Tripod Ball Head for PD ATV Mount

[ricco1949]

I would like to try a tripod ball head for PD shooting.

I have previously used a bipod and rear bag to shoot from my Polaris 6x6 dump box platform.




I plan to attach my rifles directly to the ball head mount without the use of a forearm clamp.

I've narrowed my tripod ball head choices to the following:

$130 Sunwayfoto 52mm
$ 89 Innorel N52 52mm
$ 61. Artcise TB54 54mm

Other than price, the only difference appears to be the Sunway comes with an additional picatinny rail attachment option and a lever release.

If you have experience with these or other tripod ball heads please give me any advise you think will be helpful or pitfalls to avoid.

 

[K9TXS]

Are you going to use the ballhead on the 6x6 platform? It looks like you've already got a good setup.

 

[ricco1949]

Yes.

My current bipod-rear bag setup works very well and is very stable, allowing precision aiming to 500+.

The biggest advantage of a ball head on the 6x6 would be when moving the ATV. I now bunge the rifle and rear bag down when moving from one setup to another. I only move 2-3 times in a typical 3-4 hour shooting session so it's not a deal breaker but having the rifle attached to a ball head appears that it would be more stable without threat of sliding or tipping. Bungees are not the ideal setup when terrain is challenging. I suspect aiming precision may also be enhanced with a ball head combined with a rear bag.

I have been contemplating a dash mounted setup on a Polaris Razor side x side. Ease of moving and protection from the sun and elements would be primary advantages. However I suspect aiming precision may suffer unless I can incorporate an elbow platform within the ATV cab.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

The Artcise is what came in my kit from Little Crow gunworks. I have been very happy with it on my death grip tripod, using both the factory grip and arca plate. Not sure how a ball mount would hold up to dirt/dust and weather exposure. Work in progress, need just ears and a thin pad for the rear. The Outers varminter rest steady on a bench top. We can setup portable bench/Outers/rifle in less than 5 minutes out of pickup bed. Rinse off The Outers when trip is over

 

[Trevor60]

Of the three you have listed i have the innoral 52.
It is a solid ball head
features i like
holds 66lbs
the ball head can go from level to straight down
the declination is 90 degrees useful in determining wind direction
irritant the friction wheel needs a full turn to tighten. I do not see a way to set the min tension tighter

The sunwayfoto you listed has a closed ring encompassing the ballhead it doesn't appear to have the ability to tilt as well as the other two. YT video show the presenter consistently bumping the arca plate.
do you do allot of high angle shots it might be a consideration.
The Artcise is close to the Innoral
The are the size of a beer can and weigh are around 2lbs

Cheers
Trevor

 

[ricco1949]

The Artcise is what came in my kit from Little Crow gunworks. I have been very happy with it on my death grip tripod, using both the factory grip and arca plate. Not sure how a ball mount would hold up to dirt/dust and weather exposure. Work in progress, need just ears and a thin pad for the rear. The Outers varminter rest steady on a bench top. We can setup portable bench/Outers/rifle in less than 5 minutes out of pickup bed. Rinse off The Outers when trip is over View attachment 1579260

Thanks for the info. A friend of mine has a Spec-Rest setup similar to the Outers. I considered making something similar but then learned about ball heads which seem to be more current technology.

 

[ricco1949]

Of the three you have listed i have the innoral 52.
It is a solid ball head
features i like
holds 66lbs
the ball head can go from level to straight down
the declination is 90 degrees useful in determining wind direction
irritant the friction wheel needs a full turn to tighten. I do not see a way to set the min tension tighter

The sunwayfoto you listed has a closed ring encompassing the ballhead it doesn't appear to have the ability to tilt as well as the other two. YT video show the presenter consistently bumping the arca plate.
do you do allot of high angle shots it might be a consideration.
The Artcise is close to the Innoral
The are the size of a beer can and weigh are around 2lbs

Cheers
Trevor

Thank you for the info, especially your mention of the Innorel 52 friction wheel full turn issue.

I do occasionally have significant angle shots come into play when shooting from elevated positions.

I am now also considering some additional inverted ball heads that appear even better suited to panning and and higher angle applications.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

It would be easy to make a dash mounted ballhead with an arca plate on a full length cradle. Shooting down in front would be limited by the muzzle clearing quad parts, not the ballhead(at least with my experience with the Artcise) and seat height, a couple foam cushions to get you to rifle height for close angle shots. Using a long 6-7" arca plate on the cradle would allow some movement to balance the rifle/cradle for driving and or secure the butt with a loop from the roof/roll bar. Maybe a reason for me to buy a quad(don't tell my wife).

 

[alf]

I sold my ball heads and went with a leveling base instead:

Amazon.com

 

[HandgunHTR]

I sold my ball heads and went with a leveling base instead:

Amazon.com

As much as I like those, the angle limitations are pretty restrictive.

The best out there are the Really Right Stuff (RRS) heads. The throw lever makes adjustments super easy. I also like that it will accept a pic rail or ARCA.

I also have an Innorel that I used to swap my Bog Pod Deathgrip to a ball head. It is good, but not nearly as easy to use as the RRS.

The Sunwayfoto is ok, but that locking knob for the ball head is junk. It needs to be much more tactile and not have rubber on it at all.

 

[ricco1949]

As much as I like those, the angle limitations are pretty restrictive.

The best out there are the Really Right Stuff (RRS) heads. The throw lever makes adjustments super easy. I also like that it will accept a pic rail or ARCA.

I also have an Innorel that I used to swap my Bog Pod Deathgrip to a ball head. It is good, but not nearly as easy to use as the RRS.

