I am going on a little detour from gunbelts, holsters, and pistol gear. I am going to talk about long range gear for this post. We will look at rear bags, bipods, tripods, bags, backpacks, wind meters, and anything else I can think of while writing this.
Once again I have to remind you that I am an affiliate with Amazon and anything you purchase will provide me with a finders fee. So if you see anything you need use my link and lets get you fixed up.
First item up for discussion is rear bags...
Here we go, first bag is a light, easy to carry, squeeze bag just place it under the buttstock and squeeze it for elevation changes. Works well for hunting and moving in the field, it is lightweight and will get the job done.
Next is a triangle bag; if your buttstock is not flat but has an angle, like most traditional hunting rifles; well here you go, this bag is designed to be able to rest the buttstock, on the angle, and easily adjust height by sliding bag back and forth.
The fortune cookie is a very versatile bag, it can be used as a front or rear rest, can be draped on a window, or laid on a fence, it can even be used for a pillow in a pinch. It is the best all around bag you can own, because of its versatility.
Protektor is one of my favorites for load development, and bench rest style shooting. I use the rabbit ear bag, and I fill it up extra heavy, so it does not move on table, bench, or when shooting prone. I like the leather bottom, it provides stiffness, and a tacky base to stop it from sliding. Ideally I just want the gun to slide a small amount and be pushed right back into firing position.
You cant go wrong with any of these bags, I highly suggest you pick up a good rear bag and start using it on your next range trip. It will make you a better shooter and will tighten your groups up considerably. After all, with the price of ammo these days, accuracy should be our goal, not volume, so set yourself up to shoot accurate groups.
Bipods can be a game changer, lets look at some options....
Magpul bipods are functional and they make them in sling swivel and picatinny mount. They also make them in an M-lok mount so you can mount directly to the handguard on your AR style rifle.
Caldwell make an affordable functional bipod, that works. It is not fancy, or cool, no neat tricks, just functional, no frills gear. Gets the job done.
Atlas is lightweight, functional, easily adjustable, and works well. It can have pan (left and right swivel), and cant (level) these are two elements to be aware of, when you start shooting beyond 500 yards.
Accu-Tac is good stuff, it is heavier, and better machined for tighter tolearances. Meaning it has less play in all the moving parts. Means more repeatable accuracy, you can also get ski feet for them and I really like shooting with ski feet. Makes it really easy to reset your gun, after each shot, and allows you to shoot really small groups.
Having a good rear bag and a great bipod can help you improve your shooting immediately. Now there are other bags and bipods available, some are better than what I have listed, and I am happy to talk about them. I personally shoot a Phoenix, Accu-Tac, and Sinclair F-Class bipod, they each have a place and all of them work amazingly well. So do your homework and pick gear that works for what you are trying to do.
What about tripods? Glad you asked, here are some concepts for long range shooting.
The closer to the ground you are the more stability you can bring to your position.
Proper body mechanics matters in repeatability, accuracy comes from repeatability.
The less pressure you put on the gun, the easier it is to repeat that pressure.
Holding your breath increases your heart rate, know this and account for it. Control the variables we can control. I shoot at the bottom of my normal breath, I can control that.
Set your gear up for what you are trying to achieve. (If you are going elk hunting in Colorado, you will probably shoot from sitting, kneeling, or standing, not prone. )
Tripods work, and work well, but are not always a feasible option. One of the most stable platforms you can shoot from is a SEB Rest, it is a really expensive, tripod rest, that is heavy and short. Not really good for Elk Hunting in Colorado, but Prairie dog hunting in Kansas, heck yeah.
Bog pods and predator hunting, they work great and allow you to be mobile, and tall enough, to shoot over weeds, grass, and brush. Once your gun is locked in, it is really stable, and gives you a good shooting platform.
The Bog Pod with Death Grip and the Primos Apex will hold your gun and allow you to shoot accurately for field hunting. The FieldPod allows for even more stability because it supports the gun from 2 points of contact. The Hammers trigger sticks are lightweight and a very good all around rest to take with you, when hunting in a stalk and shoot type hunt. They take some practice to get stable, and will require you to use them before the hunt, if you want 100% confidence in the ability to use them. There are other options available, I will tell you, just like I tell my students, I teach concepts and nothing I teach is 100% set in stone. So if you have something that works for you, good, feel free to share if you think it will help someone else.
Hunting Pack, bags, and wind meters. You have to be able to haul your gear and depending on the type of hunt you are doing, gear can make you or break you.
Waist packs are good, if you know, you will be back at camp on the same day. They allow a minimal amount of gear and place the weight closer to the hips, making it easier to carry all day. With the addition of the shoulder straps to spread the weight out even more, it makes for a comfortable set-up, that you can carry for miles.
The Eberlestock packs are great for those overnight hikes, involving primitive camping. You can set them up to carry your gun in the middle of the back and spread the weight out to be manageable. Keep in mind the buttstock of your gun is higher than your head, think low hanging branches, and limbs.
So you managed to find the game animal you are pursuing, you have all the gear to take the shot. How far away is the animal? How hard is the wind blowing? The next 2 items can make you a hero, or drive you to drink! What are they? A rangefinder and wind meter, arguably the two most important items other than your gun and ammunition. Imagine putting in all the leg work, time, money, and effort to get to your hunting destination, and not be able to tell how far away an animal is and how hard the wind is blowing. Successful hunts happen because, you as the hunter, know what you are capable of with your gear. If your gun and ammo set up is not capable of killing animals beyond a certain distance you should know that distance, and be able to apply that in the field. Any experienced shooter, hunter, golfer, fisherman, sailor, runner, or cyclist will tell you that the wind is the ultimate test. If you struggle with the wind you must practice and get better, if you want to take animals at longer ranges. Buy good gear and be familiar with how it works, test it before you hit the field!
In one of my future posts I will talk about glass; i.e., binoculars, spotting scopes, and rifle scopes.
Until next time
ALWAYS LEARNING......ALWAY EVOLVING
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