Advice for shooting off sticks.

[Co1]

In prep for my kindly sponsored DSC1, I had a day on the range yesterday to get some practice of sticks. This is the first time I've spent any time shooting off stick and I was sunrise at how poor I was. Vertically I was fine, but found the crosshairs swinging from side to side across the target. Any tips or advice for getting nice and steady or thought on what I'm doing wrong to have issues on the horizontal only.

Im standing with the stick angles slightly back, feet a touch wider than shoulder width and left hand holding the forestock down into the sticks. Nice and calm and holding the out breath before pulling the trigger, but I find myself wandering across the target.

 

[jcampbellsmith]

Get a set of 4 sticks. Regards JCS

 

[McKenzie]

Quad sticks are the answer, especially for a test.

Being 6'3" I too find it hard to keep from wavering standing with twin sticks so I actually space my feet quite wide & roughly parallel to the twin sticks, effectively making my body & legs the rear half of a set of quadsticks. It looks awkward but it does give me a much steadier position. Depending on what your sticks are made of, watch out for vibrations & bounce; either put your hand under the fore end or stuff a hat or glove between the sticks & the rifle. I also prefer the sticks to be vertical or slightly leaning forward to allow you to create pressure against the sticks. I know that from my quadsticks at 100m the shot will go about 1" higher than zero because of the rocking-horse effect.

 

[-ben-]

what about a set of quad sticks a must have bit of kit for my shooting now, dont go out shooting without them. You can make them up fairly cheap.

 

[goathunter1]

Jcs - below, or maybe above - is probably correct, if not particularly helpful to a chap setting off on his qualification trail, and maybe, just maybe, not awash with cash. Who am I to say? Jcs may suggest that 4 sticks is a money saving tactic. Who am I to say?
Anyway, I think that I hold the sticks away from me at arms length, feet braced apart, if possible, and, crucially, make sure I don't touch the barrel. I say this as "left hand holding the fore stock down into the sticks" worried me. I've never been able to afford quad sticks and for quite a long time I just had one pole which worked perfectly well.
I do know of one very competent stalker who just shot them on the swing! So, I suggest, much dry training at home - curtains closed of course - will allow selection and perfection of the best technique.
May I wish you Co1 all the very best and good hunting.

 

[Co1]

Thanks for the replies guys, much appreciated. As usual this forum is a wealth of helpful people happy to pass on advice.

I think practice is the key before buying quad sticks as plenty of people use normal stick effectively. I was planning on setting up in the spare bedroom as you mention goathunter with a crack in the curtains so I can focus on something at about 100m.

 

[terrier1]

practice practice practice

 

[Tim.243]

Thanks for the replies guys, much appreciated. As usual this forum is a wealth of helpful people happy to pass on advice.

I think practice is the key before buying quad sticks as plenty of people use normal stick effectively. I was planning on setting up in the spare bedroom as you mention goathunter with a crack in the curtains so I can focus on something at about 100m.

I zero my gun off quad sticks @ 200 yards. As I use them all the time then any faults are built in to the shot.

Tim.243

 

[AN DU RU FOX]

Just look through the old threads and make your own quads ,or order a set off tony,even if they are bq or garden canes and rubber bands they are much more stable than single/doubles,also if before the day find out if you could borrow a set,and dont forget you all will be in the same boat,

 

[paul o']

lad (tim .243 ) done the whole test of sticks nailed it much to a few looks 4 way green plastic bean polls and a few bolts £12 sorted , just practice shooting off them and I think you too will find them safe and very useable, plenty of youtube vids on home made sticks or buy from one of the site guys ,your choice mty

 

[Mr. Gain]

Quad sticks are certainly steadier than twin sticks and sort out the horizontal wobble but you can also add a bit of extra stability to twins by tying a loop in each end of a 6' length of paracord, hooking one loop over the top of the sticks, putting your front foot in the other loop and pushing the sticks away from you with your forward hand. Keep it rolled up in your pocket when not needed.

Incidentally, I don't find it's best to stand parallel to the feet of the sticks, but rather to put one foot forward and the other back so as to form a 45-60 degree angle and put most of my weight on the front foot.

 

[Heym SR20]

Two ways.

Hold the foreend and place your hand in the V and hook a finger or two and then lean into them.

Or as above but relax back and let all your weight go onto your back leg in a slightly camp manner as per target shooters. The aim here is to support with bones not muscles. Difficult to describe.

