Finding the best shooting sticks can be a challenge, especially if you have never used a shooting stick before and have no idea of how it works or what it’s used for. If you’re one of the handful of people who don’t know what they are, don’t worry.
We’ll give you a brief synopsis of what they are and what their intended function is. On top of that, we’ll also unveil our list of the six best shooting sticks currently on the market as of this writing. Before we do, we’ll also talk about the type of shooting sticks that are available and how you can find one for your own use.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Shooting Sticks
- OUR TOP PICK: Bog-pod Shooting Sticks
- RUNNER-UP: Vanguard Scout B62 Shooting Stick
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Caldwell Adjustable Ambidextrous Rifle Shooting Rest
Comparison of the Best Shooting Sticks
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What is a Shooting Stick and What is it Used For?
A shooting stick is basically a rest for your rifle or firearm of choice. The chief intent of these shooting sticks is to provide you with a great deal of stability so you are able to shoot accurate, precise shots.
US Soldier using a M14 equipped with a two-legged shooting stick (Source)
This will be a solution if you’re having a hard time holding a rifle or pistol straight during any kind of application. These sticks are usually used in hunting and target shooting situations.
Types of Shooting Sticks
There are a few different types of shooting sticks currently available. But which one is best for you? Which one will fit your personal needs and preferences? These are questions that you might ask while you’re looking for a shooting stick of your own. Here are the most popular types among current users:
Monopod Shooting Sticks
This is your one-legged shooting stick. You can easily adjust the height to your exact specifications. It can be lengthened and shortened with an easy to use mechanism. Pretty simple, right? If you’re looking for a shooting stick that will allow you to keep moving even hunting applications, you’ll likely benefit from a monopod.
Bipod Shooting Stick
Of course, this is your two-legged version of a shooting stick. Obviously, with the additional leg, it will be much more stable than a single monopod. This type of shooting stick is best used for shooters who prefer shooting from the prone position.
Tripod Shooting Sticks
If three legs are what you are looking for, then this is the shooting stick you want. Once again, this might be a stick best used for prone position shooters. In terms of stability, this is the most stable of the bunch.
However, it might take slightly longer to get these set up than with either a monopod or a bipod. A major downside is that a tripod will not allow for much in terms of mobility due to the added weight. Plus, they take a lot more time to deploy. If you have plenty of time to set up shop in your favorite spot, then these tripods could be your best possible option.
Aspects to Consider Before Buying
There are some aspects you should consider while you’re looking for a good shooting stick to call your own. One or two of these might be the driving factor to your buying decision. It does take a bit of time and a little skill to distinguish a great shooting stick from one that is unreliable and poor in quality. Here are the aspects to consider:
What Kind of Shooting Stick Do I Need?
Are you planning on moving around a lot? Will you be staying in one place the entire day? Your choice will probably depend on how you answer both of these questions. If you’re looking to move from place to place during a hunt, then you’ll need a monopod to get the job done.
A bipod can be sufficient if you can handle the slight extra weight and slightly longer deployment time. However, if you plan on staying in one place the entire day, you may want to consider a tripod as your best possible option.
Bog-pod Shooting Sticks
Price
If you’re a budget shopper, you’re always going to place the price tag at a higher importance. But don’t let it be the sole reason why you chose to purchase a specific model.
It’s important to find the best shooting stick that is excellent in quality and will function the way you want it to. Don’t settle for a low price tag, as this will set you up with a device that will likely fail you time and time again.
What to Look for in a High-Quality Shooting Stick?
Quality should be the most important aspect of any item. You want something that will last you in the long-term. To find the right shooting stick, you need one that is made from high-quality materials like aluminum or steel.
These two materials are proven to be strong and have the ability to take on all kinds of abuse. At the same time, they have also proven to be sturdier. The sturdier they are, the better chance they have of standing in almost any conditions.
Review of the Best Shooting Sticks
The following is a list of the six best shooting sticks currently on the market. As you look through each one, it is important to find one that will match your personal needs and preferences. That’s when you need to pay close attention to the features and functions of the shooting stick itself.
If it matches up with what you’re actually looking for, you’re bound to find a winner. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the best overall choices currently on the market:
Best Overall:
Bog-Pod Shooting Sticks
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers have been able to get excellent stability from this bipod. Some of them were bench shooters, so they were able to easily adjust the height for ease of shooting. Others were able to get better stability just by shooting in the prone position. Regardless, the shooting accuracy was precise and consistent.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The construction is solid and the product definitely has the ability to hold up on even the roughest terrains. Even on ice, it can still hold up quite well. So the gripping ability on the rubber feet might be hard to match when competing with other shooting sticks.
