CTK Precision Ultimate Monopod Review
Precision shooting is a pretty broad category. Or maybe it’s a really, really narrow category as the word “precision” denotes an elite quality that not everything can possess. Are we talking long range precision shooting? Speed precision? Competition precision? Camp Perry? Optics or iron sights? All are viable questions, and outside of hunting big game (Never taken a whitetail, muley or elk past 300 yards) and long-range plinking (700 yards is my max so far) I’ll be honest and say my experience with the above generic categories beyond the hunting realm is admittedly limited.
Free standing target setup. All you need is the shooter.
“PRONE” as it pertains to shooting means on the ground, belly down, elbows out for stability, rear legs splayed. I always think of velcroing myself to the ground. (image not shown on CTK site)
No matter the application, many shooters would probably agree that they want to find more options for getting a solid rest. In this case, a more solid rest from the prone position shooting from a rest or more specifically a bipod. What’s more solid of a rest than a bipod which essentially serves as a firm base and fulcrum point for the shooter BUT still allows for some movement thus confronting the shooter with more options for error whether it be erratic movement, poor breathing, trigger control [ALL WHICH SHOULD BE LEARNED] but in a moment of excitement could be forgotten or ignored. Add a monopod (mono meaning “ONE”) to your bipod and you’ve got a wide based tripod. When you turn a bipod into a tripod your stability and accuracy is instantly increased while still allowing for mobility and movement for quick shots if your environment dictates. What’s your environment? Mine primarily dictates getting as comfortable as possible for as long as possible while I wreak havoc across the largest prairie dog town I can find. Eye fatigue and shoulders and upper back fatigue are always a concern when your perched in the same spot for hours on end, so an option that can help my stability to stay on target and do so for longer is always a welcome option.
The locking stud that fits snugly with your existing sling swivel post.
The CTK Precision Ultimate Monopod has proven to be an outstanding compliment to your already steady bipod setup. I’ve mounted the CTK Precision Monopod to both my Savage .17 HMR and the Volquartsen Superlite and have seen incredible accuracy results and vastly decreasing group sizes at 50 (primarily with the .22) and 100 yards as a result of less of my body contacting the rifle thus decreasing unintentional movement when the firing pin drops. The CTK Precision Monopod’s lightweight CNC aluminum body attaches to the stock of your rifle via the sling swivel stud and adjusts either with gross vertical movement via the locking cam system or fine “righty tighty lefty loosey” movements from two easily grasped and knurled knobs one located right below the other. The fine adjustments on the two-stage telescoping leg can be made without lifting the rifle off the ground thanks to a durable delrin pad that spins freely without unnecessary friction making the smooth adjusting monopod even smoother and the wider range sprint loaded adjustment has a set screw to aid the locking cam in a more permanent open setting. While it uses up your rifle’s existing sling swivel stud, the CTK Ultimate Monopod adds another three sling attachment points in itself.
Though the CTK Monopod measures a mere 2.75″ fully collapsed the one possible downside I could see when compared to other monopods is the ability to fold horizontally against the stock for storage or carry. Even with this taken into consideration, it’s the opinion of yours truly that if I have to do without a feature on a monopod, the option for folding would be the one I’d erase. In line with the thought on portability, this offering from CTK Precision weighs in at just 5.4 ounces so the additional weight to your (probably already heavy) target setup is negligible.
One last thing I love about Curt at CTK Precision focuses on is meeting a need through simplicity. The product is well made in the USA, and it’s packaged in such a way that the focus is on the product and not flashy images. The monpod (just like the Shooting Rest & Vise and Gun Level) came in a plane jane thick construction white cardboard box with a CTK Precision black and white label sticker. No smoking mirrors or slight of hand tricks. A simple but great product for shooters that just works. Wait till you see the 10 shot groups I’m posting from the Volquartsen Superlite with it!
Partially extended with the spring loaded locking cam portion.
The vanity pics were taken amongst the dead grass in my back yard, but application has been on rocky as well as sandy terrain. Despite the dust and sand the moving controls have still functioned like a champ.
Original Review: Haus of Guns