Shooting Mat Question

[Justsomedude]

Ive read Shooting Mat threads about people shooting off of blankets, yoga mats, sleeping bag pads etc....

I know the Carpet Remnant 4'x7' reccomendation.

I have a 24"x77" Thermarest Ridgecrest Solar pad (Green one side and Silver on the other.  http://cascadedesigns.com/therm-a-rest/mattresses/camp-and-comfort/ridge-rest-solar/product

Is the 4' reccomendation to give you more 'wiggle room'?
Be able to reindex your body without having to move your mat?
I'll end up with a Midway Mat but I'm pretty sure my wife will kick me out of the house if UPS stops at my house again in the near future

Thanks

[dronning]

4'x7'  wow that's huge! Even the mat I bought from Creedmore Sports for high power shooters is only 29"x68" and is more than enough space.

You should be just fine!

Dave

[Barbie]

That is a biggin'!  If it's relatively lightweight, keeps most of me out of the mud on those rainy days, and doesn't let me slip around, I'd say it's a good mat.  The midway mats work well, I've used 'em in the past, and roll up/clean off easy. 

Just order some flowers to be delivered when your mat is due to be shipped to avoid getting kicked outta the house 

[2 clicks low]

The pad should work if not too soft. Put it on the floor and get slung up in prone, shift around a bit. Is it easy to do, not sinking in? Good it will work.

If you are sinking in and it's less than easy to shift, find a hunk of carpet. No it dosen't have to be 4x7. Lets call that the max. The small midway mat is 5 1/2 x 2 and is pleanty big so use that as a carpet guidline.

As to re-indexing, you will do that 2 or 3 times until you find & remember your best index. After that you will drop the mat just where you need it every time. Just like NPOA, once you find it & trust it, it is always there.

[The Wolfhound]

Since your feet spread out in proper prone position the greater width helps keep you on the mat.  Carpet would be better than the thermarest, IMO as it is less likely to shift.  The inflatables make poor choices.  Be sure you keep your elbows covered,  my Midway mat ate the flesh off mine at my first Appleseed.  Elbow pads are a good thing either in a jacket or separate.

[Justsomedude]

I'll see if I can sneak in a purchase before my AS.
This Thermarest isn't an inflatable.
Kind of a corrugated texture rollup mat.

I'm going to take it out into the yard and see how it does.
Works in my living room.
And I am going to bring some light elbow pads just in case too.
I have the thin McDavid Pads

[GEmanuel]

+1 with Wolfhound, my Midway mat has some very nice anti slip material in all of the right places, but, it also has some bloody spots as I tried shooting with just a tee shirt. Have I done it again? NO!

[grunt soldier]

the midway is a killer mat and if you get it on sale you can't beat the price. for my first couple seeds I used 2 of the cheap camping mats from walmart.  the blue ones for like 8 bucks.  2 of them together makes a decent set up for 16 dollars.

[dart67eb]

The big Midway mat goes on sale for $30 right before Christmas.  Get on their mailing list.

[grunt soldier]

The big Midway mat goes on sale for $30 right before Christmas.  Get on their mailing list.

I agree.  I bought 3 of these this year.  it was a amazing deal.

[Justsomedude]

Just a heads up for those that are looking for Mats...
The are some nice looking Mats on eBay that are wide at the top and then narrow past your elbows.

They are 48" at the front with nice pockets etc but then they are only 20" wide!
Does ANY ONE keep their Knees that close together?
24" is minimum for me and that is if I keep my Strongside leg straight

[passinthru]

Yeah, I bought 2 of the large Midway mats, but they NAILED me on the shipping.

[.PPTRanger]

I picked up one of the small Midway mats before my second Appleseed, and generally, I liked it. Thing is, when I started using my AR15 with an A2 stock and rifle-length handguards, my body geometry forced me into such an extreme index, that no matter what I did... I always ended up in the dirt, somewhere.

