Shooting sticks with a 14" T/C for elk hunt?

[Ole]

I have a 14" .357 Max that really likes the 190gr Ranch Dog bullet. My H110 load runs this bullet out around 1950fps and it shoots really well off a rest. I'm not too good shooting this thing offhand though. Some shots are good, some not so good. :wink:

Well I got drawn for a cow elk hunt this October. The initial plan was to use my 1895 guide gun in 450 Marlin for this hunt, but the idea of taking an AZ beast (cow elk) with a pistol has me tempted to possibly spend time practicing this summer with my 357 Max T/C to use for this hunt instead of my rifle.

Is anyone using shooting sticks with a setup like this enough to recommend something?

Where I hunt, typical shots are 50-100 yards. Anything much past 100 and you won't see the elk because of the forest.

[Lonegun1894]

I read about something a while back, but can't remember where I read it, but here is the idea that I have been working with. I just carry a walking stick about 6 feet long, and it is light, as you're not going for super strong, just stiff enough to hold your gun, which isn't much anyway. I put the lower end near my feet, just however is comfortable allowing for the terrain I happen to be in at the time, and lean the stick out toward the target, with the hand holding the stick at gun level as if I was aiming with it. Then I just rest my 14" Contender's forearm across the stick-hand wrist to support the weight. I have done the same thing with a length of PVC pipe, but a piece of light dry cedar is actually lighter, and mine is only about half an inch thick on the thin end. I don't know if this description makes sense, but it seems much easier to do than explain, so it might be worth trying. If you hunt sitting down, a shorter stick cut to the right length would probably be easier to carry, but I like a longer one in case I need to move a snake if I see one. Now I am just experimenting with this for now, and hope to find a better way, but so far, this seems to have some promise in terms of always having a rest for my scoped 14". Now when hunting with a 10" barrel mounted, it seems that it is easier to hold steady for me, but your 14" Max will probably outperform a 10" .357 Max. I tend to use 10" .357 Mag the most, but have 14" .22LR and .223, so trying this method out.

[Dryball]

The walking stick is a good idea but if you want a pair you should make your own. Get 2 sticks or dowels. Wrap around the two sticks with some 55o cord 3 or 4 times and tie it off. You will want to leave the tie loose but it will tighten when you spread the sticks some. It works well especially if you might be standing, sitting or whatever. All you have to do is slide the bind down.

[contender1]

A good walking stick, about 5' long, with a leather wrist thong will make a dandy hand brace for shooting a T/C or any handgun. By using a walking stick, it'll always be in your hands & ready to use when needed. Other types of shooting stick have to be carried, unless they are designed to be used as walking sticks as well.

[sixshot]

When I handgun hunted in Africa I used 3 wooden dowels that I had glued a rubber cap to, they were tied together with a piece of leather & you just flared them out & rested your gun on them for a very steady shot. Two of the sticks would be braced inside my feet, with the 3rd leg either sticking straight out or straight back. This works really good if you are hunting flat country, in up & down country not so good.
In the high mountains of Idaho I usually have 2 different set ups with me, one is a Primos Trigger Stick that sticks out of my back pack in case I need it, the other is a laminated walking stick that has a leather thong running through a hole at the top, I lay the walking stick across my left thigh at an angle & run my left wrist through the thong, this makes for an extremely steady rest & I've taken deer & elk at extended ranges using this method. This isn't a good rest for flat country unless you shorten the stick, I don't.
Be very careful when using a TC to make sure it is zeroed for the type of stick you decide on, many times they will not work the same when rested as when they are shot offhand, a revolver is more forgiving but you still have to be careful.

Dick

[Ole]

Thanks for the ideas guys. I appreciate it. I think I'll work up something like dryball and sixshot mentioned. :)