In our testing, shots landed 28% closer to the bullseye with Sling Steady under the stock. Two shooters each fired 10 shots without the bag and 10 with it, with the same AR-platform rifle at 105 yards, and both landed closer to center with the bag. Muzzle rise was about 75% lower. It also helps manage recoil.
Sling Steady is a rear shooting rest bag that sits under the stock. It rides on your sling or attaches directly, so it is already in place when you settle behind the rifle. This post shows the targets, how we measured them and what each shooter got.
How the test was set up
- Shooters: two, David and DJ.
- Rifle: one AR-platform rifle, the same for both shooters and both strings.
- Distance: 105 yards.
- Shots: 10 without the bag, then 10 with Sling Steady under the stock, for each shooter.
- Targets: Birchwood Casey Big Burst, each string on its own bull, marked by hand at the target.
How we measured "closer to the bullseye"
We photographed each target and marked every hole. For each hole we measured the straight-line distance from the hole to the center of the bull, then averaged those distances for each string.
The photos were taken from different distances, so a measurement in pixels would not compare fairly. We measured in the diameter of each target's printed orange ring instead. The ring is the same size on every bull, so a distance of 0.5 means half a ring diameter on any of the photos.
That gives one number per string: the average distance from the bullseye. A smaller number means the shots landed closer to where the shooter was aiming.
The results, shooter by shooter
| Measure | Without the bag | With Sling Steady |
|---|---|---|
| David: average distance from the bullseye | 28% closer with the bag | |
| David: hits in the center X | 1 | 4 |
| DJ: average distance from the bullseye | 29% closer with the bag | |
| DJ: hits inside the inner ring | 3 | 5 |
| Both shooters: average distance from the bullseye, in ring diameters | 0.64 | 0.46 |
Across both shooters, the average distance from the bullseye fell from 0.64 to 0.46 ring diameters. That is the 28%.
The raw targets
These are the targets as they came off the frame, with the shooters' own marks.
What we did not claim
Group size is a separate measure, and we are not claiming it improved. Group size, the distance between the two widest holes, shrank 11% for DJ but grew 6% for David. What improved for both shooters is how close the shots landed to the bullseye. Results vary with the shooter, the rifle and the conditions.
Why it worked
The bag takes the weight of the butt of the rifle off your support hand, so the stock settles on something soft and still instead of on muscle. Our post on why rear support improves accuracy goes through the mechanics, and how to run the same test yourself shows how to check it on your own rifle.
Choose your bag: the Pro 9" (9" × 2.5", 9.5 oz) for bolt-action, sport and hunting rifles, or the Sport 7" (7" × 2.5", 6.3 to 6.8 oz) for AR-platform rifles. Both ship filled with SteadyFill and cost $89.99.
Related reading: Range day: bench and prone · Building a stable prone position
Sling Steady is Ready When You Are.