It's terribly cold here in eastern PA but yesterday I developed a bad case of cabin fever, so I went to the range just to shoot 5 rounds or so to stay in tuned for the upcoming varmint hunting season in April but mostly to get out of the house. Since one of my ranges is only 10 minutes away, it's not a big commitment in time or gas.
Anyway, I figured I'd be the only one crazy enough to be out in this weather, but I wasn't, there was another guy there shooting off one of the benches. He was an old fart like me.
He was shooting off a "mini" bog pod tripod that was low enough to accommodate shooting off the bench. I'd had never seen this contraption before but found it interesting since most of the bench shooters I encounter shoot off some version of sandbag rests or bipods attached to the rifle.
I was amazed at the groups he was shooting with a savage factory rifle, 6.5 Creedmore, about 1/2 moa with only the bipod for support, no rear bag. A conversation ensued since I was curious about the bench tripod because I shoot almost exclusively off a shooting stick to hone my field shooting skills. The only time I shoot off the bench is when I'm doing load development which is rare these days and when I perform the initial sight in on a scope. Practical range shooters always interest me.
Anyway, like me he is a hunter and told me that he went to this system since it simulates shooting off a full-size tripod (which he uses in the field) thus this mini pod provides a method to shoot in a practical manner off a bench. In addition, he claimed that its more effective than a bipod since he experienced point of impact changes with bipods shooting off different surfaces. Anyway, I thought it was an interesting approach. In addition, offering this post helps with my cabin fever which has returned today.
Anyway, I figured I'd be the only one crazy enough to be out in this weather, but I wasn't, there was another guy there shooting off one of the benches. He was an old fart like me.
He was shooting off a "mini" bog pod tripod that was low enough to accommodate shooting off the bench. I'd had never seen this contraption before but found it interesting since most of the bench shooters I encounter shoot off some version of sandbag rests or bipods attached to the rifle.I was amazed at the groups he was shooting with a savage factory rifle, 6.5 Creedmore, about 1/2 moa with only the bipod for support, no rear bag. A conversation ensued since I was curious about the bench tripod because I shoot almost exclusively off a shooting stick to hone my field shooting skills. The only time I shoot off the bench is when I'm doing load development which is rare these days and when I perform the initial sight in on a scope. Practical range shooters always interest me.
Anyway, like me he is a hunter and told me that he went to this system since it simulates shooting off a full-size tripod (which he uses in the field) thus this mini pod provides a method to shoot in a practical manner off a bench. In addition, he claimed that its more effective than a bipod since he experienced point of impact changes with bipods shooting off different surfaces. Anyway, I thought it was an interesting approach. In addition, offering this post helps with my cabin fever which has returned today.
