HornDog, defer to your bipod experience, as to sand bags, not the same as a front rest,IMHO.

I have a hunting partner who does very well on bipods at the bench however he uses what I can only describe as the waxed paper floor mats car dealers put in when servicing your car - his rational is that the rubber feet consistently recoil on that surface as opposed to bare wood. Of course he is pretty much a free-recoil shooter.

I'm taking my CZ 452 .17HMR Varmint to the range Tuesday to re-verify zeroes for an upcoming PD trip..if I shoot particularly well, might tell you/all..if you don't hear from me..it will have been the wind or...