Lightweight tripod set-up for shooting

[mtwarden]

Super lightweight, like under a pound - KDC tripod. Should do you for 300 yard work.

This is also what I use when backpack hunting, I think mine weighs all of 13 oz. I have Leupold gold ring binoculars that don't have a threaded spot for a stud, so use their rubber/velcro setup which actually makes for a pretty decent rifle rest

If I thought I would be shooting 500 yards (which I don't ), then I would go with a different setup

 

[hereinaz]

I just went down this rabbit hole as well for my first tripod. Wanted a tripod mainly for glassing but also if I wanted to slap my AR on top for coyotes a few times a year. Picked up the promaster XC-M 525CK from CameralandNY to try it out. I don't think the fluid head is rated for the heavier weight but I just got the Triclawps mount to try out so threw my gun up there to pan out the back yard and seems to work okay. The issue with this mount is the triclawps knob and fluid head arca plate tightening knob interfere with each other so have to be on opposite sides. If If I do this more often I would get an arca rail mlok mounted to the AR handguard to just slide into the head. It also came with a ball head so going to compare/contrast when I get some time as most people say ball head is the way to go for rifles.

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Quick tip, don't extend the smallest section of leg unless you have to. It is the weakest and wiggliest. Having it up inside the second wiggliest section of the tripod helps cut wobble tremendously. If you do extend it, try to only do it as little as possible. And, push the center column down as far as you can. Your strongest extension section isn't in play with it set up as you have it. Fortunately, most of the shots can be taken seated, and that keeps your tripod more compact and those skinniest legs coubled up to cut wobble. That tripod isn't the best, but for seated shooting, it should be acceptable.

Fluid heads are great for glassing to grid a mountainside. For shooting, you want a head that locks up tight. A fluid head, if you lock it, you have to lock it in two axis.

And, switching from a saddle to an ARCA is a huge improvement.

When you get an ARCA rail, get a long one. It adds versatility to your position if you are going to be shooting from different compromised positions at strange angles. Sometimes where the tripod sits and where you sit, pushing the gun back makes all the difference. Also, you can run it all the way to the front and go prone with the legs splayed out as flat as they go.

 

[hereinaz]

It’s night and day with a light rifle. I’m not a great shot either but have done some comparisons shooting directly attached to my tripod head and off a pint sized game changer squished on the head. I can hold much easier with the direct attachment.

And that’s with a crap Hogg saddle cf tripod. The rrs Iv shot off of at matches are much stiffer.

Seated off a tripod after some practice, as said above feels like cheating.

Agreed, 100%. Shooting a light rifle, anything will move it around, its why PRS rifles are so heavy...

Once you lock a light hunting rifle into the tripod, it keeps a lot of the wobble out of it. You've now made the rifle 5 pounds heavier in one sense. You still get the rifle pivoting and wiggling with the tripod. But, that is where a heavy duty ballhead and stiff tripod keeping the wobble down.

A key is figuring out how to create rear support and minimizing wobble from the shooter's input.

 

[SirChooCH]

Quick tip, don't extend the smallest section of leg unless you have to. It is the weakest and wiggliest. Having it up inside the second wiggliest section of the tripod helps cut wobble tremendously. If you do extend it, try to only do it as little as possible. And, push the center column down as far as you can. Your strongest extension section isn't in play with it set up as you have it. Fortunately, most of the shots can be taken seated, and that keeps your tripod more compact and those skinniest legs coubled up to cut wobble. That tripod isn't the best, but for seated shooting, it should be acceptable.

Fluid heads are great for glassing to grid a mountainside. For shooting, you want a head that locks up tight. A fluid head, if you lock it, you have to lock it in two axis.

And, switching from a saddle to an ARCA is a huge improvement.

When you get an ARCA rail, get a long one. It adds versatility to your position if you are going to be shooting from different compromised positions at strange angles. Sometimes where the tripod sits and where you sit, pushing the gun back makes all the difference. Also, you can run it all the way to the front and go prone with the legs splayed out as flat as they go.

Thank you! Like I said first time using one so appreciate the tips.

I wanted to try to the fluid head out because I am going rifle elk hunting next year and sounds like 99% of the time on the tripod will be glassing with binos. I am awaiting my bino adapter to try fluid vs ball head for glassing. But trying to figure out how to set up a rifle on it for the 1% use of taking a shot, looking into the arca plates and how to mount that on a savage stock or else packing this triclawps head in.

Side note I also took the Rokslide advice of wiser precision quick stix on cascade mtn tech trekking poles. I believe they are both wrapped under the Christmas tree...so I will try that as an option as well.

 

[wind gypsy]

RRS has been teasing with this Ascend setup for some time now.. I don't get the pricing though. The ascend is more expensive than a TFCT/anvil combo and has a seemingly lesser ball head. I did shoot off RRS series 2 w/ anvil and series 3 w/ leveling base back to back this summer. I was surprised how much steadier the series 3 w/ leveling base was. I imagine this difference could be extrapolated to 14 vs 24 series as well.

