Long range shooting position

Bill Bailey

I guess that's the point, you tighten your's so it won't move unless you want it to, I opt to not move mine and forego the swivel option completely. Lots of fellas I shoot with have the swivel version and they too state they tighten it but about every one of them at some point also state the thing moved when it was not too desirable. I don't know if it's a crutch they fall back upon for their errors/miscalculation or if it happens as often as they profess but I know for sure that mine will never swivel and as such have one less point of failure. (It's just my nature, weigh the possible benefit against the increased likelyhood of failure. If there is little or no benefit I won't opt for the additional failure point.)


srhaggerty

I use the Poly Beads, they're relatively light and not deteriorated by the elements. They also have a smooth movement during manipulation/adjustment of the sand sock.

There are a few folks that use styrofoam beads, much lighter but I don't know about their durability (water, chemicals, compression, etc). I'm going to to find a bag of them and make a sock for testing.


Boman

I don't have any difficulty getting level with the non-swivel bipod. The legs are adjustable for length and I don't shoot from improved surfaces (asphalt, cement, wood, etc) except on rare instances (and these are usually pre-leveled). In the field and on the range I find that I can easily move my shooting position a few inches and find a spot that offers a little dip or rise to level to the last little degree. I also "load" the bipod when I shoot (apply pressure to the buttstock forcing the rifle forward) and as such nearly always make little depressions in the ground with the bipod feet (to capture the feet and prevent forward movement) before shooting. These custom depressions allow me to level the bipod any last little bit. It's a nearly automatic thing for me, very little wasted time and little movement as I do it as I extent the legs to the proper length.

I shoot often to 1000 yards in competitions (F-Class TR) and also when at tactical competions or at UKD (UnKnown Distance) field fire training/practice. My big game hunting is not to these 1000 yard distances but more generally in the 500 to 650 yard range.


7mmmag man

I use the B-Square bubble level. I clamp it to the Badger base so it is visible at the rear left of rifle. I doesn't extend beyond the parallax know and is not problem.

[image]http://www.midwayusa.com/mediasvr.dll/image?saleitemid=498458[/image]

Midway has them but you may be able to get a better price somewhere else (I didn't check price).

B-Square Bubble Level @ Midway
 
Dave,

To each his own I guess. While I can't say I've used the bipod for long range big game hunting, I have used them extensively on small game and targets.

I'm with you on eliminating all the variables in my equipment that may cause failure. I can also say that I have never blamed a miss on my bipods. If I miss, I blame myself. I think some people just need a crutch to fall back on so that it is not their fault. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
I think I will have my wife make me up that camo bag filled with the poly beads. Will have to play around with the desity I guess til I find the right amount.
 
Dave, can you shoot comfortably at steep angles with that bipod?? say 40 º ??is it long enough ( provided you don´t have anything to give you extraheight like arock, backpack...
 
There's a little more to making a sand sock than putting the beads in a bag. I first put the beads in a women's kneehigh nylon stocking and adjust the tension on the nylon to get a good firmness to the bag. Once I have the first kneehigh done I place that inside another just for durability. After the sandsock is two laters of nylon covered I place it in a more "manly" sock. I tie off a small loop of 550 cord so that I can clip the sandsock to a carabiner on my gear belt or pack.
 
Shooting at such a steep angle would surely cause you to have quite a crook in your neck to do so from prone. A better explanation of your position, sitting, prone, etc.
 
Hi Dave, I bought a non-swivel Harris years ago and still regret it. Later on I bought one 25C-S and two LS bipods. Having those swivels really helps when plugging groundhogs from odd positions such as from the side of a hill. Not up or down but rather parallel to it.
I do tighten up the swivel screws but it's up to me to keep my gun level. Will have to check out that notched leg model and combined with the swivel it looks like a great set-up.
Thanks
 
yes, I meant shooting prone and it is really not comfortable.but if the bipod is high enough you don´t need to bend your neck down to compensate for a short bipod.
 
Re: Long range shooting position -poly beads

Resurrecting this one a little:

Dave, when you say 'poly beads' do you mean a hard BB-type bead or the slightly bouncy type of polystyrene bead that you get in bean bag cushions.

.....I just got back in from testing a bean bag filled with the polystyrene compressible type; it seemed to consistently shift my MPI 0.4 mil up at a variety of ranges

...I'm wondering if the fill must be hard beads to avoid this shift?
 
Re: Long range shooting position -poly beads

[ QUOTE ]
Dave, when you say 'poly beads' do you mean a hard BB-type bead or the slightly bouncy type of polystyrene bead that you get in bean bag cushions.


[/ QUOTE ]

I too am wondering what material you use so if you see this could you please post
 
A shooting position is ANY POSITION that allows one to hold on the game well enough to ensure a lethal bullet strike! I killed a bull elk last Tuesday afternoon that was slow-walking across a high mountain meadow and my position was atop a high ridge covered with tall scrub oak timber! Fat chance for a prone/sitting shot here as a shooting stick would have been about as useless as tits on a boar hog!! I found one opening that I could see the bull through and made the shot offhand so I guess all those years of shooting Service Rifle NMC and standing events are still working! The bull was 329 yards quartering away to the northeast and the bullet hit right behind the left shoulder and exited the right front! Laying down and shooting dogs/coydogs is one thing....and shooting elk sometimes under fast moving conditions is another thing! If possible I'll shoot prone and lay the rifle across my backpack as this works good.....SOMETIMES!! But the best laid plans of mice and men sometimes take a "screwing"! At 65 I still climb the mountains pretty good but I think I'd get "woe out"....carting a bench around! That would get rather noisy also!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
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