Share your experience with Shooting Tripods

[jepp2]

Have lots of experience with tripods (wife is an avid birder and my use with spotting scopes). BUT I have proven to myself I am not steady to my satisfaction shooting off shooting sticks without the second anchor point.

So I am interested in obtaining and using a shooting tripod. Was going to just get the Bog Death Grip, since reviews seem very positive and the same on this forum. But I watched a video today from someone that has been using the Death grip for several months now coyote hunting. While he was satisfied initially, he pointed out several shortcomings that have developed.

So I'm kind of considering the Kopfjager K700 AMT Tripod w/ Reaper Grip KJ85001K

Also have considered the Hog Saddle.

So I am interested in hearing your experience and maybe help me make the right purchase to start with. Since the Bog didn't hold up well to frequent use, how long and how much you have used your pick is also useful info for me. Clearly there are some very expensive options out there to pick from.

 

[Clancy]

Arca>Hog Saddle>Reaper Grip

I did not keep my reaper long at all, I like the padding and ease of removal with a hog saddle, and of course arca is rock solid and quick detach.

Everybody loves the RRS, but you can have the death grip in your truck, side by side, buddy’s truck and a few other places for the price of a single RRS. If my life depended on it, then sure, otherwise no.

 

[moondog]

Done the Bog pod, had the Hog saddle. Arca rail is going to be your friend for a rock solid platform.

 

[alf]

Someone say tripod?

 

[dnellans]

Most guys shooting PRS where a positional stage off a tripod is pretty common, have actually stopped clipping into an ARCA. While clearly better than a hog saddle for positive connection to the tripod… despite the $750 ball heads or bottom screw half ball pivots that have been selling like hotcakes for a few years. None provide the stability and fine adjustability of running a sandbag on top of the tripod.

The real problem is that if the friction point isn’t absolutely perfect on a ball head or other mount, you either are muscling the rifle the last mil onto target or pushing it past zero and hoping when you let off it returns to the right spot.

If weight isn’t a huge issue (hiking and hunting), consider getting a flat plate that connects to the arca (locked at nominally level) on your tripod and then setting a sandbag on top of the plate. you then shoot off it just like you would any normal barricade/log/tree where you would otherwise use a front sandbag at the gun’s balance point.

 

[Mark W]

@jepp2 I bought the Kopfjager K700 with a Reaper Grip a couple of years ago and I couldn’t be happier with my decision.

 

[ROBARRC50]

Have lots of experience with tripods (wife is an avid birder and my use with spotting scopes). BUT I have proven to myself I am not steady to my satisfaction shooting off shooting sticks without the second anchor point.

So I am interested in obtaining and using a shooting tripod. Was going to just get the Bog Death Grip, since reviews seem very positive and the same on this forum. But I watched a video today from someone that has been using the Death grip for several months now coyote hunting. While he was satisfied initially, he pointed out several shortcomings that have developed.

So I'm kind of considering the Kopfjager K700 AMT Tripod w/ Reaper Grip KJ85001K

Also have considered the Hog Saddle.

So I am interested in hearing your experience and maybe help me make the right purchase to start with. Since the Bog didn't hold up well to frequent use, how long and how much you have used your pick is also useful info for me. Clearly there are some very expensive options out there to pick from.

I use a older Manfrotto carbon tripod for hunting and messing around light enough to pack and it will go to the height of a harris benchrest bipod with the center removed for prone shooting. Run a hogsaddle on it on top of a smaller rrs bh30ball head to save a little weight. Not as stable as a rrs bipod with arca mount, but i can easily shoot tight groups with it from standing or sitting position and moving targets with up to a 338 lapua.

 

[boltfluter]

Dual shooting sticks joined at the bottom. Best accessory I have ever found for shooting coyotes and such from a seated position. Rock solid and full support, front and rear. Super light weight and foldable. Don't leave home without them. I can get you a brand name if interested. Just can't remember it at the moment.

Paul

 

[TrapperBR549]

Dual shooting sticks joined at the bottom. Best accessory I have ever found for shooting coyotes and such from a seated position. Rock solid and full support, front and rear. Super light weight and foldable. Don't leave home without them. I can get you a brand name if interested. Just can't remember it at the moment.

Paul

I am not very smart so could you give some more details? Are you saying you use two sets of shooting sticks, one set supporting the forearm and the other supporting the butt?

 

[boltfluter]

I am not very smart so could you give some more details? Are you saying you use two sets of shooting sticks, one set supporting the forearm and the other supporting the butt?

Yes, but they're joined at the bottom so can move as one. Will try and find a pic for you shortly.

