Seated Tripod Shooting Position

[TheCougar]

Can anyone post some pictures of seated tripod shooting positions in the field? I would love to hear and see some techniques using your backpack, etc to properly anchor your shooting position and support the rear of the rifle. If anyone has any links or resources, I’ll take those as well. Thanks.

 

[Lawnboi]

I rarely sit, and prefer a low kneeling if possible.

Elbow of my shooting arm ends up on my knee, support hand ends up on my foreend where my rifle is attached, or rested on a bag.

If I’m going to sit and have it feel natural, I need to be on a slope shooting on the downward side. I’m not the most flexible guy but far from not and I find it difficult to shoot seated on flat ground.

This photo is a little higher than a low kneeling but is about how Iv ended up.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I rarely sit, and prefer a low kneeling if possible.

Elbow of my shooting arm ends up on my knee, support hand ends up on my foreend where my rifle is attached, or rested on a bag.

If I’m going to sit and have it feel natural, I need to be on a slope shooting on the downward side. I’m not the most flexible guy but far from not and I find it difficult to shoot seated on flat ground.

This photo is a little higher than a low kneeling but is about how Iv ended up.


View attachment 574235

My daughter shot her bull last year at about 250 yards kneeling (much like the position shown by @Lawnboi ) and she shot a calf the next day at just over 500 yards sitting. She was hitting very well while practicing sitting at 500.

 

[clem]

This:

 

[mtnrunner260]

I sat on pad and used left hand on trekking pole for rear support.
Not rock solid, missed CBC shot at 667.
Think 400 and in would be very achievable.
A bigger heavier tripod would help as well of course.

 

[Macintosh]

no photo, but we had a cool stage at our .22 match this weekend where you had 2 minutes to build a position sitting (to sneak a shot under some branches) on about a 30-degree slope facing toward the target, and shoot a KYL rack with some really small targets. Best solution was two short tripod legs downhill, one longish leg splayed out all the way on the uphill end, lock the rifle into the plate and sit the butt on a bag that was sitting on the uphill leg. It made a very precarious postion unbelievably stable, but you had to know exactly what you were setting up and have practiced it to get tripod deployed on the clock.
Post #44 in this thread has a video that shows this position really well, which was the first time I'd really seen it in detail. I blatantly stole the idea from him and have used it a few times since. (thanks @hereinaz !!)

Lightweight tripod set-up for shooting

Hope this helps. Thank you for the video. That was very helpful.

rokslide.com

 

[RyanC]

This is a pretty good video showing what you are asking about.

 

[JohnJohnson]

The video RyanC posted is quite good especially for hunting positions. There was an extremely helpful thread over on SH awhile back that I turned into a PDF for myself but sadly the file is too big for me to link.

 

[Lawnboi]

Some good stuff in those videos, good things to try.

Reminded me why I like low kneeling over seated though, much easier to adapt to the tripod rather than having to adjust to a perfect height. You don’t have much wiggle room in a seated position on tripod height.

 

[hereinaz]

I like seated if I have time. I practice enough that I have a good feel for it. And, there is a certain amount of adjustment you can get by moving your butt forward and back and tweaking the angle leaning forward. Also, I switched to an inverted leg tripod so the adjustment is always within arms reach.

I shared some old videos, but they give you the idea of how I like to shoot. I can get stable as prone with this much support. When I was in Alaska on the side of a mountain, seated was the only option. You can’t kneel facing down hill very well. In AZ, we are often glassing across canyons, so I glass in a seated position and transitioning to shooting is pretty straightforward having practiced it.

I like low kneeling, but need to put a pillow or pack between my butt and heels to do it effectively. I am working on flexibility but getting old… in any position, being relaxed and cutting muscle tension is critical.

Low kneeling is fast and plenty stable for shots out to 400 and 500 with practice. Just learn how to get stable and build support with pack, pillows, jackets, and whatever else to take out the wobble.

Before hunting season, I spend hours in the backyard over the course of a few weeks dryfiring just to build back the muscle memory. I am not as stable unless I put in the practice.


In this pic, you can see how I am seated on the steep side of a mountain. In the video, you can see I used a jacket for elbow support and the wedge bag on the tripod leg for rear support. The proof is in the pudding there.

I have helped guys use it effectively out to 1000 on hunts, with my rifle and gear. A little coaching and dry fire before the shot and it’s just up to the shooter not to jerk the trigger.

 

[Lawnboi]

OP it may also help to mention what tripod and equipment you’re using. What is easy for one guy with an RRS may not be possible with some of the lighter non shooting oriented tripods.

In general it seems the more rickety your system, the more rear support matters. The typical balance point seems to work okay with a sturdy tripod, where a further attachment on the foreend and some support in the back seems to work better when things are less stable.

Iv tried many of the above techniques and while some can be made super stable, the more equipment required to make it work, the longer it takes. Which is part of the reason I choose to shoot off a tripod the way that I do. Even then, I’m still looking for a prone shot first.

