Question about silicone or baby powder on bags.

[in2deep]

For temporary relief a little car wax buffed out gets you by for a couple outings but the stock tape is an inexpensive and fairly permanent way to keep things slick and consistent especially in the humid climates. At the last nationals there was an overwhelming majority of those ppc benchrest shooters (and some pretty famous ones) that used tape and many still applied some of the other things mentioned above for some added zip but you know how those ppc guys are you could sell them anything lol.
The other day I watched a guys fancy rifle slide half way out of the rest and nearly fell off the bench since he had it slicked up so much between the carbon fiber, teflon, waxed cordura and impregnated polishing cloth- it was close.

 

[JRS]

40X Guy,

Another product that will/does work great, and lasts longer than most (other than hBN) is a pure NON abrasive polish. There is a number of good reasons why car manufactures use polish and not wax. Two of the best and longest lasting I have found and used are: KLASSE and Menzerna. Both are made in Germany, and are available here in the US.

 

[artbosco]

Re stock tape, I thought it was used because of its anti friction characteristics. Considering the price of a few inches of the stuff I expect that it would outperform anything else. It is not too expensive if it works. But if it needs to be coated with something else then why bother with the tape (even if it sells like crazy)?
With all the other efforts we are talking about to treat the bags and stocks, the concept of a stock finish wearing out from riding in the bags is difficult to grasp, but that's a different issue.

Re stock tape, I thought it was used because of its anti friction characteristics. IT IS!

Considering the price of a few inches of the stuff I expect that it would outperform anything else. IT DOES!

But if it needs to be coated with something else then why bother with the tape? IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE COATED WITH ANYTHING ELSE!

As I mentioned above all you need is CLEAN CORDURA BAGS AND STOCK TAPE AND YOU'LL HAVE A SURFACE THAT IS PLENTY SLICK.

ADD HIGH HEAT AND HUMIDITY TO PASTES, BABY POWDER, OR SILICONE SPRAYS AND THEN YOU START PICKING UP DIRT, OIL, FINE SAND, POLLEN, ETC.

 

[artbosco]

The other day I watched a guys fancy rifle slide half way out of the rest and nearly fell off the bench since he had it slicked up so much between the carbon fiber, teflon, waxed cordura and impregnated polishing cloth- it was close.

If he had positioned his shoulder properly, 1/2" behind the end of the stock, as we do when shooting free recoil, he wouldn't have had a problem.

Here's the technique: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9194636798795391569

 

[BoydAllen]

I think that the reason that some shooters have chosen to try more than simple stock tape on untreated Cordura is that they think that if moderately slick is good, that more than moderately slick may be better. When I have used Sailkote, it dried completely, so that it is highly unlikely that it would attract anything. After some time, it needed recoating. When it was fresh, it was effective to the extent that quite a bit more side pressure could be applied to the front bag, by adjustment the side plates, without discernible increase in the force required to pull the rifle to the rear, while in the bags. I am not at all sure that slicker bags are an advantage, or that more side pressure is a good thing, but I will tell you that in my experience, inconsistent bag friction will cause vertical. As we all do, top shooters make decisions about their equipment based on their experience. Their equipment and shooting styles are not all the same. Mr. Boyer may do things one way, and a fellow that has been lucky enough to beat him may do it another. This does not mean that one is right and the other wrong. What it means is that more than one approach can work. If you don't like experimenting, copy someone who is winning. If you get it right, you will only have reading the flags and staying in tune to worry about...little things

 

[JRS]

Having had the opportunity (cost included) to learn quite a bit from the good Mr. Boyer, there are many, many people who would stand on their right foot and spit from the left side of their mouth, if that is what Mr. B. told them he does before each match. I have been told by others they use the stock tape to protect the expensive paint jobs on their guns from damage. Use what makes you happy

 

[40X Guy]

Good thread and great input from everyone, Thanks! I would be lost without this site.

Frank