I would like to here honost opinions on Monopods-vs-Shooting sticks for use with double rifles. While working up loads for my .470, I borrowed a monopod from a friend. It is a "LevelLoc" brand with a rubber V-notch at the top, in which to rest my fore hand...or even the forend. I am able to hold very steady with it, and shoot groups 1"-2" at 50 yds. The single pole seems to allow the gun to move naturally during recoil...which I have found to be critical to regulation.
Everything I see on video and read about shooting doubles, talk about using "shooting sticks". It seems to me that this would limit lateral movement during recoil...but I have not used the twin "sticks".
I am getting ready to purchase one of my own, and am currently favoring a Monopod with a rubber coated "V" at the top...seems like they would be easier to tote as well. What would be the benefit of "shooting sticks"?

I have hunted in Africa with bipods and tripods and have practiced with monopods and open sights.

I don't like monopods because I find I get left and right motion. I can shoot as well offhand as I can with a monopod (full disclosure: I hold a master classification in NRA HighPower).

I like bipods the best. I can adjust for elevation merely by moving a bit forward or backward, changing slightly the angle of the bipod with the ground. Tripods require moving a leg, which is difficult, or scrunching your body a little. Also I think bipods are easier to set up.

I usually fire the first shot with a bipod and then let it drop and fire follow on shots, if needed, from the offhand position. The bipod falls and gets out of the way easier than a tripod.

Tripods are superior to bipods if you're waiting at a bait or waterhole or something and have to leave them set up for awhile. Bipods are best for spot and stalk.

Tripods

Keith

Dave, A shooting aid provides better support than shooting offhand. A monopod provides vertical support, a bipod provides verticle and lateral support, and a tripod adds front -to-back support. However, as alluded to above, once you get used to a Bipod, you learn that you can adjust height bu moving backward thereby lowering the height of the support. I find that stepping back, then leaning into the sticks against their resistance in this position, really tightens up the sight picture. Get a good bipod for practice. You won't need one in Africa, the trackers will have them.

I hunted buffalo with a 470 and a monopod in Tanzania year before last and liked it. I took one last year to SA also and it came in real handy when walking out a sandy riverbed looking for bushbuck.

It is more stable than an offhand shot, very quick to set up and best of all it can be used as a walking stick. You can knock down spider webs with it, push grass out of the way and lever your way up an old termite mound.

It gets set up quickly because you do it yourself. The height is always right and you do not have a tracker or PH pushing and pulling on the sticks while you are trying to get the shot off.

Gentlemen...Thank you for your posts! This gives me some perspective. My experience with the monopod is similar to Palmer's. It is quick, always the right height, quick, can be used as a walking stick, quick, light weight, quick, gives a steady rest, quick...
It seems that twin sticks would take longer to set up in a hurry...I am looking at using it stateside for deer and pigs...I realize that in Africa, someone else would carry it and set it up.
Setting up a tripod for a shot at Oklahoma whitetails, while on a spot & stalk hunt, seems like something out of a Jerry Lewis movie!?!
Thanks, ND