Lightweight tripod set-up for shooting

[Lawnboi]

Above is an awesome video for tripod shooters to watch, specifically because it highlights what I think is one of the most important aspects of shooting behind a tripod, and keeping your wobble down.

That and I think a lot of what they teach carries over from hunting weight rifles to heavy race guns.

When you figure out what needs to be done to nearly eliminate wobble things become significantly easier. Then recreating that in varying terrain becomes the challenge.

 

[ID_Matt]

Kinda reviving this thread as i settled on a combo that I've been fairly happy with. Leofoto 324cl with ma30l head. I realize the head is basically a rip off of the anvil but i bought it with the legs for about the price of an anvil only. Head is very nice to shoot off and surprisingly not bad to glass off. It's obviously not as pleasant as my va5, but i actually like it more than any other ball head I've tried. Only downside I've found is it needs to be cleaned every so often or it can get a touch sticky. I got the long version of the legs and can glass easily standing up - I'm 6'3". It's just over 4 pounds all together. Considering getting a lighter set of legs to go with the head for longer trips but figure with ditching the bipod, I'm about the same weight as before anyway.

 

[thrash907]

Kinda reviving this thread as i settled on a combo that I've been fairly happy with. Leofoto 324cl with ma30l head. I realize the head is basically a rip off of the anvil but i bought it with the legs for about the price of an anvil only. Head is very nice to shoot off and surprisingly not bad to glass off. It's obviously not as pleasant as my va5, but i actually like it more than any other ball head I've tried. Only downside I've found is it needs to be cleaned every so often or it can get a touch sticky. I got the long version of the legs and can glass easily standing up - I'm 6'3". It's just over 4 pounds all together. Considering getting a lighter set of legs to go with the head for longer trips but figure with ditching the bipod, I'm about the same weight as before anyway.

Recently got similar except 324c/ma30, weighs under 4lb. I'm 5' 10" and can shoot/glass standing. Tried the lh40 head and am much happier with the ma30.

For folks that have standard apex, you can get the one that goes with ma30 heads on the manufacturer's site.

Edit: Also props/thanks to hereinaz, I setup a similar contraption to his and it's great.

 

[chutinlead]

I went a little smaller/lighter with the LQ-324 and just used blue loctite to stick my RRS Anvil to the center column. For glassing I really like the little adjustability in height with the center column and it makes it just the right height to shoot off standing with the legs all extended and center column bottomed out.

 

[ID_Matt]

I went a little smaller/lighter with the LQ-324 and just used blue loctite to stick my RRS Anvil to the center column. For glassing I really like the little adjustability in height with the center column and it makes it just the right height to shoot off standing with the legs all extended and center column bottomed out.

What does it weigh? Google is saying 4lbs for just the tripod

 

[chutinlead]

What does it weigh? Google is saying 4lbs for just the tripod

I guess I had it in my head the weight of the LQ-284 I tried.

That must be also be with a ball head. It's about the same weight as the sa-324cl tripod at 3.3lbs.

The SA line wasn't out when I bought mine so I made a custom plate that fit the anvil that dropped right in the apex of mine. It's just a hair too short to shoot standing that way.

 

[Alex Genereux]

I just picked op this tripod me love it. I am 5’10” and I can comfortably stand and shoot off with still some room to increase. Weights 66oz total

T3240CS Hunting Tripod for Shooting Rifle Stand Carbon Fiber

Carbon Fiber Tripod Kit T3240CSModel:  T3240CSMaterialï¼Aluminum, Carbon FiberNumber of Leg Sectionsï¼4Tube Diametersï¼mmï¼ï¼32/28/25/22Height with legs foldedï¼55cm.Height with legs extendedï¼12-144cm.Tilting Angleï¼35°Weightï¼1.8KgsLoad Capacityï¼25Kgs.Leg angles:23°ã55°ã85° âªT3240CS...

sunwayfoto-store.com

 

[ID_Matt]

I just picked op this tripod me love it. I am 5’10” and I can comfortably stand and shoot off with still some room to increase. Weights 66oz total

T3240CS Hunting Tripod for Shooting Rifle Stand Carbon Fiber

Carbon Fiber Tripod Kit T3240CSModel:  T3240CSMaterialï¼Aluminum, Carbon FiberNumber of Leg Sectionsï¼4Tube Diametersï¼mmï¼ï¼32/28/25/22Height with legs foldedï¼55cm.Height with legs extendedï¼12-144cm.Tilting Angleï¼35°Weightï¼1.8KgsLoad Capacityï¼25Kgs.Leg angles:23°ã55°ã85° âªT3240CS...

sunwayfoto-store.com

I noticed that sunway sells that head separately now. How easy is the tension handle to operate when a gun is on it? I wondered if having it down flush to the base would make it harder to manipulate compared to on the head

 

[Mountainman007]

I just picked op this tripod me love it. I am 5’10” and I can comfortably stand and shoot off with still some room to increase. Weights 66oz total.

That looks like a all-in one package! pretty sweet. Have you done any glassing from it yet? if you have

how well does it glass?

 

[Alex Genereux]

No it is amazing! Adorama sells them. You can buy and try it out for 30 days they have awesome customer service.

 

[Alex Genereux]

That looks like a all-in one package! pretty sweet. Have you done any glassing from it yet? if you have

how well does it glass?

That maybe one area is isn’t as good at because it doesn’t have a pan head 1 lever releases ball and can then move in all directions. But you can tension the lever so it can move but has some resistance.

