New shooting sticks interest....

[Michaeli]

Good Morning all,

 

Over the last few weeks I have been looking and trying at new set of shooting sticks. These new sticks are different to what we have on the market at the moment as these are a body mounted stick. Some of you might have seen a body mounted set at the British shooting show (vest mounted) but may have been put off by the price (£65 for the basic set)

 

Now these sticks are allot lighter, more versatile and cheaper. Below are some videos showing there uses. They can be used on and off the body.

 

Now don’t get me wrong they are not as stable as a set of quad sticks but once you get use to using them you will love them. I find they are just as good as my bipod sticks but with more uses.

 

The video (and product) is American so some of it may not be of use but there are some main advantages. I for one love the over the shoulder carry, as it is so easy and quick to swing the gun round into the shooting position. I find this great when out with night with the night vision as I don’t have to keep stopping to set my sticks up to scan the fields for rabbits etc.

 

The sticks also work well off the body as big tripods but weigh nothing like and can even be used in the prone position.

 

Currently these are available to buy but you have to ship from the US (about 2 weeks) I am in talks with the manufacture to bring these to the UK in bulk to then pass a small cost saving on to the UK shooter but also a quicker delivery time.

 

Currently these can be bought for about £36 (depending on the dollar rate) Inc postage to the UK.

I’m currently looking at putting an order in for 50 sets which would work out to about £30 each in postage to the UK shooter.

 

So what I’m looking for is any comments from you guys to if you would use these or not and if I was to place an order who would be interested?

 

Please feel free to ask any questions and if you are nearby to Nottingham feel free to pop over and try my set out etc.

 

Thanks

Michael

 

[Penfolio]

For thirty quid, I'd be happy to have a punt on 'em.

[steve_b_wales]

An interesting looking product.

[The Essex Hunter]

Not sure using a floating barrel.....but a very good demo.

 

TEH

[kent]

Copy it and make it here, returns are very expensive to the States and any you get faced with you will only get the price you paid trade or a replacement sent though you will be refunding at full retail price and paying hefty carriage. the system itself looks workable and ideal for the very uneven muddy or rocky ground, will I buy some? perhaps that is a no as it looks like a bit of fiddling in the workshop might sort a custom fitted to size set.

the very best of luck with the venture and look carefully at return and replacement costs to and from the USA as I might guess at it being cheaper to write each return off and chuck it in the bin and refund your uk based customers money

[Michaeli]

Not sure using a floating barrel.....but a very good demo.

 

TEH

 

Floating barrel can be an issue. But it will fit over most barrels and stock so when in the shooting position the stock takes the weight and the barrel remains floating.

I have been using it on my CZ455 .17HMR with good results.

 

Michael

[Michaeli]

Copy it and make it here, returns are very expensive to the States and any you get faced with you will only get the price you paid trade or a replacement sent though you will be refunding at full retail price and paying hefty carriage. the system itself looks workable and ideal for the very uneven muddy or rocky ground, will I buy some? perhaps that is a no as it looks like a bit of fiddling in the workshop might sort a custom fitted to size set.

the very best of luck with the venture and look carefully at return and replacement costs to and from the USA as I might guess at it being cheaper to write each return off and chuck it in the bin and refund your uk based customers money

 

No this is somthing i am looking into which could work out even cheaper for the UK market.

 

The sticks come with a one year warrenty (need to check what this covers) so i would also stock a few spares for the repairing of any should they go wrong. Now the sticks them self are very simple so cant see alot going wrong with them etc.

 

If i was to make them my self, size options would be avalible for diffrent heights.

 

Michael

[malkiserow]

I saw these many years ago and thought they were interesting then. Oddly, I've never known anyone use them......Yet.

 

Maybe a few reviews here will be helpful for the sceptics.

[Kes]

The principle looks good but traditionally our sticks contact the ground and I suggest that adds stability, especially when a standing shot is taken. All other shooting options are covered but the 'flexibility of the sticks is a question, (see crosbow kneeling). I'd give them a try at the right price. How long will the pouch last in use though, as without that the system rather falls down so make sure that is really robust.

[kent]

No this is somthing i am looking into which could work out even cheaper for the UK market.

 

The sticks come with a one year warrenty (need to check what this covers) so i would also stock a few spares for the repairing of any should they go wrong. Now the sticks them self are very simple so cant see alot going wrong with them etc.

