Shooting sticks improved design

Equipment and accessories for shooting. Safes, firearm storage, bipods, carry cases, slings etc.

Shooting sticks improved design

Post by Blr243 » 30 Aug 2019, 11:05 pm

For two nights now my new design has been tops and allowed me to shoot well from twice as far ,,,previously I was useing a pair of 8 mm dowels roughly 700/800 mm long knotted together close to one end. I don’t slide the knot if I want to adjust height I just spread the legs if I want to drop the height. I use these from the sitting position. Usually in the scrub a bipod that puts the barrel about 300 mm from the ground is not going to be high enough to miss shrubbery But I’m shoooting flat stubble paddocks only no bush and the stubble is 150 /200 mm high. So what I have made is a dowell triangle from 3/ 470 mm pieces I carry the dowell on my head like a crucifix ...this sounds crazy but it works as I’m in flat paddocks with no overhanging trees. It’s tied with wire and duct tape to form 3 yokes to support my barrel. I made the triangle unequal to give me some height adjustment ... I simply place the triangle on the ground prior to the shot. My right hand is on th trigger and right elbow in the ground. My left elbow is also in the ground but my left hand tucks back towards me to support the underside of the But ( giving better height control) Bipod/ elbows and my body gives me 4 points in contact with the ground. The barrel simply does not move. When testing at 100 m on my 300 blk with a crappy scope and basic reloads I was getting 1 inch groups with this rest at 100 metres all while laying down in the dirt and prickles The whole thing works magic if u can deal with having to carry it everywhere
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Shooting sticks improved design

Post by Oldbloke » 31 Aug 2019, 7:05 am

Photo?
The greatest invention in the history of man is beer.
https://youtu.be/2v3QrUvYj-Y
Member. SFFP, Shooters Union.
SSAA, the powerful gun lobby. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Hunt safe.
User avatar
Oldbloke
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 11192
Victoria

Re: Shooting sticks improved design

Post by Blr243 » 31 Aug 2019, 11:56 am

I’m going to carry some string in my mini backpack so I can always quickly make another if I forget it or lose it in the field
Attachments
9BCD5CA5-F310-41B4-A5BB-FE9435294B34.jpeg
Bipod
9BCD5CA5-F310-41B4-A5BB-FE9435294B34.jpeg (243.1 KiB) Viewed 3970 times
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Shooting sticks improved design

Post by Blr243 » 31 Aug 2019, 12:01 pm

U know those collapsible tent poles that are held together with a strong down the middle ; when I get back home and have tools I should make a version that folds together and clips together. Then I can just tuck it in my belt.
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Shooting sticks improved design

Post by Blr243 » 31 Aug 2019, 12:23 pm

I just added a foam ring. Now I can slip the unit over my barrel before I lay down to shoot prone This will make it easier in the dark and it can’t accidentally fall forward.... swivelling left and right is easy to with this design
Attachments
19A93972-E951-48DF-9969-37F6A740A40F.jpeg
19A93972-E951-48DF-9969-37F6A740A40F.jpeg (174.61 KiB) Viewed 3964 times
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Shooting sticks improved design

Post by Blr243 » 31 Aug 2019, 12:26 pm

It’s great now that I have finally learnt how to quickly and easily compress and attach photos. All I gotta do now is shoot a cracker of a boar that’s worthy of a photo. I got three more nights to do it
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Shooting sticks improved design

Post by Oldbloke » 31 Aug 2019, 3:27 pm

OK, Not what I expected to see.
I have 2 types. Normal stix for sitting or kneeling. Just 2 bits of alloy tube off an old TV arial (wooden dowel is OK) tied together with a sliding knot and a point at the bottom. Use these all the time. Also have a folding set that fit in my shoulder bag. Also have longer ones when sitting and waiting on a small stool for long periods and a very tall set for walking when I don't think there will be an opportunity to sit or grass/scrub is waist/chest high. (rarely use them) Almost always carry a set of stix.

The other is a tripod about 10 inches tall Again just string and knots. The red tape is just so I can see them easy, but animals dont see red.

