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Hunter Field Target "Shooting Sticks"

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woogie_man

woogie_man

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May 3, 2021
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North Dakota, United States
I have been looking more at the hunter side of things to get people into shooting, and making it a little easier for people to shoot. That had me thinking about different shooting sticks. I see MANY people using the Primos shooting sticks and some using just sticks that they have made. That got me to wondering about something different....... are you unable to have the sticks attached to the rifle?

What I was thinking was I have a large tripod that I would be able to remove a leg from.

Just trying to think of things that I already have instead of having to buy more things.
 
Your assumption is correct, bipod cannot be attached. Must fall away freely when the rifle is lifted. There is an allowance for a peg or a "barricade stop" sort of thing that keeps the gun from sliding down the yoke of the shooting sticks, but has to be in front of or behind, not both (can't have two pegs creating a lock and key sort of saddle for the shooting sticks to nestle into).

I've heard of some match directors disallowing a tripod with one leg removed, but in my opinion, a tripod with one leg removed is a BIPOD (3-1 = 2). And I've seen many use a neutered tripod (only two legs on the ground) in matches and I've personally not had any concerns about fellow shooters doing so.
 
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Correct ... NO Attached Bi-pods allowed.

Let me add this snippet .... The ONLY stable bi-pod is one that is used PERFECTLY VERTICAL, as in ANY tilt forward or back imparts Up/Down POA changes with shooter moving at all forward or backward, wind or fidgeting.

* A TRIPOD with a leg removed has 2 legs that ARE NOT under the yoke supporting rifle, but splayed outward being forward or backwards ... NOT STABLE being similar to a tilted leg bi-pod.

FYI ;)
 
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Use a set of shooting sticks with two legs. There is no benefit to a tripod with a leg removed. You will see a bunch of different brands/models to choose from at any and every match. There is no one particular brand or model that will help you pick up extra KZ’s but there are brands/models that can cause you to loose ‘em.
If you have a bottled gun select a modeL that has a yoke the bottle will fit down into. If you have a conventional air tube or are shooting a spring gun most any yoke will do but you don’t want the forestock to be able to “wobble” side to side causing you to unknowingly and unintentionally cant the gun.
 
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Motorhead said:
Correct ... NO Attached Bi-pods allowed.

Let me add this snippet .... The ONLY stable bi-pod is one that is used PERFECTLY VERTICAL, as in ANY tilt forward or back imparts Up/Down POA changes with shooter moving at all forward or backward, wind or fidgeting.

* A TRIPOD with a leg removed has 2 legs that ARE NOT under the yoke supporting rifle, but splayed outward being forward or backwards ... NOT STABLE being similar to a tilted leg bi-pod.

FYI ;)
Click to expand...

Wait... I get what you are saying about your bipod being canted forward or back. But if you use a tripod as a bipod you pull the 2 legs on the ground up vertical. The gun sits in the saddle and the 2 legs on the ground are plumb underneath it. The cripple just sticks out in front unextended (or removed).

Am I missing what you are saying?

I use a camera tripod with a home made yoke instead of the camera gimball. I've used it as a bipod too by just leaving one leg unextended. I can't see a difference in that and a proper shooting bipod. If your over those two legs and they are plumb then what's the diff?
 
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Can't see many folks using the center grip and the yoke on such a tilted angle of a 2 leg ( 1 removed ) tripod and do so every shot ....
Theoretically yea kinda .. in use very unlikely.

Remember a circle is 360* and bipod is 180* opposed for each leg with yoke directly above it in vertical alignment, where a tripod is 120* X3, so having / getting close to a true 180* leg splay off the yoke is a very tilted and awkward handle and even then the intersect or yoke saddle to legs will never be in vertical alignment.

I hear was your saying & it's not not correct and no degree of arguing is going to change the angles to align correctly.
 
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Motorhead said:
Can't see many folks using the center grip and the yoke on such a tilted angle of a 2 leg ( 1 removed ) tripod and do so every shot ....
Theoretically yea kinda .. in use very unlikely.
Click to expand...

Mine does not have a grip to tilt. It's just a shallow yoke and I grab that and the forend with my offhand. The intersection of the legs is in my palm.

I understand if the yoke stuck up high from the intersection of the legs and had a grip under it that it would get offset and goofy. You would have a "dog leg" in your continuity to the ground and the grip would be at a back angle.

The camera tripod works for me. I've got several from the thrift store for $5 each. I have one under the chrono, one under the spotting scope and 3 with yokes for shooting.

I've considered getting a shooting bipod but the low budget home made stuff from the thrift store is working fantastic and it plays well with the minimalist vibe I have going.
 
