This bag might seem basic, but it is the result of countless hours and thousands of rounds of testing and refinement. The Rifles Only Rear Bag is just that—a rear bag that goes under the stock of the rifle to lend stability to the shot.
It co*es with a nylon strap that runs lengthwise down the middle of the long edge. The shooter threads their hand between the strap and bag to maintain control over the bag while applying more or less pressure to fine-tune the rifle’s aim. The strap also secures the bag in the shooter’s hand while on the move.
The bag incorporates a corner loop to secure it to a carabiner. If you get one I strongly suggest you do what I do and write your name on it in indelible marker to prevent it from walking when your “buddies” realize how useful it is.
Wiebad was among the first bag makers in the modern precision rifle era to make a splash. The pump pil*ow concept is one they pioneered.
When setting up on a barricade one way to gain stability is to fill the spaces where your rifle and body lack support. Those spaces are where the pump pil*ow co*es in. They excel at making particularly awkward positions more stable.
Often, they go under the arm supporting the rifle’s fore-end, resting on either the thigh or the barricade itself. They can be placed under the chest when shooting from a high prone position. They can go underneath your butt when kneeling. Their versatility is limited only by your imagination.
The Modular Pump pil*ow is an empty zippered container that you can fill with a sweatshirt, rain jacket, bagged lunch, dirty laundry, or whatever else you want. It has two elastic straps to secure the bag to your arm, leg, or rifle. It co*es with a plastic carabiner to attach to your gear.
If the burden of filling it yourself is more than you can handle, purchase Wiebad’s original pre-filled model.
This is a basic, no-frills pair of shooting bags that will work to sight in a rifle and confirm zero before hunting season.
It isn’t as technical as the other bags in this roundup and doesn’t pretend to offer the same level of stability and versatility as they do. But it is the kind of bag that’s ideal to bring to the range for general shooting and to keep in your kit when you head to hunt camp.
If shooting for maximum precision is your goal, you’ll be better served investing in a higher-quality system. But for day-to-day shooting tasks and plinking this is a budget-friendly option.
Typically, I’ll clip this tiny bag into a QD cup on my butt stock and won’t think about it again until it is time to shoot. This bag is so light and unobtrusive that I forget it is even there. But when it is time to make a shot, it can be a lifesaver.
Its small size means it works best as a rear support underneath the stock, but it does have enough real estate that you can lay it flat on a rock and shoot off it that way in a pinch. The best way to use it, however, is in conjunction with a bipod.
Its rectangular footprint lets you orient in a variety of ways to acco*modate different scenarios, while its light weight makes it perfect for mountain hunts.
Edgewood makes a number of bags for the dedicated bench shooter, but their most popular remains the Original Real Bag. Even with the original bag, however, there are many varieties to choose from. You can specify bag height (From 2.5 inches with the extra short to 4 inches for the tall. Standard is 3 inches.); spread of the ears (3/8 inch being most co*mon, but 3/16 inch and ¾ in as options); and ear material (Cordura or slick).
This one is a two-parter, consisting of the plate and bag, which are sold individually by Gray Ops. (You can also get the bag directly from Armageddon Gear.) The V2 plate is an updated version of a Gray Ops system which I’ve been running for years.
The plate and bag attach to each other and then the plate can be affixed to an ARCA rail on your rifle stock. This allows you to run your rifle with a support bag in a hands-free manner, helping you navigate precision rifle stages in less time.
The other advantage of the pad is its low height. That lets you maneuver the rifle in and out of constrained spaces, like cutout portholes and between the rails of a cattle gate, with sufficient clearance.
Another option is to run the plate with the Shmedium Game Changer. Gray Ops makes a brassier that slings around the Shmedium and holds it in place.
Granted, this is a fairly specialized bag, but for co*petitors looking to gain an edge it is a godsend for some scenarios.
The circumstances under which a person can shoot from a vehicle are narrow and specific. For big game hunting most, but not all, states forbid the practice. But for shooting varmints and predators, and with the growing popularity of pest control at night, shooting from a pickup or a side-by-side is not unusual in freedom-loving states.
The Weibad DRC Fortune Cookie is ideally shaped to drape over a truck door, partially rolled down window, side-view mirror, or roll cage bar. It also works well off a tailgate or hood, as long as you remain aware of the difference between your rifle’s bore and the scope’s line of sight.
The Fortune Cookie isn’t limited to shooting from vehicles, of course. Its layout works well for general shooting tasks too.