Bipod vs tripod vs shooting sticks

[Justin Crossley]

Which tripod and head are you using?

Depends on the hunt. If I'm backpack hunting, I carry a Gitzo tripod with a ball head mostly. Sometimes I use the Outdoorsmans panhead and sometimes I use the Spartan Davros head.

If the hunt is truck or ATV-based, I'll carry my Vortex Radian tripod and ball head. The buck in the photo was shot using my brother's Innorel tripod with RRS Anvil 30 head because he already had it set up with his spotter so I just grabbed it from him instead of getting mine out.

 

[ofl0926]

Depends on the hunt. If I'm backpack hunting, I carry a Gitzo tripod with a ball head mostly. Sometimes I use the Outdoorsmans panhead and sometimes I use the Spartan Davros head.

If the hunt is truck or ATV-based, I'll carry my Vortex Radian tripod and ball head. The buck in the photo was shot using my brother's Innorel tripod with RRS Anvil 30 head because he already had it set up with his spotter so I just grabbed it from him instead of getting mine out.

I have an Outdoorsman panhead already. been thinking if it will support the rifle weight? also I have an xlr chassis with the arca bottom portion. I think Outdoorsman has an adapter to covert to arca or am I wrong?

 

[Justin Crossley]

I have an Outdoorsman panhead already. been thinking if it will support the rifle weight? also I have an xlr chassis with the arca bottom portion. I think Outdoorsman has an adapter to covert to arca or am I wrong?

The Panhead will support it fine but I don't prefer it for shooting because I have to use the tripod legs to adjust for "level". I can't remember if they have an adaptor. They should just ditch their proprietary dovetail and switch everything over to Arca. Sucks that they won't.

The Outdoorsman panhead is my favorite for glassing. Although I hardly ever use it now since it's not Arca compatible.

An inverted ball head like the Anvil 30 is my preference for shooting.

A ball head with a panning base is the best compromise if you want to use it for both glassing and shooting.

 

[ofl0926]

The Panhead will support it fine but I don't prefer it for shooting because I have to use the tripod legs to adjust for "level". I can't remember if they have an adaptor. They should just ditch their proprietary dovetail and switch everything over to Arca. Sucks that they won't.

The Outdoorsman panhead is my favorite for glassing. Although I hardly ever use it now since it's not Arca compatible.

An inverted ball head like the Anvil 30 is my preference for shooting.

A ball head with a panning base is the best compromise if you want to use it for both glassing and shooting.

Thanks for the clarification
I might spring for an anvil 30 and try the tripod shooting platform


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[backcountryguide]

Thanks for the clarification
I might spring for an anvil 30 and try the tripod shooting platform


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You could grab the Anvil for the shooting portion and just put and arca plate on the bottom of the Outdoorsman pan head so you can just snap it into the Anvil . That way you are still utilizing the gear you have but it is now perfect for both glassing and shooting . I do not like to glass off my Anvil and much prefer a pan head, but they suck to shoot off of like motioned earlier in the thread. I will gladly pack the additional weight of an extra head so I can have my cake and eat it to.

 

[tyler75]

I set my 2 older boys rifles up to shoot off a tripod. I used the Cretac SBH-50D tripod head and it works good. They were shooting rocks out to 600 yards last summer.

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[ofl0926]

You could grab the Anvil for the shooting portion and just put and arca plate on the bottom of the Outdoorsman pan head so you can just snap it into the Anvil . That way you are still utilizing the gear you have but it is now perfect for both glassing and shooting . I do not like to glass off my Anvil and much prefer a pan head, but they suck to shoot off of like motioned earlier in the thread. I will gladly pack the additional weight of an extra head so I can have my cake and eat it to.

Ooooo I didn’t think about that.
The only left would be the tripod. I have a pro master from cameralandny with the center post. I know if should work but without a center post is optimal.


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[Lawnboi]

You could grab the Anvil for the shooting portion and just put and arca plate on the bottom of the Outdoorsman pan head so you can just snap it into the Anvil . That way you are still utilizing the gear you have but it is now perfect for both glassing and shooting . I do not like to glass off my Anvil and much prefer a pan head, but they suck to shoot off of like motioned earlier in the thread. I will gladly pack the additional weight of an extra head so I can have my cake and eat it to.

This will only raise your apex and make it even more unsteady. The beauty of the anvil is that it’s low and keeps your rifle near the apex of the legs.

 

[ofl0926]

This will only raise your apex and make it even more unsteady. The beauty of the anvil is that it’s low and keeps your rifle near the apex of the legs.

good point.

