I was wondering what you guys use as a rest when you are sighting in your ml or trying new loads. Sandbags, bench rests,etc. or nothing at all. For my centerfile I usually just use something I have around the house like a bag of dogfood or sack of floor dry and that seems to work ok for my centerfires but I would like to get a better setup and am looking for suggestions on specific products/brands to look for.

I am also planning on building a portable shooting table that will work for both right and left handed people so if anybody has any good plans or suggestions for that I would like to hear or see pictures of those as well.

Thank you much.

I use the caldwell Lead Sled but I don't put any weight(lead) on it. It works great. I'm thinking about getting the new Caldwell Fire Control full length rest.

I have a 4' folding table for my 'bench' and I carry my sandbags and adjustible frontrest in a 5 gal plastic bucket that I flip over and use as a seat. My target stand is 2 vertical 2x4s with 2x4 feet and the cross pieces are 3/8" threaded rod. These rods are used to hold the cardboard backing for my targets using heavy clamp type paper clips. (Occasionally the threaded rods need to get replaced for a stray bullet.)

I use a very inexpensive rest called "steady rest" made by Caldwell. They were on sale once for $25 approximately.

Even with a rest its not what you have but how well you learn to use it. I won the muzzle loading bench rest championship in all 3 classes in 1978 in IL with an old over the log original and an ironing board with a felt covered block of wood for a rest. Lee

I use a Caldwell front rest and bunny ear bag rear rest. Highly recommend.

For up to 300 yards I use a fixed bench (4X4 verticals, 2X4 horizontals and 1" plywood top) cemented into the ground. At 400 yards I must use a Cabelas portable shooting bench (~$100 highly recommended).

For the actual rest, I tried a cheaper set of Cabelas pedesal and back bag. Neither is satisfactory and rarely use. Now I use 2X6 scraps and lead shot bags from reloading filled with birdseed (no sand was available when I filled them). Will be refilled with sand this summer.

For ad hoc sessions when I do not have access to my portable bench, I use a Harris bipod on front and any clothing/backpack available under the rear. I can shoot almost as good off the bipod as from the bench anyways.

Lemoyne: I understand that the rest will only be as good as I am but I am trying to take as much human error out of sighting in and load testing as possible, that way if I miss in the field I can only blame myself. After I am confident that I am sighted in good I like to shoot in a field situation when I am practicing, shooting from a variety of different positions including offhand, standing using a tree, kneeling, prone off of a backpack, sitting using a bipod, etc.

Has anybody used the Caldwell Tackdriver Bags? I had a guy tell me they were the best out there but he is a guy that likes to say that everything he owns is the best out there too.

Thanks for the replies so far.

Ahhh muzzlenut -That is exactly how you should shoot. You should only use the rest to: 1. sight in you rifle, 2. to work up new loads and 3. Whenever you want to recheck your sights or verify accuracy. Shooting in field positions either with or without shooting sticks will increase your success on shots at game. The confidence in your equipment and your capability go a long way to being successful.

I shoot with a stick so at the range i shoot with a stick