The name of the game in long-range shooting is stability. It’s next to impossible to impact a target, for example, at 739 yards without the rifle being stable and level. This is why bipods are helpful, but also why different support bags are needed to build a stable shooting platform.
I’ve shot a lot of Three-Gun competitions where targets are set all the way out to 700 yards, and shooters are expected to know how to make impacts with a .223-caliber rifle. I’ve also shot several major two-day Precision Rifles Series (PRS) competitions, which have far more difficult positions and smaller targets to shoot at than Three-Gun. These competitions are mostly shot with bolt-action rifles chambered in much more accurate calibers. Maximum target distances depend on the competition, but targets can be set anywhere from 800 to 1,000 yards or beyond.
All that said, if you’re interested in any shooting sport with some long-range action, you’re going to need at least one (or a few) support bags to build these stable shooting platforms.
Here are five bags I recommend for long-range shooting and how to use them.
Fortune Cookie by Wiebad
The Fortune Cookie bag is designed to look just like what it’s named after, a fortune cookie. This bag serves multiple purposes as it can be used as a rear bag to support your stock or as a support bag on various props such as a tank trap tip, a tire, cement pipes or a wooden post. I consider the Fortune Cookie my go-to shooting bag if I can only use one bag or don’t want to carry multiple bags throughout the day.
I own two different fortune cookie bags, one for PRS and one for Three-Gun. The PRS bag was made with the sand fill to make it as heavy as possible, while the Three-Gun bag was filled with lightweight fill. That’s the first decision you need to make when shopping for a Fortune Cookie: what fill you need for what shooting sport.
The second decision is what size fortune cookie you need. The spectrum of size options includes a max, tater tot, mini, micro tater tot and micro mini. The size is a personal preference that can also be influenced by body size. I prefer a micro mini for a rear bag when I’m shooting prone or modified prone because the bigger bags can add too much height. The tater tot is a perfect catch-all size for shooting off just about any prop.
The final decision is whether you want rubber in the arch or not. Rubber will add more grip to the bag so that it will stick to a surface better, but it can also make it harder to move from one position to the next. Price starts at $79.99, wiebadgear.com.
Modular Pump Pillow by Wiebad
The next bag that is a must-have is a Pump Pillow for filling in space where it’s needed to build a supportive shooting position. The benefit of the modular pump pillow ($59.99, wiebadgear.com) is that you can adjust how much and what kind of fill is in the bag to give you the exact amount of support you’re looking for. One accessory you’ll need with the Pump Pillow is a Bag Bandoleer ($38.49, wiebadgear.com), a strap to “sling” the bag over your shoulder.
The best example of the use of a pump pillow is on a rooftop. In this YouTube video, I show how I rest not just the stock on the pump pillow, but also my upper torso. I essentially hug the bag to keep the filling compressed together so the stock doesn’t sink into the bag. There are other scenarios where a pump pillow is helpful to fill space, such as setting it on top of a bent knee and bracing your strong side arm on top of the pillow.
Sticky Game Changer Pint-Sized Shooting Bag by Armageddon Gear
The first shooting bag I ever bought, which has lasted me years, is the Sticky Game Changer.
What’s unique about this bag is that the sticky textile material is applied to the gusset, top and a single side. This makes it a “game changer” when shooting off any shooting prop because you can rotate or flip the bag on different sides to give you the perfect height and angle support. Just like other bags, you can choose your fill depending on how heavy you need it to be. Price starts at $129.95, armageddongear.com.
Plate Bag
A more niche bag, but one that comes in handy now and then, is a plate bag. Both Armageddon Gear and Wiebad make plate bags compatible with the GrayOps Mini Plate Pro that attaches to the bottom of an ARCA rail. A plate bag is handy for use when shooting off ladders, cattle rungs, tripods or even to move quickly on a PRS barricade without needing another bag. Both brands also offer two types of fill options. The benefit of a heavier fill with a plate bag is that the added weight on the front end of the rifle can help to reduce recoil.
Wiebad’s heavy wax canvas plate bag runs for between $59.99 to $64.99, while the Armageddon Gear Mini Plate Pro Pad is $77.95. The GrayOps Mini Plate Pro is priced at $265.
Waxed Tricorne Bag by Cole-TAC
The final bag worth mentioning is a super niche bag designed almost as a cheat code to shoot off specific props. The Tricorne Bag features three individual chambers, making it an ideal bag for the center of a tank trap or tank trap tips. Price is $128, cole-tac.com.
Like the plate bag, the Tricorne bag can attach to a Backbone Bag Frame (starts at $51, cole-tac.com) so that you can attach the bag setup to your rifle in a more permanent fashion.
If you can test different bags at a match or borrow shooting bags before purchasing any, I highly recommend it. It can be challenging to assume a specific size or fill will work for you without really seeing it in person or using it with your rifle. Just remember: a high‑quality shooting bag won’t make you a marksman overnight—but it’s one of the most effective tools for better shooting at long-range targets.
