HOG saddle (or similar) experiences

[Tex_F15]

Have ARCA on my target rifles, but a very lightweight stock on my my elk gun, sling stud, rail, etc.

Looking at a hog saddle or similar to put a 7lb rifle on my outdoorsman. Any experiences good or bad?

 

[Tex_F15]

Should have said NO sling stud or bottom rail on my elk gun...

 

[Lawnboi]

Not a fan. Tried one before I had any rifle attachments.

Not only do they have some inherent wobble but it’s also another thing you have to dig out of your pack before making a shot.

I prefer a bag on the tripod head over a clamp, and with a hunting weight rifle clipped in is preferred.

A pint sized game changer with git lite fill is lighter, can be strapped to the outside of your pack, and is multi use.

 

[cuerro viejo]

Used reaper rest and hog saddle, they both work well. Reaper I think is a lot tighter/steadier and one i perfer. I mainly use them out of a popup blind where I’m not hiking far if at all. The reaper is very heavy and hog saddle cost a lot more then a drill bit, arca rail, some t-nuts and JB weld.

 

[Tex_F15]

Used reaper rest and hog saddle, they both work well. Reaper I think is a lot tighter/steadier and one i perfer. I mainly use them out of a popup blind where I’m not hiking far if at all. The reaper is very heavy and hog saddle cost a lot more then a drill bit, arca rail, some t-nuts and JB weld.

Spent alot of $$ to make this a 7# rifle loaded, probably not gonna throw a rail on this one. Typically dont sit with a tripod, this one hunt is an exception, will take the weight penalty this time. Thanks for the rec on reaper, I'll look it up as well

 

[Dinosdeuce]

check out the RRS Vyce. Solid once tightened. It’s easier to tighten as it’s a double lead thread system, meaning faster than a hog saddle. I have used both and the Vyce is hands down better of the 2

 

[scfreeman66]

I just went down this rabbit hole and I'm in a very similar situation to you hunt wise and gun wise...I have a setup coming this Tuesday that I pieced together to fit on my Sirui tripod. I'll post the results on here when I get it

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[Macintosh]

Ive used a hog saddle a bunch and still own one. Its great, until you try just clipping in to an arca rail. After that, it seems kinda sloppy, much heavier and way more fiddle factor. If you have a lot invested in a light setup already, and if you will already have an arca tripod/head for glassing, then adding a sub 1 ounce shortie arca rail to your rifle is both the lightest and the most stable solution I know of. Compare to a clamp of whatever brand you want that needs to be added to your tripod in place of or on top of your regular head, weighs over a pound and needs to screw closed.
Edit: here’s a candidate for you: https://jaoutdoors.com/product/srs-mini-arca-rail/

 

[cuerro viejo]

Spent alot of $$ to make this a 7# rifle loaded, probably not gonna throw a rail on this one. Typically dont sit with a tripod, this one hunt is an exception, will take the weight penalty this time. Thanks for the rec on reaper, I'll look it up as well

Bog pod(death pod I think) has one, that’s not bad. The whole package is cheaper then just the Reaper head. Trade off it’s not as tight or heavy, so you can get some movement if standing, sitting no issues. I keep one in a blind for my daughter.

Reaper rest is awesome and ment for abuse, but it’s $$$$

 

[N2TRKYS]

I use a PIG saddle and it has worked great for me. Very easy and fast to use.

 

[Tex_F15]

check out the RRS Vyce. Solid once tightened. It’s easier to tighten as it’s a double lead thread system, meaning faster than a hog saddle. I have used both and the Vyce is hands down better of the 2

The vyce looks like the ticket......any play on the mounting or clamp?

 

[SDHNTR]

Work fine. But take too long to deploy and too much chit to carry into the field. I use one for my kid because he needs it, but for an experienced adult, I see it costing more shot opportunities than it creates.

 

[Tex_F15]

Work fine. But take too long to deploy and too much chit to carry into the field. I use one for my kid because he needs it, but for an experienced adult, I see it costing more shot opportunities than it creates.

Not intended for rapid deployment.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

The vyce looks like the ticket......any play on the mounting or clamp?

I tried the Bog, the Hog, and the Vyce. The Vyce is what I settled on after attending a couple of long range matches local to me with a tripod stage. The Vyce mounts to a plate like a spotter or anything else. Get a quality one and you won't have any play in the mounting system.

 

[Dinosdeuce]

The vyce looks like the ticket......any play on the mounting or clamp?

It a solid setup with a good tripod. Honestly with the short sections available Acra Swiss is the way to go. I mount binos and rifle with that setup. Two Vets tripod and RRS ball head. Not really light weight but very solid

 

[Lawnboi]

A 3oz rail on the rifle is way lighter than a 2lb vise in your pack.

I know it’s not the answer you want but the vice setups are slow and the worst option for stability.

I did the exact thing you are years ago. Not worth it.

 

[Highvoltage1]

I’m in this boat right now trying to put something together for first rifle other than a bog. I’d like to go carbon fiber with a ball head. Had plans on the pig saddle but now I’m second guessing that. What’s the options for tripods/ ball heads as well?

 

[Maz7869]

I have a hog saddle and it works great the only downside is it’s heavy

 

[dirtytough]

I’ve used the Bog version a lot. After using an Anvil-30 with the rifle clipped in I modified the Bog tripod to accept a regular ball head/Anvil.

It’s night and day difference.

I have a couple expensive lightweight customs. TI action, carbon barrel, etc. When I built them there was no way I was going to add a few ounces to have a rail on them.

Now I’m just waiting for the season to end and they will be getting a 2.5”-4” Arca rail.

 

[Macintosh]

Just saying, the rail I linked to above weighs half an ounce according to the website.

"Weight: .55 ounces. (you read that right! less then 1 ounce!)"

For comparison a hog saddle weighs 15.8 ounces...basically a pound. That's 28 times as much weight as the dinky little rail. A Vyce weighs 17 ounces, more than a pound, and 31 times more than the rail. A pig saddle, while cheaper than the above two clamps, is still 4x the price of the rail, and weighs 22.4 ounces, 1.4 pounds. Which is 40 times the weight of the rail. These things are HEAVY!

For what it's worth, I've now met multiple people who cart around a rifle, spotter and tripod professionally, who are not using a ball head at all. Last one I checked out their rig, they had a flat, skeletonized aluminum plate about 3" x 5" mounted to the tripod in place of a ball head, and would rest the spotter or rifle on top of this using a small game-changer-style bag with very light fill. Not as solid as an arca clamp, but they've eliminated the weight of the ball head/clamp itself and they felt it was solid enough to effectively use bino's or a lower-powered spotter and to shoot off of.