Introduction
Shooting bags have become increasingly popular across shooting disciplines, not only in those where they have traditionally been used as support for rifle on various positions, but also in areas where they were once less common. This growth in use reflects broader changes in the disciplines, where adjustments in rifle weight and support equipment are being made to improve hit percentage on smaller and smaller targets under decreasing par times each year. As these equipment adjustments evolve, so do the preferences and applications. Now that options are coming out for various fill and bag weights I wanted to get in and take a look at how changing the bag fill affected my shooting with various rifles. To accomplish this task, we received a variety of fills from Spex Lite.
More specifically I wanted to examine how different fill weights and materials in shooting bags influence key aspects of performance, including stability, speed, follow through, precision, and accuracy. The Gamechanger bag—a widely recognized tool in precision rifle sports—was used in this evaluation due to its versatility and widespread use. By testing various fill types and volumes, we might better understand how bag weight affects not only our own shooting experience. This test shows my personal results, but it also offers insights for shooters aiming to refine their technique across diverse scenarios and applications. In this article we tested 6 different fill weights.
Weight, after all, remains a critical factor when selecting a shooting bag, as it directly influences the rifle, position, recoil, and our ability to apply fundamentals at a level we are used to. Hopefully this will provide practical guidance on selecting the optimal weight and fill type for your specific use cases.
Weight vs. Stability: Balancing Mobility and Support
In shooting sports, balancing weight and stability is crucial to optimizing performance. Heavier shooting bags are typically regarded for their ability to enhance stability by providing a steady base, which is essential for precision and consistency in static shooting scenarios such as long-range or field shooting. The weight reduces rifle movement, aids in recoil absorption, and enables more accurate, controlled shots.
Conversely, lighter bags favor mobility, allowing shooters to reposition quickly and adapt to a position quicker, which is advantageous in dynamic environments requiring rapid position building and changes. However, the reduced weight may compromise stability and increase the potential for minor shifts in alignment.
The optimal balance between weight and stability is often context-dependent.
It’s often said that shooters must consider their specific applications to select the appropriate equipment that aligns with either the priority for stability or the need for flexibility. Even though we would love a single rifle for all applications, the truth is that to get the best performance for a given outlet there is often an ideal different from other outlets that will raise the probability of success. I still find it fun and informative to tinker and explore what it is about equipment that makes it useful and helpful, so here are some takeaways and rational.
Stability and Fill Volume
Fill volume in shooting bags plays a direct role in stability and shooting performance. A higher fill volume generally offers a firmer support structure, minimizing unwanted movement inside the bag. However high-volume fill is particularly difficult at times to settle and causes a bag to roll rather than stay still with a rifle on it. An overly firm fill can reduce the bag’s adaptability to uneven surfaces or unconventional shooting angles, potentially limiting its versatility. Lower fill volumes, while potentially less firm to grip, allow the bag to mold to different surfaces and rifle positions, which may enhance flexibility in dynamic shooting environments.
Ultimately, the question may come to personal preference, but we wanted to see what it was about the fill and volume that we liked and discuss.
The Interaction of Bag Fill and Rifle Weight on Stability
The stability of a shooting bag is influenced by the weight of the rifle and the type of bag fill. The fill provides a rifle with counterbalancing support, reduces movement, and enhances precision by anchoring the rifle. Selecting an appropriate fill based on rifle weight optimizes the balance between stability and adaptability, enhancing performance across varied shooting conditions. But what did we find?
Findings
We tested multiple rifles on six bags with different fill. We shot for time, accuracy, and movement speed between positions. Below we will highlight the relevant findings.
*note The original weights best split into Heavy/Light so I had to mix two to get intermediate weight on the lighter of the medium bags.
