Shooting bag filler material choices

[MTPaul]

I recently ruptured one of my shooting bags and as I was repairing the slight hole the thought occurred to me whether the media I was using (white rice at the time) was the best choice. I typically also use a thin plastic shopping bag inside the shooting bag to help protect the contents from getting wet and to add an additional layer of protection. I looked at several websites and discovered many different and varied options for filler material, some I had not even considered. Here is a list of what I discovered; Lead shot, steel shot, Airsoft BBs, Ground coffee, popcorn, white rice, wheat, barley, grain sorghum, pinto beans, heavy bag sand, kitty litter, nylon beads and many, many more.

It seemed like many people's choice in filler material was driven by cost, some by the density/weight of the filler, some by the ability of the filler to withstand getting wet, some by availability or combinations of all of these factors. Given the years of experience of those who frequent this site, what have you found that works the best for you in your shooting bags and why did you choose your particular favorite filler media?

I'll get things started. As I noted earlier, in some of my shooting bags (bags without ears) I've used white rice, but I've also used grain sorghum and wheat occasionally. I also line the shooting bag with a thin plastic shopping bag to help protect the rice from getting wet. The plastic bag might also add another layer of protection, albeit a thin one. And lastly, the shopping bag might help keep fuzzy furry critters from smelling the contents and helping themselves. I used these materials because they are somewhat dense, inexpensive, and they were readily available. For shooting bags with "ears", typically my rear bag of choice, I've found using a finer sized media seems to work better to help keep the "ears" upright. For these bags I've used fine sand or even lead shot. As an added bonus, these materials tend to anchor the rear bag to the top of the shooting bench.

[Rick in Oregon]

Well Paul, I can only offer what my experience has taught me over the decades in this regard.

My good buddy Don Scott of "Dog-Gone-Good" shooting bags turned me on to poly pellets for his large bulls bag rests. They are light, do not attract any critters, and seem to do a good job of it. He sends out his bags with this filler, and all shooters seem to like it. I do not use the large Bulls Bags, much preferring what I'd refer to as the 'BR Method' of rests and bags.

On my bench, I use the BR shooters method and use fine silicon sand for my rear and front rest bag. Been using it now since about 1989 with no regrets. I keep my front rest and rear bag in a Pelican case from Sinclair Intl for storage and transport. Seems to be still working.



My rear bag is the Protektor #13B with the solid bottom. Front rest is the Sinclair All Purpose Front Rest that's width-adjustable from sporter fore ends to full blown BR rigs with 3"+ wide fore ends. It's been a perfect combination (for me) now for what I do.....load development, target work, and of course having fun with Skippy, our favorite rodent buddy in the field.

HTH, let us know what you end up using. Inquiring minds and all that......

[Tom Kat]

I use white rice at this time due to price and availability....

[WesF]

Plastic resin pellets are my filler of choice for all of my shooting bags. The bags are far lighter than if they were filled with just about anything else. Plus the fact that I retired from the plastics industry and had access to large amounts of "scrap" resin pellets, I can fill shooting bags for years to come.

[skipper]

Rick, who's the poor point man in that picture? Looks like he's in your shooting lane.

[Rick in Oregon]

Rick, who's the poor point man in that picture? Looks like he's in your shooting lane.

Well Skipper, it appears you're not familiar with colony rodent shooting in irrigation pivots, so let me clarify....

Imagine a 480 acre crop circle. In the center is the irrigation pump, well and center pivot that extends outwards for hundreds of yards with 90' sections/stations with sprayers doing the irrigation. In very slow motion this irrigation pivot rotates in a 360* circle, sometimes taking a full day or more to fully make a complete rotation. The edges of this circle are clearly defined by green vs natural vegetation, along with the obvious wheel tracks from the pivot as can be seen in the subject pic above. My crew and I set up our benches about 30 - 50 yards apart along this clearly defined edge, and we all shoot into the irrigated portion of the pivot, always being aware of where the other crew members are located with clear views of our companions. We've been at this and using this exact method since 1975 with not one accident or even any close calls. Everyone is very safety conscious. Trust me on this.

In the above pic you're concerned with, each shooter has a very clear view of the other shooters arrayed around the 'clock face' of the pivot circle. There is not and has never been any danger. We're all experienced shooters, no newbies, no kids, wives, or dogs. Your concern is noted and appreciated, but not needed.

The few times we do not use our method described, we set up our benches on the ranch flatbed trailers, trucks, or any other equipment that gives an elevation advantage. Sometimes we use multiple pieces of ranch equipment along the circle edges, but are always cognizant of our other crew members and their exact location, and always having a visual reference for complete safety.







