I'm gonna keep all this gibberish in this forum vs the "Precision" and "Competition" forums. More applicable.
I see people, even when I'm doing my BD thing, using all kinds of rear bags. From big blocks to the heavy V bags, and "C" shape bags, etc. You name a shape and weight, there's probably a bag that fits it. They all have a discipline/purpose they're made for and the various reasons for "better" bags are only limited to someone's sales pitch and belief.
My take on rear bags:
You have to have some kind of stabilizing platform to accurately mil targets and get "precise" holds. That doesn't mean you have to have a bipod and rear bag or a sandbagged weapon, but it might mean using a prone sling supported position, or a log, or whatever. It shouldn't be limited to a bipod and rear bag, but those make it easier. If it doesn't hinder you in any way, then use it. If it's an endurance event hauling your heavy ass shit around, it might be good to think about some other way. Do what fits your needs best.
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That said, I'm only talking about rear bags for this topic, from my POV and experience, not bipods and tripods and other stuff. The reason for the post is I watched a guy talk about the importance and requirement of a rear bag, and his rear bag choices for like 15 mins or more. I was amazed that many megabytes or even gigglebytes could be expended on a bean bag. lol
When I went to shooting skool in 2002, there were no such thing as "rear bags" in the context we see now. Yes, there were rear bags, but they were big and heavy, and usually leather or thick double layer cordura, and used for competition and whatever. I don't even think they were called "rear bags". The small sleek ones you see now were not really a thing. Not saying they didn't exist, but not prolific like they are now. So, to use a rear bag, meant you had to carry around some 2-3lb leather V-shaped platform from Sinclair or some other shooting supplier. Carrying heavy shit in the woods is fine but if one can get rid of 2-3lbs of dead weight, then it's gonna be gone.
Enter the Sand Sock. This invention is actually pretty old and has been in use for a long, long time before people started selling little sandbags and Cgrip happy socks and stuff. We'd take an old pair of our Army wool socks, fill it with sand (not all the way), and tie it off. The other sock was doubled over it so you don't get sand everywhere. These would be filled with everything from sand to pea gravel, to small rocks, to polybeads. Sometimes dudes would just sew a sock with polybeads. Maybe even take an old ammo pouch and fill it and sew the end up. Voila! rear bag. Sometimes you just take the socks, fill it onsite, then dump them after you're done so you're not packing in or out even a 1/2 lb of dead weight. A lot of times, there would be no bag/sock, we'd just use a gloved hand on the stock.
About the same time, you started seeing a lot more "practical" shooting with local "Sniper" competitions and things like that, and you also started seeing sand socks being made commercially; each year you see more and more until they're everywhere and, to @KurtM 's point, it's almost like nobody can shoot anymore without a bipod and a rear bag. We'd comment that whoever commercializes the sand sock is gonna make money. JFYI, Accuracy 1st has been making poly filled sandbags since 2003 and my buddy ordered some poly filled cordura block from some startup company in A-stan in 2005 and I had an old ass sock stuffed in a ruck pocket. It was on after that...just like muzzle devices, everybody copies everybody else's shit every couple of years, rinse repeat.
For zeroing and testing or shooting groups, I use a Vblock with an Accuracy 1st sandbag. Outside of that, I have no need for any heavy shit. It's impractical IMO. When I'm just shooting generally I just use the sandbag...I throw it in the range bag or the gun case. I'm not gonna haul a 2 lb block around. The sandbag is simple, lightweight, effective, and conforms to pretty much any shape and I can take it anywhere. I'll make a sock sometimes too for the same reasons, especially if I forget to throw the sandbag in my kit. I don't do F class or PRS or any other competition discipline, so I don't have any need for additional rear widgetry. Even if I don't have a bipod, it's nice to have that little sandbag to lay the rifle on and it fits in one of my smock pockets. If I don't have any of that, I still have a sling and I still have a jacket/pack/hat/glove or whatever. Make do.
My main requirements (not someone else's) for a rear sandbag/sock is that it's at least 6" x 4" and has enough fill to move the stock up a couple inches when I squeeze it and drop a couple inches when I relax, but also conform to most any shape. It should be about like holding a beer can and be light weight and have a loop on a corner. It can't have precut shapes in it like U's, C's, V's, X's or any other alphabet animal cracker shape. Just a simple rectangle pillow looking thing. Or a wool Army sock.
