Practicing on shooting sticks

[Lancaster]

On the two PG safaris I have been; on the PH expected me to take shots out to 300 yards. They only had tripods at the lodge and I missed a cull impala at 300 so said to limit my range to 250. I was used to quad sticks and will buy a set of these Viperflex Journey for next time as they fold down do fit in any suit/rifle case https://www.viper-flex.com/product/viper-flex-styx-journey-2/

In the UK when I started woodland deerstalking 30 years ago people used a single stick and I was comfortable out to 80 yards, then came along bipod sticks, these extended us out to about 100, then tripod 150 yards but about ten years ago the quad sticks came along and I can comfortably shoot to around 250 yards now on I guess 300 on bigger PG species.

Obviously for DG with shorter distances and greater mobility needed tri or bipods would be more suitable than quad sticks

 

[Newboomer]

My PH on my last safari used the quads. I had never aeen them before but after a few shots they seemed to be more stable than a tripod I had been using, The big drawback I found was the limited horizontal movement of my rifle barrel. Plenty of vertical but I couldn't step sideways like with the tripod so setup was critical. I had to be real close to POA/POI when I set the sticks. I think with practice they would become second nature like a tripod.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Just an idea for those wanting to make their own shooting sticks.

I have made 3 sets of sticks, tripod.

First was with 3/4 inch x 6 foot dowel rods, bonded with paracord. Dull point the ground end of the legs.
The other 2 sets I cut relatively straight saplings about 3/4 inch x 6 1/2 feet and bounded them with 10 and 12 inches long, around 1/4 to 3/8 inch diameter round bungee cord.

Simple and cheap, but work very well. Archery shooters are very familiar with body form, consistent body posture, for accuracy.

Use foam pipe insulation, vegetable tan leather, duct tape, where the rifle sits to protect wood sticks from being mared when shooting.

To better stabilize the firearm vertically notch, cut back the proportionally proper amount of sticks to form an even flat saddle for the firearm to rest.

 

[40inarow]

So, there is a bit of geometry behind the best position on the sticks:

1) Obviously, the barrel of the rifle should not be resting on / contacting directly the sticks. We all know that it would interfere with the barrel vibrations and be damaging to consistent accuracy.

2) Less commonly realized is the fact that to reduce the effect of the shooter's body swaying side to side on the movements of the barrel, the forearm should rest on the sticks as forward as possible. This is simple geometry, as illustrated here under.

With the rifle resting on the sticks at the end of the forearm, the barrel movements have considerably less amplitude than the shooter's movements:

View attachment 274928
Conversely, if the rifle is rested on the sticks around its midpoint, just ahead of the action, the barrel movements have considerably more amplitude than the shooter's movements:

View attachment 274929

So, for the best results, finding a comfortable position on the sticks is indeed critical, but placing the rifle on the sticks in the right position is even more important. The nice thing is that these are not mutually exclusive. It is easy to develop a comfortable position, with the rifle in the right place

3) For best consistency shooting off the sticks, the rifle should always be rested the same way on the sticks. Everyone will find their own sweet spot, but it can help to use the front sling swivel as a reference. I personally put the front swivel just ahead of the sticks V. This also prevents it from digging in my hand with high recoil rifles (.416 and up)

4) Regarding feet positions, since the sticks limit your swaying front to back, it is important to spread your feet sideways to limit your swaying side to side.

Wrong feet position (the center of the sticks and the two feet are in line and provide no side to side stability):
View attachment 274930

Right feet position (the center of the sticks and the two feet form a triangle and provide both front to back, and side to side stability):
View attachment 274931

5) As to whether one should hold the rifle and the sticks together, this is debatable. I personally only hold the forearm, in the same place I do without the sticks. On high recoil rifles, grabbing the sticks with the rifle results in lifting the stick from the ground under recoil, and making a second quick shot very challenging

I hope this helps. Enjoy burning a few bricks of .22 LR getting it right. Confirming with a few rounds of center fire, will then be easy...

