DEATHSTIX

RIP Stogie Grip:



Boddington Cigarette Grip:

I think a golf glove or one the barricade gloves they use in IPSC shooting might be the right choice. I of course would never the have the glove on at the appropriate moment.

The pics look perfect to me, except for those fuzzy dots the news puts over the faces of the innocent.

Wink,
You are too agreeable.

If I had such a good tree for the actual shot, I would have taken my hat off and rested the back of my hand against the tree with the hat between my hand and the ironwood bark.

I much prefer a tree to sticks. I also would rather sit than use sticks. Sometimes you have to use sticks or just shoot fast offhand, especially with scurrying warthogs.

If I don't have a glove I will use my hat as a knuckle guard on the sticks.

I certainly won't let the forend bounce freely on top of the sticks while holding the sticks with the offhand.

Kindly Professor of Pachydermia Emeritus, Sir William:

You cannot find fault either?

Well, what do you think of this? (Face also obscured to protect the guilty, don't click on properties!)



Brownie points for gloves only.
I count five fingers grasping sticks, and none on the forend of the rifle.

Youre right RIP, always support the rifle with your nonshooting hand so much as you can, if you put it on other support,it can make the rifle shoot different if you dont support it.

RIP, now that you know how to use sticks, how about learning to walk ?
From the pics you showed I can see that the car is never too far away !!!

Rip's technique is close enough to mine not to matter...

leaving the rifle in the sticks, alone, is a HORRIBLE idea... at least in big bores, as now you ARE going to get whacked...

another good stance is you hand IN the cradle of the sticks, holding the rifle.

jeffe

I put mine in the sticks. I am a fairly well practiced offhand shooter and had a hell of a time shooting from the sticks until I learned to leaning on them. I was leaning on them so hard they were collapsing down and could shoot better offhand and did just that. Since my first trip, I bought a set and practice a lot and use them when hunting whitetail. They work really nice when standing in an area where ground cover is too tall for a sitting shot and you need to cover an area for 2-300 yards.

quote:

Originally posted by bobby van der Putten:

RIP, now that you know how to use sticks, how about learning to walk ?
From the pics you showed I can see that the car is never too far away !!!

Right. I can even use the sticks as WALKING STICKS. I get it.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
Rip's technique is close enough to mine not to matter...

... another good stance is your hand IN the cradle of the sticks, holding the rifle.

jeffe

I thought that was what I was illustrating here:
Back of the hand in cradle or CROTCH of sticks.

Hand holds rifle forend to duplicate the POI of offhand shooting.

Thus the rifle does not bounce up from the sticks, free under recoil, which would throw the shot high.

Thus you hit what you are aiming at.

You just have to watch about scraping the back of your hand on the sticks if they are not well padded. Some commercial sticks have smooth leather or rubber padding. For the native African sticks seen most commonly, use your hat to protect the back of the hand or wear a shooting glove on the one hand at least.

This glove will also prevent you from rusting the barrels of your double rifle.

Hey, about double rifles:

The technique of Jeffe and Rip is the only way to go if shooting off sticks.

Well, I see there is going to be no controversy here.

I would just like to hear MR explain his above pictured technique with a big bore rifle on sticks.

What is your excuse, MR?

Funny, RIP, a host of dead animals have never debated my technique, but you do.

Sticking your hand in the tripod is slow and with a heavy recoiling rifle, painful.

Not necessary either--in spite of the changing POI theory you espouse.

To each his own, I say, and sometimes, a few other things, although this time, I will hold my tongue.

Yes, go on.

Seeing your photo on the .416 thread caused my knee jerk reaction, which was to start this thread.

How do you defy the laws of physics so? Or do you shoot exclusively off sticks and have your rifles all zeroed THAT technique from the sticks?

My first shot off the sticks nailed a buffalo, but I was surprised that the hit was about six inches higher than I expected. I thought it over and decided that I hadn't held firm with the off-hand.

My second shot off the sticks was insurance on the buffalo and I clamped down on the grip. The shot was right where aimed.

My third shot was a warthog. Firm hold on the stock/sticks and the shot was right where planned.

I'm not sure that first light grip was the reason I hit high, but it seems so.

I've heard some people obsess about praticing off sticks, but I found it very natural. Not much practice required that I could tell.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
Yes, go on.

Seeing your photo on the .416 thread caused my knee jerk reaction, which was to start this thread.

How do you defy the laws of physics so? Or do you shoot exclusively off sticks and have your rifles all zeroed THAT technique from the sticks?

Okay. If you look closely, you can see that my thumb and forefinger are supporting the rifle. I find this method very quick.

quote:

Originally posted by Kensco:
My first shot off the sticks nailed a buffalo, but I was surprised that the hit was about six inches higher than I expected. I thought it over and decided that I hadn't held firm with the off-hand.

My second shot off the sticks was insurance on the buffalo and I clamped down on the grip. The shot was right where aimed.