 

[Mountainman007]

I noticed that they have a Leofoto MA-40 ballhead. has anyone ever use that new head? is it better then the
old MA-30 head? the weight of the MA-30L is 0.63lbs and the MA-40 is 0.81lbs

Thanks!!

 

[ID_Matt]

I noticed that they have a Leofoto MA-40 ballhead. has anyone ever use that new head? is it better then the
old ML-30 head? the weight of the ML-30L is 0.63lbs and the ML-40 is 0.81lbs

Thanks!!

I think you have some letters messed up. Are you meaning the MA-30L head vs the MA-40? If so, i would go with the 30L. If you are meaning the LH series of ball heads, those are good if that style is what you prefer. The LH standard ballhead type will likely be better for glassing because it has pan. The MA-30L will be better for shooting. I like the MA for both.

 

[Mountainman007]

I think you have some letters messed up..

Yes I did!! Thanks!

 

[CCooper]

Kinda reviving this thread as i settled on a combo that I've been fairly happy with. Leofoto 324cl with ma30l head. I realize the head is basically a rip off of the anvil but i bought it with the legs for about the price of an anvil only. Head is very nice to shoot off and surprisingly not bad to glass off. It's obviously not as pleasant as my va5, but i actually like it more than any other ball head I've tried. Only downside I've found is it needs to be cleaned every so often or it can get a touch sticky. I got the long version of the legs and can glass easily standing up - I'm 6'3". It's just over 4 pounds all together. Considering getting a lighter set of legs to go with the head for longer trips but figure with ditching the bipod, I'm about the same weight as before anyway. View attachment 482524View attachment 482526

What arca plate did you use on the rifle, and what are your thoughts so far?

 

[ID_Matt]

What arca plate did you use on the rifle, and what are your thoughts so far?

I have an area 419, an SRS tactical, and an mdt chassis with integrated. The one in the picture has the 8" i think 419. They all work as they should. The area 419 is very low profile but has the arca lock edge that isn't the most comfortable on the hands. SRS is a bit higher profile.

 

[TetonRecon]

From my perspective:
Glassing off a ball head.....sucks!
Shooting off a panning head.....sucks!

My solution has been to glass with a panning head (Sirui VA-5) mounted to a full length center column (RRS Ascend 14L). Combined with carrying a RRS Anvil 30 (with bolt, washer and allen wrench) on my pack’s waist belt (Marsupial Gear 'small zippered pouch' ....works great).

When a shooting situation presents itself, generally, you’ll have time and opportunity to pull the ‘glassing’ center column/panning head out of the legs and attach the Anvil 30, using the bolt and washer. This can be done in under a minute.

If you don’t have time to do this...you’re prolly looking at a closer range shot and could use another, hastier, option for supporting the rifle. An example would be....throwing an Armageddon Gear Pint Sized Game Changer (filled with Git-Lite fill) over the top of your panning head and then you'd still be able to shoot off your tripod.

An example of all of this coming together, played out on this years' moose hunt. We glassed from a ridge, using the panning head, for 5 days before we found a bull we wanted to kill. Before the stalk began.....I swapped the center column for the Anvil 30. During the stalk, which lasted about an hour, we relocated/kept tabs on the bull using a pair of 12x binos mounted to the Anvil 30. Because my spotting scope plates and binocular adapters are Arca-Swiss compatible....it's easy to go back and forth with different head types. Once we got within range of the bull...the rifle was direct connected to the tripod.

We were in waist -to- shoulder height brush, the entire stalk, once we left the ridge top.

If I have to choose between carrying the extra weight of an Anvil 30 or a bipod.....there's no doubt it'll be the Anvil 30.

I would've hated glassing all day, for 5 days straight, with the Anvil 30 and wouldn't have wanted to shoot off the Sirui pan head when given an opportunity at a bull. Honestly, swapping back and forth between heads is no big deal.

I also had a similar idea last year. The VA-5 fluid pan head with a center column was my preferred choice for glassing, but I also longed for the RRS Anvil-30 with no center column for shooting. I didn't know how to merge the two, and didn't really want to compromise... so I did both! I bought the Sirui ST-125 with the triangular center column and found that they also sold a short center column as an accessory for $20. I mounted the ANVIL to the short one and stuck it in my pack. Then I could switch it out in just seconds without tools by just loosening the center column tension knob. It was a 1lb weight penalty to pack around the extra head, but it was super handy. I'm working on something different this year, it's a weird obsession at this point!

 

[isocyanate]

As said, I mostly wanted it for sitting and I may actually try taking 2 leg sections out to cut weight.

Did you ever try taking leg sections out?

I'm considering the RT80 and am interested in going lighter for packing in and still having a full size tripod back home. I don't see the flip model offered currently, but the twist lock model is. Was thinking I could source or fabricate some rubber inserts to protect the threads in the field when dropping legs...

 

[mtwarden]

^ don't have that tripod, but on my Siriu I easily found rubber covers that went over the threads of mine at Ace Hardware- fit like a glove

 

[Blaw]

Recently got similar except 324c/ma30, weighs under 4lb. I'm 5' 10" and can shoot/glass standing. Tried the lh40 head and am much happier with the ma30.

For folks that have standard apex, you can get the one that goes with ma30 heads on the manufacturer's site.

Edit: Also props/thanks to hereinaz, I setup a similar contraption to his and it's great.

View attachment 482663

Can you explain the rope etc on this? maybe a demo or something. I know it has something to do with stabilizing your shot/recoil etc.