 

[TheCougar]

OP it may also help to mention what tripod and equipment you’re using. What is easy for one guy with an RRS may not be possible with some of the lighter non shooting oriented tripods.

In general it seems the more rickety your system, the more rear support matters. The typical balance point seems to work okay with a sturdy tripod, where a further attachment on the foreend and some support in the back seems to work better when things are less stable.

Iv tried many of the above techniques and while some can be made super stable, the more equipment required to make it work, the longer it takes. Which is part of the reason I choose to shoot off a tripod the way that I do. Even then, I’m still looking for a prone shot first.

Right now I have a slik CF and a Promaster CF tripod. Manfrotto 700RC fluid head with a Triclawps. I’m not a fan. I plan on upgrading to an arca rail on my rifle rather than the triclawps. I don’t plan on changing the tripod. I would love advice on the tripod head and attachment system, however. The tripod head needs to be less than about a pound.

 

[Tahoe1305]

One thing we learned at a course recently was to use a bipod/bag off something in nature, then use the tripod leg as a rear support (hold single pole with fingers and u part of thumb pointer to grip down the gun). Super stable. Just another use of tripod. Especially if it isn’t a super thick stable tripod you want to shoot off.

 

[TheCougar]

Got any video or images of how to use rear support? Is this kind of what @mtnrunner260 was alluding to?

One thing we learned at a course recently was to use a bipod/bag off something in nature, then use the tripod leg as a rear support (hold single pole with fingers and u part of thumb pointer to grip down the gun). Super stable. Just another use of tripod. Especially if it isn’t a super thick stable tripod you want to shoot off. I’m

 

[TheCougar]

Got any recommendations for a tripod head that can do double duty for glassing and shooting? Are there any that stand out?

 

[Tahoe1305]

Got any video or images of how to use rear support? Is this kind of what @mtnrunner260 was alluding to?

That longer video I sent a few night back has my buddy doing it.

Yes similar only he used a trekking pole as rear. Won’t be as stable because it’s missing a few legs but same idea. More stable than no rear support.

IMO rear support for any of the positions decreased my floating figure 8 from a few inches (at 100yds) to hardly noticeable. Resulted in many more hits.

 

[TheCougar]

This is a pretty good video showing what you are asking about.

That’s the perfect video, thank you!

 

[TheCougar]

Bump for recommendations on a lightweight (1 pound or less) tripod head for glassing and shooting.

 

[Lawnboi]

Right now I have a slik CF and a Promaster CF tripod. Manfrotto 700RC fluid head with a Triclawps. I’m not a fan. I plan on upgrading to an arca rail on my rifle rather than the triclawps. I don’t plan on changing the tripod. I would love advice on the tripod head and attachment system, however. The tripod head needs to be less than about a pound.

Both of those tripods would be in the rickety category but they can still be used. Just know you’re never going to get close to prone stability out of them. I would concentrate on techniques that use some rear support. Personally I’d avoid anything that requires trekking poles in the back as that’s just more adjustment needed, when it already takes long enough to get a tripod setup.

As you found out clamps suck. They are old tech in the world of tripods. There’s quite a few options for arca rails out there, depending on your stock. I like one on the front of the foreend, and prefer 5+” so I don’t have to drop my bipod if I want to clip into it. My bipods also attach to arca. If I were buying one right now out of what Iv had is buy another from sawtooth rifles, they are pretty think, and have some good options. https://www.sawtoothrifles.com/product/dovetail-rail-stock-plates/

As far as heads go, really a ball head is about the only ideal option for shooting, with a pan head it’s just too difficult to get level and where you want to be. I am a fan of the rrs anvil but it’s not the best glassing head.

Another option you have is to buy a lightweight “table” that attaches to your head and utilize a bag on top of it. Or just slap a bigger bag right on top of the head. If you’re stuck with a pan head I’d buy a schmedium or pint sized gamechanger with git lite fill and use it up there. I prefer to shoot this way when applicable. But like the clamp it’s more stuff.

Hunting, I can carry my tripod and my shooting bag in one hand, rifle in the other and be ready for about any scenario.

That same bag I mentioned above can also be used as a rear bag prone or a front bag on a rock, log, stump, whatever. Mine stays attached to the outside of my pack all the time.

Practice a lot, and don’t be afraid of some ugly groups.

This is one place I feel a 22lr shines, learning to build a decent position with minimal wobble.

Natural point of aim is king. If it feels like you’re forcing it, it’s going to affect your shot. Practice building positions you’re comfortable in.

 

[Macintosh]

I have a sirui 20mm ball head that weighs about 11oz. I use it with a two vets “the kit” tripod, which is on the lighter end of a very tall shooting tripod (ie not backpacking weight, but light for a big tripod). Love the tripod and feel its a good fit for how I use it. The little head is smoother and has a pretty smooth pan, but very noticeably less stable than my big 52mm el-cheapo ball head for shooting. You can do it especially with rear support, its just never going to be a real shooting ball head for really long range precision. I will probably save my pennies and get an anvil to replace both, and suck up the additional 6-ish ounces when I carry it.