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Seeland Bipod and Tripod

Seeland Bipod and Tripod

Deerstalkers and fox shooters regularly use shooting sticks but what of the airgun hunter or rimfire shooter. Are they of use? I regularly take a tripod into a hide for not only steadying aim but being ready if watching a bait or decoy pattern. The gun forend rested on the sticks while I’m looking through the mesh shoot thru’ windows watching for any quarry trying to drop in without being noticed.

I’d tried several but with the air rifle over my shoulder and carrying the sticks in my other hand they can prove to be more hassle than they’re worth. So when the Seeland Tripod in the excellent Erase XT camo and a Bipod in black came my way for test I wasn’t overjoyed but decided to rethink how to use them, as there are times in summer when crops are high you need more elevation than a standard low bipod can give and anything that helps steady your aim for a telling shot has to be useful.

High Enough

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The sticks are from Seeland’s ‘Decoy’ brand, popular in mainland Europe, so they’ve got something right. Little was I to know I’d soon find out they seem to have got almost everything right! When closed both extend from approximately 29” from floor to bottom of rifle rest cradle to approximately 72”. So obviously when the legs are opened out they’re high enough for anybody - they also make handy lofting poles to place a few deeks around a hide this autumn. So yes, I’ve had and tested them for quite some time.

When closed they’re held together by a permanently attached Velcro strap that stops them clacking together or letting a leg go astray when walking. However, there’s also a type of hybrid foam/Neoprene material on the upper part of each leg that helps eradicate the sticks knocking together in transit, but equally is very comfortable to hold when you deploy the sticks for taking a shot. The bottom of each leg has a clever hard rubber boot that can be screwed out for hard ground and in to reveal strong metal spikes for when you need to ‘dig in.’ The cradle rest swivels a full 360-degrees. It is wide and the inner part ribbed so the forend has a very grippy area to rest on.

Lock Up

The best thing about the sticks for me was the leg locking system. It consists of strong ABS cam lever locks but above the lower leg is a foam ring so adjustment can be done quietly. They’re of course telescopic and very strong but in-between the locking mechanisms the extension has a scale from 0 – 18” in 1” increments. I’ve never seen this before so I presume in Europe and other parts of the world they could be used for measuring antlers or such like.

You definitely have to adapt to use sticks. One is to sit with them set as you wait in ambush or carry your rifle under one arm while carrying the sticks already set to a height that suits you for standing, kneeling or seated shots. Without doubt they steady your aim when using air rifle or rimfire, so I now take them for lamping, NV sessions and the occasional walkabout.

  • Seeland Bipod and Tripod - image {image:count}

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  • Seeland Bipod and Tripod - image {image:count}

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  • Seeland Bipod and Tripod - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Seeland Bipod and Tripod - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Seeland Bipod and Tripod - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

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