Chickens aren't just for shooting at.

For my birthday I picked up a new spotting scope in my birthday stocking, or was that under the birthday tree?  Either way, it is a nice piece of glass that picks those .45 holes out at 200 yards no problem and should be good much further.  600 yards might be a stretch, but the range I normally shoot at has target markers, so I should be fine either way.  With the new scope comes the understanding that my old camera tripod is just not up to snuff.  It is wiggly, doesn't adjust smoothly, and it always seems like there's a leg in the way.  It is time for a project.

I've been wanting one of those "single pole" scope stands.  Most of them seem pretty simple, with just a base, pole, and adjustable slider for the scope.  I can buy one for $250, but being recently unemployed, again, I opt for "time cost" over "money cost."  As it turns out I have a plate of steel, a pole, and some shaft collars sitting in my metal knick knack pile.  With a little bandsaw time and some drill and tap work, here is the result

I chose the chicken because it is the most nefarious of the steel animals, since we always shoot it offhand.  The plate is only 1/4" thick.  It would of been nicer with 3/8.  I'll probably end up throwing a couple of sandbags on it if it gets windy.  If you can find one as a castoff from your range, so much the better.  One nice feature to note is the short threaded rod pushing on the body of the scope.  I'm always finding the "loosen, move, tighten" setups of most stands and tripods to be futzy.  The threaded rod lets me dial in elevation nice and smoothly.  I don't have anything like this for azimuth (windage), but I'll work something up if it seems like I need it.

As you can see, I've left an Allen wrench here and there.  I'll swap the screws out for knurled thumbscrews when I get a chance.

It is currently set up for concrete, with the 3 leveling screws.  I'll probably make some spikes, shaped like big vicious acorn nuts, to put on the screws when used in grass or gravel.

Anyway, right now, the total cost is 0$, which suits me fine.


Current $per shot = $2.89
Current % shipping costs = 8.88%