some ideas on what to put sand in ?

LBLDOG · May 28, 2008, 07:00:00 PM

I was wanting to make some sand bags for shooting the ar-15 at the range and I seen at wal-mart they had some sand bags in the hunting dept. for 21.00 . I was thinking of putting sand in gallon freezer zip locks and saving myself some money for ammo. What are some of your ideas?

pitw · May 28, 2008, 07:13:50 PM

Take an old pair of jeans and cut the legs off. Sew one end shut, fill with sand and sew the other end shut and you are good to go for a long time as freezer bags will likely break.

alscalls · May 28, 2008, 07:25:29 PM

My wife sewed me some out of scraps at the upholstery shop here locally. I like the jeans Idea.....

Shot bags work well too, you can usually get them at surplus stores, trap clubs, and such.

LBLDOG · May 28, 2008, 07:30:04 PM

thanks guys for quick info

FinsnFur · May 28, 2008, 07:30:24 PM

I like the old jeans idea. I can remember a couple of those rifle rests floating around when I was a kid that my Pa made.

Hawks Feather · May 28, 2008, 08:07:22 PM

Just a suggestion that you might want to consider - or not. Sew one leg or end of whatever you are using completely closed and then sew the other end to within about one inch or whatever the size is on your funnel. This way you will only have to sew a small section closed and not get sand all over your machine. (If your sewing person is picky, you can glue the small opening closed with 5 minute epoxy and have it sewn after the glue has dried - less chance of a spill and a happier sewing person.) Commercial bags usually have a hole about the diameter of a .338 case. You put the case (with the head cut off) into the opening, put a funnel into the opening where the case head was cut off, and fill away. Regular sand is cheap, so make four or five sandbags with a couple being pretty well filled and a couple with some room left in the bag (NOT like half, but not completely filled). By squeezing on the partially filled bag you will be able to slightly raise your gun or by letting off you will be able to slightly lower it.

Jerry

LBLDOG · May 28, 2008, 08:57:20 PM

thanks jerry , didnt thinkabout that !

msmith · May 30, 2008, 05:37:35 PM

I have used the jeans idea and have even used denim to make a brick that had a notch in it for the forearm. Right now I use some cloth bags that I got some tire chains in.

Mike

msmith · May 30, 2008, 05:42:39 PM

Another tip: Don't use sand. It leaks out and gets messy. I don't like the thought of getting sand in the action of my guns or on my hands scratching the finish on them. I started using either bird cage litter from Wally World, used tumbling media, or a combination thereof. It's lighter, less messy, and doesn't damage the hardware.

straycat · May 30, 2008, 06:27:46 PM

I use the bags shot comes in and fill them with used primers. Kills two birds with one stone by recycling both bags and primers. Just don't get them wet,most primers will rust.

ohiobob · May 31, 2008, 07:49:01 AM

I have a few with sand in them but I also use rice in place of sand, it is light and forms easy with a squeeze of the hand
Bob

vvarmitr · May 31, 2008, 07:52:33 AM

Did the pant leg thing years ago. I put in a bread bag as a liner to help keep water out. Not knowing how full to fill 'em I over filled 'em. I still have them & they are still heavy & tight. I have a couple of shot bags w/ plastic beads in 'em & I use 'em all the time. Light & I don't have to worry about moisture.

Ladobe · June 04, 2008, 01:22:15 PM

Sand is heavy, so that means heavier is better - right? I came up with that revelation in a drunken haze some years ago and started filling all the leather and denim bags I made up with black sand. It worked very well and was rock solid. Then someone talked me into buying one of those big Bulls Bags when they first came out... you know, the ones with the easy carry shoulder strap sewn right in and two large bags reminiscent of a camel saddle. I filled it with black sand - half a truck load of it. It's still brand new out in storage someplace after all these years, because it takes two grown men on steroids to pick it up to carry it and the strap serves no purpose except to get in the way. Then a dim light came on (dim bulbs can only work with dim light you know). The huge bags of crushed corn cobs I buy to line my parrot cages with. Super light weight, forms and supports well and I figured if the medium ever did break down I'd just replace it. Never did use any of those bags enough to break the material down though as I bought a bunch of Harris bipods and modified them for quick change and tilt.

The corn cob medium was still a better idea I think than sand or the dreaded black sand for larger bags, and very cheap. I'd empty the Bulls Bag (if I had a neighbor who wanted a new black sand driveway) and put the cobs in it if I didn't like using the bipods better.

ohiobob · June 06, 2008, 11:44:34 AM

Quote from: Ladobe on June 04, 2008, 01:22:15 PM
Sand is heavy, so that means heavier is better - right? I came up with that revelation in a drunken haze some years ago and started filling all the leather and denim bags I made up with black sand. It worked very well and was rock solid. Then someone talked me into buying one of those big Bulls Bags when they first came out... you know, the ones with the easy carry shoulder strap sewn right in and two large bags reminiscent of a camel saddle. I filled it with black sand - half a truck load of it. It's still brand new out in storage someplace after all these years, because it takes two grown men on steroids to pick it up to carry it and the strap serves no purpose except to get in the way. Then a dim light came on (dim bulbs can only work with dim light you know). The huge bags of crushed corn cobs I buy to line my parrot cages with. Super light weight, forms and supports well and I figured if the medium ever did break down I'd just replace it. Never did use any of those bags enough to break the material down though as I bought a bunch of Harris bipods and modified them for quick change and tilt.

The corn cob medium was still a better idea I think than sand or the dreaded black sand for larger bags, and very cheap. I'd empty the Bulls Bag (if I had a neighbor who wanted a new black sand driveway) and put the cobs in it if I didn't like using the bipods better.

That in Red made me smile, and God knows I needed to smile
Thanks Ladobe

misfire · June 25, 2008, 11:21:34 AM

I made my own for work. What I did was to take the bottom of a leg from a pair of my BDUs, sew one end shut, then fill it with the synthetic beads used to fill Beanie Babies. I used a 2 pound bag that I got at Michaels. Once the leg is filled to a comfortable point, sew the top shut as closely as you can. Now, I know most of you dont have to worry about this, but I have to carry that bag frequently in all types of weather. A true sandbag will hold water, thus increasing the weight. The bag that I made will not retain water and the beads always retain their shape. Very stable and cheap to make yourself