Benefits of Using Kopfjäger
Oct 19, 2021
Being a prideful hunter, you will always hear about my successful hunts, and probably in an exaggerated manner—the time I shot 2 ducks with one shot, my 250 yard off-hand shot on a coyote—the list goes on. But you won’t always hear about my failures.
The truth is, real hunters miss, and they probably miss a lot more than they want you to know. Whenever I call in a predator only to pull the shot or miss multiple running attempts on feral hogs, I’m left wondering how to improve after the fact.
The obvious answer is to practice, practice and practice some more! While there’s no substitute for going to the range and becoming more comfortable with your firearm, there actually is a product on the market for those wanting to improve their accuracy and ensure they hit tough shots on all-terrain—the Kopfjäger Reaper Grip.
Designed by two Special Ops SWAT members, Kopfjäger’s Reaper Grip can accommodate tapered and straight stocks alike, holding even heavy rifles up straight with ease. It utilizes an innovative pan and tilt mechanism, allowing for smooth 360-degree pan and a tilt range of 109 degrees.
A locking control arm manages how freely the firearm can be moved and you can completely lock the rifle down for added stability when firing and reduced shooter fatigue. To simplify, the Reaper Grip acts as your backup muscles, keeping your rifle steady and secure so you can focus on the shot.
But in what shooting situations would you want a Reaper Grip? Glad you asked!
Hog Hunting
In Texas and many parts of the southern/central United States, feral hogs wreak havoc on land and crops. It’s been estimated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that feral swine cause over $1.5 billion in property damage annually and that number is on the rise. With so many hogs causing a problem that’s only getting bigger, it’s no wonder many hunters dedicate their time to hunting them.
If you’ve ever been hog hunting, you know most shots are taken within 100 yards, but with typical sounders containing upwards of 20 pigs, they scatter like roaches whenever the first shot is taken. So for those that think hog hunting is comparable to shooting fish in a barrel, they couldn’t be further from the truth. Hogs are fast (I mean, they are literally running for their lives) and taking follow-up shots offhand is not very effective.
Using the rock-solid Reaper Grip, you can hone in on your first target and then traverse 360 degrees horizontally, making the follow-up shots on running targets a lot more manageable. There is also a drag adjustment knob, which controls the amount of resistance when panning the unit horizontally.
Depending on how far away the sounder is, adjusting this knob can definitely improve your accuracy by allowing less jerky movements.
Predator Hunting
Predator hunting, mainly for coyotes, is another area of hunting where the Reaper Grip can help improve your accuracy. Coyotes are extremely smart and usually timid animals and estimates show the average coyote kill shot is taken around 120 yards. So for every easy shot at 40 yards that presents itself, there is another at 200+.
Even when using the best predator calls, many pasture poodles will stay back just enough out of your shooting range to where you don’t feel comfortable taking a shot. This is where the Reaper Grip’s locking control arm really shines. Unless you’re Arnold Schwarzenegger, your arms are not strong enough to keep your rifle 100% steady for any amount of time, but by twisting the locking arm less than ¼ of a turn, it goes from freely rotating to completely locking your rifle at the desired position for added stability when firing.
Precision Shooting
Let’s face it, there comes a time in every firearm aficionados life where they get into long-range shooting. Whether this is sanctioned PRS matches or just hitting casual personal bests at the local range, shooting extreme distances and pushing you and your rifle’s limits takes a lot of practice.
No matter what your favorite shooting position is, the Reaper Grip Kit’s tripods (K800 and K700) will accommodate it. Shooting prone is not an issue with the K800 Carbon Fiber Tripod, which goes down to 19 inches when fully retracted and features rubber grip feet for added stability.
When you’re shooting so far away, sometimes re-acquiring your target can take some time. Once you start moving out past a few hundred yards, the Reaper Grip’s locking control arm becomes your best friend by keeping the rifle in place and immovable on your target. To shoot long-range, you need a bullet that will travel far. Most of these calibers are larger and thus go in larger, heavier firearms.
In addition to the locking control arm, the overall sturdiness of the Reaper Grip’s design allows heavy rifles, from MSRs to bolt-actions, to be held up with ease and even mitigates the felt recoil. If you’ve ever shot .338 or .50 BMG, you’ll understand how welcomed this can be.
Zeroing
Another shooting scenario aided by the Reaper Grip is sighting-in and zeroing your firearm. While there are dedicated shooting rests and platforms on the market for zeroing designed to keep your rifle completely still, they are big, bulky and do not double as standing-up platforms for hunting/long-range shooting.
The entire Reaper Grip Kit with tripod is easily transportable to the range and will most likely fit in your range or rifle bag. The Reaper Grip’s clamp tightens downward on the rifle, locking it into position and allowing shooters to get a more accurate grouping for confirming zero. In contrast with parallel jaws, the Reaper Grip’s innovative clamp design accommodates all types of rifles, not just AR-15s or a specific type of bolt-action.
There are many more shooting scenarios not mentioned in this article where the Reaper Grip’s groundbreaking design stands out.
What type of shooting would you use the Reaper Grip for? Let us know in the comments!
