Maybe I am over thinking things but am wondering if barrel sleds or padded front rests are more potentially accurate. I have sled available to.purchase but would have to modify my front rest with a flat top to allow sled to work.  Don't know if it would be.worth all the trouble but it does look intriguing. More gadgets to play with?
Flatlander

Not an answer to your question but I will say stay away from the nylon/synthetic bags. Everyone I have used leaks.  Seams fail...  Buy leather bags.  JMHO

Flatlander,

Because I am a member of 'The Gang that Can't Shoot Straight'.....
 
My experience.... I prefer a flat top front rest and from my experience It's way worth it.!

Many years ago when I was chasing accuracy with a off the shelf, stock (Savage 110 in 223) I played with a front rest (Bald Eagle) with a flat top. Because I recognize I am not a 'Good Shot' I wanted to see what the rifle was capable of. I played with everything from neck turning & tension to bullet jump, to powders, primers to load densities, chronographing and logging every target. Equipped with a Timney 2oz. trigger, a synthetic stock weighted to 18 pounds and a flat metal plate screwed to the forearm with and a Leupold 40X I was able to get it to shoot .3's (moa) consistently. (1/9 twist, 69 gr. Berger LTB's. bore & bullets moly coated)

When shooting I let the rifle free recoil without my shoulder touching the stock or my cheek for that matter. 

Without spending thousands  (I spent about $300.00 on the rifle plus scope and trigger) I had what I referred to as my Po-boys bench gun.  

To keep this response ASSRA 'Single Shot' compliant. I have used this same setup, sans the free recoil and weights) with a Browning Highwall and a CPA Stevens, the former in a 45-70 and the later in my 35-40 Maynard.  
The single shots are not weighted but still are set on the front rest so they can't wiggle on firing. 

FWITW
Bob


Flatlander wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2026 at 2:27pm:

So basically there is no difference other than rifle preference  and ones bench setup?
Flatlander

My problem that keeps coming up is rifle torque when on bags The rifle slightly twists when shot breaks. I'm looking for a cure. Just thinking the wide footprint of a barrel sled would help control twisting.
Flatlander

The rifle is always going to rotate around the centerline of the bore.  Newton's 3rd law.

The trick is not stoping said rotation, it's getting the rifle back into the same position before pulling the trigger again so the recoil reaction is the same and the movement of the rifle follows the same path.

My guess at the solution includes one of Jerry Vanwey's front sleds, a Randolph rest with a flat top, a rear rest that's so heavy it doesn't move when the rifle is fired, and a buttstock with a straight bottom edge so the muzzle (theoretically) doesn't change elevation during recoil.

Then all that's left is the effects of the wind, mirage, rotation of the earth, and phase of the moon.

On a good day when the conditions are stable and the first shot goes into the 24 ring or better, that setup will shoot in the mid to high 240s.   

Then I move to the next target and hope springs eternal.

A good front rest that has a wide footprint and a leather sandbag on top is my choice for the front rest. For the rear rest I have a Caldwell cordura nylon bag with leather top and ears that I filled with about eight or ten pounds of birdshot and then corncob media. The rear bag never moves even when shooting the big boys. During recoil the rifle just slides back an inch or so. My current front rest is an old hoppies metal rest with a smooth leather protector eared bag mounted to it. It works just fine. I had a old Wichita rest that was very steady but I dropped it and broke it.

So no right or wrong. It's just all in doing things consistently? Same in.equals same out.
Flatlander