Filling a new sandbag

T

The Ripper Man

Inactive
For Christmas this year I got a new set of leather front and rear sandbag rests. Since this is my first set I'm having a bit of a hard time deciding what to fill them with. Rather than using sand I have started to fill one of them with parakeet gravel. It's a little lighter than sand and that's what I was looking for. Before I go any farther I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions as to what works the best and why. Thanks in advance.
 
The best thing to use would be No. 12 bird shot, but that'd probably cost more than the leather bags. I went to Lowe's and bought a bag of "Play Sand". It's washed clean and almost snow white.
 
That play sand is the real deal. It's sifted and there is no fine dust. I got some to fill hollow metal speaker stands. I went whole hog on my bags and used the heavy black sand.
 
Hey Ripper Man,

Why wouldn't you want the weight? The point of these bags is stability, and weight = inertia = stability.

I second sensop's recommendation for play sand. If I'd known about it, that's what I would have used on my Protektor bags. Instead, I had a plain bag of sand from Lowe's, and it had a lot of small rocks in it. I wound up having to sift it through screen wire before I could use it. But it did the trick and is nice and heavy.

Now I'm going to build a custom benchrest to go with these bags. My uncle has a nice adjustable one he built out of three-quarter inch plywood. I'm going to modify his design slightly and make my own.
 
My thought on the weight was simply that I may have to pack them for some distance sometimes. They will be used for work but mostly used on my own time. I know that they have to have a little weight to them and that gravel I used on the one feels good so far but it's not quite full yet. I ran out and am thinking about topping it off with sand. I've heard that some people have used that pellet stuff they use in stuffed animals and it is supposed to work nicely. I might try that in the second one if I can find it someplace and then compare the two. I am mainly looking for something that takes a shape well and holds it.
 
Sinclair International sells a "heavy" sand, which is probably about the best filler. Fine birdshot (#9 and smaller) works pretty good too, but it increases your exposure to lead. Not good!
 
I went to a new home construction site where the brick masons were laying brick. I asked if I could have a little of there mortar sand. They said sure just don't take a truckload of it. A couple of three pound coffee cans will do the trick. Thats what I put in my bags.
 
I used play sand as well ...

... worked fine.

But, this reminds me of something funny this week. I was in a local gun store, and saw a bag such as you describe. On the package was the bag, as well as a rifle with scope. In small print, the package read 'rifle and scope not included'! ;) Ah, lawyers. What would we do without 'em. ;)

Regards from AZ
 
Ripper Man, you could also use tumbling media, corncob or walnut shell, for a lighter weight filling for the bags. I also have used plastic pellets, polycarbonate or nylon, in bags. The pellets are approx. the size of BB's and work pretty well. I work in the plastics business so getting off spec material is no problem. I have several boxes, 50# each, in my shed now and I would gladly give you some if you wanted to cover the shipping. Just let me know.
 
How about dried peas or that type of material? I haven't used it but have read about it being satisfactory when a lighter weight material is wanted.
 
I would caution against using filler that is too light or too course. What you end up with is a sort of "bean bag" that is too light and will not provide the stability needed for precision shooting.

Bench resters use the heaviest sand they can find.
 
This is why I say longer than 500 yd shots are

bs in the field. without a bench, nicely fluffed up, consistently applied sandbags, all that sub 1 moa stuff goes right out the window. often enough, you cant even fire from prone, and the best rest that you can arrange (in TIME) will be the xd fiberglass arrow shafts that you stick thru your belt, or the back pack that you use as a rest (as fire from sitting) Also need an anticant scope-level, because the sittiing position is notoriously prone to inconsistency at same, and this REALLY shows up at long range. Match shooters get to use a shooting glove and a corset-tight shooting jacket, but such gear isn't practical in the field. When you HAVE to fire (if ever such is true) at 500 yds, it will be either windy or mirage, count on it! Funny how so many worry about Murphy when it comes to malfunctions or disengaging safeties, then the SAME guys just ASSUME ideal firing conditions for long range! :-)
 
Hardin, I had to go back and check, but I didn't see any posts on this thread advocating sand bags for field shooting. I will occasionally use a sand bag when I go PD hunting using my vehicle as a bench (BTW not from any public roadway). This is the only time I would use sandbags for hunting or field shooting. But this discussion is REALLY off topic and disrespectful to the original poster.

The original poster wanted to know what to use to fill sand bags.
 
Filled mine with "TROPHY Deer Tracks"!

Hey Ripper Man, Down here in the Southeastern USA, we have some spots in our fields that are just as sandy as a beach at the ocean. I'd been focusing on one particular Old Trophy Buck that had a slightly deformed hoof. Can't remember which hoof it was, but I don't suppose that matters.

Anyway, I got some new Sand Bags 12-13 years ago and took them out to that field to fill them up. When I got to looking around for a spot of clear sand, what should I find but that old Trophy's deformed print going right thorough the cleanest sand in the field.

So, I got on a line with them and scooped those tracks right into my Sand Bags. Always think of him each time I get those Sand Bags out. Never did get a shot at him.

Good hunting and clean 1-shot kills, Hot Core
 
Was listening to Lester Bruno at the NBRSA Nationals, and he says he fills his bags (with "heavy" sand) using a compressor and sand blaster. It really packs 'em.
 
Heavy sand from Sinclair is good,steel BB's from Walmart are safer than poisonous lead and about 5.00 will get you about 6000 although you'll need several pint boxes it's still cheap and heavy but,you can't use your bags in competition,Hope this helps,C.M.Rich Lam.3 22-24
 
Sorry to be the wiseass..........

But regular old sand won't work? Benchrest shooting must be some kinda' sport to require special sand. Next you'll be telling me the targets have to be printed on special paper.
 
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