Thread: Making a shooting Tripod

These days I find it a little more difficult to hold steady unsupported when a prone position is bot an option.
I spotted a bit of guff on YT and sifted thru a bunch of bandwagon salemen and some stuff on shooting sticks as well. Finally found some good info from a couple of ex servicemen and this helped me to adapt a concept which I hope will suit me pretty well.
This adeptation will allow me to attain a steady rifle support when sitting and allow practica shooting on most terrain. It's light and compact.
Started out with an old repaired but sturdy camera tripod.


I made an adaptor plate from 5 mm aluminium as a base plate

I cut and folded a piece of 1mm alloy as the chassis for a rifle cradle then screwed and glued this to the 5mm base plate.
Then I lined it with closed cell foam .

Then sealed the foam with liquid insulation.

My wife kindly made a small sandbag as additional supporting fit for the rifle.

I camo painted the tripod.
The legs are extendable and also allow three angles of spread. In addition there is a centre tube to further adjust height. The main turret allows 360' turning plus elevation or depression of rifle slope for shooting up or downhill. I adjust height so I can support my elbows on my knees to further brace the rifle which is supported at its balance point in the cradle.
The system is very steady

I spy with my little eyes "lace up rubber gumboots" ....always thought you were a wise fella...now Im sure of it.
love the camo job..and the one on canadian?? canoe in background,your skills n patience with paintbrush are to be admired.
pleased the tripod is working for you.

nice Woody ... and funny , like Micky I am also most impressed by the camo paint job . Not actually a very easy thing to do and make look as good as your example ....

Thats mint!

Looks good. Next job is a hog saddle.

Studied the various locking saddles, including pig and hog but the fact they are rigid makes for peculiar recoil reactions. These seem more designed for chassis style rifles with locking rails beneath.
After looking to the military comments I recognised that a free support that a standard classic hunting rifle can rest on ( like a bag) is more suitable for mobile hunting in NZ and suits a range of physical positions without detracting from accuracy. It seemed to me that the rigid options require very specific body positioning and are therefore less flexible in our situation. The military utilise bags frequently on their tripods rather than locking devices.

Lovely timber on that rifle

Yes. It is exactly quarter sawn too. Very stable.

Love it, tripods are a fantastic addition to the tool box.

My experience is that heavy for caliber rifles work best clamped on and that light rifles often work best on a bag style set up like yours

What is the reason for the cutout in the bottom of the cradle is it to fit a fore end into?.

Magazine recess.

Very nice woody and well made.Better than any shop sells in NZ.

Originally Posted by Woody

Magazine recess.

Yep got it now only my .22 has a protruding magazine.
Centrefires flush floorplates.

Aa few but mainly duckboats. The trick is to first apply a total cover of matt black as a base coat. Then apply the other brown green patches with an old stiff short bristled 1" paintbrush only lightly dipped in the paint. Trying to apply thick layers of paint from a "full loaded brush doesnt work too well I found.

The job is completed so I went to the nzda range 200m at L.Tarawera to test. Firstly I shot off a bench with sandbag supports. The groups were 1/2 - 3/4 moa @200m. Noted the elevation settings for four different loads with my s&l 6.5*55 and delta scope.
Next I shot groups sitting on the ground using tripod for support. Uncomfortable for my knees but no group exceeded 1moa but poi was about 1/2 moa higher.
I decided to try using an apple box at various heights to sit on and shoot. The low side was best so went home and built a folding stool. Then retested at the range @200m in the rain Sunday with same four loads. Groups ranged from .47 - 1 moa and still slightly high. I tried various holds including sling etc. The biggest issue was slight side
to side sway. I was able to support my elbows on my knees and found the best forehand position was to grip the forend and tripod cradle together just as if I was shooting over a branch prone. See pics. This eliminated most side sway and I am confident I could shoot consistently under 1 moa out over 300metres up or downhill or flat no problem.
The pics are just demo at home this arfo between showers.
The stool folds up to 18" by 8" by 2".