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Shooting Mat/Bag Recomendations

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 12:57 pm
by poll007
I have been looking at getting a shooting mat to add to mt kit.

I have been trying to find a range mat that doubles as a rifle bag similar to the Allen rifle mat/case linked below

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Allen-Ruger-Ta ... B01N5OBSWF

Does anyone know of where i can find one, or a similar mat/bag in the UK?

Failing that i have been looking at normal mat options, has anyone ordered a mat (or anything else) from Cole-Tac's Europe site?

thankssign in advance

Re: Shooting Mat/Bag Recomendations

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 4:58 am
by shoppe
Hi

I think you would be much better getting a separate shooting mat.

All my rifle bags have the little odds and ends for that rifle in the pockets so it would not be good to start lying on them.

I would think the padding on a combined bag / mat would eventually get squashed and not give the protection ( of the rifle ) you want.

Also sand, earth etc would get inside the bag .

Far better to get a shooting mat

Cheers
Shoppe

Re: Shooting Mat/Bag Recomendations

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 7:41 am
by Blackstuff
They aren't ITAR items so you should be able to order one from the likes of Optics Planet or Cheaper Than Dirt in the US. You'd have to factor in the import duty/parcel farce 'release charge' into the costs to see if it was still worth it though

Re: Shooting Mat/Bag Recomendations

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 9:17 am
by 20series
Hi personally I swear by the AIM range of drag bags and mats.

I have four of their bags in various sizes and a mat.

Cheers
Alan

Re: Shooting Mat/Bag Recomendations

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 12:11 pm
by TattooedGun
Again, I would suggest against a rifle bag that doubles as a mat.

When you're shooting and there's a sudden downpour, you don't want a pool inside the place you're going to be storing your rifle.

Aim drag bag and mat for me, too.

Re: Shooting Mat/Bag Recomendations

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 12:43 pm
by poll007
shoppe wrote:Hi

I think you would be much better getting a separate shooting mat.

All my rifle bags have the little odds and ends for that rifle in the pockets so it would not be good to start lying on them.

I would think the padding on a combined bag / mat would eventually get squashed and not give the protection ( of the rifle ) you want.

Also sand, earth etc would get inside the bag .

Far better to get a shooting mat

Cheers
Shoppe
I already have a separate tool bag for most of my shooting bits at the range.

The main reason for trying to combine the 2 is space and carrying capacity( I've thankfully upgraded from having to use a motorcycle for all my shooting to a tiny car-but once it has my current kit (and club equipment i help with) space is very much at a premium (i feel bad for the students i take that have to sit with equipment on their lap lol )

Re: Shooting Mat/Bag Recomendations

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 3:37 pm
by TattooedGun
poll007 wrote:
shoppe wrote:Hi

I think you would be much better getting a separate shooting mat.

All my rifle bags have the little odds and ends for that rifle in the pockets so it would not be good to start lying on them.

I would think the padding on a combined bag / mat would eventually get squashed and not give the protection ( of the rifle ) you want.

Also sand, earth etc would get inside the bag .

Far better to get a shooting mat

Cheers
Shoppe
I already have a separate tool bag for most of my shooting bits at the range.

The main reason for trying to combine the 2 is space and carrying capacity( I've thankfully upgraded from having to use a motorcycle for all my shooting to a tiny car-but once it has my current kit (and club equipment i help with) space is very much at a premium (i feel bad for the students i take that have to sit with equipment on their lap lol )
As someone whose used a shooting mat/bag combined and had it rain on them, it's worth the tiny amount of extra space just to save the surface rust that can appear by the time you drive home with a wet gun in a wet bag after a 2 hour car journey...!

If they don't wanna get squashed up they should learn to drive! lol

Re: Shooting Mat/Bag Recomendations

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 5:54 pm
by shoppe
aim bags and mat for me too.

Re: Shooting Mat/Bag Recomendations

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 7:54 pm
by Ovenpaa
I have an Arktis however I always take an old concertina army bed/mat style thing, no idea which army it came from and I have never seen one since, however it is compact, waterproof and insulated and I just wish I could find another, just in case...

Re: Shooting Mat/Bag Recomendations

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 8:44 am
by Tithras
As someone else said, I wouldn't go for a single item. Once you have finished shooting you want to take your gun and put it straight in a dry bag not a potentially wet bag if both sides of your mat are wet also consider the amount of stuff that you take as well!

Bag: https://www.aim-fieldsports.com/shop/aim-50-dragbag/
Mat: https://www.aim-fieldsports.com/shop/ra ... oting-mat/

They are expensive yes but so is your gun (I can recommend both btw!)

P