Thread: Shooting Tripod

Originally Posted by A330driver

Quote tent SN.."I've seen them (in photos) in use at their (the USA) matches and generally their "situations" don't bear a whole lot of resemblance to our NZ shooting conditions."

I'd be more than happy to debate that...from Alaska to Maine,they have conditions in various states that are close to most conditions we have in kiwi....Fiordland may be the exception,but the "panhandle" of Alaska has something similar.Im not trying to shit on your statement at all,but Ive been lucky enough to have been to every state,Im continually surprised at what is here.

I would also suggest that the yanks are on the forefront of a lot of "fads" in the shooting world,I could point out many, in other disciplines.We have many here on this forum,I believe have spent dollars and time in the US,and for sure,a lot of it is over the top,but I think you'll you'll find many shooters/ hunters in the US,are akin to what we have in kiwi,I can attest to that as I hunt and shoot with many of them.....just a thought.

Within the crowd I hunt with,we all use bipods,no tripods.I f you look at most photos of guns posted on this forum,most have bipods,I would say that speaks for itself,....the big difference,....suppressors,an absolute basstard to get one here,not worth the effort,and limited mostly to law enforcement and for those with a special need.

My local gun club,are NRA sanctioned,but the rules regarding shooting matches are not that dissimilar to what we have in kiwi,it varies from state to state,but the rules are regarding shooting are fairly standard.
Douglas ridge,and Estacada,rod and gun club are two that I shoot.Reminds me of the shoots I attended in Makara,under NZDA rules...

I did say "in matches" and thats now been clarified by Dermastor. As far as hunting goes even a bipod is pretty marginal for much shooting in the high country, if go prone there's always a lump of something in the road (saw a very experienced hunter try and bounce his bullet off a rock just to his front one day, needless to say the Tahr had a good laugh as it ran off) and sitting with bipod in very steep country is also a hell of a phaff to say the least. I've tried a couple and getting set up often is enough to spook an animal - movement of hands seems to be a big flag to most game.

I've not hunted North America but I've seen lots of photos. While there's no arguing that their terrain is as tough as ours for some reason they always seem to be shooting from a flat vantage point where a bipod is very useful - that seldom happens where I hunt over here.

Currently I'm trying to persevere with the "improvised" bipod consisting of hill stick or walking poles depending on what I'm carrying.

Originally Posted by Biggun708

Came through Kutarere today, by Opotiki.. There's a little second hand shop on the side of the road with a cool old shooting tripod for $18... Cracked up when I saw this thread.. Coincidence....

You must have blinked at the right time

I've used them for competition and varminting and they are pretty awesome in steep country where you shoot a bit before moving to the next possie.

As others have said it's all down to time.

I was complaing on here about the lack of getting a decent rest in one of my scruby hunting areas bipod wasn't long enough basically useless & a good fella on here @Sauer sent me some of these thanks again !! they are really light & can strap on the back of a day bag easy , I don't cart them everywhere just to my possie on some tops country its quite nice to be able to get a little setup b4 taking a shot...when things go to plan !
BOGgear BOG-POD® Red Legged Devil™ Shooting Pods : Cabela's

Tentman.....your point is well taken...

Originally Posted by Boaraxa

I was complaing on here about the lack of getting a decent rest in one of my scruby hunting areas bipod wasn't long enough basically useless & a good fella on here @Sauer sent me some of these thanks again !! they are really light & can strap on the back of a day bag easy , I don't cart them everywhere just to my possie on some tops country its quite nice to be able to get a little setup b4 taking a shot...when things go to plan !
BOGgear BOG-POD® Red Legged Devil™ Shooting Pods : Cabela's

I think is it @striker or @StrikerNZ that uses shooting sticks for wallabies across gullies also?

Originally Posted by Nibblet

I think is it striker or @StrikerNZ that uses shooting sticks for wallabies across gullies also?

Guilty as charged. One of the best hunting purchases I ever made. Hardly ever bother with the bipod these days.

Across gullies, steep uphill or downhill, places you'd never be able to get an angle with a bipod.. Sit or kneel behind them, can track moving targets and be in place the moment they stop.. Rabbits, wallabies and anything else to 200++ once you get your technique sorted.

Most of them fold up like tent poles, so nice and compact for slotting in the side of your pack.

Im interested in these now as some of my hunting is on steepish clear stuff where bipod is useless and Im a bit too wobbly for freehand. I have used a teetree walking stick as a monopod and its a help but two piont contact would be much stabler.
Does anyone who uses them also use them as a walking aid ? are they strong enough. Ive only looked at the caldwell ones

No, the type I use are generally a bit flimsy to put weight on. If you get some of the bulkier type ones, that use legs like a camera tripod or walking pole, then I guess you could. Just a lot bigger and heavier to cart around..

I'll probably regret confessing to this but oh well . . . I recently bought a set of walking poles, like Marty Henry I've previously used a Knibby (hill stick) but as a monopod it could be better. The ones I got are supposed to be stronger than most (they are a bit fatter - Helinox GL145's)) so hopefully they don't break the first time I use them as a third leg on a nice big shingle slide.

The bipod plan (not yet executed) was to make up a joiner that clips them together. I was thinking of adapting one of those plastic joiner thingies that are on lawnmower handles to set the handle height, that way they could be locked at many different angles. There would still be the phaff about to get them set up however, and I'd want to test them a fair bit to ensure they didn't change my point of impact (POI).

This change on POI is one of the things that I think causes a lot of the unexplained misses that happen on relatively close shots (150 metres +) made from a difficult shooting position.

Originally Posted by StrikerNZ

Guilty as charged. One of the best hunting purchases I ever made. Hardly ever bother with the bipod these days.

Across gullies, steep uphill or downhill, places you'd never be able to get an angle with a bipod.. Sit or kneel behind them, can track moving targets and be in place the moment they stop.. Rabbits, wallabies and anything else to 200++ once you get your technique sorted.

Most of them fold up like tent poles, so nice and compact for slotting in the side of your pack.

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Nice set up. What at the sticks called and where can you get them?

Originally Posted by Jit

Nice set up. What at the sticks called and where can you get them?

Just called 'shooting sticks' I got my current pair from aliexpress, think they were 'vector optics' brand and maybe 25-30 USD, probably cheaper if you wait for a sale.

The elastic does tend to wear out in the joints after a while though.

Originally Posted by Tentman

I'll probably regret confessing to this but oh well . . . I recently bought a set of walking poles, like Marty Henry I've previously used a Knibby (hill stick) but as a monopod it could be better. The ones I got are supposed to be stronger than most (they are a bit fatter - Helinox GL145's)) so hopefully they don't break the first time I use them as a third leg on a nice big shingle slide.

The bipod plan (not yet executed) was to make up a joiner that clips them together. I was thinking of adapting one of those plastic joiner thingies that are on lawnmower handles to set the handle height, that way they could be locked at many different angles. There would still be the phaff about to get them set up however, and I'd want to test them a fair bit to ensure they didn't change my point of impact (POI).

This change on POI is one of the things that I think causes a lot of the unexplained misses that happen on relatively close shots (150 metres +) made from a difficult shooting position.

I've thought of a similar scheme using bicycle seat post quick release cams.

Hmmm - you're onto something Gadgetman, I just tried my poles with a scope/torch clamp thing (I think mine is a Lenser copy) and its pretty good, at the least very usable.

Originally Posted by Tentman

Hmmm - you're onto something Gadgetman, I just tried my poles with a scope/torch clamp thing (I think mine is a Lenser copy) and its pretty good, at the least very usable.

Could possibly use those rubbery plastic/velcro torch mounts too.