Most stable shooting platform?

Ucsdryder

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Jan 23, 2016
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bipod with rear bag off a bench?

front and rear bag off a bench?

bipod with rear bag prone?

front and rear bag prone?
 
Personally, I think prone is more stable than a bench. Either a bag or bipod can be very stable, but it depends on the bag and/or bipod and how it is set up. But there are so many variables that any of these coud be the most stable depending on the shooters physical attributes and skill, and on the details of how each position is set up. For quick setup and ease of use, it's hard to beat a good bipod and rear bag.
 
Bipod's are usually rock solid when combined with a rear bag. I quit using them years ago and now use a front mechanical rest and rear bag when doing load development or LR target shooting. Due to a fused neck I don't do prone and a solid bench serves me fine.
This past deer season, while sniping from a elevated shooting stand, I used a homemade sandbag (old jeans) and a cheap shooting stick near the toe of the stock. With my right arm tucked in tight this is a very stable hunting/shooting position for me. I took a nice buck at 473yds this past season with this setup.
 
Absolutely supported prone off Bipods with a rear bag. That being said. The single best piece of kit I ever sprung for was my RRS tripod with Anvil 30 ball head. Makes shootingnbpotioonal feel like your rifle is locked into a vise and that includes the standing. It's a tough pill to swallow, but telling your rn, it's 100% worth every penny.
 
The best most stable shooting platform on the earth is.... The earth.

The closer you can get to the ground, the more stable your platform will be. For me, it's prone off a solid bipod with a rear support.
 
As others have stated, prone is the most stable, with a bipod and rear bag. But prone isn't always an option for hunting situations. That's where a tripod becomes a valuable tool. I second what @StanleyActual8541 stated with the RRS anvil 30 (mine is retrofitted on a different tripod). That thing locks up stupid solid. When comparing it to my friend's hog saddle, it's like shooting freehand vs on bags. Night and day difference. I've only had my anvil 30 for 6 months but with more practice I think I'll be able to shoot just as well of the anvil 30 as I do prone. I've been able to hit steel at 800 yards, consistently, in a sitting position with the anvil 30 on a tripod.
 
, A stable tripod is necessary and fundamental piece of kit. It serves dual functions. The majority of the time it will support Your optics while you glass., and secondly it serves as a shooting support.. Been there done rhat: I came up at a time
In the Marine- Corps before all of he high speed equipment . Wensidnt
Even have Bipods oh out rifles . Now you're out on mission trying to fabricate yourself shooting support out of sticks. That only serves as a reminder of how unprepared your were and to never make that mistake again.

On the flip side of that, Dudes rollin up to the PRS firing line with 6 bags hanging off of him; dragging 2 tripods and a 30lb 6mm iis ridiculous,,, much carrying all that nonsense with you on a real world op or a "hunting" trip. Come one now .".'Just missing the point entirely trying to "game" the system.

IMO a bipod, tripod, are sling are keyboard pieces of kit gear.
 
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Well I am struggling with a new tripod and ball head. It's a nice Feisol tripod with their 40mm ball head. I tried it last week and just could not get solid. I did not have a table or chair or anything to brace from. I tried standing....no way. I tried sitting, then kneeling....no way. I wasn't trying to take a long shot. Quite the opposite, I had a new rifle and scope was just trying to get it on paper. I set up a target w/ a small 1" circle in the middle, and could not lock onto that circle from 50yds.....yes 5-0, as in one yard more than 49.
I was deeply disappointed and wondered whether it was the tripod, the head, or me???
The rifle isn't heavy....I'd say 9lbs max with the scope. It's a 6CM, so the recoil was a non issue.
I concluded that unless I have some sort of structure to rest my trigger side elbow, I am screwed.
I just bought this tripod and head, so I have no experience with it. I think it will work fine from my ground blind and elevated blind because I have a chair with an arm rest.
The rifle locks in place quite solid with an attached arca rail, but once I introduce my shoulder into the equation it has a certain level of play that I cannot seem to eliminate.....being able to rest my right elbow is the only cure.
I would gladly take any advice from anyone who can give it. Thanks in advance
 
