thought to balance it like that but makes sense. I also read nothing touches the barrel and the swivels should not make contact with the bags either. Any other suttle pointers?

Do you wrap your left arm around your right trigger hand and shooting arm and grab the rear bag or elbow too?

We have been using lead shot in our bags here in our indoor shooting range. They are very heavy, but we do not have to move them about.

They are very steady, and work much better than with sand.

quote:

We have been using lead shot in our bags here in our indoor shooting range. They are very heavy, but we do not have to move them about.

It takes me at least 2 trips from the car to the bench already so the lead filled will not do. Besides, last time I looked at shot to add weight to a rest it cost more than the rest.

I fill my bags with used primers (shotgun or rifle will work fine).

Use rice roger

I use an old Wichita rest in the front, with a front bag that fits the forearm, and a Protektor rear bag with big ears. Both bags are filled with lead shot. Hell yes they're heavy, but very stable. The only time I DON'T like them, is when I have to transport them. It's 3 trips from the car to the bench.

I need a good shooting range cart.

I use corn in old jean legs (cut off) and use tie wraps to secure the ends--very inexpensive and works great.

I like to rest both the fore-end and the butt on the bags.

P.S. Make up three or four bags with different concentrations of corn (rice or sand) in the bags--some bagged pretty tight and others a little loser. Use the ones that secure your rifle the best, while being on target.

Good luck.

Do a web search for Dog-Gone good shooting bags. They are a mom and pop operation and really good folks. Their bags are filled with polypropolen 're-grind'--pop bottles. They off-gas a sweet smell for a month or so, I think the ones he was using when I talked to him last were from Pepsi bottle regrind. They are medium weight and the bigger bag with the 'wedge' bag make a great front/rear bag combo.

I recommend them highly, have bought a bunch to give as gifts, and they are universally popular with all the users (over a dozen) that have shot with them.

Good luck!

I was trapped at the "craft store" with my wife one day and saw a bag of dense plastic beads like they used in Beanie Babies.

I paid $4.50 for a bag big enough to fill a 25# shot bag and a 5# shot bag. They are very light but solid and there is no dust like I get with sand.