Let’s be honest….accuracy off the sticks

[CBeck]

The “stolen valor“ thread got me thinking about accuracy and lies, “off the sticks”

Of course, shot placement is always important and, of course, in Africa shooting off the sticks is going to be important.

I see a lot of hunters practicing before their trips and stressing immensely over their group size. I think a lot of the nervousness and worry is because of Internet snipers.

I see a lot of gentlemen on this forum, claiming impressive feats with rifles shooting free hand or off sticks.

I practice shooting at a silhouette that has a 6 inch center cut out. On my range at the house which is about 120 yards where my tripod sticks are set up, I’m good for 8 or 9 out of 10 inside that 6 inch inch steel. The others land within 8 inches typically… 4 inches from the bull’s-eye.

Maybe I’m a horrible marksman, I don’t know, but I see a lot of guys claiming they are shooting tiny groups at 100, 200, 300 yards off the sticks.

Now the way I see it a good rifle for hunting purposes is shooting a 1.5” group or thereabouts hopefully less at 100 yards off the bench with a solid rest.

That’s 3 inches at 200 yards off a bench with a solid rest… So, my question is this how many of you are actually shooting those kinds of groups off of sticks? Let’s be honest.

 

[375Fox]

I have an inability to shoot confidently from a tripod. I just can’t get the consistent accuracy. However I have practiced to be fast with my 4 stable sticks (quad sticks). I can confidently shoot a 2” group at 100 yards and a 6” group at 300 yards and sometimes better than that.

 

[CBeck]

I have an inability to shoot confidently from a tripod. I just can’t get the consistent accuracy. However I have practiced to be fast with my 4 stable sticks (quad sticks). I can confidently shoot a 2” group at 100 yards and a 6” group at 300 yards and frequently considerably better than that.

Maybe that’s the trick…. I believe I should try a set.

So, I’m assuming they travel with you?

 

[375Fox]

Maybe that’s the trick…. I believe I should try a set.

So, I’m assuming they travel with you?

Yes, but they are becoming more common in Africa too. Accuracy is much more of a given, but you have to practice being fast with them. Raven Rocks has good prices on 4 stable sticks.

 

[MS 9x56]

I use a single leg rest for hunting and I shoot about 3” at a 100 yards so off a 3 legged sticks I am sure I could shoot at least that.

 

[PARA45]

I have the Rudolph quad sticks, and it was a game changer for me when I practiced with them. I took them to Africa in 2022 and made an incredible shot on a Nyala with my 375 H&H. I did shoot the 375 for a bit over 6 months and was very confident with my rifle and ballistics of the 375. Oh, and I did not chase any grouping, I focused on the first shot period.

I wish I knew how to post a video to show you the shot. Better yet, I'll text you the video for you to view.

 

[WAB]

This is a one hundred yard three shot group from the bench with my two seventy five using a ghost ring.

This is a one hundred yard three shot group off bog pods with my two seventy five using a ghost ring. This is probably the best I have ever shot off the sticks.

 

[Red Leg]

It has been the opposite with me. I have always found a tripod (or bipod) support very stable out to 250 yards or so. The two-point rest style are very stable, but I hate settling into them for a shot. For me at least, they are much, much slower than tripod or bipod.

 

[PARA45]

@CBeck Check your phone.

 

[JimP]

On my last hunt my PH set up the sticks at the range and told me to shoot the 200 yard plate. I shot and herd the bullet hit. I took a second shot with the same results, he said that I was good to go but asked me to try the 500 yard plate. I shot and herd the bullet hit once again.

He said anymore shots would be just wasting ammo.

If I would of been shooting paper at home off of the sticks I would have kept shooting until the groups were to my satisfaction.

But before I left for the hunt I burned through a couple hundred 22 Lr rounds and around 100 of 25-06 before I brought out my 340 Weatherby for the final 20 rounds. All this off of my Bog Pod.

 

[deewayne2003]

@CBeck

I totally understand what you are saying and every group of people will have those that over exaggerate their abilities.... Especially hunters, who are largely gregarious by nature.

People see the internet snipers post groups and feel as though they must attain that touted and often overembellished level of accuracy.