Bag number/Original weights
| 5524B | 6oz |
| 5064 | 15oz |
| 5125 | 1lb 8 oz |
| 5930 | 3lb 15oz |
| 5235 | 4lb 7oz |
| Sand | 9lb 9oz |
Bag number/Test weights
| 5524B | 6oz | Light |
| 5064 | 15oz | light |
| 5125 | 2lb 8 oz | Medium |
| 5930 | 3lb 15oz | Medium |
| 5235 | 4lb 7oz | Heavy |
| Sand | 9lb 9oz | Heavy |
Bag on Tripod Standing
| Fill Type | Time Fastest-Slowest | Group Size Average of 10 groups |
| Heavy | 6-9 seconds | .3mil |
| Medium | 8-12 seconds | .4 mil |
| Light | 9-14 seconds | .5 mil |
Bag on Bench Kneeling
| Fill Type | Time Fastest-Slowest | Group Size Average of 10 groups |
| Heavy | 7-9 seconds | .2mil |
| Medium | 8-11 seconds | .3 mil |
| Light | 8-14 seconds | .5 mil |
Bag transitioning 5 positions on 3” pipe
| Fill Type | Time Fastest-Slowest | Group Size Average of 10 groups |
| Heavy | 40 seconds | .3mil |
| Medium | 47 seconds | .5 mil |
| Light | 55 seconds | .6 mil |
Different ammunition and bullet weights
There was no difference shooting different ammunition with respect to baseline test to suggest bullet weight /recoil within caliber had changes from bags. A baseline group was shot to see what the system was capable of and all groups were within the same tolerances.
Rifle Weight
Heavier rifles were able to maintain speed and groups on lighter bags vs lighter rifles. The lighter the rifle the sooner we detected groups opening up on lighter bags.
Performance Insights
Lightweight
• Pros:
-less added weight to pack or ruck.
-Easier to squeeze to condense material.
-Faster to move
• Cons:
-Added group size and consistency in shooting
-Difficult to repeat precise density on squeeze
-Easy to place and have move out of position
-More challenging to stabilize rifles without wobble
• Suggested Uses:
-If weight is an absolute necessity consider lighter end of the spectrum fills
-If used in larger pillow bags this fill seems to work better at reducing body movements.
Medium-Weight
• Pros:
-Closer in consistency shooting wise to heavy bags with tangible weight reduction.
-Manipulation was more consistent than light weight fill after placement.
-Movement speed was quick and wobble reduction descent.
-Only about .1mil increase in averages with speed advantage maintained.
• Cons:
-Faster than heavy but still weight that with same volume could be difficult to justify not having heavy bag.
-increase in group size was noticeable in this range more between the two fill weights. The risk of increased shot size reduces effective range.
-Difficult to justify with the numbers and the advantages on light vs heavy.
• Suggested Uses:
-When you can pack more weight and target sizes are within acceptable size for distance.
-If fundamentals are solid enough to match heavy bags.
-Field events where speed is more valuable than small targets.
Heavyweight
• Pros:
-most stable
-easiest to build positions with without adjusting
-adaptable to different contours on its own
• Cons:
-heavy
-harder to use as rear bag
-slower due to mass
• Suggested Uses:
-competition
-applications where precision is demanded over all else
-strength and weight are able to deal with downsides
Recommendations for Shooters
The results here were based on our rifles, ammo, and skill levels without training with these bags. Because of going into it without training were viewing personal results and you may have fundamentals and skill to lower the sizes and speed values. I think everyone interested in checking out fill weights and types for their use should conduct their own tests to see where the threshold of skill and acceptable accuracy is for your given outlet.
I find that removing about 1/3 of the fill from all of the bags provided them with more functionality and adaptability. I suggest everyone start with a full bag and work down in volume until you detect a change that is beneficial and continue until that reverses and put back in enough to be in the middle of that zone. This should be done at a range where you can shoot paper and measure your results so that you know and trust the fill volume is right for you and your skill levels.
As skill grows these volumes may require tinkering with as well so save the fill you remove so you may add back and repeat test down the road.
Final Thoughts
After a few sessions the lighter heavy and heavy medium weights were performing almost as close to the heavy sand but I wanted to include the original targets without practice. Based on my experience and skill level if I were going to take a bag anywhere, I would likely opt for the 4lb bags over the 9lb bag simply because performance differences were negligible and 4-5lb is not nothing.
SpexLite has a variety of weights and fills you can consider. We have also seen competitors mix the fill weights to balance the bag for their personal use. Check out the Spexlite site for the different bag fills available.
Typically, I argue against going down the rabbit hole on weight reduction because the savings are very small and the sacrifice for performance outweighs the weight from the particular piece of equipment. Most of the time weight savings can come from gear that is less of a hinge point to performance. For example, saving a few pounds and even more energy expenditure is easily and often accomplished by getting lighter footwear. Weight on feet costs you more than on back, and if the weight on your back comes from equipment that optimizes shot placement and hit percentage then it’s a no brainer to me. Most of us can lose a few pounds also, neutralizing this issue as well. Nevertheless, this was informative and insightful. Id love to hear your comments and experiences with different fill types and weights.
