cross sticks

[jacob7]

I have done a search on patterns here for cross sticks but came up empty. Is there patterns available or does someone here on the forum have a good pattern? Thanks.

[Shooter6br]

Check out web site Varmint Al'S

[Shooter6br]

Here you go i use them for hunting woodchucks in Pa.http://www.varmintal.com/abifu.htm may need to modify for your use Rick

[Southern Son]

I just made mine out of a couple of peices of 1/2 inch dowel. Lashed them together with a leather thong. I hten made a "cradle" to go between the two ends of dowel that the rifle was going to sit on. Last, I drilled a hole in the opposite ends of the dowel and glued a 6 inch nail in the hole.

I know that there are some real pretty cross sticks out there, but I am way too tight to pay for something like that.

[nicholst55]

About the slickest, lightest set I've seen consisted of two aluminum arrow shafts with field points in the 'bottom' end, held together with a piece of surgical tubing. The surgical tubing slides along the lengths to adjust for height; the arrow heads stick into the ground.

[gunplumber]

jacob7,
are you looking for bpcr silhouette cross sticks that meet NRA specs? if so if i remember correctly you can have either 1"x2" with a 3" metal spike on the end or an 1 1/2" round with a 3" metal spike, and the top can be padded with leather or fabric. you can adjust the lenth to suit you.
prone sticks
http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj395/dmack380/DSCN1524.jpg

bench sticks for practice/load development
http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj395/dmack380/DSCN1525.jpg

[NickSS]

I have made all sorts of cross sticks over the years. One time I made a set because I forgot mine at home so I stopped at a lumber yard and bought a piece of 1x2 and two finish nails and one 8d common nail. When I arrived at the match I chopped the board into a couple of lengths of the hight I desired with a hand ax drove a finish nail into the end of each piece and drove the common nail through where I wanted them joined. The result was a perfectly usable set of cross sticks that I ended up using for several years of shooting until I lost them.

[onesonek]

Here's a set I use,,,,,the dowels can be found in most hardware stores. 1/2 to 5/8" seem to work well enough. Four footers work good for use with a stool or kneeling. But I like 3 footers or a bit shorter for sitting on the ground. 12 to 18" work for prone. Simple shock cord doubled, works for an adjustable pivot point. The I use 1 1/2" wide webbing for the yoke, which just slips over the ends or can be fixed with something like shoogoo. I generally seal the wood with Danish Oil. If like this setup, and you need help with the yoke, PM me I can stitch one up for you.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/onesonek/100_3708.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/onesonek/100_3709.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/onesonek/100_1983.jpg

P.S. that was the first I made, and and hand stitched used synthetic sinew from a hobbie shop, I now machine stitch them. Could be done with leather,,,be a tad bit more on the "traditional" lines.

[doubs43]

My cross sticks ("Buffalo Sticks") are similar to those made by Dave. I use 1" dowel rods and a cap screw through both rods at the pivot point. A washer on both ends and a wing-nut allow varying pressure although I generally keep the nut tight. I drove 10 penny nails into the ends of the rods and ground them to a point for setting into the ground. My cradle is made from scrap leather bits that I bought in a hobby store. You can also use an old leather belt by attaching one end with a nail to the top of one rod and using a second nail over which you slip the belt holes to adjust length.

[montana_charlie]

Looking at a few different online advertisements gives you a good understanding of how they are assembled. If you shoot a ten pound rifle, you probably want to stay away from skinny little half-inch dowels.

If yours need to be NRA-legal ...
(a) Crossed Sticks: Crossed sticks constructed of two wooden legs, no greater than 1 inch by 2 inches in thickness and width or 1-1/2 inches in diameter, and bolted or tied so that the two legs are hinged and capable of pivoting. The end of the legs may be equipped with spikes no more than 3 inches in length and no wider than the edge of the crossed stick. They may be inserted into the ground by hand pressure only to aid in retention of an upright position. This may be waived by the Match Director to fit local conditions.
One layer of protective material may be suspended or inserted in the “V” of the crossed sticks to protect the rifle. All cross sticks will be certified.
http://www.nrahq.org/compete/nra-rule-books.asp


Some home made examples ...
http://www.ehow.com/how_6062477_make-own-shooting-cross-sticks.html
http://www.jesseshunting.com/articles/hunting/category14/57.html

CM

[onesonek]

I would agree with MC, that 1/2" dowels might be a tad light in some situations with 3-4 footers. Even though I use the 1/2"x 4' all the time with my 26" barreled 9.3x74R, which weighs near 11 lbs. If one splays the legs more than say 45-50 degrees or so, they do get a little springy. For that weight and height, and the ability to spread the legs more for lower height, then I would go 3/4 or 1". The only reason I would go heavier than that, is if I wanted a set for standing, as to reduce or eliminate spring in the 6-7 foot sticks.

[byronw999]

Here's 1 I found when I searched a while back that works quite well using figerglass electric fence posts and castrating rings (OUCH!)... Posts are 1.09 each and castrating rings were like 2.99 for a bag of 50. Here is the You Tube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPQe2tCGAQk

They work great for sitting or kneeling..

[onesonek]

I tried the fiberglass post for winter in the snow. They work great at first, but after some age, and sun, they start developing "hairs". Those bite into a bare hand and stay, and can very annoying if not totally irritating for a few days.

[Chicken Thief]

I tried the fiberglass post for winter in the snow. They work great at first, but after some age, and sun, they start developing "hairs". Those bite into a bare hand and stay, and can very annoying if not totally irritating for a few days.

Nothing duct tape wont cure:mrgreen:
Else try heat shrink

[hiram]

I can send more pics.

The harware on the leg is a fender washer hammer-bent on the curve of a vise. A bolt and wingnut hold the 2 legs together.

There are several holes in the legs that can be used to adjust the height of the cradle. Of course, opening and closing the sticks adjusts the height.

The bottom of each stick has a brass or copper sleeve pressed on the leg end and held with epoxy. the center of the stick is drilled out. The sleeve keeps the stick from splitting. I put a piece of steel rod in the hole and epoxied it in. Before I did that, I drilled and tapped the insert for 1/4x20. This allows me to screw in a piece of 1/4X20 rod that has been pointed for hard ground--or leave them out and put chair tips on the ends if so desired.

[montana_charlie]

Nice lookin' stix, Hiram.
I like how you made the leather rest adjustable.

For others, this guy has an innovative design (which I copied as soon as I saw it).
http://www.catshootingsticks.com/

CM

[hiram]

My other three pics:

[jacob7]

Thanks guys for the photos and info. That's what i needed.

[Baja_Traveler]

Just finished mine today! Cocobolo with mortised stainless angle for the spikes. Got a 1" belt blank from Tandy Leather for the trim, cut to two 20" lengths and put on with contact cement. The wood is 24" x 3/4" x 2" and the spike is 3" so should be within the rules. I also got a set of 48" cocobolo blanks cut to make sitting sticks at a later date.

http://www.pbase.com/image/135088428.jpg

[Lead pot]

Well It's not a cross stick but I sure like the fork for hunting and it's easy to carry, just stick it in your belt.
The Brass is a .50 BMG case.
http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww43/Kurtalt/IMG_0440-1.jpg
http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww43/Kurtalt/IMG_0438-1.jpg
http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww43/Kurtalt/IMG_0437.jpg