Who Will Use This Most
This will be used by bench shooters and prone position shooters, especially those who are avid hunters and target shooters. The major reasons: better stability and better accuracy. Obviously, the two go hand in hand. Accuracy always matters in these applications because it leads to better kill shots or tighter groups near the bullseye.
What Could be Improved and Why
One of the things that might warrant an improvement is making the folding/unfolding more fluid and easy. Kind of like adding WD-40 to a creaky hinge. At the outset, it might be a little rough to deploy from the start, but it can save you a lot of time and frustration if you make it a little smoother.
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a shooting stick that is considered to be the best of the best, the Bog Pod might just be something that is right up your alley. It’s solid, rugged, and definitely will hold its own with most types of terrain.
Runner-Up:
Vanguard Scout B62 Shooting Stick
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
One recent buyer used this for his latest hunt. He was able to keep it stable in a standing position for a long time. The pointed feet at the bottom are used to make sure you can plant it deep enough into the ground so you can keep it steady while standing. You can also adjust it for all kinds of positions like making it shorter for bench shooting.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The construction is sturdy and the adjustments seem almost limitless. Plus, deployment is quick and painless. This is probably the best description of how a shooting stick should work. If these are features you’re looking for, there’s a good chance you’ll find this model appealing.
Who Will Use This Most
Hunters will likely use this to their advantage, especially if they are shooting from either a prone or seated position. The standing position might only be used for target shooters unless hunters are able to find just enough cover to the point where they can stand.
Being stealthy and out of the sight of your target is important. If you’re unable to find a place where you can remain standing during a hunt, you’re better off either prone or sitting.
What Could be Improved and Why
One of the things that might improve the bipod is to make it a little sturdier for some of the heavy-hitting rifles.
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a bipod that’s easy to adjust and can be deployed as quickly as possible in any application, you’ll want to consider looking at the Vanguard Shooting Stick a little further. Whether you’re hunting or just shooting at targets at the range, this product could definitely be your long-term solution for accurate and more stable shooting.
Best for the Money:
Caldwell Adjustable Ambidextrous Rifle Shooting Rest
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Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Most recent buyers were aware of this being one of the more affordable models on the market. It ended up being a lot more than what they paid for in terms of quality and performance. They were able to attach their rifles with ease and fire off accurate shots with more stability. They were also pleasantly surprised that it was lightweight and portable for a tripod.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This tripod design is not as heavy or slow to deploy like many regular models. At the same time, it’s sturdy and stable, so you can deploy this on pretty much any kind of terrain and it will stay in place. You won’t have to worry about it getting knocked down or slipping out of place.
Who Will Use This Most
This will likely be used by big game hunters and competitive shooters. The main reason is that a tripod is a lot more solid in construction and more stable overall. This will make shooting a lot better.
Your shots will be perfectly aligned and have even better accuracy compared to just holding it in your hands. This is also a good tool to have if you’re looking for something to give you a better chance at sighting-in your rifle.
What Could be Improved and Why
Simple: add a sling swivel to it. Or any sling, in particular. This will allow hunters who tend to hike longer distances to carry it without the discomfort or struggle of carrying other things that they might need. Besides, you need your hands for other uses (like looking through binoculars or using a sidearm if such a situation were to arise).
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a shooting stick that is cheap, flimsy, and low-quality, you’ll be sorely disappointed. The Caldwell Deadshot is a sturdy tripod that is well worth the money you pay. If you’re looking for a shooting stick you can rely on without breaking the bank, consider the Deadshot a possible finalist on your shortlist of choices.
Best Monopod Shooting Stick:
Hammers Shooting Stick
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Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Most recent buyers saw this as a multi-purpose tool. One, it can be used as a pretty sturdy hiking stick that will get you around, even on some pretty rough terrain. It can also be used as a handy shooting stick whenever you need it. One recent buyer said that it’s a must-have for hunters.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This monopod is no ordinary shooting stick. In fact, you don’t even have to use it as one. As it can be used as a hiking stick, you’ll definitely have one that is solid and reliable, especially if you’re suffering from mobility issues as you age. This would make the perfect hunting companion for older hunters who can still shoot straight but can’t get around all that well anymore.
