I'm teaching a muzzle loading rifle class and part of the program calls for instructing the students in using shooting sticks. Well, it's confessional time.
My area of research is in the French & Indian War, American Revolution and most recently the War of 1812. I have read a number of books about the Fur Trade Era (the late one across the Great Plains & the Rockies) but never had an interest in the heavier Hawkins rifles like I have for the flintlocks.
Anyway, the class call for me to have cross sticks for the students to use and this was not something Daniel Boone, Lewis Wetzel, Simon Kenton, Samuel Baker, Daniel Morgan, Tim Murphy or Davy Crockett used. I never saw a need as none of my smoke poles were super heavy. Besides, I can always use a bench. My lack of interest in cross sticks meant I never bothered making them, until today. Not wanting to crack open any books, and finding the book with the instructions would take some effort since I'm long past the time when another huge bookcase must be built (preferably 4 feet tall by 8 feet long and 2-3 feet wide) so books can be reorganized instead of stacked in front of other bookcases, I went to U-tube.
Here's a video that makes it childishly simple so even me and my ten thumbs can follow the instructions:
https://youtu.be/cN5FSYJvP9k
My area of research is in the French & Indian War, American Revolution and most recently the War of 1812. I have read a number of books about the Fur Trade Era (the late one across the Great Plains & the Rockies) but never had an interest in the heavier Hawkins rifles like I have for the flintlocks.
Anyway, the class call for me to have cross sticks for the students to use and this was not something Daniel Boone, Lewis Wetzel, Simon Kenton, Samuel Baker, Daniel Morgan, Tim Murphy or Davy Crockett used. I never saw a need as none of my smoke poles were super heavy. Besides, I can always use a bench. My lack of interest in cross sticks meant I never bothered making them, until today. Not wanting to crack open any books, and finding the book with the instructions would take some effort since I'm long past the time when another huge bookcase must be built (preferably 4 feet tall by 8 feet long and 2-3 feet wide) so books can be reorganized instead of stacked in front of other bookcases, I went to U-tube.
Here's a video that makes it childishly simple so even me and my ten thumbs can follow the instructions:
https://youtu.be/cN5FSYJvP9k