Let’s be honest….accuracy off the sticks

[ftrovato]

I consider myself a pretty decent rifle shot.
Most of my practice is from a prone position with a bi-pod on the rifle. I have placed 5 shots into a 4 inch area on a gong at 750 yards. (prone with a bi-pod)
I'm not bad on the sticks. Giraffe, down to Bushbuck etc, etc all taken out to 300 yards with various rifles and calibers. No issues.

After this last hunting season where I missed a deer at under a hundred yards while leaning on a barbed wire fence post. I now sincerely wonder if I still know how to shoot at all.
I may have to be sent to a boot camp to review some fundamentals. Including, using sticks to shoot.
Apparently, the skill requires constant maintenance.
Good luck with your shooting.

My father used to say "there's a lot of space around them" meaning whitetail deer.

 

[BRICKBURN]

My father used to say "there's a lot of space around them" meaning whitetail deer.

More than we think sometimes.

 

[CBeck]

I’ve offered it to other established members, but I made some good videos for @BeeMaa to show what I think is proper technique off 4 stable sticks that I could send. Most videos I’ve seen of people using them I consider the wrong way. Too slow to get on and holding them in a way that unnecessarily limits mobility. They really do take a different style than a tripod to be fast but once you learn to use them the difference in consistent accuracy is unbelievable.

I’d be grateful to see them as well….I’m always glad to learn from others.

 

[CBeck]

I consider myself a pretty decent rifle shot.
Most of my practice is from a prone position with a bi-pod on the rifle. I have placed 5 shots into a 4 inch area on a gong at 750 yards. (prone with a bi-pod)
I'm not bad on the sticks. Giraffe, down to Bushbuck etc, etc all taken out to 300 yards with various rifles and calibers. No issues.

After this last hunting season where I missed a deer at under a hundred yards while leaning on a barbed wire fence post. I now sincerely wonder if I still know how to shoot at all.
I may have to be sent to a boot camp to review some fundamentals. Including, using sticks to shoot.
Apparently, the skill requires constant maintenance.
Good luck with your shooting.

That’s a good story and relates to me. Likewise I feel I’m a decent rifle shot. Apparently just not as good as I think off the sticks.

Prone, bench, backpack, truck hood, deer stand, etc. I’ve missed one whitetail in my career. An easy 50 yard shot in the wide open. I swore up and down there is no way, my rifle has to be off, I just don’t miss! I was humbled when I immediately rushed to the range to vindicate myself, and dammitman, my rifle was perfect!

15 years ago I still don’t see how I could have missed…..now that I think about it, it was a hornady bullet….i bet it didn’t expand! Yeah, that’s it, I knew I didn’t miss that deer!

 

[Oil & Dirt]

I shoot a lot better using just about anything other than sticks for a rest. I’m a relatively tall guy. The one thing I did notice on my last trip is that my PH would set my sticks really high. Watching some videos this seems to be the case whether tall or short hunters. I think the rifle not being low enough to lean into hurts accuracy and obviously puts us in a much worse position to absorb recoil

 

[PARA45]

It happened to me, only to find blood 30 yds from point of impact. Deer never jumped, kicked, nothing. Deer ran like if I had missed.

 

[PARA45]

@CBeck, these are the quad shooting stick I’ve used, and like them.

Rudolph PH Shooting Sticks

The PH Sticks by Rudolph Optics is taking the long range shooting and hunting market by storm. This technology is allowing seasoned veterans who have shot long range for years to be able to tighten their groups by more than 50%. It allows young kids and people who are new and just learning how...

www.rudolphoptics.com

 

[dlmac]

I got to practice more on sticks, used them once for the first time and it was a disaster. I had issues with breathing and sights going up and down. Yet do well sitting or kneeling with a sling. So, I bought a set of sticks-tripod. Going to try the 22 lr training. Over all I shoot well, but the sticks are hard for me.

 

[Russ16]

I’ve offered it to other established members, but I made some good videos for @BeeMaa to show what I think is proper technique off 4 stable sticks that I could send. Most videos I’ve seen of people using them I consider the wrong way. Too slow to get on and holding them in a way that unnecessarily limits mobility. They really do take a different style than a tripod to be fast but once you learn to use them the difference in consistent accuracy is unbelievable.

I’d be interested in that video.

 

[uplander01]

Big fan of viper flex sticks. It’s nice to verify hand loads for accuracy and velocity off the bench for initial load and sight in, then I move to sticks and shoot 5-10 shot groups. At 100 I like the composite group to be about 2-2.5”at 200 around or under 5”. Don’t think I’d ever shoot at anything in Africa much past 200, made a few at that distance but it was flat with no cover to get closer. I like the 100-125 yard shot with a proper stalk to set it up. Maybe I’ve just been lucky but in all my trips over id say 90% of the time my opportunities have been around 100 yards or under. I also like to hunt with open sights, favorite being Lyman 48, which a 3” group at 100 on a .4 or larger bore, good to go.

