IMO if you have to lean into your shooting stick's then they are too short. I like longer shooting sticks. You can always lower them, but you can never raise them. I set up my sticks close to my right leg(I shoot LH) then I pull them into my right calf. This gives you one more point of steadiness. I also hold my right hand around the leather strap and wrap my thumb over the barrel, then hold down with my thumb. I pull the rifle into my left shoulder with my right hand-which is gripping the leather on the top of the shooting sticks. This is a very steady way to hold and shoot your rifle. I shoot chunk rock out to 500 yards with my Sharp's using this hold. Tom.