Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Shooting tripods ?

Anybody ever shoot from a benchrest or on the ground with bipod/rear bag set-up and compare accuracy to shooting from a Tripod ?

Wondering how accurate shooting off a tripod is under field conditions ?

I've used my bog pod to take pigs out to 300 +/- regularly. All of my field rifles (multiple calibers) are loaded to about 3150 so they zero at 300. Using the pod I just aim and shoot; Dead pig.

Shooting off of a tripod is very stable, but not as stable as a benchrest or bipod/bag.

Thanks for the info. and links ! !

I have a bog-pod and really like it. Inherited it, and was skeptical, but it works great.

I have a Artice 80 tripod I believe with a Cheap ballhead. It works pretty good with a 17 lb rifle. The closer you get to the ground the better. If you spread it out and get prone it is very stable with a rear bag. It is not as stable as a good bipod and a rear bag though. Just another option in the quiver. $$ wise I would get the Innorell 90 If I was doing it again. RRS and a Anvil 30 head if $$ is not a option. The new 2 vets quick deploy is quite nice but not as compact. Works good for fast deploying under the clock.

I've killed one elk and one deer off a tripod out to 320 yards. I wouldn't want to go much further than that. I'd prefer to be prone and shooting off a pack or other rest.

It all depends.
Meaning that it depends upon what your needs are.
Jorden is correct in that nothing is as stable as a solid bench with good support for the gun.
But as a rule we cant take a bench along hunting, unless its some type of a portable one.
They can be made to be very good also, and also pretty light and portable.
A big problem with hunting, especially long range hunting, is that it isnt always a bang/flop situation with the first shot.
Meaning of coarse that a follow up shot or shots might be necessary.
Adding to the list of possible problems is the type of terrain involved.
Tree covered terrain for example can mean that with a few steps the target can become very hard to relocate after the shooter recovers from the recoil of the first shot. Therefore the device used needs to be designed in such a way as to allow for quick follow up shots by keeping the gun pretty much on target during recoil.
I would argue that the clamp type devices mounted on camera type tripods are not very good in that type situation.
There are however specifically designed shooting tripods that work very well.
But they arent cheap and they arent very portable either for a hunter to be carrying around.
For hunters who use a fixed location for l/r hunting, such as the vast majority of us do in PA, a good quality shooting tripod can have definate advantages over a good quality portable bench. Especially when setup for shooting from a standing position, which also has advantages.
For hunting, even l/r hunting, having the ability to shoot small groups is far less important than accurate shooting with the ability to stay with the target for quick follow up shots.
Check out the Lone Star shooting tripod made in Texas, or the Ultimate Tripod made in Blairsville PA.
Some even have better ones of the home brewed variety. lol

I've done some back and forth between my tripod and bench during range sessions to compare.

I'm slightly (but consistently) more accurate off the bench.

I don't really notice on steel, but do shooting groups.

A neck injury & surgery prohibits me from shooting prone anymore. Sitting works great though - I need to get better educated about some of the tripod options. Would be nice to get back to the same accuracy I used to be able to produce from prone...

Good thread. Thanks!

Any type of a rest you can use for taking a shot is an improvement over having none.
But with that said, at least for hunting, those that work well with quick follow up shots are the best to have.
My suggestion would be to try it before you buy it if at all possible.
Or at least see a video where accurate follow up shots are taken without the need to reposition the equipment.

I compete in PRS/NRL style matches for the past 12 years. Have used tripods...ALOT. The best i've done, with plenty of time (ie, not on the clock) was 600 yds. In hunting situations, i've harvested 3 animals. A doe mule deer at about 100 yds, 45 deg uphill with a pre 64 M70 in 257 Roberts. Another doe at about 100 yds with a 1873 lever gun in 45 Colt. A cow elk at 280 yds at a steep 45 deg uphill shot with my wildcat 6.5x57 BR. A tripod can certainly have it's advantages but it takes practice and one needs to know their range limits. The absolutely best set up, IME, is the RRA (Really Right Stuff) tripods using one of their ball heads attaching to the rifle via an ARCA rail. Light or heavy (even 30 lb rifles) that set up will allow one to easily make 600+ yd shot/impacts.

Alan

I got into tripod use for a once every 13 years antelope tag. I did use the tripod and it worked fine. I hit at 265 yds as I recall twice, the second was unnecessaary but I didn't want him falling off the bench he was on.

I compared shooting off a tripod to shooting off a bench, over my pack and in military shooting positions with a tight sling and without in prone, kneeling and sitting. I didn't use bipods in this as I didn't plan on carrying one. I found I was better off a bench and over a pack. results were very similar to what I could do from sitting with a tight sling. The tripod is faster to employ from a walk and flexible about shooting over obstructions like rocks.

I use Primos Trigger Sticks with good success.



P

thanks .