Paul

 

[boltfluter]

Available on Amazon. High and Heavy Outdoors is the vendor. They are in segments and break down for easy carry. Front and rear cross sticks. Easy elevation changes and rock steady! My go to for sitting.

Paul

 

[Dave M.]

Have lots of experience with tripods (wife is an avid birder and my use with spotting scopes). BUT I have proven to myself I am not steady to my satisfaction shooting off shooting sticks without the second anchor point.

So I am interested in obtaining and using a shooting tripod. Was going to just get the Bog Death Grip, since reviews seem very positive and the same on this forum. But I watched a video today from someone that has been using the Death grip for several months now coyote hunting. While he was satisfied initially, he pointed out several shortcomings that have developed.

So I'm kind of considering the Kopfjager K700 AMT Tripod w/ Reaper Grip KJ85001K

Also have considered the Hog Saddle.

So I am interested in hearing your experience and maybe help me make the right purchase to start with. Since the Bog didn't hold up well to frequent use, how long and how much you have used your pick is also useful info for me. Clearly there are some very expensive options out there to pick from.

Bogpod death grip is truly second to none. It’s a pleasure to shoot off of.

 

[mikecockcroft]

Arca rail. Use the mini rail attached to inserts in the stock

 

[hogpatrol]

Used these extensively on big game in Africa and with practice can be rock steady. A couple videos on their use:

Using African Shooting Sticks - Long Range Shots

African Shooting Sticks are universal for any African Hunting Safari. This is because most hunting in Africa is from the standing position.

nickbowkerhunting.com

Rudolph PH Shooting Sticks

The PH Sticks by Rudolph Optics is taking the long range shooting and hunting market by storm. This technology is allowing seasoned veterans who have shot long range for years to be able to tighten their groups by more than 50%. It allows young kids and people who are new and just learning how...

www.rudolphoptics.com

 

[joshb]

Someone say tripod?

I think he wants to talk to “users” not Dealers....

 

[jepp2]

Arca rail. Use the mini rail attached to inserts in the stock

What ball head is that?

 

[FeMan]

For hunting, I use the Triclawps on a tripod with a ball head. For longer shots, I add a set of shooting sticks as a rear support. I can hit the pie plate at 800 yards all day with that setup.

I attach the Triclawps to the tripod with arca and a cam lock system. My binos and spotter have th same attachments. I can switch between them very quickly and the precision is not far off from prone with a bag. I do practice it a lot though.

I tried a Bogpod and it broke the first time I used it.

 

[Jager]

So, a few months ago a fox attacked my flock of chickens. Killed two hens. Injured most the rest. And carried one off.

I hurried home after getting the frantic call from my crying wife. After getting things more or less stabilized, treating the injured birds and getting the survivors back inside the fence, I loaded the Benelli M4 12-gauge and headed into the woods.

Tracking the fox wasn't hard. He abandoned the dead hen maybe an eighth of a mile away. I brought her back and buried her with the other dead hen.

A few nights later, right at dusk, my wife came downstairs and walked into our kitchen. I had turned all the lights off and the only light in the room was from the slight smudge of dying illumination that bled through the open back door. I had set up the Bog Death Grip several feet inside the door. A .22 Hornet rifle was mounted atop it. The red Fox Pro light was mounted atop that. And a 40gr Berger handload was in the chamber.

"Oh, Lord," she murmured. "What in the world are you doing?"

She's lived with me long enough to maybe be surprised by some of the things I do, but not really shocked.

Forty minutes later, long after full dark, the electronic predator call I had placed seventy yards away bore fruit. The Hornet load did its job.

All of which is to say... I really like The Bog Death Grip. Among other things, I'm a photographer and have a couple of very expensive Gitzo carbon fiber tripods with Arca-Swiss heads. I've used those at times in conjunction with an RRS VYCE mount. But the Bog is purpose-designed for shooting and my experience with it has been very positive. Like @Clancy says, it's cheap enough that you can buy several of them for what one high-end Gitzo or RRS is going to run.

That said, those certainly work too.

 

[Mark W]

Arca rail. Use the mini rail attached to inserts in the stock

Thats looks Like a nice set up, but I chose the Kopfjager Reaper Grip because it doesn’t require any stock attachments or modifications. I can throw any rifle that I own into it anytime I want and it’s rock solid.

 

[bsekf]

What about the BOG FieldPod Magnum ($250+)? It adjusts from sitting to standing. Son has used one to take coyote's at over 200 yards. Don't buy the cheaper one that has single legs, it is not rugged enough.