The Shooters Connection Competition Range Bag
By Guy Neill
I've used many different range bags over the years and have talked of some of these in previous articles, but I now have what may be my last range bag. This bag was designed by Chuck Bradley at Shooter's Connection and is as good as it gets.
The bag is large enough for an Open gun, something I think is important after struggling with some that were not quite up to the task. What makes any tool useful is the details. The range bag is a tool for shooters, and Chuck, with his experience shooting, has taken care of those details.
pered side pouches, along with a shoulder strap and end pouches. A variety of colors are offered (red, blue and green), though I went with basic black.
I don't think the bag is billed as waterproof, but mine served with distinction at the Open Nationals during the rain. Saying that it rained is like saying the ocean contains a little water. However, the bag kept the contents dry and, given the torrent/deluge/flood, that was an outstanding performance.
It may seem a small thing, but the shoulder strap for this bag is the best I've used. Besides the texture to prevent it from slipping off your shoulder, it is contoured. This (and the texturing) helps keep it on your shoulder by slightly changing the way the force of the weight of the bag pulls. Straight shoulder straps will more easily turn with the weight of the bag, giving less area to support the weight. This quickly makes conventional shoulder straps uncomfortable and subject to slipping. I'll stay with the contoured shoulder strap for, like most shooters, I carry more than enough gear around at a match, so comfort and performance is important. The rings securing the shoulder strap are substantial and will not yield when the bag is heavily loaded.
The main compartment contains a lift-out "line bag" that will hold two guns. The lift-out feature allows you to take the smaller bag to the line when it is your turn to shoot, as many prefer.
Some will say that once you have your gear on you should not need to bag the gun again until the end of the day or event. That's fine for those who can, but I know some shooters with back problems who simply cannot have the weight of the gun on the belt all day. For them bagging and unbagging is necessary~ and features such as the lift-out line bag are important. It has its own handles for ease of use.
The main compartment is secured by a double zipper flap, such as that found on many other bags of this type. When open it offers easy access to the line bag, along with the rest of the main compartment, which features hook-and-loop dividers to position what you will. Some ammunition, cleaning rags, and such fit handily in this middle section.
On one end of the bag is a zippered pouch well-suited to hold even the largest timer. On the opposite end, along with a smaller zippered pouch, is an open-top pouch intended to hold a water bottle. (Better yet, the water bottle is included.) I normally keep a PACT timer in the larger end pocket and my shooting glasses in the smaller end pouch.
Water is important for your best performance, so having some with you should rank right along with having your gun. The bottle holder will fit many of the commonly available commercial bottles of water, so you are not restricted to the bottle that comes with the bag. This also means you can buy bottled water on the way to the range and swap them out easily once each one is empty. It's easy and convenient, The bag is not of revolutionary configuration, having the somewhat Big, burly, and well-laid out, the Shooters Connection Bag makes a lot of typical main compartment and zip-sense for serious shooters with lots of gear to carry. and saves interior room in the bag.
One side of the bag has a large pouch running the length of the bag. Inside are eight elastic loops to hold magazines. Many, if not most, of the bags I have used over the years have had no provision for magazines. This bag keeps the magazines in order and protected. With magazines lying loose, any grit or debris in the bag can find its way into the magazines. The Shooter's Tournament bag helps prevent this by not allowing the magazines free play in the bottom of the bag.
The other side is split with two zippered pouches to hold whatever you want. I keep a cleaning kit and lubricant in one. In the other I have a rain cover for the gun, a calculator, and other miscellaneous items.
The bag retains its shape well without being stiff. This has much to do with the quality of construction and the design. The quality of construction meets or exceeds the other good aspects of the bag. I have discovered no loose threads or unraveling of seams. Anything can be torn up, but this bag has survived normal usage through the 2001 Area 1, the Columbia Cascade Sectional, both USPSA Nationals, as well as numerous club matches.
Now, let's be clear. I have tried a lot of bags. I've written about some of them and each has had features I like. Indeed, most have been very good bags, but none have combined as many features together as this one. You may prefer some aspects of a different bag more, but you need to look at the Shooter's Tournament Bag from Shooter's Connection before making your final choice. Just as we all have our own preferences in guns and holsters, so too will we have them for choosing the range bag that best meets our needs. I'll stay with this bag.
Contact the Shooter's Connection at (800) 387-4045 for orders or (606)
362-4152 for information, or check them at www.shootersconnection.com.
Their mailing address is P. 0. Box 9, North Middletown, KY 40357 |