My third shot was a warthog. Firm hold on the stock/sticks and the shot was right where planned.

I'm not sure that first light grip was the reason I hit high, but it seems so.

I've heard some people obsess about praticing off sticks, but I found it very natural. Not much practice required that I could tell.

Right!

Minimal practice required, mainly just to make sure the sticks can be adjusted to the proper height rapidly and that the sticks are not too flimsy. Try a few times for a rapid setup. But don't let me discourage anyone from practicing the rifle lots, from any position. Shoot and shoot often in practice of all kinds.

Sticks are just a support for the hand gripping the rifle.

I think those doing all the practicing off sticks are puzzled by bouncing their shots high off the sticks when they don't hold onto the rifle properly.

Believe it or not, we have at least one shooter here who wants to argue about this.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
Kindly Professor of Pachydermia Emeritus, Sir William:

You cannot find fault either?

Well, what do you think of this? (Face also obscured to protect the guilty, don't click on properties!)



Brownie points for gloves only.
I count five fingers grasping sticks, and none on the forend of the rifle.

RIP,

I don't like sticks, but I agree that form is everything, especially the gloves.

Three-position safeties and gloves. Is that gay or what?
____________________________
Just kidding. I don't want those New York City pecante sauce lovers to get mad. I do enjoy trying to yank his chain though.
_____________________________________

P.S. Please do not be discouraged from posting more pics. I promise to try to not make sport of them. It is why I do not post pics of myself!
________________________________________

The couple times that I have used sticks the recoil has thrown the rifle off to the side. If anything, I would want to be holding onto the forend, with the sticks placed extra low to allow for resting the back of your left hand in the crotch of the sticks.

One time I was hunting with Andy Hunter and was about to whack this cow. She wasn't but 25 or 30 yards away and the tracker threw up the sticks. What possessed me to use them I cannot say but the cow was weaving around in the middle of this herd and I guess I was thinking more about shooting her than what the tracker was doing. They were standing up on a hill above us and this is not my favorite position, to be below any elephants, especially since the grass was tall and not exactly ideal running conditions, especially for me!

At the shot the forend of the 416 bounces of the sticks and I'm trying to grab it instead of getting the hell out of there. Sticks: I'll pass.

Will,
You sound like the kind of guy I would trust to take care of my dog. A wise wise-guy.

http://www.professionalequipment.com/xq/ASP/ProductID.2...d.381/qx/default.htm

these mechanix gloves are awesome!. they breathe great and do not restrict movement. cut off the fingers if you need to but they grip well for recoil. the added benefit is the grip on synthetic stocks.

This whole shooting stick thing is new to me. However, I am practising using them as part of my getting ready for a 2007 trip to Africa.

What I have found, is that if I hold the sticks and curl my forefinger over the barrel and lean on the sticks just a little to steady them. I can do pretty damn well out to 200 yards. If you consider 3 rounds in a 3" disc good. Which I do at that range.

I think everyone has to develope a technique that works for them.

RIP and Will,

I want you jokers off my back.

So, I'll post the definitive series of photos, which I had been saving for my book, "The Modern Technique of the Sticks," due out shortly after I get off my lazy ass and write it.

You losers have no idea how many years it has taken me to perfect my techniques. Decades of trial and error, often at great risk to my life, have led to the photo that RIP felt the need to lampoon.

And RIP is the one who sticks his bare hand into the wooden tripod of death, with no glove, nor any idea or inkling of why he is wrong in his technique on so many levels, and then holds it out as the model of perfection.

And he is the only one of you who even claims to know what he's doing. Will is a self-admitted piker when it comes to shooting off of pikes.

At first, when the sticks were in their infancy, I didn't even want to use them. But I reluctantly gave them a try.

I call this the "Waver Stance" after its entirely non-comittal nature:



This worked, but not well. I hit my target, but felt like apologizing afterwards.

So, I developed the "Isosceles" or "Tangled Sling in the Tripod" technique:



Better, but somewhat difficult to execute in a pinch.

Then it hit me. If one is going to use the sticks, then grab ahold of them and by God use them. Grip them and hang on for dear life. And use gloves to protect the hands from abrasion from the death grip. But also . . . ahhhh . . . and here is the key . . . position the index finger and the thumb so that they can support the fore end above the hard, shock inducing effects of the nook, nay the very wooden crux of deflection.

I call this technique, the "Epitome" because it is simply the best one going--albeit it is too subtle for many neophytes and even so-called experts to appreciate (drum roll please):



But did I stop at perfection? Hell, no! What is perfection but another barrier to human endeavor?!

I pressed on for something transcendental and almost, but not quite, achieved it. Or maybe I did achieve it. I shall let you be the judge.

I called this technique, before I abandoned it and went back to the "Epitome," the "Jeffersons" method, because I was clearly "Movin' On Up":



As I said, I went back to the Epitome and it is the best, if one must use sticks.

And if you don't like or can't appreciate my suffering for your benefit, then don't buy my book. No, wait a minute . . .

