Upgrading to Arca

[TheCougar]

At the moment, none of my hunting rifles have arca or pic attachments, just a swivel stud. I have a manfrotto rc2 head and I am about to buy another tripod head. For shooting off my tripod, I have a triclawps, which is big, heavy, and not very stable. I would like to upgrade my rifles with an arca attachment of some sort, and buy a good tripod head that will be used for glassing and shooting. The tripod head must weigh less than my manfrotto 700rc2 (right at 16oz, I think), have arca compatibility or adaptor, and be stable enough for shooting. Let’s assume that money isn’t a factor for now…. It will be paired to a CF tripod.

For the rifle attachment, I found Salmon River Solutions, @LivetohuntID has some arca rails designed for rounded hunting stocks.

For the tripod head, I’ve seen the wiser (not a fluid head). I would think a fluid head would be better, but have no experience with the wiser. Should I go with a wiser, or use a heavier fluid head?

I use Harris bipods on my swivel studs. For now, I plan on adapting my Harris bipods. Is there something better than the area419 adaptor?

Am I on the right track? Any suggestions?

 

[dirtytough]

I use an Anvil-30. Great for shooting off of. And ok for glassing from.

If I didn’t use that I would go with either the BH-40 or BH-30 depending on if I wanted to save a few ounces. I would lean towards the 40 though.

Rail wise, I just ordered a 3D printed rail. For the way I’ll use it on my big game rifle I’m expecting it to be fine. For something like a target rifle or my coyote setup I would want a metal rail. (I clip the rifle to the tripod and lay the tripod over my shoulder. The rifle hangs off the tripod head/Arca rail.)

 

[TheCougar]

I use an Anvil-30. Great for shooting off of. And ok for glassing from.

If I didn’t use that I would go with either the BH-40 or BH-30 depending on if I wanted to save a few ounces. I would lean towards the 40 though.

Rail wise, I just ordered a 3D printed rail. For the way I’ll use it on my big game rifle I’m expecting it to be fine. For something like a target rifle or my coyote setup I would want a metal rail. (I clip the rifle to the tripod and lay the tripod over my shoulder. The rifle hangs off the tripod head/Arca rail.)

I appreciate the suggestions. I have used pan heads so long that I can’t stand ball heads. I hate (really hate) glassing off a ball.

 

[TheCougar]

glassing will be the primary purpose, with a stable shooting platform as a secondary consideration. I figure I can get something lighter, smaller, and more stable than my current configuration.

 

[gtriple]

I appreciate the suggestions. I have used pan heads so long that I can’t stand ball heads. I hate (really hate) glassing off a ball.

Have you ever tried a ball head with the pan below the ball?

 

[TheCougar]

Have you ever tried a ball head with the pan below the ball?

Dude, I have no idea what you’re talking about a ball head above the pan head?

 

[mthayr]

View attachment 569666

Dude, I have no idea what you’re talking about a ball head above the pan head?

I think he means a panning base. There is also this which I've used with the Anvil-type head to great effect.

 

[gtriple]

View attachment 569666

Dude, I have no idea what you’re talking about a ball head above the pan head?

I think he means a panning base. There is also this which I've used with the Anvil-type head to great effect.

Lol, yea that's what I meant. I love the ability to use the ball head and lock it in then pan.

 

[TheCougar]

Lol, yea that's what I meant. I love the ability to use the ball head and lock it in then pan.

I’m confused. So you put the pan attachement directly attached to the tripod, and a ball attachment above it, and the rifle locks into the ball via arca? What’s the benefit of this over a pure ball or pan head?

 

[gtriple]

I’m confused. So you put the pan attachement directly attached to the tripod, and a ball attachment above it, and the rifle locks into the ball via arca? What’s the benefit of this over a pure ball or pan head?

I just mean that the head can be locked on a certain tilt and unlock the pan. I run the Spartan Davros Pro. So I just lock the ball in place at the tilt I want and then pan side to side to grid.

 

[dirtytough]

Certain ball heads have a panning feature built in. The RRS have it.

I used to use the Outdoorsmans pan head. Pan heads suck for shooting off of. I haven’t used a fluid head but I’m assuming it is the same and the head only pans and tilts.

 

[Tahoe1305]

I am in the same boat. I took a LRH course last month and built some confidence in shooting off a tripod. They had all RRS stuff to try out. I’m not rich so went with a lesser version and haven’t snagged an anvil 30 yet.

My primary will be glassing with the occasional off tripod shot.

I’m going to use the VA-5 this reason with the heavier duty tripod (28mm legs). This setup is “costing” me 1.5lbs over a lighter tripod and head.

I’m adding arca rails to two of my rifles (for now) and snagged an arca bipod as well (as another option).