While practicing for Zimbabwe I only used the bench for sighting in my rifles and from there it was nothing but shooting standing free hand, sitting, prone and sticks.

I found that shooting off of sticks is quite accurate, especially considering my sticks were constructed from 3 small cedar trees felled and bucked by a chainsaw with rope to tie the ends together.

50yds - .470ne off sticks

100yds - .470 off sticks

 

[Lone Star Bluegrass]

I’ve noticed a zero shift using sticks based on the way the rifle is held, position of the head on the stock (cheek weld), all of which affect the way the rifle recoils and hence the point of impact.
Your mileage may vary, but if you don’t put your rifle on paper using the positions that you plan to shoot while you’re hunting you’re not entirely prepared.

 

[CBeck]

@CBeck Check your phone.

Awesome video thanks for sharing

 

[Ontario Hunter]

If the animal moves at all it can be a pain resetting quad sticks, especially on uneven ground. Within seventy yards I'm fairly accurate offhand but will drop down to sitting position if circumstances allow. I'm very stable from sitting position and confident out to 250 yards. Certainly as stable as quad sticks.

 

[CBeck]

I’m very fortunate that my office is about 50 yards from the house and on the way to the office, I keep a set of tripod sticks set up, which happens to fall exactly at 118 yards from the end of my range. Most days I shoot 10 or 15 rounds on the way to or from the office.

I think I’ll start shooting at the 3 inch rather than the 6 inch plate

Maybe it’s a matter of “aim small”

 

[PARA45]

If the animal moves at all it can be a pain resetting quad sticks, especially on uneven ground. Within seventy yards I'm fairly accurate offhand but will drop down to sitting position if circumstances allow. I'm very stable from sitting position. Certainly as stable as quad sticks.

Never had any issues, and I hunted in some uneven terrain in the Eastern Cape. I shot the Nyala from one ridge to another, and I had to readjust the sticks, but otherwise I was solid. The same with the Bushbuck, but no issues adjusting. Practice makes the difference.

 

[PARA45]

I’m very fortunate that my office is about 50 yards from the house and on the way to the office, I keep a set of tripod sticks set up, which happens to fall exactly at 118 yards from the end of my range. Most days I shoot 10 or 15 rounds on the way to or from the office.

I think I’ll start shooting at the 3 inch rather than the 6 inch plate

Maybe it’s a matter of “aim small”

Like @JimP, I shot a ton of 22LR, and I would alternate between the 22 rifle and the 375 rifle. My 22 target was set at 50 yds and use those multi color 1" stickers as a target.

 

[CBeck]

It has been the opposite with me. I have always found a tripod (or bipod) support very stable out to 250 yards or so. The two-point rest style are very stable, but I hate settling into them for a shot. For me at least, they are much, much slower than tripod or bipod.

I see this as well, which is why the last couple of years I’ve been practicing off of a tripod…

I’m pretty confident with 6 inches at 200 yards… I don’t know maybe that’s not good enough but that’s where I’m at.

I can’t seem to tighten it up much more having tried several different techniques… The one I’ve settled on is a breath in lowers the crosshairs breathe out raises the cross hairs when it gets to the level of the target pause and squeeze the trigger seems to work the best for me

I am curious what everyone does with their front hand. I’ve tried for end of the stock hand on the tripod, hand resting on top of the scope always seems like I don’t know what to do with my front hand. I think on the tripod works best for me or resting on the top of the scope.

 

[CBeck]

Like @JimP, I shot a ton of 22LR, and I would alternate between the 22 rifle and the 375 rifle. My 22 target was set at 50 yds and use those multi color 1" stickers as a target.

I’m using a scoped 17hmr

 

[375Fox]

If the animal moves at all it can be a pain resetting quad sticks, especially on uneven ground. Within seventy yards I'm fairly accurate offhand but will drop down to sitting position if circumstances allow. I'm very stable from sitting position and confident out to 250 yards. Certainly as stable as quad sticks.

You are able to pan a considerable distance with a flat front to account for any normal movement. With some practice you can learn to pivot your sticks while holding the rifle. I can follow a running animal and stop when it does. Quad sticks take practice to be fast and a different shooting style.