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Bedrock Bob said:
Mine does not have a grip to tilt. It's just a shallow yoke and I grab that and the forend with my offhand. The intersection of the legs is in my palm.

I understand if the yoke stuck up high from the intersection of the legs and had a grip under it that it would get offset and goofy. You would have a "dog leg" in your continuity to the ground and the grip would be at a back angle.

The camera tripod works for me. I've got several I got from the thrift store for $5 each. I have one under the chrono, one under the spotting scope and 3 with yokes for shooting.

I've considered getting a shooting bipod but the low budget home made stuff from the thrift store is working fantastic and it plays well with the minimalist vibe I have going.
Click to expand...
My intent to educate was NOT to critique what one may have or use .... do what works for you & learn as you shoot to see if you care to whats more suited to the task. As you were ;)
 
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Motorhead said:
My intent to educate was NOT to critique what one may have or use .... do what works for you & learn as you shoot to see if you care to whats more suited to the task. As you were ;)
Click to expand...

I'm picking your brain for knowledge. I couldn't figure out why a tripod couldn't be tilted back and wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something you were laying down.

You were visualizing a design I'd never seen with a grip under the yoke. Your logic makes perfect sense in that case. It would indeed be offset. I was visualizing my ghetto gear made from a block of wood and gorilla tape and couldn't make sense of it because the yoke is directly on top of legs when you tilt it back.

Thank you for your explanation. You are an awesome source of knowledge and experience.
 
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I've tried leaning a tripod back using the two other legs and have taken off the front leg. Nah, to me it doesn't feel right in the fore or aft balance. But what does help is the weight and stability of a heavier duty tripod used as a bipod, so it's a catch22 scenario. I tend to agree with Motorhead as to the downsides of this approach.

I like the easy up and down adjust of the Trigger Stick bipod but these are on the flimsy side of things. The 1st gen were trash with those heads flopping from one side to the other, so were their tripods, and the legs would slip inside the tubes and on the ground. People modded them which fixes some of the problems. I haven't tried the G3 version yet so can't comment on them. Originally I felt like I way over paid for such a poor product so I wasn't about to try the other Gens.

Then I bought the Vanguard Scout bipod that I've used for 6 years or so. It's pretty steady and not too flimsy but it sucks having to adjust the legs during a match. The clasp style leg locks are too stiff to actuate easily on mine. I'd also need to pay attention that the yoke wasn't loosening from the base. Basically I wasn't the happiest with it either.

I searched in 2022 for a better shooting sticks type bipod with no luck, then last year and nothing stood out so I seriously considered buying two heavy duty monopods and having a machinist make them into a custom bipod and I had some great ideas to implement but no need to now.

Why the search or desire for a better bipod?? It's that every year which goes by my wobble zone increases otherwise I wouldn't care so much. Compared to say 5 years ago I feel like it's getting almost unacceptable. It's like my body has a slight tremer these days or.....

Then last month I searched again and whattayuhknow I finally found bipod shooting sticks "Nirvana"!
https://rekongear.com/rekon-outdoor-gear-cfs-1-carbon-fiber-shooting-sticks/

It's way easier to adjust legs than the Vanguard but of course especially easier using the center column, it's heavier duty by a huge margin, has metal spikes that dig into the ground rather than slipping like the other, a aluminum transition section, and carbon fiber legs with well made easy to actuate leg adjusters.
I like it MUCH more so than anything else I've tried and if it's calm-ish out(wind isn't buffeting me around) the wobble in my sight picture through the scope is noticeably less than before, not hugely by any means, but improvement nevertheless.

There you go and Merry Christmas.
 
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Motorhead said:
Correct ... NO Attached Bi-pods allowed.

Let me add this snippet .... The ONLY stable bi-pod is one that is used PERFECTLY VERTICAL, as in ANY tilt forward or back imparts Up/Down POA changes with shooter moving at all forward or backward, wind or fidgeting.

* A TRIPOD with a leg removed has 2 legs that ARE NOT under the yoke supporting rifle, but splayed outward being forward or backwards ... NOT STABLE being similar to a tilted leg bi-pod.

FYI ;)
Click to expand...
Thanks for this. I would have never thought about this changing anything. I have used mine vertically because I am afraid of them falling otherwise, but now I know not to change that.
 
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Motorhead said:
Correct ... NO Attached Bi-pods allowed.

Let me add this snippet .... The ONLY stable bi-pod is one that is used PERFECTLY VERTICAL, as in ANY tilt forward or back imparts Up/Down POA changes with shooter moving at all forward or backward, wind or fidgeting.