The mat just became a place to lay the rifle down someplace clean. With a shooting jacket on, I just don't mind that dirt that much.

Now, on a concrete line? I wish I bought the LARGE Midway mat! I may be young, but concrete is age-blind!

[Edheler]

I have seen, and used the Midway shooting mats and have to give them a thumbs up! I have a Competitive Edge Dynamics shooting mat, which is awesome, but expensive in comparison at todays prices. (I got mine for about $50 almost 4 years ago.) If you're looking for something which can double as a sleeping pad get the CED, it is very comfy!

[Two Wolves]

I like a shipping blanket on top of a piece of carpet. If it's muddy then no carpet. I put the shipping blanket on top of a small tarp. If a shooting mat is real comfortable then it's probably squishy. You can't get a rock solid foundation on a squishy mat. ~ Two Wolves

[shane]

I ordered 2 yards of 1000 denier cordura waterproof fabric shipped for 20.00 bucks. The fabric is 60" wide and 6 foot long so I plan to fold it so it is 30" wide by 6 foot long. Picked up the EVA closed cell foam sheets from hobby lobby, 1/16th thick layered to 1/8th, to use for the elbow and knee pads. Using contact cement to glue everything together with the dull side of the fabric facing each other.

Total price is 30 bucks and is made from the the same materials as the TAB GEAR POLLACK MAT. Even folds up the same into a nice small packable package.

[AFTERMATH]

Don't get too hung up on a shooting mat - I don't believe I've ever used one.(for shooting)
It's a convenience item and just about anything will work.
To tell you the truth, most people use nothing more than a tarp, but they do get slippery when wet.
That thermarest pad sounds pretty fancy - I personally wouldn't risk wrecking one up for shooting.
Along them lines, I believe Walmart sells a foam 'sleeping pad' for like $5 - Stick some wire tent stakes through the corners and you've got yourself the Buick of shooting mats.

[Barbie]

I picked up one of the small Midway mats before my second Appleseed, and generally, I liked it. Thing is, when I started using my AR15 with an A2 stock and rifle-length handguards, my body geometry forced me into such an extreme index, that no matter what I did... I always ended up in the dirt, somewhere.

The mat just became a place to lay the rifle down someplace clean. With a shooting jacket on, I just don't mind that dirt that much.

Now, on a concrete line? I wish I bought the LARGE Midway mat! I may be young, but concrete is age-blind!

I was at Garden Ridge today and picked up a small area rug. (That can be tossed in the washing machine, so easy cleaning).  It's 1/4" thick, light, and the back is a rubbery type of material, so if you toss it on damp ground, you won't get anything seeping through.  It folds up small enough that I can strap it to the top of my range bag.  I'm 5'8" & it's long/wide enough to keep most of me on it... a nice convienence, although not necessary... but also better than investing a bunch of money into an expensive mat.  Works just fine! (Only $20)

[Justsomedude]

I caved....
Ordered the Large Midway mat.
$62 with shipping which seems very reasonable

[2-Fat]

I used a $3 4x8 plastic tarp under my $7 2x7 yoga mat from Wal-Mart.  The tarp caught all the brass as it was ejected, making cleanup at the end of the day easy, just pick up the tarp and fold it in half to dump all the brass in the trash.  I'd like to have a nice mat from Midway or someplace, but other than at an Appleseed, I'm not shooting from prone very often.  At home dry firing, I just pick a spot on the carpet.

[Charles McKinley]

I just picked this up at Walmart today. $20

78"x36" and about 1/4" thick. It may get too hot as it is all black.  I have only tried it on the kitchen floor but seems like it will work well.

I will give a full report after I put it through its paces.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Gold-s-Gym-Rolled-Equipment-Mat/11089967

[Justsomedude]

My Midway mat came in.
NICE.

The non skid surface doesnt seem like it will get irritating.
It isn't Black so it won't get too hot.
Just the right size for me.
Rolls up Round (I don't like the large square folding mats).
Has a little pocket for notebook etc...