One tip on practicing is the value of dry firing. When you dry fire, you see if you are making an error like pulling the shot. In the year before our safari, my wife and I had shooting sticks and a rifle in the corner of our family room and pulled them out during commercials and dry fired at spots on the walls. There is a lot of time during commercials!
Then we would shoot live at the range off the sticks. We shot over 600 live rounds each but thousands of dry fire. And it paid off big time when we got to hunt.

 

[VertigoBE]

One tip on practicing is the value of dry firing. When you dry fire, you see if you are making an error like pulling the shot. In the year before our safari, my wife and I had shooting sticks and a rifle in the corner of our family room and pulled them out during commercials and dry fired at spots on the walls. There is a lot of time during commercials!
Then we would shoot live at the range off the sticks. We shot over 600 live rounds each but thousands of dry fire. And it paid off big time when we got to hunt.

And since in the current situation, with all gun ranges closed since six months, no choice but to dry fire practice ...

 

[Ike85123]

Another point, if you use their sticks. The cradle/saddle mighy be ruff and the recoil can scuff your rifle.
A friend of mine had a leather shop make a bracelet that covers a 3in portion to avoid the scuff. I thought that was a good idea. Bit for 250, i figured i would find something different. Here is the crazy part. I ordered a set of leather sex cuffs off amazon. They are leather, with small buckles. Inside is padding with silk lining ( very soft, becouse of intended use). Works great at the range for sticks or bench shooting ! Not to memtion they come in a pair. So i got 2 for 100 bucks. !

 

[VertigoBE]

Another point, if you use their sticks. The cradle/saddle mighy be ruff and the recoil can scuff your rifle.
A friend of mine had a leather shop make a bracelet that covers a 3in portion to avoid the scuff. I thought that was a good idea. Bit for 250, i figured i would find something different. Here is the crazy part. I ordered a set of leather sex cuffs off amazon. They are leather, with small buckles. Inside is padding with silk lining ( very soft, becouse of intended use). Works great at the range for sticks or bench shooting ! Not to memtion they come in a pair. So i got 2 for 100 bucks. !

that oddly creative solution gave me a snicker. Especially when a situation would come up where the PH asks admiringly, where you got that nice protection for the rifle from, and you answer nonchalantly "from your previous career as a Dominatrix"

 

[gesch]

So, there is a bit of geometry behind the best position on the sticks:

1) Obviously, the barrel of the rifle should not be resting on / contacting directly the sticks. We all know that it would interfere with the barrel vibrations and be damaging to consistent accuracy.

2) Less commonly realized is the fact that to reduce the effect of the shooter's body swaying side to side on the movements of the barrel, the forearm should rest on the sticks as forward as possible. This is simple geometry, as illustrated here under.

With the rifle resting on the sticks at the end of the forearm, the barrel movements have considerably less amplitude than the shooter's movements:

View attachment 274928
Conversely, if the rifle is rested on the sticks around its midpoint, just ahead of the action, the barrel movements have considerably more amplitude than the shooter's movements:

View attachment 274929

So, for the best results, finding a comfortable position on the sticks is indeed critical, but placing the rifle on the sticks in the right position is even more important. The nice thing is that these are not mutually exclusive. It is easy to develop a comfortable position, with the rifle in the right place

3) For best consistency shooting off the sticks, the rifle should always be rested the same way on the sticks. Everyone will find their own sweet spot, but it can help to use the front sling swivel as a reference. I personally put the front swivel just ahead of the sticks V. This also prevents it from digging in my hand with high recoil rifles (.416 and up)

4) Regarding feet positions, since the sticks limit your swaying front to back, it is important to spread your feet sideways to limit your swaying side to side.

Wrong feet position (the center of the sticks and the two feet are in line and provide no side to side stability):
View attachment 274930

Right feet position (the center of the sticks and the two feet form a triangle and provide both front to back, and side to side stability):
View attachment 274931

5) As to whether one should hold the rifle and the sticks together, this is debatable. I personally only hold the forearm, in the same place I do without the sticks. On high recoil rifles, grabbing the sticks with the rifle results in lifting the stick from the ground under recoil, and making a second quick shot very challenging

I hope this helps. Enjoy burning a few bricks of .22 LR getting it right. Confirming with a few rounds of center fire, will then be easy...

I missed this explanation originally. This is very helpful. Thanks. Brisnn