 

If i was to make them my self, size options would be avalible for diffrent heights.

 

Michael

You miss the point I fear. A guy returns the goods, you have to give him his full retail price back including in certain instances post. Ok, fine you can get a refund at trade price- once you pay shipping to the states and back etc. In short you might as well bin the returned item as I doubt your NET margin will cover trans Atlantic shipping admin costs and then return post to the end user. sell 100 say at £30 you loose 3k if they get returned to you forget the warranty from manufacturer the responsibility lies with you alone, the user /buyer does not have to return them to the states you do at your cost! If your supplier finishes trading or becomes difficult you are still responsible. Besides any warranty you have to offer "fit for purpose subsection covering reasonable durability" under UK trading law, not saying they aint quality items but unless you are aware of the full risk and happy to take it then trade safe with a trusted UK firm

In British law its the guy that sells it to the end user not the guy who sold it to you the supplier who bears 100% responsibility. Think carefully I shouldn't fancy risking selling a 1000 of them in a year as even if you doubled you money (which I doubt NET of all costs)you effectively might risk a large amount more. What part of this if any holds international patent? None I suspect, get it made here OR Bongo-Bongo were the Yanks most likely do anyhow

 

Oh its the buyer who decides repair or replace / refund, who said let the buyer beware was thinking of the trade buyer obviously

Edited February 27, 2014 by kent

[mereside]

I posted my results on sd after buying a few sets a few years back and to me not up to using for centre fire as they do flex under the weight of a rifle, Michael if you was to makes some its really easy as all they are is fibre glass tent poles with the elastic through the middle the poles from that model are around 6-10 mm if memoury serves well but fleabay do poles up to 12mm which would drastically improve the flex.

the carrier is just neoprene sleeve stitched at both ends with loops, atb wayne

Edited February 28, 2014 by mereside

[kent]

I posted my results on sd after buying a few sets a few years back and to me not up to using for centre fire as they do flex under the weight of a rifle, Michael if you was to makes some its really easy as all they are is fibre glass tent poles with the elastic through the middle the poles from that model are around 6-10 mm if memoury serves well but fleabay do poles up to 12mm which would drastically improve the flex.

the carrier is just neoprene sleeve stitched at both ends with loops, atb wayne

If making your own, should it be worth the bother of a sectional design at all? I see the main UK use being lamping over irregular ground, going from the shoulder carry to the aim quickly and still gaining the ability to track and shoot quarry "on the leg" as, where and if required.

IMO nothing beats the long legged fixed bipod for staking out some ground from a seated stance and we don't hunt turkey or much at all by truly aiming a shotgun here.

[malkiserow]

If making your own, should it be worth the bother of a sectional design at all? I see the main UK use being lamping over irregular ground, going from the shoulder carry to the aim quickly and still gaining the ability to track and shoot quarry "on the leg" as, where and if required.

IMO nothing beats the long legged fixed bipod for staking out some ground from a seated stance and we don't hunt turkey or much at all by truly aiming a shotgun here.

 

Interesting. So also a single stick with a fixing to a std pivot/sling stud would cover most rabbit shooting with a small calibre rifle.

[mereside]

If making your own, should it be worth the bother of a sectional design at all? I see the main UK use being lamping over irregular ground, going from the shoulder carry to the aim quickly and still gaining the ability to track and shoot quarry "on the leg" as, where and if required.

IMO nothing beats the long legged fixed bipod for staking out some ground from a seated stance and we don't hunt turkey or much at all by truly aiming a shotgun here.

for me it wasn't worth it I went back to twin sticks i use them all the time for all my shooting but someone else might like the idea, shooting with the sticks off the hip i suppose makes you and the rifle one so does have an advantage but the downside is having the sticks fixed to the rubber loop prior to starting and walking round with the rifle over the shoulder ,to me a downside especially with a full bore rifle.

if you were to use them like normal sticks then as you pointed out use a long bypod or normal sticks.

I am not trying to put people off but to highlight the point that in first glance they look good but normal sticks work better.

If you are carrying from the hip with the rifle either over the shoulder or in front pointing up how do you then start glassing, yes the sticks carry in the pouch but then you have got to set the sticks up where as normal twin sticks you flick open and put the rifle on top it doesn't get much quicker unless you are shooting off hand.

atb wayne