I've used several shooting rest / bunny bag sets over the years, from Wichita's on across the spectrum. Almost every long gun I've reviewed has been shot on the Caldwell "Rock," and for the money you just can't beat it.

Several readers have written to ask "how do you get such good groups?" Well, I can tell you it is not because I purport to be a world class marksman of any sort, that isn't the case. You just need good range conditions and a steady rest to get tight groups at the bench; a castle of ratty old sandbags just doesn't cut it. The Rock, by Caldwell, a division of Battenfeld Technologies, fills the bill. It makes rewarding range work easy to achieve.

It isn't the easiest to order, however. You need the #383774 Rock Front Shooting Rest, the #263234 Deluxe Universal Front Rest Bag - Medium Varmint Filled for the front rest (it is filled with walnut shells), and the #598458 Deluxe Universal Rear Shooting Bag - Filled for the rear of your gun. This takes the place of various owl-ear and bunny-ear bags. Take my word for it, the pre-filled bags are infinitely worth it for the lousy dollar a bag it costs over the empty ones.

If you have never used a good, traditional, two-piece cradle system, you are in for a real treat. You likely won't believe how easy the "Rock" is to use, and you will likely discover that you shot better than you ever imagined. It makes every trip to the range more fun, more worthwhile, and is one of the best investments a shooter can make. The "Rock" is well made, and in terms of bargain for the buck nothing I have seen beats it. Available from Midway USA, and other dealers, it gets my highest recommendation.