Bitcoin is going bonkers, might have to cash in and finally pull the trigger on some RRS goodness

 

[bradb]

To me the leveling head is more stable and easier to shoot from, then the anvil. Its trade offs are less adjustment range and a bigger apex for packing. I think I need a couple!! Send Bitcoin

 

[hereinaz]

To me the leveling head is more stable and easier to shoot from, then the anvil. Its trade offs are less adjustment range and a bigger apex for packing. I think I need a couple!! Send Bitcoin

Yes, a leveling bowl/head are easier to shoot from than a ball head. The shift in center of gravity makes a difference, as well as the way it locks.

I need the flexibility to glass with it as well, so Anvil is the compromise.

 

[Lawnboi]

RRS has been teasing with this Ascend setup for some time now.. I don't get the pricing though. The ascend is more expensive than a TFCT/anvil combo and has a seemingly lesser ball head. I did shoot off RRS series 2 w/ anvil and series 3 w/ leveling base back to back this summer. I was surprised how much steadier the series 3 w/ leveling base was. I imagine this difference could be extrapolated to 14 vs 24 series as well.

Bitcoin is going bonkers, might have to cash in and finally pull the trigger on some RRS goodness

Im looking ahead at getting an rrs tripod to compliment the anvil head I have and am not too excited about the ascend setup. I have gotten so used to no center column I think I’m going to stick with it and stay with one of their standard offerings.

 

[bradb]

Im looking ahead at getting an rrs tripod to compliment the anvil head I have and am not too excited about the ascend setup. I have gotten so used to no center column I think I’m going to stick with it and stay with one of their standard offerings.

Glassing from leveling base is also easier. I have had both.

 

[wind gypsy]

Glassing from leveling base is also easier. I have had both.

Easier than the anvil?

 

[bradb]

Yes. As long as the range of movement is enough for your situation. for all the same reasons herianaz stated that make it better for shooting. And don't get me wrong some of it is very slight differences.

 

[Lawnboi]

I don’t think I could deal with the leveling base for glassing. Iv shot off one, only a little bit definitely use the entire range of motion of the anvil when glassing

 

[hereinaz]

I don’t think I could deal with the leveling base for glassing. Iv shot off one, only a little bit definitely use the entire range of motion of the anvil when glassing

If weight were not a concern and I wanted to maximize, I would run a fluid head on top a leveling base. Fluid for optics and leveling base for shooting. But, hunting I am not going to carry anything extra. If it were a match, or glassing from the truck, that's another thing.

Leveling base alone, you just have to adjust the legs more to make up for its limited range of motion.

The differences in the end are small enough I just run an anvil. But, I ran a cheapo Amazon head at first, and it worked. It was still better than any other solution.

 

[Middleofnowhere]

I went with the American made RRS TFCT-24L. I remove the bottom two leg sections for backpacking and I can shoot/glass from sitting and kneeling position. The RRS has a 70# capacity, which is unmatched by any of the Chinese tripods.
RRS finally released a lighter weight version called the “ascent”, which is probably the way I’d go if doing it over.


FYI, I’ve done some target shooting with this tripod out in the desert. I am getting near “bench rest” accuracy shooting from the standing position. It completely simplifies going out to plink or develop loads. The amount of kit to carry in the field and set up is completely reduced. No more table or shooting bench for me.

 

[JonS]

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There are a few techniques to know, but they aren't hard to execute.

What techniques do you recommend?
I just picked up a davros head and put it on my trigger stick. Debating putting it on a different tripod, but want to hear your thinking please.

 

[hereinaz]

I went with the American made RRS TFCT-24L. I remove the bottom two leg sections for backpacking and I can shoot/glass from sitting and kneeling position. The RRS has a 70# capacity, which is unmatched by any of the Chinese tripods.
RRS finally released a lighter weight version called the “ascent”, which is probably the way I’d go if doing it over.
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FYI, I’ve done some target shooting with this tripod out in the desert. I am getting near “bench rest” accuracy shooting from the standing position. It completely simplifies going out to plink or develop loads. The amount of kit to carry in the field and set up is completely reduced. No more table or shooting bench for me.

I have considered pulling leg sections or just getting a shorter tripod.

Once you get a good tripod set up, it is a new world.

 

[hereinaz]

What techniques do you recommend?
I just picked up a davros head and put it on my trigger stick. Debating putting it on a different tripod, but want to hear your thinking please.

Standing, rifle on tripod at sternum level, third leg pointing at target.

Get the rifle pointed below target, body leaning in, legs wide, but still good balance, lock legs, relax all muscles, reach arm across and grab tripod thumb down locking elbow, clip from belt to tripod head tensioned so it is taut, lock tripod so that it is below target and when you lean into it the rifle rises to the target, and press trigger slowly.

 

[live2huntelk]

"...clip from belt to tripod head tensioned so it is taut... "

Do you have a picture of what this looks like?

 

[Lawnboi]

A sling works for steadying, but your rifle better be able to handle some pressure without changing poi. I don’t clip it anywhere as that just takes too much setup for how I use my tripod I may put a little pressure pulling down to one of the back legs.

The other problem with a sling to the waist or held is that it just takes more time to setup correctly, and you may be focusing on steadying with the sling instead of other important fundamentals.

Natural point of aim is very important in steadying your crosshairs.

 

[hereinaz]

Hope this helps.

Do you have a picture of what this looks like?