The Sunwayfoto is ok, but that locking knob for the ball head is junk. It needs to be much more tactile and not have rubber on it at all.

Thanks for the info.

 

[ricco1949]

Here's some real rookie questions:

When using a traditional ball head can u use the pan feature to track a moving animal or do u have to unlock and relock the ball? It seems that the pan feature will only work if the base is perfectly level. This does not appear to be an issue if the ball is inverted and the pan feature is on top.

Can the ball tension be set so the ball and rifle moves under tension rather than locking and unlocking? Is this the typical MO?

Sorry if these are fundamental questions but I've only seen one ball head rifle set up at the range.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I have the "pan" unlocked(slight tension swinging right/left) and can adjust the ball grip to hold rifle in place,hands off or ball movement with zero tension to effort on my part to tilt firearm on x,y axis. Slight effort to pan, tilt while pulling the rifle into my shoulder, while standing/sitting with the tripod seems the most steady for me this allows me to track/fire at a moving target. I have locked the ball while shooting prairie dogs, sitting in folding chair with the tripod. Pre ballhead addition the factory death grip tripod was good to about 245 yards with my 223 carbine, the tilt alignment was the issue. As you had to adjust a leg or two to level. That's gone with the ballhead addition.

 

[ricco1949]

10-4. Thanks for the info Coyote...

 

[alf]

As much as I like those, the angle limitations are pretty restrictive.

I've yet to run into a situation calling coyotes that only 30 degrees total movement is an issue.

Pretty simple to shorten/lengthen one leg to accommodate more angle.

More than one person has had the tripod tip over when the tension wasn't quite enough on the ball head, and the whole shebang hits the dirt.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

At night standing I lock the ball head, still can pan, with the rifle level to area I expect a coyote to come from so I can scan with a hand held. Just loosen the ball slightly to acquire the coyote(s). Shooting pd, spotting I do the same, rifle in general direction I'm glassing. I have not had the tripod tip over, most of my hunting rifles weigh less than 10# and I place the arca plate as close to balance point as possible, takes less ball tension to hold level. I use the ball to level rifle, got tired of messing with tripod legs in plowed fields.

 

[xswanted]

I would like to try a tripod ball head for PD shooting.

I have previously used a bipod and rear bag to shoot from my Polaris 6x6 dump box platform.
View attachment 1579084



I plan to attach my rifles directly to the ball head mount without the use of a forearm clamp.

I've narrowed my tripod ball head choices to the following:

$130 Sunwayfoto 52mm
$ 89 Innorel N52 52mm
$ 61. Artcise TB54 54mm

Other than price, the only difference appears to be the Sunway comes with an additional picatinny rail attachment option and a lever release.

If you have experience with these or other tripod ball heads please give me any advise you think will be helpful or pitfalls to avoid.
View attachment 1579066View attachment 1579067View attachment 1579069

A ball head isn’t going to make you’re shooting platform anymore stable than what you already have here.

The only advantage I see with your explanation is that the gun would be attached to your ATV when you move.


I think you’d be better off getting some ATV gun mounts and just set your rifle in them strap the small bungees over and go.


Ball heads work great on the top of a tripod in positions where one might need to move around a lot or pan or simply not have another option to setup and shoot.


If given the choice to clamp into a ball head on top of a tripod or throw a bag on top of the tripod to shoot, I’ll pick the bag 99% of the time.

I think you’d struggle with height adjustment compared to the bipod you are using now. The gun will also not recoil naturally when it’s clamped into the head attached to your ATV

Ball heads are useful tools but I feel like you’d be creating more problems than you’d solve in this particular situation.

 

[ricco1949]

A ball head isn’t going to make you’re shooting platform anymore stable than what you already have here.

The only advantage I see with your explanation is that the gun would be attached to your ATV when you move.


I think you’d be better off getting some ATV gun mounts and just set your rifle in them strap the small bungees over and go.


Ball heads work great on the top of a tripod in positions where one might need to move around a lot or pan or simply not have another option to setup and shoot.


If given the choice to clamp into a ball head on top of a tripod or throw a bag on top of the tripod to shoot, I’ll pick the bag 99% of the time.

I think you’d struggle with height adjustment compared to the bipod you are using now. The gun will also not recoil naturally when it’s clamped into the head attached to your ATV

Ball heads are useful tools but I feel like you’d be creating more problems than you’d solve in this particular situation.

Xswanted:

Thank you for your comments. The height adjustment and the recoil aspect are a concern.

I plan on mounting the ball head on a pedestal with a captains wheel for the height adjustment similar to a front rest. This should.still allow me to use a rear bag in most settings.

Years ago I tried using a front rest on the ATV platform to be able to pan the rifle with the pedestal loosened. However the ATV platform is rarely close to level and it was cumbersome and time consuming to level the rest. Plus I was still using bungees for moving. The bipod solved both the height adjustment and panning.

However the ball head recoil aspect still poses a problem. It does seem that precision may be adversely effected when recoil would be essentially zero. Perhaps even detrimental to the rifle bedding. One solution may be to make the top on the pedestal spring loaded, running in linear guide bearings, to allow recoil within the system. I make the windage adjustment on front rest tops like this so it's not an insurmountable problem for me.

Thanks again for your thought provoking comments......you may be correct in that the ball head may pose as many new problems as solutions to old ones.

 

[K9TXS]

Whatever you come up with, make sure you post photos. Interesting project.

 

[ricco1949]

Whatever you come up with, make sure you post photos. Interesting project.

Yes, I will post photos. It'll be a winter project so it may be awhile.