Looking for a tripod setup with multiple uses.

[sheepdog697]

Thinking of purchasing a tripod. I would like to use for two purposes.

1. use it with a hog saddle or something similar to mount rifle for a stable long range shooting position
2. use it to mount my spotter

I would like to keep it around or under $200. Is this wishful thinking?

Thanks in advance,
Sheepdog697

 

[mrtoyz]

IMO, yes very wishful.

I tried pretty hard to skimp on a tripod. Not so much. Inexpensive tripods simply do not offer the rigidity or torsional stability (twisting motion) to accurately shoot off of. IMO The torsional stability of the legs is the real key to a stable platform. A long lever arm of a rifle puts a tremendous amount of this torsion on tripod legs.

IMO the Feisol 3342 with Really Right stuff (RRS) TA-U leveling base, at about $700, is the cheapest "shootable" setup I would use. The RRS TVC34 and a BH55 ball head or TA-3 leveling base at about $1600 is the ideal solution.

Toyz

 

[tnc]

You don't need to spend that much on a tripod. If you can or want to sure, spend the money on the above recommendations. However, a Manfrotto for under $300 will do all you need it to.

 

[skulldragr17]

Really Right Stuff (RRS) is, without a doubt, the best tripod. However, there are other tripods out there that come somewhat close to their quality and stability for a fraction of the cost. Manfrotto is the old go-to tripod, and they are still great for the price they are at. Other options I would definitely look into are the Bushnell Tactical and Desmond.

 

[mrtoyz]

I was not able to find anything short of the Feisol or the RRS that I felt comfortable using any recoil management with. Behind the RRS I can actually firmly grasp and apply pressure. Different stokes for different folks! Thank god for choices.

Also so would highly recommend using an RRS plate for your rifle (if you have a compatible stock) instead of the saddle. Much more stable. Also a benefit, the plates are cheaper than a saddle and you could use the money saved on a better tripod.

 

[Shanerbanner10]

a manfrotto will do it, yes. Will it do it well? No. A gust of wind and that thing will probably fall over or the image will be so shaky it'd be impossible to tell what you're looking at. Spend the money on a Feisol 3342 or 3372 and an RRS head of your choice.
I used a saddle to hold bino's/LRF/Spotters and then just throw the lever and slide my rifle in with a direct mount. Using the saddle to shoot out of does work, but again there are better options.

 

[sheepdog697]

These are great posts. Looks like it might just make more sense to wait until i have more money to buy the correct setup. Can anyone elaborate on the difference between the "leveling base" and "ball head"? To be honest i didnt really even know i needed one of these as well.

 

[sheepdog697]

Also does everyone agree the feisol is > manfrotto?

 

[opeagle]

Great post. Maybe I'm missing it but which tripod is pictured, and you noted you dropped in leg size. Can you elaborate?

 

[bill alexander]

The Feisol leveling head is well made but certainly lacks the fine adjustment needed to apply varying levels of tension. My fix was to stack 3 wave washers between the threaded handle and locking plate above it. Was surprised how much tension is actually needed and belville washers may yet be best. With that and some CLP burnished into the moving parts then wiped dry the thing is beautifully fluid.

For mounting the rifle I use the Hog saddle as I am still undecided as to the benefit of the elastomer during recoil. For low recoil rifles it adds wobble but the heavy magnums it seems to absorb recoil and reduce any movement of the legs. Opinions are welcome!

Over the years I have buggered about with a lot of different tripods. Years ago was issued a Benbo which was a disaster and heavy although it was extremely flexible to set up inside buildings. This new generation of tripods are way better, lighter and stiffer. Using a Feisol and would recommend it for everything. Not familiar with RRS but bet it is every but as good.

 

[_Windrider_]

A leveling ball, or "ball-head" provides much more adjustment angles; but they need to be very large and heavy (even Magnesium balls) to be as secure as the leveling base like the RRS. But the leveling bases only provide a limited amount of angular adjustment. Ball-heads are also, all else being equal, much more expensive.

The RRS leveling base with QR really is a good balance of stability, price and adjustment. Generally you can cant the tripod legs if you need more angle than the leveling base provides, or if paired with a hog, slip the stock in the saddle, images below.

As a side note: Not all leveling bases are created equal. The Feisol leveling head is really heavy and is very disappointing in that it is either locked or just to floppy... and it takes away from the min height - being able to use the tripod slammed down onto the ground... image at very bottom.

There are also mounting options with either. Direct mount on ball or leveling base; or either with a saddle. If you go with a saddle and leveling base, you can use either option as needed. Here's a few pics I have on my iPad showing ball with saddle, ball direct and leveling bases in both ways.