Hard to miss the wheel-tracks or ditches. They pretty much define the circle. Note how many sage rats are visible in this pic? It's pretty much the epitome of colony rodent varmint shooting IMO. (Pic taken with Nikon 300mm lens....they DO NOT let you get this close.)



So fear-not buddy, we know what we're doing, and frankly, we're quite good at it!
How long till that much anticipated spring green-up?

[jsh]

I refuse to use any kind of grain or seed. It’s not a matter of if you have an issue it is when.

[Tom Kat]

That is pretty awesome, fancier than my PD shoots

[Tom Kat]

pdlwsnchr.jpg (36.55 KiB) Viewed 1698 times

This is how a younger, poorer Tom Kat went after prairie dogs....

[MTPaul]

I too am impressed with the various assembled shooting platforms displayed in several of Rick's photos! THAT is something! The flatbed trailers, trucks and the many shooting tables themselves are awesome! Here is a picture of one of the more portable shooting tables I use - emphasis on portable. As you can also see are the shooting rests (bags filled with different media) I've used in the past and what prompted my initial question having to do with the choice of shooting bag filler material.

While the shooting table itself isn't up to the level of quality and stability of many of those in Rick's pictures, it is fairly easy to set-up and take down as the targets of opportunity begin to diminish. Very seldom will our shooting gallery last more than an hour or two at any one spot and then we are off to another location. Therefore, my need for a shooting table that is easily transported and set-up multiple times a day. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be set up in one spot for a prolonged session, but seldom is the case in the areas I tend to frequent. But I would be open to an invitation to attend and partake in such an event...

[Rick in Oregon]

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be set up in one spot for a prolonged session, but seldom is the case in the areas I tend to frequent.

Paul, we shoot almost exclusively our Belding's Ground Squirrels in the alfalfa fields. These little critters are much more tolerant of gunfire, are much more stupid, and just do not go down when their friends are being launched into oblivion. We usually set up in the morning and shoot non-stop until lunch, go back to our trailers for the noon feeding frenzy, then back to the benches for the afternoon shoot. When we go back after lunch and start shooting again, it's like we were never there, having once again a target-rich environment. It's amazing.

Shooting prairie dogs on the other hand is much different as you point out. A few shots downrange, and most dogs within 300 yards bail underground. The bonus (for me) shooting PD's is they are so much larger by about two thirds, is they're much easier to hit out to 500 yards compared to their cousins we have here.

My buddy Dan launching Skippy at around 150 yards with his M700 in 204R....short range shot just for the camera to catch shooter and target in the same frame:



Once a guy has spent time shooting GS's, prairie dogs seem like shooting house cats they're so much larger in comparison.

[Rick in Oregon]

pdlwsnchr.jpg This is how a younger, poorer Tom Kat went after prairie dogs....

Tom, everyone starts out frugally and advances from there. At least you got out with your rifle and got after the PD's in proper fashion. Most of my crew and I started out laying on carpet mats on the ground with bipods until stiff necks made that unattractive. That led to portable picnic tables, ironing boards and whatever else we could conjure up on the cheap.

What you see in my more recent posts is an evolution of over 40 years of precision rodent shooting that started for me in 1968 and has morphed from there. We all had to start out somewhere with much less.

The more you get out and shoot, the better shot you become, and over time your equipment also evolves with you. Looking forward to more of your adventures there in KS!

[Tom Kat]

Thanks! You are right, it is an evolution. I am hoping to get out west this spring a shoot some pop ups, chunkers, and helacopters....

[jsh]

Paul I have one of those tripod benches also. It goes with me every time. I about wore the top plastic out pivoting on the rough aluminum casting, got that fixed with a lathe project.
The extra height is good in the taller grass. I bought one of the fold flat stool to sit on when a break was needed. It was handy enough I bought another to set stuff on as a small table.

[MTPaul]

JSH. Yes, I looked long and hard to find a shooting table like this one and I too have been very pleased with the purchase. One of the features I like are the adjustable legs which allow the table to be easily set up on uneven terrain. This adjustability also allows the shooter to use the table from a sitting or standing position which is handy when set up in areas with taller vegetation (eg. grasses or sage brush). Another feature I like is the ability of the table to swivel when acquiring targets down range. Of course, having a table I can easily set up, and when needed, move and set up again is a real bonus in the areas I shoot, especially when the targets of opportunity (eg. prairie dogs) take refuge underground.

As you can see from the picture, I also glued some indoor/outdoor carpet to the tabletop as the molded plastic top was a little too "slippery" when I was using a bench rest style front shooting rest. And to help aid in knowing when the table top itself was sitting level, I also added a two-way bubble level to the center of the table.