[Justsomedude]

I spent about an hour on the mat today.
Definitely need sleeves or elbow pads if you want to shoot 2 days in a row.

Also need to have Stakes on hand.
It was windy...

[Justsomedude]

After a two day (first AS) shoot, I highly recommend the large Midway Mat.
A smaller one would have been a nuisance for me.

We were on concrete and the padding was just right.

QUESTION
I was finding a 'sweet spot' on the front edge of the padding for my support elbow.
It gave the same kind of support you want in the Seated position.
Any one here use that?

Going to experiment more...had to much else to think about during the AS.

[Hartley]

Reference elbow pads - sleeves aren't enough, especially if you're using carpet 'cuz yer cheap (like me)..

I found elbow pads (called "elbow supports") at Wal-Mart for under $10 - basically a piece of neoprene with velcro-tipped extensions - the outside is solid, the inside is two straps above & below, so it doesn't bind.  They were in the "pharmacy" section, not sporting goods (they have an elbow pad there for $20, but it's overkill - something for football players).

[Jesse]

3' wide anti-fatigue matting is available by the foot at Lowes Hardware.  It's what I used Saturday.

[Charles McKinley]

I really like the mat I got at Walmart that I posted above.  If you check that it is at your local store your can walk in and get it for $19.77+tax.

Ti is wide enogh to keep you leg on when pulled all the way up in prone.  Thin=sk enough to throw over my gravel driveway but thin enough not to be too squishy.

[Yuppiejr]

The man speaks the truth...   and he does drop right down to prone/sitting even on the rain soaked ground when it's hovering in the mid 30's to make his point.  I started shooting on a Midway Competition mat but after watching both Aftermath and Russellmn hit the dirt during their teaching exercises I felt the need to man-up, give it a try and am glad I did...

In addition to being gentler on the elbows (assuming you are shooting on turf or sand versus rock/gravel) I found lying directly on the ground helped me settle-in and felt more stable than the mat in prone.  My highest score of the weekend on an AQT was a 222 that I shot Sunday afternoon right in the dirt and sand.  I'll keep the shooting mat around for ranges with concrete pads but I am sold on the mat-free experience when it makes sense. 

It might not be right for everyone but it's worth trying if you haven't, I know I was pleasantly surprised with the feel and numerical result having given it a go.  I am trying to evaluate and reduce the equipment I used during my first Appleseed shoot and whittle it down to items I'm likely to have in a pack while hunting in the field and a shooting mat didn't make the list (though a rain poncho or small wool/poly blanket treated with a waterproofing agent might).

Don't get too hung up on a shooting mat - I don't believe I've ever used one.(for shooting)
It's a convenience item and just about anything will work.
To tell you the truth, most people use nothing more than a tarp, but they do get slippery when wet.
That thermarest pad sounds pretty fancy - I personally wouldn't risk wrecking one up for shooting.
Along them lines, I believe Walmart sells a foam 'sleeping pad' for like $5 - Stick some wire tent stakes through the corners and you've got yourself the Buick of shooting mats.

[Justsomedude]

The ground is great as long as it isn't Gravel....
My local range is large gravel with several thousand rounds of spent casings mixed in.
My left knee tends to hang off the mat and I was wearing shorts (oops).
It was a good lesson in ignoring pain while you focus on your sights

About Elbow pads...
McDavid pads are a thin Lycra material with lots of small diamond shaped pads.
Not bulky, not hot.
Worth $20 to me but I already had mine. I am a martial arts teacher and spend several hours a week wearing them.

[mal]

Earth, for me, is the best mat.  I tend to not use a mat at all unless i'm trying to keep out of the mud or snow.

In retrospect I'd honestly invest in one of Fred's (or other) shooting jackets before i'd pick up a mat.  By the time you need a mat to keep out of the snow they'll be on sale for Christmas at midway :-)