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Well I am struggling with a new tripod and ball head. It's a nice Feisol tripod with their 40mm ball head. I tried it last week and just could not get solid. I did not have a table or chair or anything to brace from. I tried standing....no way. I tried sitting, then kneeling....no way. I wasn't trying to take a long shot. Quite the opposite, I had a new rifle and scope was just trying to get it on paper. I set up a target w/ a small 1" circle in the middle, and could not lock onto that circle from 50yds.....yes 5-0, as in one yard more than 49.
I was deeply disappointed and wondered whether it was the tripod, the head, or me???
The rifle isn't heavy....I'd say 9lbs max with the scope. It's a 6CM, so the recoil was a non issue.
I concluded that unless I have some sort of structure to rest my trigger side elbow, I am screwed.
I just bought this tripod and head, so I have no experience with it. I think it will work fine from my ground blind and elevated blind because I have a chair with an arm rest.
The rifle locks in place quite solid with an attached arca rail, but once I introduce my shoulder into the equation it has a certain level of play that I cannot seem to eliminate.....being able to rest my right elbow is the only cure.
I would gladly take any advice from anyone who can give it. Thanks in advance

Of course man 'no problem. It's like anything else.. you have to practice setting it up,, in difrent positikns but att a height that's conducive tho a solid stable shooting position for you .. Just getting.familiar and
Comefoetablw with it .i.
 
Well I am struggling with a new tripod and ball head. It's a nice Feisol tripod with their 40mm ball head. I tried it last week and just could not get solid. I did not have a table or chair or anything to brace from. I tried standing....no way. I tried sitting, then kneeling....no way. I wasn't trying to take a long shot. Quite the opposite, I had a new rifle and scope was just trying to get it on paper. I set up a target w/ a small 1" circle in the middle, and could not lock onto that circle from 50yds.....yes 5-0, as in one yard more than 49.
I was deeply disappointed and wondered whether it was the tripod, the head, or me???
The rifle isn't heavy....I'd say 9lbs max with the scope. It's a 6CM, so the recoil was a non issue.
I concluded that unless I have some sort of structure to rest my trigger side elbow, I am screwed.
I just bought this tripod and head, so I have no experience with it. I think it will work fine from my ground blind and elevated blind because I have a chair with an arm rest.
The rifle locks in place quite solid with an attached arca rail, but once I introduce my shoulder into the equation it has a certain level of play that I cannot seem to eliminate.....being able to rest my right elbow is the only cure.
I would gladly take any advice from anyone who can give it. Thanks in advance

i will say that this, the difference in stability between a HOG Saddle and an Anvil 30 ball head is night and day. There's literally no comparison. Yes, the A30 isn't cheap, but the majority of the time it's supporting my Binos for glassing. When it's time to shoot just flip the lever, remove my optic and clip the rifle in. Rock solid support. You would need either a pic rail attach or an Arca installed on your stock but that's not a big deal. My daughters rifle has a 3.5" pic rail attach that works great and easy to instal. They also sell 3" , 6", 10", 12" Arca rails. I will probably end up installing either a 3" or 6" Arca rail on the huntinrifle I'm currently building. Obviously the longer the Arca rail just gives you the ability to slide your rifle forward or backwards on the mount. One way to do it is leave the bipod attached to the swivel stud toward the front of the rifle and mount your Arca rail closer to your Floorplate/!DBM . Mounting the rlfle closer to the balance point just increases stability and also allows you to keep your bipod mounted and not have to remove it when attach your rifle to the tripod.

I cannot stress this enough. The 2 most useful pieces of kit I've EVER purchased is my RRS TVC24 tripod w/ Anvil 30 and my Zeiss Victory RF 10x42's . In that order.

Save the pennies and grab that A30. You will not regret that purchase. I promise you that.

 
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2nd the RRS Anvil 30 in the field, but if I'm doing load development its usually on a bench with bipod and rear bag.
62514833003__809626D7-7AD8-4E4A-80BA-6DDC14ECE781.JPG
 
2nd the RRS Anvil 30 in the field, but if I'm doing load development its usually on a bench with bipod and rear bag.View attachment 284474
I have a Henderson 3" arca rail mounted on my stock just in front of the action screw. So it locks in tight.....and the crosshairs don't move at all, until I shoulder the rifle. Unless I have something to rest my right arm/elbow on, it's not steady. If I'm sitting in a chair I can rest my elbow on my knee and it's fine. On a bench I can use a bag or rest the elbow on the bench. It's when I have nothing but me, the tripod and the rifle that things get iffy. Make no mistake, I'm working on it....but until I find that magic position, I'll make sure I have a place to sit.
 
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