High Quality shooting stick for less than $10???

[cmansguns]

So still wanting to get out with my long guns for plinking, spinners, targets, tin cans but no longer able to use prone position I have been looking at what are called "shooting sticks". I'm basically using farm fields without bench rests or any accommodations at all.

I saw guys & gals using shooting sticks way out west on the Outdoor channel and they seemed to be the cats meow for sitting on a hillside, or standing and glassing across a wide valley.

The other day I'm in Cabelas and looked at shooting sticks. One highly recommended (by the clerk of course) was a BOG tripod with levelling, full pan and tilt and to, listen to the spiel it may just cook dinner for you too. Price? A measly $280.00 !!!!

Saw others fram $58.00 to about $250 all over the Internet, THEN.....had a flash (Yes....they still happen at age 79....rarely but they still do).

Grabbed my Amazon Basics tripod from years ago for my DSLR camera with 300 mm lens. Remembered that I had a couple extra 43 mm x 43 mm Quick Release Plates # QB-4W with 1/4"-20 stud (1 on my camera, 1 on my Bushnell spotting scope, 1 in drawer doing nothing).

Anyhow...........off to Walmart, cheapest cell phone mount they have (yellow box, labelled Drive onn. Car Window or dahs phone mount...$6.88). Throw away the ball arm mount with suction cup, insert a 1?4"-20 barrel nut into socket of cell phone holder, screw in quick release base plate, nip off the cell phone bottom plate holder, and VOILA.........a quality "shooting stick tripod for less than $10 and 10 minutes work.

Full pan, tilt, level lock in position, height from your favorite foldable lawn chair right on up to full standing, AND..release the rifle mount, lock in the spotting scope and I hope I can avoid multiple trips downrange to spot holes etc.

I'm happy and now I have an additional $250 for that next S&W.

 

[cmansguns]

more shooting stick pics

Some more pics of my $10 shooting stick.

 

[JohnHL]

Bravo, Charlie!

Ingenious, resourceful, but most of all, frugal.

I'm going to give that a try.

John

 

[wood714]

I did something similar years ago. I took a tripod base plate, and bent a piece of thick aluminum to the shape I wanted and glued a section of thick leather to it. The piece of aluminum is held on with JB Weld.

 

[mtgianni]

Go to a garage sale and buy the longest handled hoe that is there. Hit it once with a hammer and the tool should fall off if it isn't falling off already. Cut the wood back at the tool end where it is solid. Drive a nail in until it sticks hard, then grind it to a 1" long point. Drill a hole in the opposite end and run an old bootlace through it for a lanyard.
You now have a field model rest that you can angle to the ground and with your wrist through the lanyard have a much steadier off hand than shooting freehand.
If you are really concerned you could varnish it but it's just a shooting stick.

For a non adjustable prone bipod, go to the hardware store, plumbing section and buy [2] 1" x3/4" pvc tees. Glue the two tees together with the legs of the tee at 45 degree angles. Your bipod should be about two inches long. Insert two 3/4" legs into the tees, no need to glue, and cut the top of the 1" to where your stock sits on it. Coat it with foam or rubber.