What do you some of you who shoot off a ransom rest use as fill. I was using sand but was thinking of using lead shoot. My bags get dust all over and seem to deflect/squish rather easily.

Try some polystyrene (sp?) pellets - the ones you find in "Beanie Babies".  I made a ransom rest and filled it with this stuff.  It does not compact - but does conform to a shape that is suitable for using as a rest (as long as you don't over fill the bag).  The best thing about it is that the stuff is relatively light, and because they are individual beads, they don't retain water as much as a medium such as sand will.  You can get large bags of the stuff at craft stores (that's where I got mine from) and it isn't all that expensive.  Hope this helps out.  Good shootin...

hsld.

Don’t know if this will work for you, but I’ve been making “sandbags” by using a “Noodle” from Wal-Mart (its the long colored foam thingy that kids play with at the swimming pool).  

I cut it into sugar cube sized cubes and stuff it into a cut off pants leg tied with string.  Granted, this is probably too large for your purpose.

It’s very lightweight and - since a Noodle is designed to float in water - it is totally water repellant.  However, while not especially springy, it may not be quite as solid as you need.

Just an idea.

Walnut tumbling media.

i use the finest sand God ever made..., i got a 5 gal. buckett full of sand from the "The Great Sand Dunes" just west of Yuma Az., made several bags using canvas cloth & filled my leather bags, that sand is the greatest !!!

Heavy Bag Sand from Sinclair.  Black, fine grain and sorta sparkles.  Add it with a long-neck powder funnel.  Always keep a 15 pound box for topping-off bags and rests.

Others have used corncob or walnut tumbling media, or uncooked rice.  I have paving sand in mine.  "Sandbox" play sand is too smooth to stay in place.  

I made my own sandbags out of a pair of old Dockers cotton slacks.  Cut the legs into 1' or so lengths and sew up the ends... this gives you a good variety of sizes.   A pair of jeans is another good material.  The bags are heavy but this is desirable when in actual use.  They tend to stay put.