How to use Quad Shooting Sticks
So you’ve bought some quad sticks or made your own and you've now lost fingers on both hands trying to work out how to use them!
I'll try and explain as best I can here and in the near future there'll be a video which should help.
These instructions are based on a right handed person using these sticks
Firstly forget your right hand...that’s going to be busy removing your rifle from your shoulder as you set the sticks up. With practice you should be able to do this as quickly as any dual stick set up.
Holding the sticks in your left hand remove the top and bottom retaining elastics (I use my foot for the lower clip and my thumb for the upper)
Hold the sticks so that the taped stick is to the left hand side facing your chest.
Now hold the taped stick between your left hand thumb and forefinger.
Allow the rear sticks to slightly move away from the
front sticks giving enough room to place the rest of your fingers at
the back of the right hand stick (the left stick being the one with
the tape on)
Now gently push the right hand stick towards your chest until the face of the right hand stick that’s next to the taped stick is revealed sufficiently to be able to push the right hand stick sharply to the right with your thumb.
If you've done this correctly the sticks should now be open ready to receive your rifle or you've lost another finger and have headed off to fetch an axe to turn the sticks into kindling!
Some people find it easier to simply spin the taped stick 90degrees anticlockwise. Its that easy.
Some tips on using Quad Sticks
Never try to push your rifle into the sticks to acquire a moving target. As the sticks firmly hold in the horizontal plane you may push the rifle stock against the barrel causing an inaccurate shot.
Once the rifle is in place (front 'V' behind the front sling stud, rear 'V' in front of the rear sling stud) using your left hand firmly hold just under the front 'V'.
You can now lift one side or the other of the sticks off the ground to give a pivot point on the sticks remaining on the ground and follow a moving target until it stops and then reset the sticks firmly on the ground.If you find you have to quickly move a few steps to acquire a moving target simply push your rifle forward and tuck the sticks either side of your body and move forward to reacquire the target.
If you're sitting the sticks can be deployed and the rifle set in place prior to standing in one movement and setting the sight on the target.
As the sticks are made from square section wood that’s then routered to shape they make a sturdy walking staff when not cradling the rifle.
Some people find that they tend to shoot high when they first start using quad sticks. This is due to them using the 'raise to shoot' technique which is helpful with dual sticks. With quad sticks you don't have to come up onto the target....just aim and shoot.