Excited to see if I take the time to use the tripod or just drop to the bipod. In my experiences hunting I’ve always just used what’s around me (trees, rocks, bag, etc) so this is pretty new for me.

 

[TheCougar]

I am in the same boat. I took a LRH course last month and built some confidence in shooting off a tripod. They had all RRS stuff to try out. I’m not rich so went with a lesser version and haven’t snagged an anvil 30 yet.

My primary will be glassing with the occasional off tripod shot.

I’m going to use the VA-5 this reason with the heavier duty tripod (28mm legs). This setup is “costing” me 1.5lbs over a lighter tripod and head.

I’m adding arca rails to two of my rifles (for now) and snagged an arca bipod as well (as another option).

Excited to see if I take the time to use the tripod or just drop to the bipod. In my experiences hunting I’ve always just used what’s around me (trees, rocks, bag, etc) so this is pretty new for me.

I’ll always go prone, if able. I’ve done one or two tripod shots. I don’t want to add weight, if I can avoid it. What arca rails did you get? Bipod?

 

[Tahoe1305]

So I did my course with my magpul plastic bipod. Others had fancy Atlas and other $3-400 setups….but I hit all the targets with mine and didn’t feel the need to upgrade (and it’s lighter 11oz and $100).

I have a KRG bravo, so snagged their rail and spigot extension. What I found in the course is if I wanted to use a shooting bag I needed my bipod further forward. So spigot allows that.

For my XLR chassis I just snagged a $40 aluminum rail off Amazon. (MLOK Arca Rail Tripod Mount Adapter, for Rifle Tripod Ballhead Quick Release Plate,Compatiable RRS Dovetail, 6 M-LOK Slot Interface https://a.co/d/0fTPf9X)

I had to gain weight to get a tripod thick enough to be stable shooting. It’s this one

SUNWAYFOTO T2840CE Travel Tripod... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09C5SWHXM?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Also a must is a tripod with center pole. I like them for glassing and quick adjustments. Limited options for sure.

I personally wouldn’t shoot off anything
smaller.

 

[TheCougar]

@Ryan Avery

How is the wiser to shoot from? Would it be better to go with a fluid head? I’ve got a manfrotto 700rc2 on my current tripod. I figured you might have a recommendation for the lightest fluid head that you could shoot from.

 

[Ryan Avery]

The wiser does well with a ten pounds or less rifle. The Tricer, not so much. I wish Outdoorsmans would make their micro head with Arca. It would be a winner for shooting off of.

 

[JakeSCH]

The wiser does well with a ten pounds or less rifle. The Tricer, not so much. I wish Outdoorsmans would make their micro head with Arca. It would be a winner for shooting off of.

Didn't outdoorsman already announce they were going to do that? Is the issue with the tricer that it does not lock out like the outdoorsman?


**EDIT** I see right now they are just updating their regular panhead. I must have dreamed that they were updating both.

 

[rcb2000]

View attachment 569666

Dude, I have no idea what you’re talking about a ball head above the pan head?

Haha

I think he means a ball head that can lock the position of the ball,, but still pan.
Many ball heads have that.
I just picked up the Siriu K30(?) for that very reason

 

[TheCougar]

I use an Anvil-30. Great for shooting off of. And ok for glassing from.

If I didn’t use that I would go with either the BH-40 or BH-30 depending on if I wanted to save a few ounces. I would lean towards the 40 though.

Rail wise, I just ordered a 3D printed rail. For the way I’ll use it on my big game rifle I’m expecting it to be fine. For something like a target rifle or my coyote setup I would want a metal rail. (I clip the rifle to the tripod and lay the tripod over my shoulder. The rifle hangs off the tripod head/Arca rail.)

Hot dang that ball head is expensive!!!! I was looking at the BH-40. I wonder if it really is THAT much better than the Lefoto ones. Pretty much the same idea - independent pan head ball head, right around a pound. I could buy three for the price of one.

 

[dirtytough]

Hot dang that ball head is expensive!!!! I was looking at the BH-40. I wonder if it really is THAT much better than the Lefoto ones. Pretty much the same idea - independent pan head ball head, right around a pound. I could buy three for the price of one.

I have an off brand 55mm ball head I mainly use as a backup for shooting. It’s ok but it’s not perfectly smooth. I would expect the RRS to be slightly smoother for 4x the cost.

I’ve compared my Anvil to a knockoff Anvil and the RRS was definitely better. I don’t think you would be giving up much going with a Leofoto ball head though.

And since you don’t really like ball heads you aren’t out as much if you decide it still sucks for glassing.

Shooting wise if you don’t set up your tripod perfectly level shooting from a pan head is horrible. Someone mentioned just throwing a bag on top of it and that definitely seems the way to go with a pan head.