Anybody made their own Shooting Sticks?

[jascoesens]

Hey guys,

Anybody have suggestions for making shooting sticks?

 

[AJ]

I have not used this DIY version but Precision Rifle has a How to on their website. As does Varmint Al

 

[frontier gander]

Cost me $10 to build my sticks.

Used them today with my Optima and they worked great.

 

[jascoesens]

FG

Looks pretty simple. I like that.
What did you use? Dowels? Old mop handles? Total length? Hole spacing?
What are they set up for? Sitting or offhand?
Thanks!

Also thanks to AJ. There is a lot of good ideas there too. I'll probably combine the good parts of each.

 

[Bucker]

sticks

I built a custom set for everyone in my camp. These are great and cheap, make good gifts. I also use it for a cane for going up mountains, a tri-pod when resting your rifle on the ground. Great for ground blind shooting, yotes, deer turkey etc. I use them in my chair blind for a shooting rest perfect height.

HOW TO MAKE A Bi-Fur-Pod.... The sticks are 5/8" or 3/4" square fir or other solid and strong wood, see the Table for the correct length. Round sticks do not work well at the hinge point. My height is 5' 9'' and 36" long sticks are the correct height for me. The table shows the scaled total length depending on your height. Regardless of the correct over all length, the 1/4" pivot bolt is 5-1/4" from the top end. Tighten the nut so that there is a reasonable amount of friction between the sticks and they will hold their open or closed position. You can slightly squash the nut in a vise so that the threads run tight and that will prevent it from becoming loose when you open and close the sticks. Two large nails with the heads hack sawed off are epoxied into the ends with 2" of nail exposed. If you use shorter nails, they won't stick in the ground very well and have a tendency to slide out at the worst possible time. I took an old stainless steel spoon and flattened it out, trimmed it to shape, and screwed it to one stick to make a carrying clip. When I am walking, I can carry it by sliding the clip on my belt. For a finishing touch and so you won't scratch the forearm of your rifle, epoxy leather strips on the inside of the top "V". The Bi-Fur-Pod is a lot handier for me than the Harris Bipod. I don't like the extra weight attached to my rifle for off-hand shots. Also, you can't use the Harris Bipod for functions 2, 3, 4, 5, 7.

Customize the Bi-Fur-Pod
for you height.

Shooter's
Height Over All Stick
Length (in)
4'-9" 30.75
5'-0" 32.00
5'-3" 33.25
5'-6" 34.75
5'-9" 36.00
6'-0" 37.25
6'-3" 38.75
6'-6" 40.00

 

[frontier gander]

5/8" Dowels with a darn good # of holes drilled 2" apart. I can just spread the legs as far as i want and shoot from the knee, sitting on my rear, laying down and standing for a sharp downward angle.

 

[jascoesens]

Thanks all!

 

[frontier gander]

All you need is about 15 minutes. Have fun!

After i stained mine i hand rubbed them with boiled linseed oil for protection.

 

[cayuga]

This is my set of shooting sticks that I take to the range or to a blind where I am going to sit. When hiking around, I have a much smaller set that fits into my back pack and matches me when I sit on the ground.

This big set can also be used as a walking stick. To make it is simple. You take a piece of treated 2x4 and drill holes side to side through it. Then on a table saw simply cut it down the center. Now you have two matching pieces. A large bolt, two washers, and a matching wing nut, and you have the sticks. On the bottom of the legs is a piece of nylon rope that is very thin. This is used to keep the legs from opening too much when on unstable surfaces.

You can adjust the holes for uneven ground, or fold them together, then tie the legs together with the nylon cord and tighten the wing nut and use them as a walking stick as you hike into your blind.

With a little practice, it is amazing how accurate you can get with them.

 

[johnpb]

After reading about everyone elses thoughts I deceided to try my hand at it. I had a piece of a maple sapling that I cut last fall for a walking stick. Its about 1 1/4" in diameter or so and about 5' long and fairly straight. I set the rip fence on my table saw at about half of the thickness and ripped it in half. I then drilled a 1/4" hole aprox. 6" down from the "top", took a hand grinder and worked the edges lightly and put a 1/4" bolt and nut through the hole and it made a pretty nice set of sticks. I tried my Kodiac and sat in a few different types of chairs and I do believe its going to make a great accessory. I've already cut another straight longer piece and have it drying to make a longer one. I have a "Claw Sling" on my Kodiac and when you lay the rifle on the sling atop the shorter stick it also make a stable platform to shoot from and its naturally camoflaged. If you give it a try you may have to experiment with the correct length for you.