anyone have field experience with the Spartan Davros pro head for glassing and shooting?

[Deli]

I just wanted to check in to see how everyone is still liking their Spartan setup. I'm currently looking to purchase my first tripod and head for glassing and shooting since I've always borrowed a friends in the past and I'm leaning heavily towards the Davros Pro for ease of switching back and forth between glass and rifle. I don't like the idea of drilling and screwing an arca plate to my rifle and like how I could play around with using a sling stud attachment with Spartan. Then if I like the setup, can install the gunsmith adapter which seems less obstructive on my main rifle and just use the sling stud adapters on other rifles.

My buddies just use a rifle saddle on an arca to not drill into their stocks, but the Spartan setup seems easier to me. Anyone with experience of using a saddle vs a davros head, how does the stability in shooting compare long range? I currently don't have anything from Spartan, but if I go this route, would likely also get their bipod to complete the setup.

 

[omicron1792]

So I use the spartan setup. For glassing it is easy and straightforward. Same for bipod use.

For shooting it’s a little more complicated. The tripod and ball head won’t hold the rifle with the spartan attachment all the way forward. You have to hold the rear end of the rifle. So if always taking quick shots it’s fine. If you want to leave the rifle on the tripod for extended periods, you need to mount a spartan adapter (gunsmith or other) closer to the center point of the rifle. Or use a rifle clamp. But there isn’t a great clamp set up to work on the spartan system. I tried rigging a heavy/professional optics adapter on the bottom of a saddle. It worked fine, but definitely not a rock solid setup.

What I have found is for my dedicated tripod hunting like I do for coyotes, I use an arca clamp and leveling base. For stalk hunting and quick shots (pretty much all my deer hunting or when I go to Africa) I use the spartan system. I will say I went ahead and added a gunsmith adapter to all my rifles as well as the forward bipod mount. It’s just and easier shooting solution with the rifle mounted more centrally.
Here is an AR I have on Davros pro head.

 

[mtwarden]

So I use the spartan setup. For glassing it is easy and straightforward. Same for bipod use.

For shooting it’s a little more complicated. The tripod and ball head won’t hold the rifle with the spartan attachment all the way forward. You have to hold the rear end of the rifle. So if always taking quick shots it’s fine. If you want to leave the rifle on the tripod for extended periods, you need to mount a spartan adapter (gunsmith or other) closer to the center point of the rifle.

Agreed. It will almost hold mine (6# rifle) without anymore support on the front bipod spot on the tripod, but not quite. I'm getting Spartan gunsmith adapters for both my Kimber and am 99.9% sure it will hold when the rifle is more centered.

 

[omicron1792]

Agreed. It will almost hold mine (6# rifle) without anymore support on the front bipod spot on the tripod, but not quite. I'm getting Spartan gunsmith adapters for both my Kimber and am 99.9% sure it will hold when the rifle is more centered.

The Davros pro head is a fine head. When centered it will hold it no problem, even with heavy thermals.

 

[RockAndSage]

I just wanted to check in to see how everyone is still liking their Spartan setup. I'm currently looking to purchase my first tripod and head for glassing and shooting since I've always borrowed a friends in the past and I'm leaning heavily towards the Davros Pro for ease of switching back and forth between glass and rifle. I don't like the idea of drilling and screwing an arca plate to my rifle and like how I could play around with using a sling stud attachment with Spartan. Then if I like the setup, can install the gunsmith adapter which seems less obstructive on my main rifle and just use the sling stud adapters on other rifles.

My buddies just use a rifle saddle on an arca to not drill into their stocks, but the Spartan setup seems easier to me. Anyone with experience of using a saddle vs a davros head, how does the stability in shooting compare long range? I currently don't have anything from Spartan, but if I go this route, would likely also get their bipod to complete the setup.

I think @omicron1792 really nailed it. If I were to describe the differences between the Spartan system and other things like Arca, I'd describe Spartan as optimized for spot-and-stalk hunting. They're lighter, quicker, and more ergonomic, with excellent stability, and when you look at it as a system to include ease of glassing, you just have less bulk and weight. But I wouldn't say they're optimized for something like PRS, or pushing out past ethical hunting distances. For what I do, I absolutely love it - especially as a system.

 

[Deli]

I think @omicron1792 really nailed it. If I were to describe the differences between the Spartan system and other things like Arca, I'd describe Spartan as optimized for spot-and-stalk hunting. They're lighter, quicker, and more ergonomic, with excellent stability, and when you look at it as a system to include ease of glassing, you just have less bulk and weight. But I wouldn't say they're optimized for something like PRS, or pushing out past ethical hunting distances. For what I do, I absolutely love it - especially as a system.