Below are images - each with a different gun (some look similar) to show some of the differences and versatility. Hope this helps.
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com\/20170527\/b30370d713cd4fb3b99f3d5a37bbdc50.jpg"}[/IMG2]

Above ball head and saddle - most versatile, but the least stable
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com\/20170527\/63d7a8c31bce2960a79b469864fc194c.jpg"}[/IMG2]

Above Ball head Direct, better 1 lbs weight savings
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com\/20170527\/9bb8c46d4cd710a6e2a71e443f7a34a3.jpg"}[/IMG2]

Above RRS Leveling base direct, most stable and lightest
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com\/20170527\/64893b2d0a79f48b5a16f9153d5923db.jpg"}[/IMG2]

Above saddle is less stable than just the leveling base but better than the ball head, but can provide more angle by slipping the stock when used with a leveling base.

I actually dropped down a size from the super stiff carbon tripod legs I had and I choose the much lighter and smaller CF, so I could pack it easier.. [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com\/20170527\/e356357be7fb8a98a143fbec9253b23a.jpg"}[/IMG2]
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com\/20170527\/5485e9a979426c2271932e564c40aca2.jpg"}[/IMG2]

Above Ball-head vrs RRS leveling head. The leveling head is 3" above the legs and even the smaller ball-head is 4"
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com\/20170527\/ad9b44c1877bd26dae82d2c27faa90c9.jpg"}[/IMG2]

The RRS leveling head has a very large thru QR that makes in and out FAST and trouble free.
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com\/20170527\/b782189a6d83f2d42b57127b49171938.jpg"}[/IMG2]

Adding a saddle as an option is easy just to make sure the tripod plate is not too large and offset to one side so that you have access to the quick release handle and the tension handle of the saddle.


Below nifty looking but do not work well - [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com\/20170527\/b1f9a491e0b604331f9f7674cf4febf6.jpg"}[/IMG2]


DIY ELR Target Cam with DVR - well proven 2000m+ 2 camera, multiple monitors - link below

https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/forum/...vr#post6291944

Im really hoping that RRS can perfect the pistol grip one day. the manfrotto is good for a spotter but that's about it.

 

[_Shay_]

Thinking of purchasing a tripod. I would like to use for two purposes.

1. use it with a hog saddle or something similar to mount rifle for a stable long range shooting position
2. use it to mount my spotter

I would like to keep it around or under $200. Is this wishful thinking?

Thanks in advance,
Sheepdog697

Look at the Slik 700DX-pro. Under 120 dollars. Shop around, get your choice of manfrotto head, and you've got a good setup near your budget.

 

[Chris399]

These are great posts. Looks like it might just make more sense to wait until i have more money to buy the correct setup. Can anyone elaborate on the difference between the "leveling base" and "ball head"? To be honest i didnt really even know i needed one of these as well.

A leveling base is not meant to replace the upper head unit (ball head), but used as an additional accessory to the tripod itself. The leveling base is an adjustable base used to level the tripods interface to which the Ball Head, Gimbal Head, etc. attaches. Once the tripod is set-up and the leveling base leveled, it allows the Ball Head or Gimbal Head to remain level to the ground as you pan from left to right or right to left. These leveling bases are mainly used in the photo/film world but have been aptly adapted to the requirements of long range shooting. You can achieve the same effect by leveling the entire tripod with the legs, but this takes much more time and can be quite frustrating.

I own several of the RRS tripods/heads and Gitzo tripods and can attest that when you mount either a pro camera body with an 800mm lens or a 17lb AI you want all the stability you can get. A flimsy cheap tripod and head unit will create more issues than solutions.

Again, leveling bases level the tripod. A Ball Head or Head Unit is what you will mount to the leveling base. You will then mount your weapon to the Ball Head and use the Ball Head to adjust your weapon to the desired target. I would not mount my weapon directly to the leveling base as it does not have the range of movement nor the fine tuning adjustments and stability of a ball head.

Once you are in the field and If you have the time, a great way to achieve more stability from your tripod is to lay your fully weighted backpack on the ground and stretch a bungie cord from the backpack to the hook on the underside of the tripod base. This helps, "Seat" the tripod into the ground. DO NOT allow the backpack to hang as this will create instability as it swings. The backpack must be firmly laying on the ground in order to be effective. This really helps in higher wind situations and where you are forced to stand or take a taller than prone shooting position.

Take a look a the RRS website and you can see how the leveling base replaces the standard base or "inner circle" of the tripod. You can also You-Tube tripod leveling bases and how they work.

For maximum stability, do not buy a tripod with an center column, this just creates too much play.


Chris

 

[LawnMM]

Plenty of people direct mount their rifles to a leveling base. You don't HAVE to use a ballhead. 15 degrees is plenty for most shooting situations and you can always drop a leg if you need more.