 

[BryceM]

Interesting topic. My thoughts are these…..

Shooting .375 and up is a little different. Technique really matters because if you don’t have good mechanics, you’re going to get hurt (maybe just a little), and that makes you flinchy. For me, pulling the rifle in, leaning in with some downward force, and paying attention to my left hand position is important. A .400 or .500 something can really come back and bite your left hand against the sticks if you aren’t careful. You won’t die, but it does nothing to help you relax and make a good shot the next time.

I’ve recently started using quad sticks. It’s a game-changer to me. With a regular wooden-stick tripod I was previously confident to 150 on small critters and 200 on big critters. On quad sticks, 300 yards can be a VERY ethical shot on something kudu-sized.

As for the bench, I won’t own a scoped bolt gun if it isn’t below 1 MOA, preferably well below that. I’ve got enough of my own problems. I don’t need the rifle making it any harder.

As for shooting off of a barb-wire fence post, I’ve done it….. bad scene. I didn’t miss at 150 yards, but it was an ugly wounding hit low in the front leg. Very fortunately I had a chance to clean it up at 420 yards from a prone bipod position when he got up the hill enough. It’s my biggest mulie to date. The 420 yard shot was money! Almost like bench shooting. The 150 yard shot was a bit iffy. Probably a mistake on my part to have tried it.

As for animals, many hunters don’t have a good sense of the anatomy. You’ve got to develop an intuitive feel for how to put a bullet in the vitals from any angle. It’s got to be quick too. Next time you’re around a carcass, spent some time studying it. Pay attention to hair & skin thickness, spine location, etc.

 

[Est.1970]

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.

Raven Rock.

These look nice, but I can’t picture how they look set up. A decent price as well.

I didn’t know four legs were a thing.

 

[CBeck]

Any reason the 4stablesticks are $100 more than Rudolph? Anyone compared them side by side?

 

[wesheltonj]

I will admit that I am recoil sensitive with my 375. Off the sticks, I am good to about 150 yards, after that not so much. I did have the opportunity to use the quad sticks last summer and I found that I shot better with those then the standard African type sticks. But, I am most likely at my last African trip this summer, so I am not sure it's worth the Investment for me.

 

[WAB]

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So you guys that are traveling with your sticks… Are you packing them in your rifle case or where?

Yes

 

[375Fox]

Any reason the 4stablesticks are $100 more than Rudolph? Anyone compared them side by side?

Not sure where you see that? The bush light aluminum 4 stable sticks that I prefer are $75 on raven Rocks and $160 for the 3 piece mountain sticks. The link to Rudolph sticks posted is $150. Any stick you choose just make absolutely sure it’s a flat front and not a V. I’ve used both. I prefer the 4 stable for ease of carry with one hand. Rudolph appears well made too.
I have more experience with viper flex and Gunstix in comparison. I find viper flex extremely well made but again I find more difficult to carry with one hand. Gunstix appear very well made and are by far the most adjustable from sitting to standing but there is more that can break and bulky to me. I really like the simplicity of the 4 stable sticks (and the price).

 

[CBeck]

Not sure where you see that? The bush light aluminum 4 stable sticks that I prefer are $75 on raven Rocks and $160 for the 3 piece mountain sticks. The link to Rudolph sticks posted is $150. Any stick you choose just make absolutely sure it’s a flat front and not a V. I’ve used both. I prefer the 4 stable for ease of carry with one hand. Rudolph appears well made too.
I have more experience with viper flex and Gunstix in comparison. I find viper flex extremely well made but again I find more difficult to carry with one hand. Gunstix appear very well made and are by far the most adjustable from sitting to standing but there is more that can break and bulky to me. I really like the simplicity of the 4 stable sticks (and the price).

Yes my mistake…4stablesticks has a couple special editions….the “wood” look caught my eye and is 250. But you are correct, standard finishes are in line with Rudolph.

 

[Rubberhead]

I shot way better than my own expectations while in Africa. I was a mess practicing in the US off of a tripod but luckily, my PH had quad sticks. I will insist any future PH has quad sticks.

 

[BeeMaa]

@CBeck...

Yep.

 

[CBeck]

@CBeck...

Yep.
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On a side note….love the gun foam. Been trying to figure out if I can do the same in my old cabelas bulletproof aluminum double gun case.