Shooting Sticks

[mazo kid]

I don't even use a pivot point on some sticks. Just make a pocket on both ends (fold the leather over and stitch both sides) of a heavy piece of leather strap, insert the 3/4" dowels into the pockets, cross the legs, jab the metal spikes into the ground. You can make the dowels long and they are infinitely adjustable by varying the distance between the bases of the legs. Maybe not quite as stable as some, but works for most purposes.

 

[Capt. Fred]

Man I'll bet those are stable as heck. :thumbsup:

 

[PitchyPine]

Man I'll bet those are stable as heck. :thumbsup:

Especially when stuck in the snow. :thumbsup:

 

[mazo kid]

Man I'll bet those are stable as heck. :thumbsup:

Those are the only sticks several of us use in BPCR shooting.

 

[sproulman]

i dont have picture but we use any nice wood you can get and just make a walking stick from it.

i use those little hangers with coating on that we use to hold our stuff in tree.

i put 1 near top on walking stick and 1 below where i kneel to shoot.

you just screw them into wood on the stick.

 

[paulvallandigham]

The secret to using my mono-pod, or standing cross sticks, is to make them long enough that you can push them out from vertical towards the target. Then when you put the gun on the cross, and hold the sticks, your body forms the third leg of a triangle( in the case of a mono-pod, your two feet form the other two legs)which creates a very stable platform.

With a three-legged cross stick rest, ( a tri-pod) it stand alone, and you just put the weight of the gun on the cross and shoot. The only problem I have found with tri-pods is finding one that has adjustable legs on it, to deal with uneven ground.

That is why using a Mono-pod is so much easier, and useful. Mine, with the telescoping leg, is very easy to adjust to length as needed on a side hill or slope, where you are either placing the foot of the stick below or above you. You can easily cradle the mono-pod in the web of your fore-hand, while using your knuckles, or your fingers( or wrist) to support the fore-stock of your gun.

The further away the foot of the stick is located from your fore-hand, the more stability you achieve in your hold. Any walking stick, or mono-pod camera support can be used for these purposes.

A walking stick should be at least one foot taller than yourself, so that it can be used without leaning over when going down steep inclines. You want to maintain your center of balance and gravity over your feet, not on the stick.

 

[2172]

Paul, thanks..I've used my hiking staff as a shooting stick in the woods, and reserve the cross sticks for our range...I have two long spikes in the base, and our firing line configuration is such that I just jab the sticks in across the line, in the sod, and they remain upright even when I go to the loading bench. They work so well that I was able to work up a load for my .50 T/C at 100 yards that had escaped me in the past. Thanks for your usual helpful comments. Hank

 

[Oldnamvet]

Some nice shooting sticks and really easy to make. http://www.varmintal.com/abifu.htm

 

[Capt. Fred]

OK here's what I've come up with for sitting and kneeling. I had one 36" oak dowel so I went on down to my local Ace and got another one and some rawhide.

I'm going to contemplate some more on a standing version.

 

[PitchyPine]

:thumbsup: