Raising the rear rest

[nettlle]

I have a Caldwell portable shooting bench that works out for me that has a hard plastic top. I have a heavy tripod rest for the front with pointed leveling screws that bite into the plastic and holds its position well. For the rear I have an old Eagle Brand rabbit ear bag with a rough out leather base and it holds its position well also. To get the right height for my rifles I need to raise the rear bag 1". Everything I have tried under the rear bag so far causes the rear bag to slide around on the plastic like it's on ice. Any suggestions for something 1" thick that will not slide around on the hard plastic?

 

[Litetrigger]

There is an accessory for the rear bag called a donut or (something like that) that raises the rear bag and also stabalizes it. I used one for years and many other benchrest shooters, mainly to stabalize the bag. Check the Edgewood and Protektor catalogs.

 

[Varminterror]

Taller rear bag is one option. Doughnuts are another. Some folks make doughnuts from thick leather, some out of rubber like stall mats.

 

[nettlle]

I have about 30 stall mats. I have no desire to cut one. Looking for donuts now.

 

[LiveLife]

I need to raise the rear bag 1". Everything I have tried under the rear bag so far causes the rear bag to slide around on the plastic like it's on ice. Any suggestions for something 1" thick that will not slide around on the hard plastic?

I have used medium sized cotton towel and folded enough times to get the height.

Older towels tend to slide on plastic table less and really grip the rear bag once bag is pressed into the folded towel.

 

[Varminterror]

An inch of fabric will be unstable at best, springy at worst.

 

[.45Coltguy]

I use a partially filled denim bag under my older eared rear bag when needed. Seems to work.

 

[LiveLife]

An inch of fabric will be unstable at best, springy at worst.

I have used 100 round plastic ammo box with hinged lid but OP wanted something that didn't slide on plastic table top.

I have been in OP's situation as well and realized I keep an old bath towel in the vehicle and folded enough times to get the needed height hard pressed down, presto, worked for me on a temporary basis ... an in-the-field solution.

These days, I use two shooting rests (Modified Lead Sled Solo and Birchwood Casey Alpha).

 

[.45Coltguy]

Yep, a folded towel will work also.^^^

 

[bfoosh006]

Maybe attach some Skate board tape to the plastic surface ?

 

[JFrank]

I’ve seen guys double up plywood to make a small square then add skate board like tape or sticky rubber mat.
Myself I order spacer/ leveler bag to go under the rear bag.

 

[jmorris]

Put some flag stone under the rear table feet?

or just throw a couple of the stall matts down. Nothing added on top to slide around then.

 

[lightman]

I have an assortment of stuff in my range bag. A piece of 1/4 inch paneling cut slightly bigger than the footprint of my rear bag, a piece of a mud flap off of a big truck and a piece of Horse Stall mat. I was fortunate to be working at the high school when they were putting matting down in the weight room and picked up enough scrap to supply myself and several buddies. You might call around to a few trailer places and see if they have any scrap mat from building Stock trailers. The donut thingy from Sinclair/Brownells works well.

 

[Varminterror]

I’ve seen guys double up plywood to make a small square

I haven’t been terribly happy with plywood risers, front or rear. Maybe with sufficient rubber like you mentioned, or carpet. Sliding around is one thing, but the rigid plywood doesn’t seem to “give” like rubber or leather so it seems to promote more vertical than these other materials.

But maybe if we’re “pressing down hard” on our rifles in this thread, maybe the slight vertical influence from using plywood isn’t important.

 

[JFrank]

Yeah, might not be the best option but I’ve seen a lot of long range guys do it at my range, I have rigid leather bottom on my bags that sometimes sit directly on a concrete bench without the spacer and no issues, maybe fill rate and composition in the bag plays a bigger role? I know I adjust the sand level in a new bag and ears quite a bit, typically taking out excess sand and loosen up the bag so it doesn’t push back on the stock noting changes n target until the vertical is reduced.

 

[Nature Boy]

I cut 3/4 plywood the shape of my bag’s base and put skateboard tape on the top and bottom. Works great, doesn’t slide around and is very stable

 

[kmw1954]

I cut 3/4 plywood the shape of my bag’s base and put skateboard tape on the top and bottom. Works great, doesn’t slide around and is very stable

I would imagine that heavy felt would work well also.

 

[ms6852]

You could cut a pool noodle to the desired thickness. Personally, I prefer using a squeeze bag where you squeeze the bag slightly to change the elevation of your rifle.

 

[Litetrigger]

The easy solution is simply get/use a higher rear bag. Which is why I travel with bags of different heigth to match the bench, front rest and rifle(s) I'll be shooting. I have found that the key to a good bag, in addition to proper heigth, is that its underside be stiff and flat, the stiffer the better. Filling with heavy sand adds stability. Edgewood and Protektor offer bags in a wide variety of shapes and heights for different purposes. A good bag is a lifetime investment and also economically smart because it helps eleminate the frustrations of unexplainable wandering shots, caused by poor bag setups. The bottom pic shows a bag with a triple-thick sole with a non-slip surface glued on. Filled with heavy sand, it stays put and ain't about to move.

 

[Nature Boy]

The easy solution is simply get/use a higher rear bag. Which is why I travel with bags of different heigth to match the bench, front rest and rifle(s) I'll be shooting. I have found that the key to a good bag, in addition to proper heigth, is that its underside be stiff and flat, the stiffer the better. Filling with heavy sand adds stability. Edgewood and Protektor offer bags in a wide variety of shapes and heights for different purposes. A good bag is a lifetime investment and also economically smart because it helps eleminate the frustrations of unexplainable wandering shots, caused by poor bag setups. The bottom pic shows a bag with a triple-thick sole with a non-slip surface glued on. Filled with heavy sand, it stays put and ain't about to move.View attachment 1208371View attachment 1208362

A good rear bag is often under appreciated when it comes to its effect on consistency and accuracy

 

[Varminterror]

Admittedly, I've always disliked keeping multiple rear bunny ear bags in play, largely because I'll like how one tracks better than the other, and then I'll pull my hair out trying to get the "not as good" one to track like the "better one."