Front Bag Firmness

[Bob3700]

Gents,

I am an NRA HP shooter and only occasionally shoot my rifles off a rest with bags. A 3 inch wide adapter plate slides into my forend rail so that helps take the "Tilt" out of the situation.

My question is, how critical is the firmness of the front bag. My experience would tell me that a really hard front bag causes the rifle to bounce in recoil. Not a good thing with trying to test loads for accuracy. It might seem that a softer bag up front would dampen some of this rifle jump.

As I am only shooting a 6mm BR and a 243, the rifles recoil is not excessive, it just seems that the rifle moves around way too much in recoil.

Any thoughts on how to keep this "rifle jump" to a minimum.

Bob

 

[artbosco]

how critical is the firmness of the front bag? My experience would tell me that a really hard front bag causes the rifle to bounce in recoil. Not a good thing with trying to test loads for accuracy. It might seem that a softer bag up front would dampen some of this rifle jump. Any thoughts on how to keep this "rifle jump" to a minimum.

Speedy has some for you.

SAND BAGS and HOW TO FILL THEM .... By Speedy Gonzalez [Benchrest Hall of Fame inductee]

TWO hard bags cause guns to bounce when firing a round. Bags must absorb the shock of the firing pin moving forward and rearward rifle thrust and torque. When this isn’t done rifles jump and roll in the bags. This causes wild shots. Some Texas shooters agree that:

1. You can't have 2 hard bags.
2. Heavy sand magnifies the problem.
3. If you squeeze bags, pack ears hard and leave bag base pliable for required movement. Pack front bag as hard as rules permit.
4. Free recoil shooters should pack both bags firm, but not hard.
5. Use play ground/silica sand. Sift, then mix with 25 to 50% of Harts parakeet gravel.

Heavy zircon sand causes ears to rock back and forth and low shots. Edgewood/Speedy rear bags eliminate this. If you use Cordura bags spray with pure silicon or Rain-Ex.

Double stitched, leather bottom bags, slide with recoil. Use standard Protector with Cordura rabbit ears, an Otto ring bag, and a Cordura front bag, or an Edgewood/Speedy rear bag.

 

[Bob3700]

Thanks for the info. I suspected the front bag was way too hard. Will let some sand out and see how it performs.

Bob

 

[Dennis Keefer]

Bob,
Also, the side ears that press on the ends of the front bag must not pinch the forearm. Under recoil, the front of the rifle will jump up and cause vertical stringing.

Good shooting

 

[BoydAllen]

How are you holding/shouldering the rifle?

Added Later: Where on the rail have you placed the 3" wide adapter?