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Sand Bag positioning and filler.

I currently have my front and rear bags filled with lead shot. Has some advantages but I know it wouldn't be allowed for match (25# keeps my portable bench very stable).

(1) I've read about a specific sand that is used but cannot recall just what it is. Is there something that is most commonly used by competitors that is readily available?

(2) I've been placing the front rest right behind the front swivel so I can be sure its always positioned for the next shot. I pull the gun rearward and stop it against the swivel.

Can someone share their approach setting up bags and rests correctly? I'm going to participate in my first 100/200 yard even in Gallatin Tn April 3 and would like to have this right.

I've never shot off a cement bench.
Thanks
Tom
 
You can get the heavy black sand from Sinclairs. Remove your front swivel so when the gun slides back under recoil it doesn't bump the rest.
 
Yes, the heavy sand from Sinclair is a good idea, lead shot, is not, in my opinion. I tried the lead shot in my rear #14 Protecktor bag, weighed approx. 18#/ very heavy, and of course, not legal in some matches. My son then filled his rear bag with shot, was at an F-Class match, accidently dropped the bag on the dirt surface and it split wide open: shot all over the ground & had it not been for another competitor lending him his spare bag, he would have been done for the day. Very happy with the heavy sand. If the rear swivel is in place, I would remove it also. Contact with the rear bag is not good. Except for a few rifles that I may use the Harris Bi-Pod with, I remove all swivels from all rifles.
 
1. As 6BRLongRange recommended; Sinclair's Heavy Sand is the way to go. One 15 pound bag will fill an Edgewood Mini-Gater and an Edgewood Farley Rest bag.

2. I second removing the swivel while shooting from the rest.

3. Align the rest and bag with the target. Settle the rifle into the bag so that it points naturally and ensure that it slides freely.

You are in for a treat. Cement benches beat the crap out of wood.
 
i was working at a local metal shop that poors iron cast. after they are poored they clean them with what they call shot. it looks like a fine sand but is metal so it weighs alot. thought i might try it some time in a bag, but will it be legal in a ibs shoot? its clean and looks like the heavy sand, but most of all its FREE!
 
Kind of felt like the swivels were not suppose to be there.

Is it better to place the front rest forward or favor the action or middle of the fore end.
I just looked at some IBS photos and most everyone seems to favor forward on the stock. That should be a clue!
 
Place the front rest as far forward as practical and allowing for recoil. As the distance between the front and rear rests increases, a given lateral movement results in less angular error.
 
TnTom.......Some things that come to mind....take a "stool" (seat) with, not all clubs provide shooting stools. take a towel to cushion your elbow. Make sure you don't forget the ear protection. Get there early, there is a mandatory safety meeting. Take your bolt out of the rifle before you leave home....put in in your case....at NO time put the bolt back in until told to do so. Most use a bolt holster to keep the bolt handy....a nylon cell phone holder or knife holder will work. Always reconcile your bench # with your target # before you fire that first shot in each match. Use the warm-up to zero-in. After the initial zero, you may feel the need to fine tune that zero...but I would recommend to simply hold off to what the sighters tell you......or you'll forever be chasing shots and get lost. Have fun and don't be intimidated by the targets shot by the regulars. Since my daughter lives in Nashville, I hope to shoot at Gallatin someday soon.
 
My guess is that the black sand is rutile (naturally occuring titanium dioxide TiO2). A call to Sinclairs is in order to confirm!

I have seen beachs of the stuff in some river drainages in the Carolinas; it is also the major ore of titanium. Just a guess mind you...

Dave White
Santa Maria, CA
 
Tom,

You need to look up Speedy Gonzales' article on filling bags.

The summary is that you can't have both your front and rear bags hard. The Sinclair heavy sand will pack down and get pretty hard.

You can play around with different sands to get the effect that you want.

I have heavy sand in the bottom of my rear bag till it's full. I work hard to keep the bottom on it tending to be just a skosh concave so that it is flat when I smack it down on the bench. If the bottom gets convex on you, it will rock and that's a bad thing.

I have heavy sand in the ears of my rear bag, but they're pretty soft. I fluff them up before I put the rifle in.

I have a mix of heavy sand and river sand in the front bag. I used to have heavy sand, but I couldn't keep sand up in the ears. It would pack down and the ears would get empty. The mix appears to have fixed that problem. Your milage may vary.




Greg J.
 
Sorry, had to change PCs there....

I ordered my shooting stool from Grizzly. It's an inexpensive drummer's throne.

You want at least an inch of the butt sticking beyond your rear bag so that you aren't shouldering the bag. You can't have it so far forward that the pistol grip hits any part of the bag during recoil.

You need enough of the forend beyond the front bag so that the forend stays in the bag during recoil. If you don't have a 3" wide, flat forearm, you can make a 3" wide piece of slick metal or delrin to make a "sled" to attach to your forend. There are rules about the geometry (forend and buttstock) Check the IBS rule book.

Beyond that, you want the rifle to be balanced something like 60%-40% butt heavy in the bags. If it's nose heavy, it'll jump out of the rear bag. This is irritating.

FWIW,

Greg J>
 
Greg

I wish you luck with that Grizzly Stool. My terminally wobbly stool finally broke to the point I could not fix it anymore. I was actually happy when I sat down at my reloading bench and landed on my head.

Spent the same $$ at Amazon on a simpler design. (no screw adjustment for height)
A little more inconveinant to adjust but no wobble so far.
 
You're too right about the Grizzly, now that you mention it. It's pretty cheapo. I'm going to start shopping around for a better one. My birthday is right around the corner....

I have to have one with height adjustment, though. I'm pretty tall and gangly.

Greg J.
 

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