Re: Drag bag--shooting mat search
I ordered a Galati from Mike at Hells Canyon Armory.
I've had a miriad of drag bags over the years...Black Hawk, Eagle, Tac Ops... I've found them to be overkill for a rifle case and too heavy/cumbersom to use in the field.
A few years ago at Camp Williams, Utah, during the Advanced Counter Sniper LEO course I saw someone using a shooting mat that doubled as a rifle case with straps. Allows a shooter to not carry a specific shooting mat. In this type of school where you carry all your gear with you all day from venue to venue in all kinds of weather and shooting from all kinds of different terrain, it helps to shrink your kit down as much as possible. A rifle case/shooting mat meets that goal nicely. The mat is not necessary, but does provide comfort for long days on the ground, while the rifle case option lets you protect your rifle from sun, rain, and blowing sand, between relays.
I've never found a reason to deploy with a drag bag for LE type operations. It takes as much work to drag the rifle as it does to low crawl with it in your arms. I guess if you were doing a uber long stalk into a hide it might work out but it leaves massive sign on the ground where you crawl. I always felt I wanted my rifle in my hands during a LE deployment.
I'll use this mat primarily for training and shooting schools, although, I wanted to have the option to deploy with it if I found a reason, and I hoped to spend around $200.
