The factory-made bags were a lucky find at one of the last of the old-school gun shops.  I got them around 1995.
The homespun is from about the same time period.  A friend's wife did the sewing, while a few of us bought the materials.  She made a bunch of them, which we in turn donated to the local NRA-affiliated Club & 50-ft Indoor Range.  I got a bag for 'doing my part', as did a few others who contributed to the project.
I mainly used them to rest my dot-sighted 617 for sight-in purposes − and to shoot microscopic little groups.  
I always put at least one rag between the gun and the bags, so they didn't catch much blast.  Although they might not look it, I used them quite a few times.
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