For shooting off a bench I like my Wichita front pedestal with Protektor sand bags front and rear. The Hoppes pedestal is too light in my opinion and tends to hop around on the bench. The Wichita and most other good pedestals will be pretty heavy and made out of case iron instead of aluminum. If I didn't already own the Wichita, I'd probably buya Caldwell as it has more features and doesn't cost nearly as much as some others like the Sinclair for example.

This year I bagged my bipod and went withshooting sticks. While there were times I got my animal resting solid off my bipod, it also messed me up about half the timebecause itwas the wrong height. Too high for an uphill shot, too low for a downhill shot. Too often I was wasting time adjusting my shoulder to the bipod and the crosshairs were moving all over the deer.

My friend turned me on to shooting sticks made fromtwo3 foot dowels held together bya very snugheavy duty O-ring. Now my sticks adjust to my position, instead of the opposite. If I use them in a sitting position, my crosshairs do not move. I can easily adjust them to any angle or terrain. Got my antelope at 220 yds and my deer at 330 off the sticks with about five seconds to set up on each one.

Watch your wallet, though. The dowels are about $.60 each and the O-ring about $.85. So you'll have to skip the drink on your next order to pay for them.

For prone I just use a backpack, which is why I always have one even when I'm close to the truck.

for benchrest... ummmm some empty cloth shot bags... a few plastic walmart bags, some beach sand and a sewing machine do the trick... (put the plastic bag in the shot bag then fill with sand... fold the end over and sew shut... )

for hunting... the shooting sticks work jsut fine when there isn't a sapling handy...

Buffalo Arms sells a nice set of shooting sticks.

The lead sled is a bad idea. IT does not let the rifle recoil naturally. Your rifle will shoot a different POI in the field. Also it is a bad idea to shoot bipods off of a solid bench, and even worse to shoot a bipod off of a truck. If you are using a bipod to sight a rifle in, then you should sight your rifle in using the same conditions as you hunt in.

The reason for the difference is the amount of time the bullet spends in the barrel. The lead sled reduces barrel jump, which as I stated above will chage POI when in a hunting position, unless you hunt with a lead sled. I have heard alot of shooters say how can I increase the velocity of my pistol cartridge, and my bullet impacts lower. This lower impact is due to shorter barrel time. Remember the higher the MV, the less barrel time, therefore less POI change. To really notice the difference try pistol shooting, or big bore shooting. Tom.

I think this guy had already eaten the sapling. Hey - If I had another tag, maybe his prongs would make a good prone rest!