Stix.jpg
Stix.jpg (138.21 KiB) Viewed 3927 times



Stix Tripod.jpg
Stix Tripod.jpg (202.71 KiB) Viewed 3927 times
The greatest invention in the history of man is beer.
https://youtu.be/2v3QrUvYj-Y
Member. SFFP, Shooters Union.
SSAA, the powerful gun lobby. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Hunt safe.
User avatar
Oldbloke
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 11192
Victoria

Re: Shooting sticks improved design

Post by Oldbloke » 31 Aug 2019, 3:34 pm

The greatest invention in the history of man is beer.
https://youtu.be/2v3QrUvYj-Y
Member. SFFP, Shooters Union.
SSAA, the powerful gun lobby. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Hunt safe.
User avatar
Oldbloke
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 11192
Victoria

Re: Shooting sticks improved design

Post by Blr243 » 31 Aug 2019, 4:02 pm

Thanks for the links and pics old bloke. I particularly liked the triple conduit tripod. That can fold into a bundle of three and be jammed in my belt
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Shooting sticks improved design

Post by Oldbloke » 31 Aug 2019, 4:18 pm

Blr243 wrote:Thanks for the links and pics old bloke. I particularly liked the triple conduit tripod. That can fold into a bundle of three and be jammed in my belt



I thought that might suit you. Just alloy tube and string. Rubber bands are good as is tape. I have only used it to sight in but was pretty happy with it. A wood screw or nail acts as a point and helps to ensure no slippage on smooth surfaces.

There are a lot of designs out there. LOL
The greatest invention in the history of man is beer.
https://youtu.be/2v3QrUvYj-Y
Member. SFFP, Shooters Union.
SSAA, the powerful gun lobby. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Hunt safe.
User avatar
Oldbloke
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 11192
Victoria

Re: Shooting sticks improved design

Post by bigfellascott » 31 Aug 2019, 4:40 pm

I made something similar a few yrs back now, I found I had too much movement to be any good for my needs (the sticks were fine it was just me not being able to steady myself well enough) I just stick to the bipod/bonnet/tree/window shooting rest now. the joys of getting older I guess?

Image
User avatar
bigfellascott
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
 
Posts: 5289
-

Re: Shooting sticks improved design

Post by Blr243 » 31 Aug 2019, 5:00 pm

I think we need two points supported. For and aft. And the further apart the better When I lay prone I have no need for my left hand to be under the forstock because the bipod is taking care of that ....the bottom point of my butt sits in the palm of my left hand hand and and the back of my hand is in direct contact with the ground. My shooting skills have only ever been average so technique and planning means a lot to me
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Shooting sticks improved design

Post by Oldbloke » 31 Aug 2019, 5:40 pm

Blr243 wrote: My shooting skills have only ever been average so technique and planning means a lot to me


Good to hear someone being honest. Fact is, in the field (and i dont mean in a car with a rest and spot light) most rifles shoot way better than most hunters. So we need all the help we can get and limit the distsnce of the shots.

Rests and stix are gold
The greatest invention in the history of man is beer.
https://youtu.be/2v3QrUvYj-Y
Member. SFFP, Shooters Union.
SSAA, the powerful gun lobby. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Hunt safe.
User avatar
Oldbloke
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 11192
Victoria

Re: Shooting sticks improved design

Post by Blr243 » 31 Aug 2019, 6:57 pm

I remember once seeing a bloke with an open sighted lever gun at the range. He was standing there standing shooting offhand. He could have been a competitor practing for some cowboy shoot but I just got the impression he was a hunter practicing his offhand shooting. Like it or not there’s going to be times in the field that we must shoot off hand. And I thought it was good to see that somebody who walks the lignum with a 3030 actually puts in some practice before hand ......when I have been stalking the last few nights it’s easy to get the first pig out of the mob but after I jump up and try for the rest it becomes much harder. I’m going to test something tonight if I find the right situation. I’m going to keep the scope set to low power and walk up to within 10 metres and then start shooting off hand. After the first one is down they don’t just bolt they run a short distance and stop and think. It’s so much easier to swing onto them if I’m upright and they are all still under 40/metres. ,,,,,will report later
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Shooting sticks improved design

Post by Oldbloke » 31 Aug 2019, 7:14 pm

Blr243 wrote:I remember once seeing a bloke with an open sighted lever gun at the range. He was standing there standing shooting offhand. He could have been a competitor practing for some cowboy shoot but I just got the impression he was a hunter practicing his offhand shooting.


