What to fill rear bag with?

Z

zanemoseley

New member
I'm about to get an Edgewood original tall bag to replace my tactical bean bag for long range precision shooting. A guy I shoot with filled a Protektor style bag with #9 lead shot which is kind of nice but seems like the Edgewood bag is a lot bigger and would weigh a ton. So should I stick with sand, if so what kind and where should I get it.
 
I did a bit of reading and looks like Chromite sand is the most affordable heavy sand. Now to find the cheapest place to buy.
 
Sounds like a good choice. Buy enough to refill the bag as it stretches. You really don't need to do that but you will anyway....
 
I mix my heavy sand with steel shot and talcum powder to fill the tiny voids between the sand particles. It makes for a fairly heavy bag (Protektor) that does not deform or move as you shoot your string of bullets for score.
 
Brownells sells "heavy sand", I believe it is Chromite. Price is good, and If you can combine it with a free shipping promo even better.
 
Three years ago...

We were scheduled to clean out our pistol range bullet impact pit(dry sand was there at the time) and renovate it with new media. Our local hardware store had 'ground glass' media from recycled bottles available, and because it was hygroscopically stable'(it gets cold at -20 C)', it got the nod because it would not clump.
I supervised the clean-up and got to appreciate the feel of this recycled glass material.
It is not as heavy as heavy sand or sandblasting sand, but it does flow well. As advertised, it does not clump and is very stable. At low(-10-,-20C) temps it still runs freely through fingers so I think it would be a contender for a material that can be used in filling front or rear bags.
My area is providing it but I realise that this product is/can be available only if a local source in the recycling industry is willing to source it.
Please include this item as an opportune item to use. If it works, then we are all winners.
I am not financially involved in any production in this product. If you can get it and use it, good for you.

Just my 0.02 cents canadian (check the exchange!)

Phil Fortin aka tazzman
 
Wouldn't the ground glass pulverize and be inhaled when impacted with a pistol bullet and cause a breathing/lung problem?
 
I have wondered why no one has come up with a stray in setting foam to fill bags. I have a set of Ski Boots that you put on, fill them through a valve with expanding foam and sit for a little while as the foam expends and sets. Would have a custom fit to your butt stock. I guess maybe too custom.

I have spend an awful lot of time pouring in sand, then working it with a long rod, then putting in more, than banging it around and repeating.

Bob
 
rkittine said:
I have wondered why no one has come up with a stray in setting foam to fill bags. I have a set of Ski Boots that you put on, fill them through a valve with expanding foam and sit for a little while as the foam expends and sets. Would have a custom fit to your butt stock. I guess maybe too custom.

I have spend an awful lot of time pouring in sand, then working it with a long rod, then putting in more, than banging it around and repeating.

Bob
Click to expand...

Two reasons, it's too light, there's no give. Even with sand, regular or otherwise, filling it until it's rock hard......not such a good idea.
 
The best bag fill depends on how the bag is to be used. Basically, the reason for heavy sand is to keep the bag from moving around, when the rifle is to be shot in a manner such that the shooter will not be contacting it while shooting, that and because benchrest rules specifically disallow shot or metallic substances. If you are holding on to the rear bag as you shoot the rifle, this is not really an issue, and ordinary sand will work just fine.

The other issue that is involved is the need for there to be some level of vibration damping in systems designed to support CF rifles while they are being shot. This is particularly an issue when a light rifle is shot free recoil, and much less so when the shooter is in full contact, but in either case, it is not good to shoot with the rifle supported by a hard surface.

Recently, a couple of top level shooters have told me that they have switched back to leather front bags,and that they fluff them up between matches so that they will not become so packed down by use that they have unexpected fliers caused by too hard of a front support. This can also come into the picture with rear bags.

You may also want to know that different materials have different packing and stacking characteristics, depending on the size and shape of their particles. I have seen heavy sand that was very find with relatively smooth particles that relied almost entirely on the shape of its container for stability. Other sands that had different size and shape particles can be less dependent on their container for stability.

The bottom line is that in order to discover what works the best for a given application, you may want to do some experimentation, or at the very least copy what someone else, who is successfully shooting a similar rifle, in a similar manner is using.

Also, for what little it is worth, it has been my experience that small differences in how full bags are can make a noticeable difference in how a rifle performs. This sort of tuning does not get much mention, but it can be a significant factor.
 
Boyd Allen said:
Also, for what little it is worth, it has been my experience that small differences in how full bags are can make a noticeable difference in how a rifle performs. This sort of tuning does not get much mention, but it can be a significant factor.
Click to expand...

I have been looking for information on the best way to get the right amount of sand in the front and rear bag. For years I bought protector bags already filled with heavy sand, they were so full the only option was to let some sand out. I poured the sand into a container so if I poured out to much I could put some back in.
For the past 3 years I have been putting more in and dumping some out I can't get the right amount.
To much sand in the rear bag and I have to adjust for more ? elevation after each shot, not enough sand in the rear bag and have I adjust for less ? elevation after each shot.

I got disgusted with it and decided that maybe I should build a new rifle buy new bags and rest and start over. Maybe I'll coincidentally find my way back in tune once again.
 
Last edited:
Travelor said:
Wouldn't the ground glass pulverize and be inhaled when impacted with a pistol bullet and cause a breathing/lung problem?
Click to expand...

Way back long time ago the ROTC range had to be cleaned periodically. The lead was sold but the dust--wow.. the poor lungs even w/ a face mask. Main problem was the dust. The range was like the Saraha dessert-no rain for weeks. I think a few times they even tried wetting it down about Wed and Thurs for a Sat cleanout.
 
I started filling the rear bag with heavy sand and was getting POA elevation changes between shots as the bag "bulged ". On Dusty's suggestion I changed over to playground sand and the POA elevation changes were worse and was getting some POI changes shooting my 284.

So I'm back to heavy sand.

???????????????????????
 
Travelor said:
I started filling the rear bag with heavy sand and was getting POA elevation changes between shots as the bag "bulged ". On Dusty's suggestion I changed over to playground sand and the POA elevation changes were worse and was getting some POI changes shooting my 284.

So I'm back to heavy sand.

???????????????????????
Click to expand...


If the bag is bulging or changing shape as you shoot, is your rear bag really full? Have you tried putting more heavy sand in?
 
What are the best front and rear bags?

New guy here again. Who makes the best bags? I'm new to the sport and want to get a good front and rear bag. Right now I have a CMP knee roll filled with pinto beans. Help me out here. Also, are there specific rules related to bags? Thanks.

See you at the range.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top