I have a pile of sighting in and load development to do in the near future and have been thinking about my rest setup, which is currently a fairly cheap shooting bag set with a v-style front bag. I fully understand that getting to be and staying a good shooter requires realistic practice, not strapping the gun into a machine and pulling the trigger with a hydraulic remote. I'm looking to eliminate variables and make my trips to the range as efficient as possible.
I'm not opposed to a recoil reducing rest, like a lead sled or MTM Shoulder-gard, for the heavier kicking loads and muzzleloader and do not plan to rely on it to sight in and practice, just for load development. I know there are those who think they are the primary thing wrong with our country and will immediately turn you into a vegan sissy who writes in Michelle Obama for POTUS, but I'm after efficiency, not loose fillings.
I'd also be curious as to what you guys think of and use for elevating front rests or really good sets of bags/pads. I don't need a $500+ benchrest setup, but I'm not opposed to spending $75 on a set of bags that I'll pass on to my kids. Suggestions?