Handi Hunting Rest

[dw06]

Been looking at cabelas gunpod rifle rest for using in the field and when just woodswalking.Anyone use one?The single leg gunpod has four sections that extend from 22-61'' Just wondered how durable they are.

[safetysheriff]

i use a couple of flexible fiberglass poles like you'd use along a walkway or driveway with orange/white reflectorization wrap on 'em.   i cover 'em with camo tape and they work very well, for very little money, as a rifle rest.   that may sound simplistic, but it has worked just fine....

ss' 

[quickdtoo]

I use the Stoney Point Polecat Explorer bipod, 25"-62", 1lb....I put a deerskin sling on it and carry it over my shoulder...works well sitting or standing.

Tim

http://www.stoneypoint.com/bipod_index.html

[dw06]

Thanks for the replies.I went the homemade route,built one of Varmint Als bi-fur-pods.Works great and is light enough to carry,plus makes a good walking stick too.

[Mac11700]

I'm trying out a "el-cheapo" mono-pod gun rest I picked up from Wally World a few months back..it only costed $9.98...but so far is working pretty good...

Mac

[myarmor]

I checked out the one Mac just talked about, awhile back. I plan on picking one up, it's surprisingly sturdy, and locks in place great, seems to be a good buy for the $$. I forgot what name brand it is..
Then again there's nothing wrong with making one either
-Aaron

[quickdtoo]

Monopods or Moses sticks as they were called, are great for vertical stability, but they lack horizontal stability, a folding bipod will be a much better shooting platform and the reason I've never seen a PH use a monopod in any African hunt, they always use tall bipods. I've used em before thinking they would work, they're better than nothing, but not great. 

Tim

[Mac11700]

Making one isn't a bad idea either...I really like the strap on this one..it lets me pull it up nice and tight to my knee when I'm sitting down and makes it pretty steady...I don't think I would use it in Africa either..but it should work ok for where and how I'm using it...I don't have a clue on the long term durability of it yet....but..at less than $10 bucks..it is at-least priced right ...I did look at the aluminum ones too...they do seem more rugged..A long time ago...I made one out of a dis-carded aluminum IV pole...and bent and tapped the bottle hooks at a 90* angle put some good foam rubber on it...and used that for sometime to shoot off of...I finnally broke the durn thing falling in a creek on top of it...It worked pretty good up till then..

Mac

[aulrich]

I have used a couple versions over the years and the problem with all of them, is that they all have serious limitations.

Years ago I hunted fox alot but mostly it was a spot and stalk sort of arrangement,  See them in a field (they had a habit of sleeping in the middle of fileds during the day) you would crawel in a cross wind to gun range 40-300 yards depending on the snow and how hard the wind was blowing.  in that context the harris bi-pod was the best bet.

The bipod went with the tika (I miss that gun)

The next was the mtm shooting stick it's a walking stick that you could shoot off, it saved a lot of wear and tear on my knees and is useful as a shooting rest unless the ground is frozen solid, and it was in the way most of the time.

The next is shooting sticks nothing fancy, they are very useful with rimfires  while gopher shooting, though not as good a a bi-pod for open country deer.  But not so good when calling coyotes when they can come from anywhere there a mono-pod maybe the best.

[dw06]

I know where you are coming from aulrich,I bought harris bi-pod years ago and use them most of the time.I just wanted something for taking on my walks through the woods.I thing the bi fur pods are going to work out good.

[ironglow]

 I made a bi-fur-pod..seems to work quite well, although not having made any special arrangement for thr ground contact point, i am making them now..it didn't want to hold firmly with the legs widely spread.
   I also make my own walking stick/monopods. i use a maple or other stick (cut & dried sapling)..put a crutch tip on the bottom and then forge a top piece.
  Sometimes the top piece is a yoke to hold the rifle and is wrapped with a cushioning material..other times, it is more pure walking stick..with a Bighorn ram head a longhorn bull head or any other shape my mind conjures up . When I make the longhorn head, I attach a piece of soft leather on a thong...so it can be laid over the horns and the rifle rested upon it..
  Often, where I live..when cruising fields and forest edges..standing shots are the order and the walking stick works well.
  The standing shot is often necessary because the fields are usually very moist on the Spring & fall ends of the season..

[cwlongshot]

I use the Stoney Point Polecat Explorer bipod, 25"-62", 1lb....I put a deerskin sling on it and carry it over my shoulder...works well sitting or standing.

Tim

http://www.stoneypoint.com/bipod_index.html

 I also use this one and like it very much. it also works GREAT as a binocular rest for spoting!!

 CW

[dw06]

I use the Stoney Point Polecat Explorer bipod, 25"-62", 1lb....I put a deerskin sling on it and carry it over my shoulder...works well sitting or standing.

Tim

http://www.stoneypoint.com/bipod_index.html

 I also use this one and like it very much. it also works GREAT as a binocular rest for spoting!!

 CW

Well after hearing that from quickdtoo and now cwlongshot,I checked out the stoney point link,Looks like I will be getting them also.Like the looks and weight of the.Thanks for info.

[quickdtoo]

I have to admit that I have now seen someone using a monopod in Africa, although he didn't shoot over it, I watched a TV show last Friday where  Bob "Walker's Game Ear" Walker was hunting in Africa, he was carrying what looked to be a Stoney Point monopod, he did aim over it once but didn't take the shot, later in the show, he didn't using it at all. He was wearing a pair of his hunting muffs, tho!

Tim