* A TRIPOD with a leg removed has 2 legs that ARE NOT under the yoke supporting rifle, but splayed outward being forward or backwards ... NOT STABLE being similar to a tilted leg bi-pod.

FYI ;)
Click to expand...
Ok, ya got my screws turning. Thinking of an attached bipod. Almost always greater stability is achieved with the legs tilted out and forward. I’m thinking that the same thing would hold true in HFT, although not mechanically attached to gun. Thinking also the greater the base the more stability achieved….. dunno…. But until I kicked the legs forward I wobbled like a weeble and couldn’t hold POA. 🤷‍♂️
 
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cavedweller said:
Ok, ya got my screws turning. Thinking of an attached bipod. Almost always greater stability is achieved with the legs tilted out and forward. I’m thinking that the same thing would hold true in HFT, although not mechanically attached to gun. Thinking also the greater the base the more stability achieved….. dunno…. But until I kicked the legs forward I wobbled like a weeble and couldn’t hold POA. 🤷‍♂️
Click to expand...

Repetition and consistency are powerful influencers towards high scores. My bipod legs are pointed forward. And it sure might influence the poa, but my bipod legs are always pointed forward, for practice, dope gathering, and during matches. So it's gonna influence the same way in a match that it does during my dope gathering and practice sessions.
 
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Legs leaned outward ( Forward ) leverages the tension of rifle to bias rearward pressure to shooters shoulder, and it very well may seen more stable SO LONG AS ... SHOOTER CAN REMAIN MOTIONLESS :rolleyes:
But that's it, As if there is ANY motion forward or backward once on target .. POI is going HIGH or going LOW. * Lower POI if your shoulder moves backward, Higher if your shoulder moves forward.

If your needing to do this to get stable .... Your not really in a stable position from the onset and "CRUTCHING" the bipods lean to help this weak hold positioning. It might work in ideal conditions, but IS NOT IDEAL by any stretch if you weigh the costs of doing so.

Don't shoot the messenger here guys .... physics of the practice are clearly obvious.
 
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shooting hunter piston requires separating the gun from the bipod for cocking and reloading. In doing so there is nothing to hold the bipod upright. Rotating the bipod to rest against the knee means having to reposition it for the next shot. My solution is to use a tripod with one short leg. When lifting to gun to cock/load the tripod is tipped and the short leg supports it until ready for the next shot. Uj
 
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steve123 said:
I've tried leaning a tripod back using the two other legs and have taken off the front leg. Nah, to me it doesn't feel right in the fore or aft balance. But what does help is the weight and stability of a heavier duty tripod used as a bipod, so it's a catch22 scenario. I tend to agree with Motorhead as to the downsides of this approach.

I like the easy up and down adjust of the Trigger Stick bipod but these are on the flimsy side of things. The 1st gen were trash with those heads flopping from one side to the other, so were their tripods, and the legs would slip inside the tubes and on the ground. People modded them which fixes some of the problems. I haven't tried the G3 version yet so can't comment on them. Originally I felt like I way over paid for such a poor product so I wasn't about to try the other Gens.

Then I bought the Vanguard Scout bipod that I've used for 6 years or so. It's pretty steady and not too flimsy but it sucks having to adjust the legs during a match. The clasp style leg locks are too stiff to actuate easily on mine. I'd also need to pay attention that the yoke wasn't loosening from the base. Basically I wasn't the happiest with it either.

I searched in 2022 for a better shooting sticks type bipod with no luck, then last year and nothing stood out so I seriously considered buying two heavy duty monopods and having a machinist make them into a custom bipod and I had some great ideas to implement but no need to now.

Why the search or desire for a better bipod?? It's that every year which goes by my wobble zone increases otherwise I wouldn't care so much. Compared to say 5 years ago I feel like it's getting almost unacceptable. It's like my body has a slight tremer these days or.....

Then last month I searched again and whattayuhknow I finally found bipod shooting sticks "Nirvana"!
https://rekongear.com/rekon-outdoor-gear-cfs-1-carbon-fiber-shooting-sticks/

It's way easier to adjust legs than the Vanguard but of course especially easier using the center column, it's heavier duty by a huge margin, has metal spikes that dig into the ground rather than slipping like the other, a aluminum transition section, and carbon fiber legs with well made easy to actuate leg adjusters.
I like it MUCH more so than anything else I've tried and if it's calm-ish out(wind isn't buffeting me around) the wobble in my sight picture through the scope is noticeably less than before, not hugely by any means, but improvement nevertheless.

There you go and Merry Christmas.
Click to expand...
Looks good. Thanks for the tip.
 
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