Who Will Use This Most
This monopod is used for outdoor purposes only. So expect this to be a hunter’s best choice for shooting sticks. This might be also used as a hiking stick or as a pod you can use to take pictures with. In short, this is a Swiss Army knife kind of pod that was originally designed for shooting.
What Could be Improved and Why
One of the things that could be improved is to make the compass a little larger, especially for the potential of having older people use it. Their eyesight may not be as good to see the small lettering on the compass itself. So, make it bigger so they can see it better and prevent the likelihood of going in the wrong direction.
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a monopod that is designed to be the ultimate outdoor tool, the Hammers Shooting Stick might be exactly what you’re looking for. Even if you don’t use it for shooting, it’s a sturdy unit that you can use for other purposes like hiking or taking pictures in the great outdoors.
Best Bipod Stick:
Caldwell XLA Fixed Sling Stud Bipod with Fast Expand Legs
[amazon fields="B008JGZCUU" image="1" value="thumb" image_size="large" image_align="center" image_link="none"]
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Most recent buyers loved seeing this bipod deploy a lot quicker than most on the market. Other than that, they reported that the shooting stick is indeed quite sturdy when adjusted to other heights. For prone position shooters, it made their shooting much more accurate than without the stick itself.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This bipod is so lightweight, you can carry it around all day without ever worrying about being uncomfortable. However, that doesn’t mean you should forego the idea of getting a sling for it if you plan on taking long walks during your hunting trip. This bipod has a great range of adjustable heights that are suitable for standing, sitting, and prone position shooting.
Who Will Use This Most
This will most likely be used by hunters and target shooters. For the latter application, this will probably be also used for competition shooting as well. It’s lightweight enough to take on the heat of the competition, especially when every shot has to count. This will give you the stability and accuracy you need to get an edge on your rivals.
What Could be Improved and Why
One thing that we think can be improved is getting rid of the pivot feature. It should just be a pod where you can allow it to be straight and perfectly aligned for any target that might stand in the way. Plus, you’ll know when to pull the trigger once your target reaches the line of fire.
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for the best bipod stick on the market, you might find the Caldwell Bipod as one of your best possible options. If you’re more of a hunter than a target shooter, this could also be your best friend out in the field. Your hit probability might just go up if you go with this bipod.
Best Tripod Stick:
Primos Hunting Trigger Stick Gen 3 Short Tripod
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers were quick to say that the stability on this tripod was really good. Some say that it stayed in place even in windy conditions. The time to deploy wasn't very long. It took as little as ten seconds to fully deploy the pod itself. As for attaching your rifles, it was easy attach and detach.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This tripod is probably the best in its class for being more lightweight and easier to deploy. At the same time, the construction is solid, as expected. Other than the construction and some of its functionality, it sticks out as a must-have shooting sticks that a bench shooter could ever dream about.
Who Will Use This Most
While it will likely be used by your typical standing or prone position shooters, there’s a good chance that bench shooters will seize the opportunity by getting this tripod. The height adjustments on the lower end are just enough for you to shoot comfortably from a sitting position. Either way, you still get some pretty good stability from the pod itself.
What Could be Improved and Why
One of the things that could be improved is to add stakes to the feet of the tripod. This way, it will allow the tripod itself to plant itself a little further to the ground. That alone can make the stability a little better, especially while you’re dealing with rough but soft terrain.
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a tripod that will give you the best in stability and make shooting a lot better for most applications, the Primos Hunting Trigger Shooting Stick could be your best investment yet. This has its uses no matter which position you are comfortable shooting from. Even for a tripod, it has a hard to rival the ability to deploy much faster than any other tripod on the market.
How to Use a Shooting Stick
If you haven’t used a shooting stick before, you’re not alone. Once you have one you can learn how to use it just by reading this brief guide. Here’s what you need to do:
If you’re using a monopod, place it at a 45-degree angle and then place the rifle on top of it. Placing it straight up will cause stability issues and it will wobble around. Not only will your shots miss the mark, but it can put you in a potentially dangerous situation.
Conclusion
Once you find the best shooting stick that fulfills your needs, you’ll be excited to put it to good use. As always, you should consider giving it a test drive at the range or in a gravel pit so you can make sure that it’s ready for primetime. Once you know it’s stable enough, it’s ready for any application you set your mind to.