P.O. Box 11111, Stick-It, KS 41645. $29.95 FOB.

Jefferson's method for me! Dead on where I point it MRLEXMA ia a FRIGGIN GENIUS!

Thanks mrlexma. I haven't laughed that hard since...well a long time ago. I saved that post for when my sticks come in.

mrlezma,

Hey, at least you are a good sport!

The Isosceles and The Jeffersons techniques at least show a firm grip on the forend with the off hand.

That is a reach in the right direction.

Soon MR will come up with the sixth technique, and finally grasp perfection. The RIP Death Sticks: it may rip the skin off your knuckles, but the game will Rest In Peace.

Use your hat or glove with sticks.

"Cigarette Technique" could be alternative nomenclature for the "RIP Deathsticks Technique."

A one-shot kill with this shooting stick technique is as satisfying as sex and a cigarette.

It is recommended to practice safe stick-sex: use a condom/shooting glove on your offhand, if the sticks are crude.

The proof is in the pudding.
I never practiced a bit off sticks.
My first shot in Africa was perfect.
The "Deathstix Technique" is theoretically correct and proven in the field for putting bullets where they need to go.

It is a no brainer! Only an idiot would use one of MR's techniques.
End of story.

MR,

Do you reload with the forend still on the sticks (or on top of your hand)?

My problem w sticks is that if you hold onto them you have to let go to reload, and if you hold onto the rifle (grip in front of sticks), the sticks go flying at the shot unless a tracker or PH is holding them for you.

I have been using the forward grip and hooking my thumb around any peice of the damn things I can get ahold of to keep rifle and sticks more or less together.

PS I fond my PH's hardwood sticks to be much less "springy" than my home made bamboo ones.

Andy

I have always held onto the rifle and set the back of my wrist on V of the shooting sticks..Have shot my Lott and 450 #2 this way...

Mike

Mike,
Another voice of sanity! You are practicing good Deathstix technique, using the back of the wrist (dorso-ulnar) at its juncture with the back (dorsum) of the offhand, to steady an accurate hold in the offhand grip. That is what I do and what I am trying to illustrate.

We cannot stick the wrist too far forward into the crotch of the sticks as that may introduce some minor wobble from the wrist joint. The hand should be rock steady in the crotch.

You hold the rifle like you would for an offhand shot. That is what the rifle SHOULD BE zeroed for.

You use the sticks to steady the off hand.

Of course if you are using sticks at 50 yards it doesn't make much difference.

If you want to use sticks to hit at long range you had better be using the Deathstix technique.

The slob hunter who wobbles around wildly with his rifle offhand would certainly be improved by any of the MR techniques. He will get only a 3" bounce over at 50 yards instead of a 3 foot wobble at the side of a barn.

Since when does anyone shoot a .375 and up like it is a .22 rimfire benchrested and holding onto the rifle with only the trigger hand?

The MR technique of Isosceles and Jeffersons are an improvement, but not as good as the RIP Deathstix.

The other three MR techniques are suitable only for .22 rimfire, not big bore precision.

Rip when shooting two sticks instead of the tripod, I pull the sticks back towards and then my arm is pushing down and my wrist is doing the same as a three stick control and fire sequence..

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by retreever:
Rip when shooting two sticks instead of the tripod, I pull the sticks back towards and then my arm is pushing down and my wrist is doing the same as a three stick control and fire sequence..

Mike

That makes sense and I would do the same to complete a tripod, but I much prefer three-legged sticks. Three points determine a plane, a level and steady plane.

The proper techique with a "two-legged" bipod (with pistol grip)!



Andy

Andy,
That is cheating. Hope you don't expect us to put pistol grips on our forends.

You are beating around the bush. Admit it. MR is wrong. RIP is right, and so are retreever, and jeffeosso, and ...

Even a 7x57 works better with the Deathstix Technique, and with the big bores it is a must.

Craig Boddington uses the RIP Deathstix grip:



This is going to the opening post for this thread too.

MR,
Say "Uncle."

RIP,

That photograph of CB was evidently taken before he learned about the technique I use, and make no mistake, my technique is the one he now uses and recommends.

See, for example, this article, written by Craig for Rifle Shooter magazine, on line:

Shooting Sticks - by Craig Boddington

Here is an illustrative photograph with his caption:


Caption: "It takes a lot of practice to use the supporting hand correctly with shooting sticks. Ideally, the fore-end should rest on the hand, not on the sticks, so the fingers must grip the sticks as well as the rifle."

Need I point out that the lovely young lady in the photograph in Craig's article is using my preferred technique?

But I am not dogmatic about this. I am pragmatic. If this technique did not work for me, I would not use it.

So, my advice is to use what works for you, and I will use what works for me - and Craig Boddington. Okay?

Is that Boddington article about shooting sticks for Africa, shooting sticks for N. America, shooting sticks for weekends, shooting sticks for Good Friday, or what?

good friday.