RE: gun rests and sighting in
I generally use a harris bipod and good leather rear bag with the ears that hold the buttstock. The bipod is light and portable (I've got enough heavy junk that I already haul to the range), and I've been able to shoot many remarkable groups off a bipod. I've heard people say that a bipod can shift your POI compared to sandbags or a machine rest, but I have not experienced that at all.
Mike