I see people, even when I'm doing my BD thing, using all kinds of rear bags. From big blocks to the heavy V bags, and "C" shape bags, etc. You name a shape and weight, there's probably a bag that fits it. They all have a discipline/purpose they're made for and the various reasons for "better" bags are only limited to someone's sales pitch and belief.
My take on rear bags:
You have to have some kind of stabilizing platform to accurately mil targets and get "precise" holds. That doesn't mean you have to have a bipod and rear bag or a sandbagged weapon, but it might mean using a prone sling supported position, or a log, or whatever. It shouldn't be limited to a bipod and rear bag, but those make it easier. If it doesn't hinder you in any way, then use it. If it's an endurance event hauling your heavy ass shit around, it might be good to think about some other way. Do what fits your needs best.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That said, I'm only talking about rear bags for this topic, from my POV and experience, not bipods and tripods and other stuff. The reason for the post is I watched a guy talk about the importance and requirement of a rear bag, and his rear bag choices for like 15 mins or more. I was amazed that many megabytes or even gigglebytes could be expended on a bean bag. lol
When I went to shooting skool in 2002, there were no such thing as "rear bags" in the context we see now. Yes, there were rear bags, but they were big and heavy, and usually leather or thick double layer cordura, and used for competition and whatever. I don't even think they were called "rear bags". The small sleek ones you see now were not really a thing. Not saying they didn't exist, but not prolific like they are now. So, to use a rear bag, meant you had to carry around some 2-3lb leather V-shaped platform from Sinclair or some other shooting supplier. Carrying heavy shit in the woods is fine but if one can get rid of 2-3lbs of dead weight, then it's gonna be gone.
Enter the Sand Sock. This invention is actually pretty old and has been in use for a long, long time before people started selling little sandbags and Cgrip happy socks and stuff. We'd take an old pair of our Army wool socks, fill it with sand (not all the way), and tie it off. The other sock was doubled over it so you don't get sand everywhere. These would be filled with everything from sand to pea gravel, to small rocks, to polybeads. Sometimes dudes would just sew a sock with polybeads. Maybe even take an old ammo pouch and fill it and sew the end up. Voila! rear bag. Sometimes you just take the socks, fill it onsite, then dump them after you're done so you're not packing in or out even a 1/2 lb of dead weight. A lot of times, there would be no bag/sock, we'd just use a gloved hand on the stock.
About the same time, you started seeing a lot more "practical" shooting with local "Sniper" competitions and things like that, and you also started seeing sand socks being made commercially; each year you see more and more until they're everywhere and, to @KurtM 's point, it's almost like nobody can shoot anymore without a bipod and a rear bag. We'd comment that whoever commercializes the sand sock is gonna make money. JFYI, Accuracy 1st has been making poly filled sandbags since 2003 and my buddy ordered some poly filled cordura block from some startup company in A-stan in 2005 and I had an old ass sock stuffed in a ruck pocket. It was on after that...just like muzzle devices, everybody copies everybody else's shit every couple of years, rinse repeat.
For zeroing and testing or shooting groups, I use a Vblock with an Accuracy 1st sandbag. Outside of that, I have no need for any heavy shit. It's impractical IMO. When I'm just shooting generally I just use the sandbag...I throw it in the range bag or the gun case. I'm not gonna haul a 2 lb block around. The sandbag is simple, lightweight, effective, and conforms to pretty much any shape and I can take it anywhere. I'll make a sock sometimes too for the same reasons, especially if I forget to throw the sandbag in my kit. I don't do F class or PRS or any other competition discipline, so I don't have any need for additional rear widgetry. Even if I don't have a bipod, it's nice to have that little sandbag to lay the rifle on and it fits in one of my smock pockets. If I don't have any of that, I still have a sling and I still have a jacket/pack/hat/glove or whatever. Make do.
My main requirements (not someone else's) for a rear sandbag/sock is that it's at least 6" x 4" and has enough fill to move the stock up a couple inches when I squeeze it and drop a couple inches when I relax, but also conform to most any shape. It should be about like holding a beer can and be light weight and have a loop on a corner. It can't have precut shapes in it like U's, C's, V's, X's or any other alphabet animal cracker shape. Just a simple rectangle pillow looking thing. Or a wool Army sock.
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