Rear Shooting Rest

This style or rear rest is ideal for dedicated long range shooting. Made from 1000 denier Nylon (i.e. immensely strong) and filled with bean bag filler. The bags are made here in NZ by our daughter and son in law. 

At a weight of 69 grams / 2.4 ounces, the bag is light enough to be considered inconsequential as a carry weight factor. It an also be used as an emergency pillow if need be. 

The shooting rest can be used in conjunction with the Rucksack as a front rest. In the mountains, after gaining access to the tops, the items can also be reversed if need be, for steep downhill shots over a rock lip. In other words, the shooting rest can be placed at the front and the Rucksack can be placed under the butt to get the correct angle and stability for such a steep angle. 

I do not consider this an essential item. A rolled up poncho used as a rear rest is indeed an essential item as I wrote in the book set. Having said this, the rear rest is extremely nice to use, allowing one to very easily manipulate the point of aim and then settle into the shot. It is so light that I don't mind having this in my pack, especially with regards to the level of accuracy I need for my research. 

Do not use the shooting rest at the front of the rifle for bench work (nor any other kind of bean bag). When used at the front, the polystyrene foam filler tends to cause a rifle to bounce. In the field, it works fine if shooting steeply downhill. But from a bench and shooting level, it can cause groups to open up. For bench testing, use sand bags. In the field, use this rest either at the rear under the butt or under the forend if shooting over the lip of a ridge downhill.