Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Competitive Shooting Best shooting bag fill - sand, beads, kitty litter or other items

You definitely don't want the front bag too hard...that's a sure fire way to get a bunch of vertical on target. -Al

...I use bird seed in both bags. Flexible enough for my needs.

bsa1917unter: IF.... as YOU say the heavy sand "is bs for the birds" why do virtually all the competitive bench rest shooters in their quest for the ultimate in accuracy/consistency use it?
I think you are wrong in your contention.
I have shot over bags filled with heavy sand and a person can easily "nestle" their Rifle into the bags filled with heavy sand - I know I done it!
You almost earned a sheesh here!
The main reasons I fill most all of my sandbags with regular very fine sand is it is somewhat lighter and I take most all of my front bags, rear bags and window bags afield, very often, Varmint Hunting - and then there is the "cost factor" ($40.00+ for 15 pounds).
Heavier sand in ones sandbags (that fit your Rifle properly) will aid in obtaining better accuracy (thats why the bench resters use it!)!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I don't recommend food type filler. Mice have plenty enough reasons to chew on stuff.

One vote for cat litter - works for me in my bags

the post above me is the corect way to fill a good shooting bag and those are the best shooting bags made. may i add this when bag is almost 3/4`s filled pound it down with your hands ,add some water in bag and pound bag down some more add more dry sand add more water pound bag more keep doing this tell bag is full and very hard . bag will dry out in a couple of days ,set bag in a dry place .once bag is dry always use some type of powder on bag like monkey butt , so your rifle sides easy back and forth . good luck,Pete53

I found it easier to use crushed limestone, also known as screening in the industry, as I have a free supply source of it here,
and it's not only slightly heavier than Zircon, but it's not from China, or India!!

It does everything that the other advertised products do, as I tend to think, maybe a little Better.
Limestone is Heavy, repels water,and moisture, (unlike most sand), with exception to silicone.
Forms well to needs in the shooting bags, and stays in place.
I simply put the Limestone in a Ziploc bag, and insert into my shooting bags,
as it makes sure of Limestone Dust confinement, (if any).

For those of you unfamiliar with the Material in subject, it's like a coarse grained sand like material,
ground down from, natural Limestone removed from the ground, which is plentiful in Ohio, here.

Total Cost;
Shooting Bags
Ziploc bags

Made in the U.S.A.!!!

On a prairie dog trip, I wanted a bag but, not a lot of shooting supply stores out there. I bought a bag of bird seed and a roll of duct tape.

Let out a bit of seed and taped up the entire bag, worked pretty good!

Great Idea in a Pinch!

The bottom shape of the bag is more important than what's in it. Convex bottom is no good. Get one that sets on the edge of the bag and it will be far more stable than one that rests on the center of the bags bottom. A little heavy sand and then you really have something. Look at the Edgewood bags.

Just to clarify, Limestone does not repel moisture, in fact it will readily absorb it when available.

Thank's for your clarification. I agree with you as I stand corrected.
I guess my point is, that I'm happy with it, and it's not mushy, or soft, as it holds it's shape well,
and when I go back to it after being on the shelf for a while, it's good, as for holding it's shape, and doesn't roll around like a smooth round bead might.

One thing I learned from my benchrest competing buddy was not to shoot off 2 hard bags, one is OK but not both. I prefer a softer rear bag than the front bag.
Phil

Learning as I read - thanks fellas

IMO I use sifted sand or aquarium gravel.
I've tried the beans and the rice and oil sorb
and the various things. I don't like stuff that
crumbles eventually. Might as well use flour
and cut to the chase. Sand or fine gravel will
be in the same shape decades from now
as it is when you put it in the bag

Over 20 years on the same fill of wheat in empty 25 pound shot bags. The wheat doesn't get hard or crush, and with the sand bags on top, you have a solid and easy to adjust set of bags that are solid and don't weigh what sand does...