what fill for front shooting bag?

[Axis II]

i recently took all the corn cob media out of my front Caldwell shooting rest and put sand in it for more stability but sometimes I've got a long walk and its gotta weigh 30lbs.

what do you guys fill your front bags with?

 

[reddog81]

Would a mix of sand and corn work? Find the perfect mix between stable and light.

 

[berettaprofessor]

I use sand. And then I bought a small shoulder pack, like one of those soft fishing creeks, to carry it to and from the range. Don't mind the wait that way.

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

When I worked at Nosler I used to have to fill shooting bags. They used a material that was a granulated plastic. They ordered it by the pallet. I am sure you can find something similar online or through a plastics vendor.

 

[lysanderxiii]

This stuff?

 

[VoodooMountain]

Those plastic beads are what I've always seen inside of them at ranges.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I want the most stable stuff I can get if I am shooting for accuracy. I have heavy sand in my bags.

 

[Bwana John]

I've seen people use 6mm airsoft BBs.

For ultimate stability (and weight so not good for your purpose), lead # 6 shot.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I have a rear bag I put lead shot in thinking it would be an improvement. It was not. The lead tends to roll around instead of settle. I have the same bag with heavy sand. It is more solid.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

I used sawdust in one and it worked ok. Definitely light to carry.

 

[Wisco]

I've got a leadsled solo and use a bag of lead shot. It's ridiculously heavy, but very stable. I only have a 50 foot walk from my garage to where I shoot, but I wouldn't carry that lead bag any farther!

The rest is also very much usable without a bag, but there's more movement to reset for the next shot

Is it possible for you to use a dolly of some sort, small cart, etc. to move your range stuff, or is the terrain too rough?

 

[I6turbo]

I want the most stable stuff I can get if I am shooting for accuracy.

Me too. I recently bought a set of Cabela's bags with some light-weight stuff in them. They were GARBAGE for accuracy shooting, IME. Wobbly, rocks back and forth, the gun wobbles and jumps around so much it might at times settle 3 or 4 feet off target after a 100 yard shot. The same ammo and gun combos that shoot .4 MOA groups for me off of a Cowan rest with a decent rear bag gave me about 1 MOA at best with the light weight bags, and frequently worse. I returned the bag set to Cabela's as not fit for purpose. No thank you.

 

[VoodooMountain]

If you fill it full of very small granules you can get away with just about anything. It is why the ranges I have seen use plastic. I have seen some bags filled with larger lead shot, maybe even buck or lead sinkers?, and it was unstable. I have also seen bags with small lead shot but they didn't fill the bag enough and it too is unstable.

I often use a lumpy backpack, ammo can, or hood of a car as a rest and can achieve respectable groups and I am only an average shooter.

Sand, dirt, bb's, plastic beads, silica beads, etc. can all work if the bag can be filled tight. I bet even expanding foam could be used successfully if you could get it completely fill the cavity and keep a useful shape.

 

[Sunray]

Take empty bags and shovel(a wee entrenching tool can fit in a pouch that attaches to your belt). Range sand/dirt works. Alternative is 5 pound bags of cat litter or rice. What's important is stability. Mind you, the actual bag can matter. Waterproof is good if you're using rice or the like. You can't just dump plastic beads and such.

 

[Bbear]

Pinto beans or any dried beans/peas. Works well and don't weigh a bunch. Rice works well, just don't get it wet.

 

[doubleh]

Any shooting bag I use is filled with dry dirt from out in my pasture. I've used this fill for years. If I didn't have access to dirt of my own I would buy one bag of fine sand blasting sand. Nothing is more stable than dirt.

 

[Reloadron]

Front owl ear bag and rear bunny bag I just use sand, good clean fine sand. Then too, I only have to move things about 5 feet when I get to the range.

Ron

 

[earplug]

I used a bag filled with empty 22 LR brass. Worked fine.

 

[Walkalong]

Heavy sand, not too little, but not so much the bag is bulging.

 

[kcofohio]

I used walnut media. Doesn't roll around.

Careful using foods in them if they're stored anywhere that rodents can get to them.

 

[flashhole]

I filled my Uncle Bud's Bulls Bag with rice about 7 years ago. Still works great.

 

[Hardtarget]

I just made a set of bags and I used "lizard litter" from Pet-Smart". It isn't super light but not as heavy as sand...maybe. Works ok.

Mark

 

[dak0ta]

Dry rice

 

[P5 Guy]

Cheap cat litter

 

[MARKMALL]

At our club we have homemade bags filled with spent primers.