IMO the lower you keep the gun to the point where the legs meet the more stable the whole setup becomes.

 

[Chris399]

LawnMM,

OK - So this is an honest question....If you are shooting a moving target (coyote or pig) and you are mounted directly to the leveling base, how are you panning? Are you leaving the leveling base loose? I ask, because after I balance my gun, I leave my gimbal somewhat loose for movement.


Chris

 

[mrtoyz]

Referring back to my initial post above; According to Michael at RRS, the RRS leveling base does not work as well panning for movers as a ball head. The ball head is smoother. Hense why he recommended using a QD ball head and a TA3 together. Best of both worlds.
i just need to find a deal on a TA3 to test his theory!

 

[_Shay_]

Boy, despite a lot of us mentioning exactly what not to do, you are recommending a center column and very weak tripod, with maybe a $20 head for long range shooting.

While these are rated about 15 lbs they don't do anything other than act shaky, with a 15-17lbs 3' lever arm mounted on top. No way the $100 700DX, paired with a $20 mafrotto head will do much as a shooting platform.

All that said, maybe your the anomaly with a ultra mad and gifted rock solid shooting skills, able to time the extra shake... but for most of us, small targets, long rang and heavy guns are better off saving the money for something else.


DIY ELR Target Cam with DVR - well proven 2000m+ 2 camera, multiple monitors - link below

https://www.snipershide.com/shootin...camera-system-with-integrated-dvr#post6291944

Are there things that will work for more money? Absolutely, I'm not trying to argue that. But is the tripod I mentioned with an 054 ball head usable? Absolutely. It's not as rock solid as the RRS, but it's not nearly in the same price range either. All I'm trying to do is answer this dudes question with an answer that fits his criteria.

And nowhere did I say to get a cheap manfrotto head. I've got an 054 magnesium ballhead that works great, and I also use a RC322 trigger ball head for my spotter. Both do what they need to do for me.

 

[bribassguy]

I would also look at Gitzo Tripods... it is what the RRS tripod is based on and will even interchange top plates. ie you can run a RRS TA-3 in a Gitzo.

They are rock solid CF tripods and are in the same class as RRS but tend to be in Photo world only. You can find them on the cheap sometimes used.

 

[MarkCO]

After shooting a few matches and losing sizable chunks of points due to my lack of experience and a suitable tripod, I have a Feisol 3342 arriving today. I listed a really nice (and heavy) Manfrotto with a ball head on Ebay on Monday as well. In talking to experienced shooters, some professional camera men and doing a lot of research, here are some points that influenced my decisions.

1. Weight of the whole mess is important in some matches, not others. Ball heads and aluminum are heavier than leveling bases and carbon fiber.
2. Stability is king. If you wobble you miss. Every joint/interface affects stability. The wider the footprint and the thicker the (rigid) legs, the better.
3. The higher the weight RATING of the components you use, the better. Higher ratings mean better control, less wobble. But a 55 pound rated tripod with a 10 pound mount gives away some of the benefit of the tripod. So get those ratings close together, and as high as you can afford/carry.
4. Rifle to tripod interface is somewhat personal preference, provided 1-3 are adhered to. I have a 15 degree (in all directions) leveling base coming as well, but I still need to do some T&E on how I will mount my rifles. If you want a lot of pan and tilt, a solid mount might not be best, but then a rear support will be needed. I am still working through which will be best for me, and likely will end up with two choices depending on the stage/target I am shooting.

 

[MACHTECH]

How's this for multiple uses? I finally got everything mounted on one tripod! The RRS is the way to go.

Todd

 

[Shanerbanner10]

The Feisol leveling head is well made but certainly lacks the fine adjustment needed to apply varying levels of tension. My fix was to stack 3 wave washers between the threaded handle and locking plate above it. Was surprised how much tension is actually needed and belville washers may yet be best. With that and some CLP burnished into the moving parts then wiped dry the thing is beautifully fluid.

For mounting the rifle I use the Hog saddle as I am still undecided as to the benefit of the elastomer during recoil. For low recoil rifles it adds wobble but the heavy magnums it seems to absorb recoil and reduce any movement of the legs. Opinions are welcome!

Over the years I have buggered about with a lot of different tripods. Years ago was issued a Benbo which was a disaster and heavy although it was extremely flexible to set up inside buildings. This new generation of tripods are way better, lighter and stiffer. Using a Feisol and would recommend it for everything. Not familiar with RRS but bet it is every but as good.

Take the 4 allen keys off the clamp of the tripod and tighten or loosen the nylon threaded nut inside. That will adjust the tension. Once set to your liking I'd suggest a drop or 2 of locktite.