Thread: Using hard items as rests

In general terms how much padding should you put between your rifle forend and the hard item you're using as a rest (tree, fencepost etc)

Specifically, I want to be able to use the top of my Tatonka Stealth 35 pack as a sitting rest (Resting my rifle forend on the top of the pack while holding it steady verticle with my left hand). There is a portion of the frame that runs across the top of the pack under a couple pieces of spongey fabric. Will this be enough isolation or should I look at putting some sort of extra padding or something?

Thanks in advance.

Basically, you want to replicate the rest you use while sighting in, or the point of impact may change.

Easy fix.......try it

Go to the range and shoot like that. In my experience it’s about recoil management/absorption. If you in the field the same as you do at the range it will work the same way. If you use a rest and rear bag at the range but shoot off a bipod and hold the Doreen’s or above the scope in the field, you will get different results bud

Yep will try it out next time I can get to the farm but was just wondering if a hard surface would require some sort of dampening to stop vibrations or something

I'm an accountant not an engineer as may be evident...

Use my pack frame a lot and it doesn't seem to matter that its hard.
When your out in the steep tussock any rest is a good one.

The only reason to worry about padding etc is so hard objects dont scratch / damage the rifle when it moves under recoil.....It would be fine resting on rocks....until it moves and the rock chews the stock....The spongy fabric you describe should be enough to stop scratching, especially seeing as the tube will likely be round....

Think about bipods for a moment- the reason they dont scratch is they are attached to the rile itself, but other than that they are still a rigid object the rifle is resting on - it is just that under recoil, the other end of the bipod takes the movement and does not rub on the rifle so rubs on the feet instead... (Not saying to get a bipod - just that it the same situation as a rest but the rubbing occurs elsewhere....)

Awesome thanks that makes sense. I do have a bipod but find sitting often gives a better view over vegetation, rises etc and can involve less faffing with legs etc. Also prefer the pack for prone anyway.

You only need enough padding to stop the rifle from rolling/rocking when on a hard surface.

Think of it it terms of contact points, if your rifle has a rounded forend and you are on a fence post the contact patch is tiny and the rifle will cant sideway very easily.
Or if you have a flat forend and try to shoot off an angled surface you'll also have a very small contact patch only on one side.

You could always try it on you living room floor, place your rifle on your pack and see how steady it sits. If it's rolling all over the place then try a few different soft items and see what works the best.
You preferably want something like a pillow that can move a bit to conform to the different surfaces, if you gett something too rigid them you'll end up with the same problem.

Ive found that a hard rest can cause verticle stringing because the rifle bounces on the hard surface. I notice it more shooting off a concrete bench using a bipod. Put a a piece of dense foam under the bipod legs and it goes away. That my experiance anyway...

Anecdotally, every time I've taken an "easy" shot with the rifle rested directly on a fence post, it hasn't ended well. Even a hand between the fence post and the rifle seems to fix it.

put your hand between frame and rifle...or rifle and stick..or rifle and tree,or rifle and rock..or rifle and post..you get the picture.
can use some fingers on stock and some on rest if need to hang on to rest.

Originally Posted by blip

Ive found that a hard rest can cause verticle stringing because the rifle bounces on the hard surface. I notice it more shooting off a concrete bench using a bipod. Put a a piece of dense foam under the bipod legs and it goes away. That my experiance anyway...

I actually made a little pocket bag by putting a hackysack in one of those soft sunglass bags. I put this on top of fenceposts with my 22. Works a treat.

Thats a good idea do it with your pack as well