Long Shot Precision Adjustable Bag Riders For Long-Range Precision

The evolution of gear dedicated to long range/precision shooting has been nothing short of amazing over the last 20 years. The world has changed so much, in a relatively short amount of time. Looking back now, things seem so primitive in the days before the Global War on Terror sparked a revolution in gear and training. Today, an old Remington 700P Police rifle in .308 Win topped with a fixed power 10x42mm Mil Dot scope seems rather archaic. Fixed power 10X, 16X and 20X scopes have disappeared, Mil Dot reticles have been replaced by modern designs, ballistic apps on cell phones have taken the place of data books, laser rangefinders and weather meters are common place, and both rifles and cartridges have evolved. It seems as if everything has changed and been improved upon. Take, for example, the simple rear squeeze bag. This is a rather mundane but yet vitally important piece of gear for the serious rifleman. It provides support to the rear of the stock, aiding precision. More importantly, it provides fine elevation changes, simply by adding or removing pressure to it. The squeeze bag stuffed in my rifle gear is old and worn, and not very fancy. It consists of nothing more than an old military sock partially filled with plastic beads. It’s a very obvious reminder that back in the day my rifle couch had been an old school USMC Scout/Sniper Instructor.

Times change though and new ideas are introduced. Dave Pobutkiewicz, of Long Shot Precision, LLC, is someone who pondered over shooting, gear and how to make something better. The result of his testing is the patent pending Adjustable Bag Rider, a line of them really, seen illustrated on these pages. What is the Adjustable Bag Rider? Basically it is an adjustable rear support which mounts to the rifle and sits, or “rides,” on a rear bag. The design provides very precise elevation adjustments over its entire length. Unlike a rear monopod, the Adjustable Bag Rider provides support over a relatively large area, for added control, precision and repeatability. The idea for what became the Adjustable Bag Rider began with Dave trying to wring the most accuracy possible out of a Ruger Precision Rifle he had purchased. An avid hunter and shooter, with over 20 years of experience in fabrication and Tool & Die work, Dave likes to tinker with to improve his gear. So, he started customizing his new Ruger rifle. He fitted a new barrel, handguard, trigger, 30 MOA scope base and tested different bipods. As he worked on the range to tighten his groups, he turned his attention from the rifle itself, to the rear sand sock the butt was sitting on. Dave felt if he could add stability and remove some of his shooter induced movement, no matter how slight, his consistency would improve and his groups would tighten.

From his testing, Dave believed some of his dispersion was due to the squeezing and settling of the sand sock. Pondering a solution, he considered different off-the-shelf options such as a heavy adjustable front rest. In the end though, he wasn’t satisfied with what was readily available on the commercial market and so headed to his machine shop. There, he scratched his head and began working on an alternative to the traditional squeeze bag. He wanted something which would provide very fine vertical adjustments, was able to be mounted to his rifle easily and wouldn’t add unnecessary bulk or weight. This was the beginning of what became his Adjustable Bag Rider. Dave developed and manufactured an initial prototype which fit onto his Ruger rifle. It was a bit crude, but it worked, and showed promise. This initially prototype allowed him to test his concept and further refine it. His second prototype solved some of the issues with his initial design by incorporating linear bearings into the design. His initially testing included competing in local F-Class prone matches at 600 yards. Despite being completely new to F-Class competition he did very well and posted a Master class score in his first match and a High Master score of 594-25X in his third match. Dave went on to found Long Shot Precision, LLC and began manufacturing his Adjustable Bag Rider for shooters and competitors.

The unit itself is CNC machined from American aluminum. It is produced here in the US, features an anodized finish, and comes with either hardened alloy steel or stainless steel dowels which ride in linear bearings. A custom designed stainless steel thumb wheel rides in two Delrin thrust washers that are known for strength and creep resistance. Rather than being a universal or one size fits all solution, Long Shot Precision offers a variety of models designed to mount to specific rifles. They offer Adjustable Bag Riders for many of the most popular models of rifles, and the design is intended to be easy to mount, adjust and use. Once mounted to the rifle, the Adjustable Bag Rider provides a firm support for the butt of the rifle. A stainless steel thumb wheel provides precise elevation adjustments. This is the heart of the system, solid support combined with precise elevation adjustments. Unlike a monopod, the Adjustable Bag Rider provides support over several inches, rather than just focused in one spot. Plus, as its name implies, the Adjustable Bag Rider is designed to ride smoothly over the top of a heavy bag under recoil.

While any bag, or even a sand sock, can be used in conjunction with the Adjustable Bag Rider, it works best with a bunny bag with low ears. Low ears provide more access to the adjustment wheel. Proper spacing of the ears is also important. If they are too far apart it can lead to unwanted horizontal movement. If you do not have a suitable bag, or just wish to upgrade, Dave worked with Protektor Model company to develop their Round Back rear shooting bags to work specifically with the Adjustable Bag Rider. All in all, the Adjustable Bag Rider is a well-made product machined and assembled from quality materials. My friend Sean Utley has spent a considerable amount of time using the Adjustable Bag Rider on different rifles. An accomplished long range shooter, Sean has been very impressed by both the basic design and how it actually performs. It mounts easily, adjusts smoothly, and is robustly made. Using it on the range shooting prone Sean felt it was a truly beneficial shooting aid when trying to wring the utmost of accuracy out of a rifle. If you enjoy shooting from the bench or from the prone position and are on a quest for accuracy, you may want to consider an Adjustable Bag Rider from Long Shot Precision, LLC. They are very well made and made here in the US. They work as advertised, and have been embraced by many top shooters. MSRP will vary depending upon the application but runs from about $230 to a bit over $300. If you love punching paper or ringing steel, this is a well thought out accessory you should be aware of. For more information and to see what current rifle models Adjustable Bag Riders are available for check out their website at AdjustableBagRider.com

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