PRS Talk Rear rest for barricades

[Patty]

This weekend I shot a match, specifically 2 stages at this match where i was able to use a tripod for a rear rest. I was allowed to start with it deployed and carry it with me to the barricades. Obviously it was very stable, I cleaned both stages.

Normally, at most matches i shoot, tripods are either not allowed, or must be deployed on the clock, which is quite time consuming extending all the legs etc.

My question is, does anyone have any experience shooting barricades with a monopod or shooting stick type device for a rear rest deployed in the same scenario you would use a tripod as a rear rest? Having to only extend a monopod is a lot faster. I am sure it would give good elevation control, but it seems it would lack the side to side stability the tripod offers. But is it better than nothing?

If not, what method do you use to get super stable on those stages where you cant contact a part of the barricade with your body to steady up?

 

[lte82]

For me, it is worse than nothing. Too much side to side movement. The only time I see an advantage to the tripod is when I can't get the gun to rest of it's balance point and hold it by the scope or front of the stock, IE, tiny windows where only some of your gun can stick through. Standard PRS type barricades should all cleanable with just a small bag.

 

[Patty]

For me, it is worse than nothing. Too much side to side movement. The only time I see an advantage to the tripod is when I can't get the gun to rest of it's balance point and hold it by the scope or front of the stock, IE, tiny windows where only some of your gun can stick through. Standard PRS type barricades should all cleanable with just a small bag.

The stage I used a tripod on for a rear rest was all the rungs of a cattle gate, it worked perfectly.
The cattle gate itself was wobbly, without the tripod if I were to stand and brace myself on the gun by holding the scope, I still have the wobble of the barricade itself to deal with. I suppose in situations like that it’s hard to have an ideal solution.

 

[Patty]

Here is a pic of me shooting the stage to help visualize

 

[Sheldon N]

None of the matches I've ever shot required you to start with the tripod collapsed. That's just stupid. Rules are gear in hand when the buzzer goes off.

I would not bother with any sort of monopod device. Just get practice and get as good as you can with a game changer or other similar bag. Sometimes free recoil can help with really small targets where you've got no other way to stabilize.

 

[Patty]

None of the matches I've ever shot required you to start with the tripod collapsed. That's just stupid. Rules are gear in hand when the buzzer goes off.

I would not bother with any sort of monopod device. Just get practice and get as good as you can with a game changer or other similar bag. Sometimes free recoil can help with really small targets where you've got no other way to stabilize.

Wish that were the case around here but seems to be the exception more than the rule. I’m fine with a game changer and can free recoil but I like to have more than a few ways to attack a situation in case some aspect of the barricade limits me, the monopod is just that. I’m going to experiment with a primos trigger stick as that seems to be the fastest thing to deploy and see how it works out.

 

[Fig]

I tried using the tripod as rear support in a match once...once. For me as well it was worse than nothing, and messing with it was way too slow.

That match and that stage learned me that I should compete like I practice, and never try to introduce something new at a match. That's great to have it in your trick bag when it's allowed, but I wouldn't do it unless I was comfortable doing it, and that means practicing it.

There was a tripod stage at the MPA Spring Shootout. They had one with a hog saddle, one with an ARCA Swiss, and another with a gimbal mount. You could pick any of them to shoot the stage. Two of the guys in my squad threw their game changer on top of the Hog Saddle, and either cleaned it or came close. I asked why they didn't use the tripod. "We don't practice with one, but we shoot the bag all the time."

 

[Patty]

I tried using the tripod as rear support in a match once...once. For me as well it was worse than nothing, and messing with it was way too slow.

That match and that stage learned me that I should compete like I practice, and never try to introduce something new at a match. That's great to have it in your trick bag when it's allowed, but I wouldn't do it unless I was comfortable doing it, and that means practicing it.

There was a tripod stage at the MPA Spring Shootout. They had one with a hog saddle, one with an ARCA Swiss, and another with a gimbal mount. You could pick any of them to shoot the stage. Two of the guys in my squad threw their game changer on top of the Hog Saddle, and either cleaned it or came close. I asked why they didn't use the tripod. "We don't practice with one, but we shoot the bag all the time."

That is the absolute truth, doesn’t matter how great any solution is, if you don’t practice with it, you’re gonna suck with it.

 

[Patty]

So i scoured the web looking for rules on gear and how it must be deployed on the clock and everything ive found points to, in open class, as long as you have it in hand when the timer starts and carry it to the barricade, it doesn't matter. There is nothing in the actual PRS rulebook either about gear.

 

[Fig]

That’s because it’s always “outlaw rules”. If the match director says no tripods, or none on that stage that becomes the rule. The “rule book” is more guidelines, because creativity on the stages is a good thing that makes it more fun, being challenged makes it more fun, and as long as it’s the same for everyone throwing curve balls is part of the sport. The only concerns are #1 safety, and #2 practicality. I like there’s no ridged NRA rule book. If I want that I’ll shoot F Class.

 

[lennyo3034]

https://www.primos.com/products/trigger-sticks/trigger-stick-gen-3-series-tall-monopod/

Something like that which drops the leg with the push of a button. I've never tried it myself, but it may be what you're looking for. It may induce more side to side wobble than you like though.

They also make a tripod version, but not sure how quickly the legs drop.

 

[JOrisman]

So i scoured the web looking for rules on gear and how it must be deployed on the clock and everything ive found points to, in open class, as long as you have it in hand when the timer starts and carry it to the barricade, it doesn't matter. There is nothing in the actual PRS rulebook either about gear.

It goes by what the match director puts in the cof. The MD is who makes the rules for the match. Also maybe try leaning some weight into the barricade to counteract the wobble

 

[TexasTightwad]

I saw someone shooting with a tripod with a bag on top as a rear rest at a club match. It seems unsporting to me. Not cheating, but unsporting. I feel like it takes all the personal challenge out of it. You could bring your rifle mounted in a vise with bags underneath and clean most stages, but where's the fun in that? I want the feeling that I made the shot, not that my equipment made the shot. I'm not bashing those of you who are equipment-heavy; I am just giving my opinion and hoping that some of you will consider it.

 

[Sheldon N]

I saw someone shooting with a tripod with a bag on top as a rear rest at a club match. It seems unsporting to me. Not cheating, but unsporting. I feel like it takes all the personal challenge out of it. You could bring your rifle mounted in a vise with bags underneath and clean most stages, but where's the fun in that? I want the feeling that I made the shot, not that my equipment made the shot. I'm not bashing those of you who are equipment-heavy; I am just giving my opinion and hoping that some of you will consider it.

Oh yeah, you can actually go one better and put a table on top of the tripod. I've got one of those, they're called a Tactical Table and they are easy to make or you can buy them from vendors like JC Steel. I agree with you, they are kinda dumb in that they can make a difficult barricade position into a stupid easy dead accurate prone position. For sure you'll get more hits, but it's not as challenging or as fun.

If you shoot a stage with one of them, they seem to invariably become the "squad approach" in that just one tripod and table gets set up and the whole squad shoots the stage with it. Most matches I've been to embrace that approach.

To me, that's one of those things that match directors should know about and are in control of. Stage design can easily facilitate or defeat the use of the tool through time limits, number of positions, or gear restrictions.

As a competitor, the goal is as many impacts as possible while competing within the rules, so if the best approach is to use a tac table I'll do it. But I'd prefer matches designed so that the use of them was not commonplace.