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.

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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...

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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

Greetings,
Last year I started shooting F class using a .223 and 7mm-08 with a bipod and rear bag on a portable bench and shot OK. This season I have started using a front rest which has a padded top and scores have improved even with the .223. I have found this before that using a bipod on a hard surface degrades accuracy and sometimes shoots to a different point of impact. So I guess the finding is, as mentioned above, zero using the same set up as you will use in the field and pad any hard surface that the bipod rests on. A bit of old sleeping mat is great. Your hold of the rifle needs to be the same as well.
Regards Grandpamac.

Yeah I was always told never shoot a bipod off a hard concrete surface. Always put some padding (folded up hoody) under it. I have also seen this at the range in practice several times, guys unable to zero their rifle and as soon as they put some padding between it sorts it out.

Yeah I had heard that so was trying to confirm the same principles apply and to determine how much padding is actually needed. Range testing will be happening in due course. Cheers

Quote:

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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...

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Yep, what he says.

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Originally Posted by hamishg

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.

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Lol, a kids sock full of rice or a piece of foam rubber. :thumbs:

Shoot it on paper and you'll see pretty quickly.

I use a small coucheon as a rest for the 308,just a little bit of micro bouce.Dont hold the rifle too tight into yr sholder other wise recoil will use yr sholder as something to push against and front of rifle will tend to lift.I found just befor you pull trigger,just relax yr grip n pull on yr rifle a tag.Give yr rifle tag of room to recoil back into yr sholder so front doesn't lift bugger all.

Surprised someone hasn't the "make a falla hard" rifle rest photo yet....

Another reason why I wear a bush hat... I can roll it up and put it between the stock and the branch I'm resting it on

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Originally Posted by Trout

I use a small coucheon as a rest ..

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Is that a sock filled with couch as opposed to rice? :P

I think you meant cushion

Wouldnt just a piece of carpet or foam rubber do the job?