Mile High and RRS both have the bare scout heads in stock if anyone is looking. I just picked up the bare head and a separate SC-Arc adapter from Mile High today.
So how would this work as a standalone head for both glassing and a little bit of shooting? I’ve had an Anvil 30 in the past and currently using a BH-30 ball head. The BH-30 is sufficient for shooting and a little bit better for glassing than the Anvil was.
Is this Scout head even less stable than a BH-30 (rated for 15 pounds) with a 10lb rifle clamped in? I have already established that I don’t need Anvil-30 level stability for my uses.
Stick with the BH-30. The Scout is designed to be used in conjunction with the Anvil. You'd have to figure out a way to attach it to your tripod since it's designed to clamp into the Anvil.