I used to do that fairly regularly using cast bullets. (long time ago) Hope to be back at it soon.
The greatest invention in the history of man is beer.
https://youtu.be/2v3QrUvYj-Y
Member. SFFP, Shooters Union.
SSAA, the powerful gun lobby. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Hunt safe.
User avatar
Oldbloke
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 11192
Victoria

Re: Shooting sticks improved design

Post by Stix » 01 Sep 2019, 12:25 am

Blr243 wrote:I think we need two points supported. For and aft. And the further apart the better When I lay prone I have no need for my left hand to be under the forstock because the bipod is taking care of that ....the bottom point of my butt sits in the palm of my left hand hand and and the back of my hand is in direct contact with the ground. My shooting skills have only ever been average so technique and planning means a lot to me

Interesting you say your hand is in contact with both butt stock & ground BLR...
Im not entirely sure if its a placebo effect or not, but im pretty sure i get better/ more consistant results if my left hand is NOT in contact with both rifle butt stock & ground ...
Either its in contact with the foundation (ground/bench/log/car bonnet/whatever) & a squeezy bag, OR in contact with butt stock & my shoulder/chest...

I havnt done intensive testing, so maybe its just an ocd thing...but im sure i see the slightest deviations of recoil through the scope right before my blink if my L hand touches both rear stock & ground & my groups open up slightly or i miss the head of bunny...

But then, im not sure if overthinking is the curse of OCD, or OCD is the curse of overthinking... :huh:
:drinks:
The man who knows everything, doesnt really know everything...he's just stopped learning...
Stix
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3675
South Australia

Re: Shooting sticks improved design

Post by Blr243 » 01 Sep 2019, 8:34 am

Stix. I don’t think it matters if sometimes we overthink. Sometimes during the course of overthinking we realise we are going too far and there’s no gain from further investigation.....But other times when we overthink we learn something new and worthwhile. I shall do some prone position practice today adjusting the hand / base of stock situation and see if I can detect anything variable. It won’t hurt I’ve got bugger all to do all day until my hunt starts again on dark
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Shooting sticks improved design

Post by Oldbloke » 02 Sep 2019, 8:24 am

Blr243 wrote:U know those collapsible tent poles that are held together with a strong down the middle ; when I get back home and have tools I should make a version that folds together and clips together. Then I can just tuck it in my belt.


Its elastic down the middle. The set i use most is like that. Long enough to use sitting and folds up & fits in my shoulder bag.
The greatest invention in the history of man is beer.
https://youtu.be/2v3QrUvYj-Y
Member. SFFP, Shooters Union.
SSAA, the powerful gun lobby. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Hunt safe.
User avatar
Oldbloke
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 11192
Victoria

Re: Shooting sticks improved design

Post by Blr243 » 03 Sep 2019, 6:29 pm

Die Judi, when I first set up my sticks on this hunting trip it was on a 300 blk Remington 700;sps tactical. It has a very thick sturdy and short barrel. For a split second I did give it some thought about barrel contact but thought it would be whipping minimal and not affecting acc at the shot ranges I’m doing. Later when I put the sticks on my blr off course it’s a very lightweight rifle designed to be carried. It’s barrel is normal length and slim so therefore going to suffer more from side pressure. It’s hard for me to attach any support on my Forendb because that big annoying sling and attachment is right there. So when I get back to bris I shall have a look at some bipods , and only the type that has legs pointing forward when folded ,,,,,, I don’t want anything interrupting my ability to sling my rifle over my shoulder. It spends a lot of time there on the long walks across the paddocks
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland


Back to top
 
Return to Shooting accessories and equipment