Long Shot Precision Adjustable Bag Rider: Tested

Most of us will occasionally need to shoot as small a group as possible. Whether we purchased a new rifle and want to see how it performs, or we just want to know if we still have “it.” Perhaps, we need to do some load development. Small groups provide us with valuable feedback. The problem with shooting small groups is that there isn’t a lot of instruction on how to do it.

I learned how to shoot from my father. He laid a solid foundation of fundamentals and wasn’t in a rush to have me shoot large centerfires. He always made sure there was plenty of .22 LR ammunition on hand because I consumed a lot of it. From him I learned about stabilizing the forend, how to look for good supports for field positions, how not to jerk the trigger and how to avoid anticipating recoil.

The next source of instruction came from various sources during my time in the military. Some of the best lessons came from the U.S. Marine Corps’ Scout-Sniper Advanced Course. This is where I received my introduction to ballistic computers — in 2006, no less — DOPE collection and the importance of supporting the rifle’s toe.

Just about anyone that’s been through sniper training is familiar with the ubiquitous “sand sock.” It’s a sock filled with either sand, rice or foam beads that’s placed under the riflestock’s toe to support the rear underneath the buttpad. Growing up I didn’t put anything back there because I didn’t know it would make a difference. Later, I would occasionally ball my fist and stuff it under the toe because I noticed it helped stabilize the reticle a little bit. Sniper school taught me that a dense but malleable sock helped my sight picture.

The next evolution came when I started accuracy ­testing rifles for gun publications. It’s important when doing that to remove as much shooter error as possible in order to give the reader an objective evaluation of how a rifle, optic or factory loaded ammunition performs. This pursuit has been an ongoing affair of trial-­and-­error because there isn’t much published research on the steps necessary to shrink group sizes as small as possible.

I recently had a breakthrough in my effort to shrink group sizes. Recently, I’ve been shooting with a new device called the Adjustable Bag Rider (ABR) made by Long Shot Precision. The ABR is a machined-steel product that attaches to the stock’s or chassis’ toe by a few methods, depending on that particular toe. I tested the ABR on an Accuracy International (AI) rifle and used the ABR that attaches to a small section of Picatinny rail included on the AI ($290). Once attached, the ABR uses a spinning thumbwheel and a threaded bolt to adjust for height by changing the distance between the ABR’s two halves. There are two stainless-steel dowels, one front and one rear, that ensure there is no wobble, even when the two halves are at the maximum distance.

The top half of the ABR consists of the mounting hardware, thumbwheel, a threaded bolt that adjusts height, and the two steel dowels that remove any unwanted movement. The bottom half is a flat steel bar that is about 5-inches long and 1-inch wide. This rides on the bag that sits under the stock’s toe.

The folks at Long Shot Precision have several different variations of the device, but mine featured the flat steel section designed for use on just about any bag. They also have an angled steel rider that works with specific bags used by bench and F-­Class shooters.

It didn’t take long to realize that I should never again accuracy ­test a rifle without using an ABR. I previously used various bags (usually filled with sand) to get a rifle oriented at a good natural point of aim, and then I squeezed the bag to fine-­tune my point of aim. This works well, but it’s one more thing to do and think about when shooting. A short lapse in concentration and it’s easy to pull a shot a half-­inch or so away from the group simply by making a small mistake while stabilizing the toe.

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What makes the ABR special is that it removes all muscular tension from stabilizing the toe and eliminates one more source of shooter error. The experience that educated me the most was my first group fired with the ABR attached. I sat at the bench and thought, “Let’s see how this thing does.” Then, I fired off a brisk five-­shot group at 100 yards. Using factory seconds from a 6.5 Creedmoor, the group measured .26 ­inch. I’ve had this rifle for many years, worn out a few barrels on it, and most of that shooting was with factory ammunition. This group was just .08-­inch larger than my personal best with factory ammunition, which was accomplished with much less effort.

Shooting small groups takes a lot of concentration while applying everything you know about shooting. The ABR is the Easy button. Anytime I can make shooting easier, I’ll do it. There is a significant difference in the effort required to shoot well with a rear bag versus with the ABR. The key is to let the ABR carry the rifle’s weight in the rear by placing it on a bag and letting it settle. Then use the thumbwheel to adjust for elevation until the crosshair is on the target.

The long 5-­inch length of the steel bar that rides the bag ensures the rifle doesn’t move off-­target, even under recoil. This is a key difference between the ABR and a monopod. Most monopods that attach to the toe are round, have a super-­small contact area with the bag or ground, and get pushed off ­target during recoil. I’ve never had much use for a mono­pod. The ABR’s length and large contact patch make it stable and keep it on target, meaning there isn’t much adjustment required between shots.

The sample I tested worked well with a few different bags, but I liked ABR’s LSP Small Bag ($50) the best. It’s the right size to fully support the weight of the ABR, while not being overly large that it interferes with the thumbwheel. For those who don’t mind taking more time to set up a shooting position, the ABR pairs well with Protektor rear bags, too. This maximizes the easy precision the ABR offers. I also used the ABR with my various bags that I normally use in field rifle matches, and it worked well with most of those. If the bag is too large, it’ll interfere with operating the thumbwheel.

There are several models of the ABR that fit just about any rifle, and there are a couple of options as well. The device can be had with standard steel dowels or with hardened steel dowels. The hardened dowels are recommended for rifles .338-­caliber and higher. Also, the threaded bolt that passes through the thumbwheel can be had with regular or coarse threads. The regular thread is what I recommend when using the ABR for accuracy testing or load development. The coarse thread would be my pick if I were going to use the ABR in an extreme long-­range (ELR) competition where the par times were long enough to allow for adjusting the device.

Consider this month’s installment of “Rifles & Glass” as “things you can do to shrink your group sizes.” It’s not often that purchasing a piece of equipment can increase the performance of a rifle, but the ABR performs a vital task that many overlook or misunderstand. The ABR is the fastest and easiest way to stabilize the rifle’s toe, and you’ll see an immediate effect on group sizes down­range.