This is exactly how I'd use it. I just want something that's easy to set up that I don't have to think about it under pressure. Right now I generally just shoot off my pack or use my trekking poles as shooting sticks, so I'm assuming this will be very stable out to 400 yard shots. It'll be an investment, but great to know it all works together in a somewhat lightweight package.

 

[omicron1792]

This is exactly how I'd use it. I just want something that's easy to set up that I don't have to think about it under pressure. Right now I generally just shoot off my pack or use my trekking poles as shooting sticks, so I'm assuming this will be very stable out to 400 yard shots. It'll be an investment, but great to know it all works together in a somewhat lightweight package.

You will be very happy with it used like this.

Here is a Blaser r8 with a front mounted bipod spartan mount and a more centered gunsmith mount. You can see it it holding fine. This is as far posterior as an adapter can be put on the Blaser.

 

[JFK]

I’ve been using this setup for a few months now. Have not hunted with it extensively. Just off season pig hunting. I have shot off of it at the range.

Glassing is decent. I’ve only run a set of 10x binos on mine so far with the Spartan bino adapter. Shooting has been good as well. There are better solutions for glassing, and there are better solutions for shooting, but I think the Spartan system has the most overlap, while keeping things simple, light and fast.

The gunsmith adapter in front of the mag well is basically a requirement. I wouldn’t buy the Davros with the intent to shoot off it without also putting the gunsmith adapter in.

 

[Happy Antelope]

Turn the sprocket down in the slot, mount the spotter on the side works great. Two 90 degree axis, most people use it on the top with the ball head and won't work as well. Never going to be like some expensive heavy bulky pan head. But a pig pan head is not light, quick, used for quick exchange to shooting, etc.

 

[Happy Antelope]

The Davros pro head is a fine head. When centered it will hold it no problem, even with heavy thermals.

See above, turn the sprocket on it's side and mount the spotter sideways, let me know what you think. Will move smoother and easier to use.

 

[omicron1792]

Turn the sprocket down in the slot, mount the spotter on the side works great. Two 90 degree axis, most people use it on the top with the ball head and won't work as well. Never going to be like some expensive heavy bulky pan head. But a pig pan head is not light, quick, used for quick exchange to shooting, etc.

Show me a pic of this setup please If you can. A little hard to picture it

 

[rharbaugh]

Thought I would update this thread as I got to use this system for just shy of two weeks in the Brooks Range.

Prior to the trip, I spent two weeks shooting almost everyday switching between bipod and tripod. The head worked well with my rifle, but as I only have the swing swivel adapter, the rifle would slowly sink rearward at full lock/tightness. I'm 99% sure by adding the gunsmith adapter, that will not happen as it's much closer to the center of the weight of the rifle.

I used the heavy optics adapters (one on my binos and one on my spotter) in combination with the Pro II head extensively glassing for sheep. I could swap between optics quickly and the system worked great.

I ended up shooting my ram with a bipod (also Spartan), but was ready if necessary to shoot off my tripod.

I'm pretty darn happy with the system

@mtwarden bumping this from the grave. Are you still using the spartan tripod and davros pro head? Are you utilizing the tripod legs as trekking poles too? Thank you.

 

[Hoghead]

I use the legs as trekking poles. Extra few seconds but saves weight in your pack.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

 

[mtwarden]

@mtwarden bumping this from the grave. Are you still using the spartan tripod and davros pro head? Are you utilizing the tripod legs as trekking poles too? Thank you.

I haven’t used a Spartan tripod, but am still using both the regular and pro davros heads.

 

[justinspicher]

I’ve been using the Spartan sentinel tripod and a javelin bipod for a few years now. I use the tripod for glassing and shooting and this year I shot my bull off the tripod at 515yds and then used it as a trekking poles to get him out of the woods. I had one of the ascents, which is a fantastic tripod, but traded it to a buddy for a second sentinel as I like their simplicity more.

Over the past year I shot quite a bit of the tripod, mostly at prairie dogs. I have two mounts on each of my rifles so I can position the tripod at the center of my rifle for better balance.

 

[rharbaugh]

I’ve been using the Spartan sentinel tripod and a javelin bipod for a few years now. I use the tripod for glassing and shooting and this year I shot my bull off the tripod at 515yds and then used it as a trekking poles to get him out of the woods. I had one of the ascents, which is a fantastic tripod, but traded it to a buddy for a second sentinel as I like their simplicity more.

Over the past year I shot quite a bit of the tripod, mostly at prairie dogs. I have two mounts on each of my rifles so I can position the tripod at the center of my rifle for better balance.

how often do you use your javelin bipod? i was thinking that if i got an ascent tripod i could eliminate my javelin to save money and weight, especially since i prefer shooting off my back with a front bag.

in your opinion, what's more "simple" about the sentinel vs the ascent?