shooting stick project

[taliv]

i started looking for a pair of extreme lightweight, no nonsense shooting sticks for competitions and couldn't find what i was looking for and finally decided to make some myself.

I started with a pair of carbon fiber arrows, with inserts and field tips. grabbed some clear vinyl tubing from lowes (sku 22274 around the sticks and 22272 on top). The arrows were $5 ea. The tubes were $0.25/ft.

Two min of assembly:


and they fold up nicely


The fletching is ok as it added a little grip and cushion, but i decided to wrap it loosely in 100mph tape. then added a ring of tape below the hinge to keep it from slipping down if it gets loose.



Now, I just drop the rifle on top of the loop, which holds it up nicely and keeps the weight off the hinge. The field tips on the arrows screw into the inserts and are great for sticking into the dirt. I'm going to make or find some rubber feet on screws so i can swap them out in the unlikely event i need to use them on a wood deck or concrete pad or something.

Another nice thing is how thin and light the sticks are. they are thin enough that i just slide both legs down through two sets of molle loops on my pack. the arrows are 32" so it's a great height for sitting but a bit short for kneeling. The arrows flex a bit but settle down quickly when you drop the rifle in the cradle.

I'm curious how durable they will be. I won't use them often though.




Finally, the proof is in the pudding... I sat down in tall grass about 550 yards from a full-sized ipsc. Dryfired for a while to get used to the stick, then put 3 rounds on the 6x6" head.





Edit to add Just weighed them on my aculab scale. 0.18 lbs

[JohnnyC]

Clever. And inexpensive too!

If you decide you want something more compact and are willing to spend some money, Stoney Point, I believe, makes some out of tent-pole type materials that fold up with shock cord inside. I'll have to see what brand mine are as I'm not 100% on them being Stoney Point.

I'm wondering if you couldn't do the same with some shock cord and a couple adapters the same ID as the arrows. Same compact size as the commercial ones but super inexpensive.

[juliomorris]

I been using 3 old arrows as a tripod for varmit hunting for about 20 years, they work great and actually come in handy in snke country. I left the field tips on for traction. I also use another arrow with a feather tied to for a decoy.

[Lost River]

The concept has been around for a long, long time. I recall reading about guys using sticks back in the blackpowder days in Africa as well as on the American frontier. They are commonly in use on guided hunts today.

I have used them for years hunting calling coyotes in tall sagebrush country. I use a section of bicycle innertube and fold it over to hold the sticks together. It works slick, lasts for a very long time and is very "grippy" on rifle stocks.

This coyote did not think it was so hot.

[Pappabear]

The

I have used them for years hunting calling coyotes in tall sagebrush country. I use a section of bicycle innertube and fold it over to hold the sticks together. It works slick, lasts for a very long time and is very "grippy" on rifle stocks.

This coyote did not think it was so hot.

Those don't look like arrows? But maybe so.

To the OP, GOOD THREAD, I have never heard or thought of such. Pretty cool. I like it.