Shooting sitting with shooting sticks

[peterk123]

Question for you seasoned shooters. I'm trying to figure out the best position for shooting seated. I'm using trekking poles by placing the wrist slings of each over the other. It works well. Easy to setup. And I have them with me all the time. I'm not bad with them. I feel okay out to 200 yards. But I do have some movement. I have narrowed down the problem, and it's not the trekking pole (tested it while bench tested). It's my buttstock, well me. So far the best position is straight forward, legs bent, bunching myself forward and using my knees for bracing. But I'm still not totally locked in. Any advice?

I also found that if I have something to lean against I can lock in much better.

 

[whatluck]

Have you tried with a hasty sling?

I practice rimfire seated from a bag a lot, I weld my support elbow to my knee and get really good stability, but this will always be less stable than prone and elbows in the dirt.

 

[PatMcD]

Use a sling, ditch the sticks.

 

[Woodsloafer]

Use a sling, ditch the sticks.

This.

 

[Quite_Exasperated]

Bet you can’t say that fast ten times…

 

[HorizontalHunter]

My hunting guns have slings and when I get them out and set them up I adjust the slings to the appropriate length for me to use as a Hasty sling. If I have a long walk out in the dark I will use the sling to hang the gun on my shoulder.

I was always anti-sling as I generally want my weapon in my hands……but then I “discovered” the Hasty sling. Now they all wear slings.

 

[peterk123]

Have you tried with a hasty sling?

I practice rimfire seated from a bag a lot, I weld my support elbow to my knee and get really good stability, but this will always be less stable than prone and elbows in the dirt.

I'm practicing with a rimfire as well. I made a webbing sling and it comes in very handy. So much so that it is now on the 308, just in case I can't shoot off my pack, prone. But I'm not finding the sling nearly as stable as the makeshift bipod.

With the rimfire and trekking poles I'm good to at least 110 yards on a gopher, which is about 9 inches at length, max. But that butt of the stock is just not locked in tight. I'm starting to think I need an alternative to my knees for support. But I don't want to carry extra stuff. Was hoping to use body position.

I'd like to get good enough to be comfortable with the 308 to 300 yards.

 

[SS1]

Plus one for the sling
Have Vickers

 

[PappyM3]

Question for you seasoned shooters. I'm trying to figure out the best position for shooting seated. I'm using trekking poles by placing the wrist slings of each over the other. It works well. Easy to setup. And I have them with me all the time. I'm not bad with them. I feel okay out to 200 yards. But I do have some movement. I have narrowed down the problem, and it's not the trekking pole (tested it while bench tested). It's my buttstock, well me. So far the best position is straight forward, legs bent, bunching myself forward and using my knees for bracing. But I'm still not totally locked in. Any advice?

I also found that if I have something to lean against I can lock in much better.

It might be worth trying a sling. A sling can get that rifle in tight to your shoulder. But there may be POI shift, depending on your rifle. Whether you try that or stick with the sticks, there are a couple things with you to consider:

Can you sit with legs crossed? Getting feet underneath your knees gives them support so they don’t bounce.

Check for heartbeat in your wobble. Resting your elbows on your legs can accentuate heartbeat wobble. One thing to reduce it is to undo your belt and pants button. Not ideal for non-competition shooting though. Another option is for padding between your elbows and legs somehow.

 

[peterk123]

It might be worth trying a sling. A sling can get that rifle in tight to your shoulder. But there may be POI shift, depending on your rifle. Whether you try that or stick with the sticks, there are a couple things with you to consider:

Can you sit with legs crossed? Getting feet underneath your knees gives them support so they don’t bounce.

Check for heartbeat in your wobble. Resting your elbows on your legs can accentuate heartbeat wobble. One thing to reduce it is to undo your belt and pants button. Not ideal for non-competition shooting though. Another option is for padding between your elbows and legs somehow.

Thanks. Very helpful. Will try these.

 

[Bodhisattva]

Are you just setting the sticks straight up and down? Set them up somewhat forward and lean into them. So much that it drives the rifle into your shoulder.

 

[powerman]

Are you just setting the sticks straight up and down? Set them up somewhat forward and lean into them. So much that it drives the rifle into your shoulder.

That's a good idea just enough for pressure for stability and of course the sticks are in upside V as well just angle back as well.

i assume this would work standing with taller poles.

 

[peterk123]

Are you just setting the sticks straight up and down? Set them up somewhat forward and lean into them. So much that it drives the rifle into your shoulder.

I do. The sticks are angled toward me. I place the sling stud against the straps, which let's me drive the gun into the sticks. I sometimes will also wrap my sling around a trekking pole. I'm just looking for that added bit of stability at butt of the stock.

 

[peterk123]

Mini breakthrough today while gopher hunting. Lightened my trigger hand grip. It's not like I ever had a death grip on the thing. But I tried just barely holding it. That tiny movement I was dealing was gone. Gophers at 75 yards were DOA.

I gotta say, the high volume shooting with a zero recoil rifle and live moving targets is teaching me a ton.

 

[Bodhisattva]

I gotta say, the high volume shooting with a zero recoil rifle and live moving targets is teaching me a ton.

Since I started waterfowl and small game hunting, my skill level has increased has exponentially. Add that to shooting skeet/sporting clays two three times a month as also helped a lot.