Practise off sticks

User00003

Well-Known Member
Ladies and Gents,

just curious if anyone has any great practise drills or techniques for improving the steadiness of their shooting sticks. I mean 2x, not monopod, bipod, tri-pod, quads, etc. ..just plain-jane garden cane, standing shooting sticks.

not that I'm bad with them, far from it, but I 'would' like to get steadier, and I feel someone now and again talk about being able to consistently shoot deer off cross-sticks to 200yds. personally, even when I practice a lot, I don't feel I have enough steadiness to comfortably pull the trigger past 75yds or so (but like very steady cross-hairs before I pull). I usually adopt a good angled footing, and lead 'into' the sticks (with them pointing slightly backward 'into' me), hand gripped around the V intersection, and rifle resting comfortably in the cross...

I'm pretty young and muscular, and shoot quite well both prone, sitting, off-hand, etc. but just can't seem to get the steadiness in my standing cross-stick technique that I think is possible..have searced in google, but struggle to find any 'best practice' tutorials.

any ideas/drills appreciated.
 
.................... hand gripped around the V intersection, and rifle resting comfortably in the cross...

Fore end touching against the sticks? If so it's not the way I do it. Hand firmly but comfortably gripping the V, (and rifle sling under thumb), fore end rested on top of hand but no contact with the sticks.

Other than that just practice makes you more confident, but I personally don't take standing shots off the sticks at more than 100m. Sitting/kneeling and I'll stretch out to 200m and maybe a bit more, but it's not often required with the woodland and field edge stalking ;) I usually do.
 
Fore end touching against the sticks? If so it's not the way I do it. Hand firmly but comfortably gripping the V, (and rifle sling under thumb), fore end rested on top of hand but no contact with the sticks.

Other than that just practice makes you more confident, but I personally don't take standing shots off the sticks at more than 100m. Sitting/kneeling and I'll stretch out to 200m and maybe a bit more, but it's not often required with the woodland and field edge stalking ;) I usually do.

No, of course, don't let rifle touch the sticks - fully aware of that. I saw a site from a South African stalker, advertising that you put your hand/wrist 'into' the V, whilst holding the rifle as if off-hand.
 
Fieldsports TV have had quite a good series on rifle shooting with Bang, bucks and bullets - go to their website.
 
Legs spread (yours as well as the sticks) rest the forend of rifle where the swivel stud sits (good sticks and you can throw the bipod away), hold the sticks where they piviot and lock your elbow and lean into them slightly.
You have now made a pyrimid and will be very steady.
As for practice get a rimmy and shoot some rabbits great practice and great fun.
Its ok to rest the fore-end but NOT the barrel think of it as a tall bipod
 
I ran a competion some years back through my stalking sight 10 people entred and the chap that won was a chap called Geoff and he had 10 shots in a 4 sheet of paper size disc. The rest came close but not as good geof his group was 5 inch. The nearest to him was a 5.5 inch group so we do need to practice and we really do need to know our limitations. Me i will take a beast out to 75 but some how after that i start to look for a differnt shooting position or stalk closer.
 
You do need to practice more.
or change your stance.
I can and do shoot head shoot rabbits consistantly to 110m's with the hmr off sticks. Also if I can kneel take foxes when on foot to 200m's with a cf.
And will be confident on roe to 150m's if needed.
 
I use a stoney point bipod but would think a simular method applies i have legs out in front,grip top of poles i can lean into them making a good solid rest, rifle then rests on forend but fairly well back just in front of action,i wont say how far i can shoot comfortably like that but its bit further than 75yds.
Neil.
 
Get a piece of thin rope with a loop on one end, and slightly longer than your sticks, and a few knots tied in the other end about 4-6" apart. Put the loop end over your sticks so it settles where they cross. Stand on the other end and push the sticks away from you to tighten the rope. If you stand with your feet squarer than normal and keep your arm holding the stick straight, you will find this to be more stable than any tripod as you can really lean into it for support. Two plastic coated garden canes from a garden centre and a length of rope - sorted!!;)
MS:)
The only thing better than this is the quad stick method - much better!:D
 
That some shooting what type of sticks do you use? I've tried the quad ones but take awaile to set up.
 
You do need to practice more.
or change your stance.
I can and do shoot head shoot rabbits consistantly to 110m's with the hmr off sticks. Also if I can kneel take foxes when on foot to 200m's with a cf.
And will be confident on roe to 150m's if needed.

That some shooting what type of sticks do you use? I've tried the quad ones but take awaile to set up.
 
That some shooting what type of sticks do you use? I've tried the quad ones but take awaile to set up.

I have a friend makes them.
And could sell him dozens but he isnt that interested.
I have 3 sets at my house now 2 are awaiting to be picked up.
Roe and Groach have them ordered cant remember whos the other pair belong.
More are getting made but hes not quick.

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My top tip for shooting off sticks is not to over aim, shoot quickly and confidently.

If you are going to shoot at paper targets off sticks then just shoot at a blank piece of A5, paper plate or buck target, if you try to shoot at a zeroing target I can gaurantee you will over aim.

I've never used the quad sticks but I will get round to trying them.

Also, take any possible opportunity to add support to the position by putting a shoulder or elbow against a tree for example.

I've never had a problem with resting the fore-end on the sticks, or on the rail of a highseat for that matter, but I would only do this with properly free floating barreled rifles. I have proved that there is no problem with doing this by shooting of my bench rest with a bit of 4x2 as a front rest. Try it for yourself.

JC
 
garden canes

i used garden canes for a year or so but i found it was awkward to try and get the height just right for the landscape i was taking the shot from. I shoot a few times a week for foxes and i invested (£30 ish) in a set of telescopic sticks, they form an adjustable tripod and offer a good stable base for shooting from. I had a good sized vixen with a shot taken off sticks on friday night at approx 210m.

rimfires are great for practising different shooting positions including sticks, cheap to feed with ammo and you can fire off 50-60 rounds without upsetting anyone with the noise.
 
practice a little at home every night,you will get better as time goes on, i lean my sticks towards me a little and lock my arm.but each to his own ,just get comfortably with your stance and it will come in time good luck///////////////////////////
 
Thanks for all the ideas! I think this weekend I will try the knotted string, turning the cross sticks into a tripod type structure. Maybe bring the .22lr out with a few hundred rounds to the 'bunny grounds' :evil:
 
get some orange clays and stick them on a bank (not barclays) shoot them with a cf or re zero your rimmy to the range you want to practice at. or even a plastic bottle laying on the ground, just keep knocking it further and further away. i have seen somewhere some "target blocks" made of self healing nylon or something, but they were not cheap.
 
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