im trying to get set up and start shooting in service rifle in the next year or two and need a starter coat. i know most of the answers are going to be save up and buy a good creedmoor coat, which i plan on doing but im still saving to get my upper and just need a starter coat to start practicing and going to appleseeds.

i was thinking starting with an ACU jacket, putting in the cheap foam insert elbow pads and sewing in some 1/4" felt in the pulse points. what else would you guys suggest i do to this thing to make it work or now until i can get a real coat? should i use leather instead of felt (i have buckskin and latigo)?

any help would be great, i havent found a dang thing about doing something like this using google.

I shot my first SR match in a heavy denim coat. It didn't give support but it took a lot of pressure off of my arm when I was slung up.

Then I got a really nice creedmore coat off of eBay for $90.

I think an ACU coat would work fine as a starter, even without the modifications.

When I started I used an ACU jacket.

Which is part of the reason why you want to wear a sweatshirt under even a conventional shooting jacket.