 

[Rich M]

I'm real steady sitting with elbows on knees and a shooting stick. Trigger sticks work nice - just keep em dry.

I tried a Caldwell or Bog shooting pod thing. It's basically a rifle rest built on to a tripod. A little shakey cause it is plastic. I use it to hold my rifle in front of a fanon the range to cool the barrel down mainly.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020678737?pid=704602

Those clamp-in tripods are serious stuff.

 

[Lawnboi]

good point.

If you’re looking for a a decent shooting tripod without spending rrs money two gets makes a decent lightweight tripod that’s usable for shooting. I think their head, atleast the one my buddy got with is, is junk though.

 

[ofl0926]

If you’re looking for a a decent shooting tripod without spending rrs money two gets makes a decent lightweight tripod that’s usable for shooting. I think their head, atleast the one my buddy got with is, is junk though.

Copy


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[Steve O]

I almost always use my pack. I would like to advance my precision and use both bipod and tripod as the situation arises. I’ve noticed bipods are almost always mounted far out on the forend and tripods are basically mounted center mass. Can anyone explain why? I’d rather just have one adapter on my rifle and not be bolting things on all over the place.

 

[Erussell01]

I set my 2 older boys rifles up to shoot off a tripod. I used the Cretac SBH-50D tripod head and it works good. They were shooting rocks out to 600 yards last summer.

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Great looking setup! How did you set this up?

 

[backcountryguide]

This will only raise your apex and make it even more unsteady. The beauty of the anvil is that it’s low and keeps your rifle near the apex of the legs.

It doesn't raise anything for the shooting portion. You are detaching the arca equipped pan head and hooking the rifle back into the Anvil as normal to shoot. To glass on your apex height has increased do to stacking to different heads but we are not talking about rifle weight only glass and it has no ill effect.

 

[backcountryguide]

Here is my 85mm BTX on the setup I'm referencing glassing for sheep a couple miles away. No problems with being unsteady. This is with a RRS leveling base instead of the Anvil but I own both and find both equally stable. If I want to shoot I simply remove the glass and head from the clamp and snap in my arca equipped rifle. If hunting I will often just leave the glass attached to the pan head when I remove it for time sake.

 

[ofl0926]

Here is my 85mm BTX on the setup I'm referencing glassing for sheep a couple miles away. No problems with being unsteady. This is with a RRS leveling base instead of the Anvil but I own both and find both equally stable. If I want to shoot I simply remove the glass and head from the clamp and snap in my arca equipped rifle. If hunting I will often just leave the glass attached to the pan head when I remove it for time sake.
View attachment 405770

Awesome
I see what your saying now. The outdoorsman will be the top piece and the anvil will directly attached to the tripod for direct contact and stability.
What tripod are you running?


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[Lawnboi]

It doesn't raise anything for the shooting portion. You are detaching the arca equipped pan head and hooking the rifle back into the Anvil as normal to shoot. To glass on your apex height has increased do to stacking to different heads but we are not talking about rifle weight only glass and it has no ill effect.

I see I got you mixed up.

 

[seand]

I almost always use my pack. I would like to advance my precision and use both bipod and tripod as the situation arises. I’ve noticed bipods are almost always mounted far out on the forend and tripods are basically mounted center mass. Can anyone explain why? I’d rather just have one adapter on my rifle and not be bolting things on all over the place.

Two point of contact- one front and one rear as far apart as possible is the most steady. Like a front bag or bipod and a rear bag under the buttstock.

What the good tripod/head does is provide a very steady rest with a single point of contact for positions such as standing where you can’t get a rear rest. There is debate in whether the tripod mount is best at the balance point (center mass) (

) or forward of the balance point on the rifle. (

). I think most folks like center mass and feel it’s steadier. The good tripod head is pretty stiff and allows you to get much steadier than shooting off a bag, barricade style at the balance point.

Another good option is a full length arca rail on the bottom of the forend instead of a small plate at the balance point. Then you can slide the tripod forward and use it instead of a bipod with and you can add a bag under the buttstock to improve it further. Just as steady, maybe more so, than a bipod and read bag, just longer setup time.

 

[backcountryguide]

Awesome
I see what your saying now. The outdoorsman will be the top piece and the anvil will directly attached to the tripod for direct contact and stability.
What tripod are you running?


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I have a couple of Two Vets NO NAME tripods. These are not the lightest option in the back country and are way over kill for just glassing. I use the Two Vets NO NAME JR for glassing and the bigger one when I'm hunting . The stability the big one provides for the shooting portion is worth the weight penalty for me. I may be able to get away with something lighter but most of my rifles hover around the 12lb mark.