Length of ARCA

[bmicek]

Needing to add an Arca rail to my rifle. I’m debating on Arca length. My tripod and bipod can mount to both Arca and Picatinny. This rifle will be used for thermal coyote hunting as well as deer.

I initially wanted to use a short Arca just in front of the DBM to keep my forend free of metal so I didn’t have to be touching metal when I carried my rifle. I was browsing the salmon river solutions website and stumbled across their Hunters Rail which is a full length arca rail and the last little bit of the rail is picatinny for a bipod. So now I can’t decide whether to stick with a short rail or go with the longer rail. Weight isn’t an issue for this setup so I’m not concerned by the lighter weight. But is having a full length arca rail really that annoying to carry when you’re hands are holding onto metal rather than a carbon fiber stock?

 

[Shortschaf]

Older post, and im sure you already made your choice on this. Let us know what you did.

For me:

is having a full length arca rail really that annoying to carry

Yes it's annoying.

I dont like full length arca. I prefer pic rail front, and am thinking of pic rail rear too now that I have a tripod head that accommodates either

 

[bmicek]

Older post, and im sure you already made your choice on this. Let us know what you did.

For me:

Yes it's annoying.

I dont like full length arca. I prefer pic rail front, and am thinking of pic rail rear too now that I have a tripod head that accommodates either

Ended up going with a Boring rifle company Arca rail that’s very low profile. Will add a picatinny at the front as well at some point. My ballhead also accepts picatinny, I was just worried that picatinny narrows the area on the stock that force is exerted so it made me be nervous about damaging the stock putting it in the rear as well. It has crossed my mind too though since it’s a smaller overall profile. My chassis rifles I’d have no issue using a picatinny rail near the mag well

 

[seand]

Full length arca for me. I elk hunted in 5deg F temps last fall and the rail wasn’t an issue for me at all, if I didn’t use a gun bearer most of the time I might feel differently about it.

 

[Coopsdaddy]

I debating a 4 inch arca or two gunsmith adapters.Actually like the simplicity of the later.

 

[JohnJohnson]

Carry in what way? All of my rifles have full length rails but I carry my rifle strapped to my pack.

 

[khuber84]

I'm a full length guy if I'm adding a rial. But I do have a a manners pro hunter that has a short rail, but it also has molded Pic out front.