Then to the shooting bit, the cross hairs move and just accept it. Use the front leg, breath in and slowly let the breath out and as the cross hair rises towards the kill zone squeeze both hands and the trigger will break almost without you knowing it. Concentrate on following through.

Try and shoot in one movement and don't try and take too precise an aim - just put a bullet into the kill zone.

Provided you can put your shots into a clay pigeon sized target you will be fine.

I have tried four sticks - too much faff for me to carry, I just use two and in the field I take a lot of shots kneeling with my bum on my right boot and left elbow (trigger hand - shoot left handed) resting on left knee. V quick to adopt and really steady. Or I lean my body against a tree or fence post.

 

[Fursty Ferret]

Just use quad sticks.....why compramise with anything else?

 

[Dogmac]

I was told to practice with an air rifle off the sticks before my level 1. Fired loads pellets, was a case of practice practice practice then move onto your centre fire.

I don't hold on the kill zone instead I line up below and rise up into the kill zone squeezing of the round as enter the kill zone .you just have to practice and find what method works best for you.

 

[Erik Hamburger]

I wonder if you have your scope set on a high magnification (x12, x15, or more?)
Some people shoot a lot better if they turn down their scope to x4 or x6 as they can't see their own wobble.

 

[Oh6]

Take a look at the following instructions on making a set of Quad Sticks:
Monkey Sticks !!

Then get out with an air rifle and practice. I wouldn't be surprised if before long you feel comfortable in shooting the 100m target off them standing.

 

[McKenzie]

In prep for my kindly sponsored DSC1, I had a day on the range yesterday to get some practice of sticks. This is the first time I've spent any time shooting off stick and I was sunrise at how poor I was. Vertically I was fine, but found the crosshairs swinging from side to side across the target. Any tips or advice for getting nice and steady or thought on what I'm doing wrong to have issues on the horizontal only.

Im standing with the stick angles slightly back, feet a touch wider than shoulder width and left hand holding the forestock down into the sticks. Nice and calm and holding the out breath before pulling the trigger, but I find myself wandering across the target.

I also meant to add to my previous comments that that I have self-imposed absolute maximum shooting distances with different sticks & positions for roe which might help with the way you're thinking about this. I would perhaps increase the distances slightly for larger deer species.

Twin sticks standing 70m
Twin sticks standing with back against tree 110m
Quadsticks standing 140m
Quadsticks standing with back against tree 160m
Twin sticks kneeling 100m
Twin sticks sitting 150m
Twin sticks sitting with back against tree 170m
Prone from good support perhaps 200m
I wouldn't shoot at a roe past 200m & in fact my longest shot is 180m, with my normal range for shooting roe being 30m-90m.

Like Heym I prefer to shoot kneeling or sitting with twin sticks (Knobloch) as I too find Quadsticks annoying to carry & use but they do give unrivalled support if shooting standing. I have several sets & my favourite pair is a modified set of Lumulus's sticks for when I do have to use them. The twin sticks collapse & can be tucked out of the way leaving your left hand free.

 

[Conure]

Am trying the remember how we were shown to use a single stick effectively by two experienced shots at the BSRC on Bisley. They had two ways of bracing the single stick one involved a strap or cord the other braced the stick by having it sloping towards the shooter. Dammit just cannot remember exactly how now but have shot of a single stick in the field.

As for this well: ...........................

Just use quad sticks.....why compramise with anything else?

Why not just carry a bench around with you after all sticks are a compromise surely?

Or radical as this may sound ............................... why not practice and learn to shoot from field positions? Wow now there is a radical thought!

 

[McKenzie]

For a single stick (or unopened twin or quad sticks) I would adopt normal freehand stance with base of stick against instep of right foot with a fist made gripping the top of the sticks & the sling & forend gripped firmly (like in the Hawkins position), perhaps with my left leg offering some steadiness to the stick. It's certainly very quick & instinctive but you need a stick/s taller than you for this to work; I find it's fine if I limit myself to shotgun ranges.

 

[Hereford]

Agree with Conure above - have often shot off a single stick with it sloping back towards me - I often shoot sitting as I find this to be very stable. For me I have found that breath control is the biggest element in holding on the target, or indeed factoring it in if you haven't had time to get you vascular system under control.

It also amazes me how many people and pictures I see of people shooting prone without hoiking the the shooting shoulder leg up to release pressure off the diaphragm - it really makes a difference