G'day lads,

Just finished reading a fun book about a bloke who hunted Africa with a combination of handgun, muzzleloader and double rifle (Holland and Holland .470).

He describes hitting a foot higher off the sticks than he would free-standing. His finding was that if you rested the rifle on top of your hand (which rested on the sticks) it shot like it should.

Have any of you fellows experienced that?

Of course, if and when the time comes for me to take my double to Africa, I'll knock-up a set of sticks and find-out for myself. In the meantime, I'm curious.

Cheers,

Ben

Incidentally, I have shot my .416 Rigby off the sticks that I used-to have, and it made no difference. Doubles might be different, I don't know.

Originally posted by ozhunter:
I find that although the sticks steady you aim, one tends to relax you forend hold whilst useing the sticks so yes often the shots will be a little higher, yet stil grouping.
I often put my hand that holds the forend within the fork and that seems to work well.

Thanks, Adam. That makes sense. It sounds like what the author of that book I read found. Cheers!

Hi Ben


I have only shot mine with my hand resting on the sticks. Same as off the bench.

Seems quite a body of evidence that resting the forend on a hard surface will result in a change of impact.

Cheers,

Chris

In my limited experience…
I shoot off sticks often as it provides a fairly good rest and is quick to set up at different ranges. Of course, it is also good practice whilst in the bush. However, I hold the double rifle in a normal grip and rest the barrels on the junction of the sticks. (one sucks, two is ok, three are best).

In shooting over a seated rest, standing rest, sticks both standing and sitting, and sitting on the ground with sticks or another type of rest, I am beginning to feel the "rule" of resting the barrels on a surface other than one's hand will affect accuracy to be a myth. I think this is true with most shooters using a double rifle and open sights. I don't notice a difference, but my shooting is only average anyway. On the flip side, I have done a lot of double rifle shooting and that is all I shoot--several times a week.
Unless one had a special rest to place one's hand on, I would imagine it would be rather uncomfortable resting the fore hand on most sticks.
Cheers, gents.
Cal

My answer-- not difficult-
and-Not to start a brawl-
but-
After 43+ years of shooting DR's-
I always have the gun in my hand, whether on sticks, standing rest, sitting rest, tree , termite hill, etc-

Having one of my rifles recoil off any object (other than perhaps my hand if my grip failed-- is , IMO--not in the best interest of my rifle)

Cal may be speaking of the "myth" purely in terms of DR accuracy-

I am speaking to the care of the DR-
and
have never noticed my hand being uncomfortable from sticks, etc- nor my accuracy be failing (at least due to my hand under the fore end,--- rather due to my sight picture or trigger application)

Thanks, fellows.

I shoot doubles off of sticks all the time. Instead of resting the forearm of the rifle or the barrels in the "V" formed by the sticks, however, I rest my left forearm (right handed shooter) in the "V". Very stable and nothing is touching the rifle but my hands and shoulder. Sounds similar to what Adam says he does.

Me too. I use the two stick version and rest my hand in the V and go from there.

I had read somewhere years ago (possibly Capstick) to never rest a gun directly on wood because it causes it to "jump" at the shot. Be it a branch or tree. Whoever said it, it stuck with me and I always have something (glove, hat, hand etc) between my gun and whatever rest I'm using when shooting.
All the shooting sticks I have used have been wrapped with African bungee cord (rubber strips) in the V of the sticks.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
I shoot doubles off of sticks all the time. Instead of resting the forearm of the rifle or the barrels in the "V" formed by the sticks, however, I rest my left forearm (right handed shooter) in the "V". Very stable and nothing is touching the rifle but my hands and shoulder. Sounds similar to what Adam says he does.

Gentlemen the above is the answer to shooting a double rifle properly off the sticks.

Any rifle will recoil differently if fired with the front end resting on a hard surface. The effect is far more with a double rifle because it upsets the muzzle flip that causes regulation. I shoot my doubles off sticks on occasion but I rest my fore-hand in the "V" and hold the rifle in my hand or as Mike describes my fore-arm on the sticks.

Much of the reason for people's opinion of the poor accuracy in a double rifle is the misuse of rests!

.....................................................................

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
I shoot doubles off of sticks all the time. Instead of resting the forearm of the rifle or the barrels in the "V" formed by the sticks, however, I rest my left forearm (right handed shooter) in the "V". Very stable and nothing is touching the rifle but my hands and shoulder. Sounds similar to what Adam says he does.

Gentlemen the above is the answer to shooting a double rifle properly off the sticks.

Any rifle will recoil differently if fired with the front end resting on a hard surface. The effect is far more with a double rifle because it upsets the muzzle flip that causes regulation. I shoot my doubles off sticks on occasion but I rest my fore-hand in the "V" and hold the rifle in my hand or as Mike describes my fore-arm on the sticks.

Much of the reason for people's opinion of the poor accuracy in a double rifle is the misuse of rests!

.....................................................................

The Master has spoken........I certainly cannot add anything more of substance here. The advice given has been rock solid and matches my own experience to a tee.

It might also be that before the shot, they are leaning into the butt of the rifle, anticipating recoil, and that would drive the butt down and the muzzle up........

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
I shoot doubles off of sticks all the time. Instead of resting the forearm of the rifle or the barrels in the "V" formed by the sticks, however, I rest my left forearm (right handed shooter) in the "V". Very stable and nothing is touching the rifle but my hands and shoulder. Sounds similar to what Adam says he does.

Ditto,

I have had good luck with this method as well.