Praesidia may be a relatively new name to the shooting world, but its product line is superbly designed with a good selection of bags and rests
Bags both large and small, cheek raisers, mod covers, bolt carriers and bullet pouches. Praesidia may be a fairly new name in the shooting accessory market, but they’ve certainly got a respectable product line and joining forces with Wildcat Moderators has provided that all-important route to market.
The rather oddly unnamed owner/founder of Praesidia is apparently ex-military with 25 years’ service and a history in shooting stretching back 45 years. The kit itself isn’t particularly unique in terms of concept, but the quality of materials, construction and attention to detail does make Praesidia kit stand out from the crowd. Endorsements from members of the British shooting team also don’t do any harm and add to the kudos of the kit.
What initially attracted my attention was the bullet pouch. A shooting buddy bought one and after close inspection I thought, yeah this is nice: Velcro interior panels that can be adjusted to accommodate the load in question, solid stitching and quality finishing, not to mention Praesidia’s trademark magnetic clamp that’s superbly designed, rock solid in position and effortless to detach.
This little pouch is now a permanent addition to my drag bag, holding five rounds of .22-250 and .243 on either side, so I’m good to go for foxing and deer if additional rounds are required. The excellent clasp makes another appearance on the bolt carrier which has also managed to secure a permanent position in the bag.
On the subject of bags, there’s a fair selection. There are small, medium and large bags on offer for both front and rear. With the exception of the smaller portable rear bag, they all ship empty, so you will need to fill them, but wide openings and plentiful industrial-grade Velcro means that isn’t a problem and once filled they do stay that way.
You have a few options for the filling, I went with the tried, trusted and cheap supermarket rice option, although plastic beads would work and maybe save a bit of weight. Just make sure the beads are fairly heavy – there’s nothing worse than a lightweight support bag – it kind of defeats the object.
As you’d expect, it’s double stitching all the way, with the larger bag featuring MOLLE loops and elasticated cord to help maintain the shape of the bag when heavily loaded.
The cheek raiser follows in the same vein as the other components, with a combination of heavy-duty Velco and tough fastenings securing it to the stock. There are three double-sided Velco strips on the inside to lift the comb, which could also be used to secure an insert if extra lift is required.
More Velcro MOLLE loops adorn the off-side of the raiser, so you can just rip the bullet holders from the pouch and slap them straight on the raiser if you think more rounds may be required in the field. It’s all very well thought out and it’s clear years of shooting experience has played a major role in the overall design.
Last but not least we come to the moderator cover. A heat-resistant padding combines with yet more Velco and heavy-duty fastenings to wrap around the mod and eliminate any mirage interfering with long-range accuracy. A fashion statement for some, but a very useful addition for long range precision shooters.
There’s a whole lot more on offer with a wide range of colour and camo combinations.
For more information, email josh@wildcatmoderators.co.uk
Prices:
10-round bullet pouch: £35
Rifle bolt pouch: £25
Cheek raiser: £45
Moderator covers: £45-£75
Large/medium/small bag: £25-35
Small prefilled portable rear bag: £20