Precision Rifle Gear $500 Arca Tripod

[RabbitSlayer48]

My budget is 500ish for a tripod. I have a 20 lb gun and a 12 lb gun in krg bravo chassis with arca rails. It will be used for prairie dogs and predator hunting. I will only carry it 10 feet to max a mile from the truck. What are the top 3 I should look at?

 

[FuhQ]

I bought one of these after handling one at my LGS. They had them on sale. Very sturdy unit for the price, and holds my 20+ lbs. rifles rock-solid with the OEM ball head. Pretty smooth motion, too. The rubber-grip steel saddle holds non-ARCA & AR rifles very tight. I feel it’s worth the price.

BOG Infinite Carbon Tripod

 

[BoltBandit]

My budget is 500ish for a tripod. I have a 20 lb gun and a 12 lb gun in krg bravo chassis with arca rails. It will be used for prairie dogs and predator hunting. I will only carry it 10 feet to max a mile from the truck. What are the top 3 I should look at?

I have had a ton of success with Artcise and you cant beat the price for a 44mm carbon fiber leg and 54mm ball head. You can't beat the price at $400.

https://www.amazon.com/Carbon-Tripod-Camera-Profile-Professional/dp/B0CD43FX34/ref=sr_1_16?crid=331RTZS9TQ0SJ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.lTn2_n1KGrwm6B8PUWs2R6-bPS7w-UKbzfD6V3puE9of5CyJ75MI6QprcuIOovJ7pzRAnVltxfcXWB9K-Fa8wGgD9r5eg2-JYY8T7eJCxFDE2FapmpJt8EjYsSvE7UKL-cKOdeDrmZSsTdNSK5mlOnKVI6DaiVPoqI_B3woHNkB6z5rlwKM6aF08lzpDkCnCZ6KcLJSXIAjt7hRt25jMWfq96r6XrKhdihjwnk6LWU9THFaEoP6m9YYL3_6n_aX9_6B4f4AKzC0Sr01-GxQ6zSwWdzMTkAcRQ-20h61iP3M.MTo_URHEK2YAMeSXjekdKE_Xn1p-RVo0zZfgIlpmcKE&dib_tag=se&keywords=artcise+tripod&qid=1727702519&s=electronics&sprefix=artcise%2Celectronics%2C155&sr=1-16

 

[softcock]

My budget is 500ish for a tripod. I have a 20 lb gun and a 12 lb gun in krg bravo chassis with arca rails. It will be used for prairie dogs and predator hunting. I will only carry it 10 feet to max a mile from the truck. What are the top 3 I should look at?

Don't need to pack it far, so don't need a 3-piece leg Tripod for small collapse size .
You want the Most rigid Tripod for a stable platform, and that's the 2-vets CF 'invert' 2-piece leg setup . Once you actually use one, Plant your rifle on-top. Pick-up and carry, and shoot off one. it plain to see the advantage it gains you. It still in your price range, and I got one off optics planet for around 550-$ area using discount.
Also when you do slide the lower legs up to it's smallest collapse size. ( for me ) it perfect for Kneeling shooting position where I dont want to get silhouetted and shooting low.

I not knocking the RRS Invert, but the 2-vets is little cheaper price . but I do have the RRS Anvil 30arc, and for my use it just blows away all other heads I ever planted a rifle on top of.
.

 

[Bluedog82]

I liked the Warrior quite a bit. Just a little bit over your budget.

 

[fedupflyer]

I bought one of these after handling one at my LGS. They had them on sale. Very sturdy unit for the price, and holds my 20+ lbs. rifles rock-solid with the OEM ball head. Pretty smooth motion, too. The rubber-grip steel saddle holds non-ARCA & AR rifles very tight. I feel it’s worth the price.

BOG Infinite Carbon Tripod

Can the head be changed to an ARCA type system?

 

[FuhQ]

Can the head be changed to an ARCA type system?

It already is… The saddle was redesigned to where it mounts into an ARCA mount. So the ball head is already ARCA, just loosen the screw, and remove the saddle, and stick your ARCA rail in the Mount and tighten the screw. It’s that easy.

 

[chevy_man]

Can the head be changed to an ARCA type system?

Need to make sure it's an ARCA. They had some with just the clamp. I believe the ARCA is the newest generation.

I've seen a few Bogs broken now. They had no problem replacing them.


The Innorel is probably the beefiest cheap tripod. Leaves a few $ for a head in your budget. The sunwayfoto is an anvil copy for cheap. Gives you a place to get started.

https://a.co/d/0d2ogBz

https://sunwayfoto.com/products/sunwayfoto-ib-30-inverted-ball-head-for-tripod-and-monopod-with-qr-plate-compatible-arca-swiss-rrs-nato-picatinny-adapter-clamp-load-40lb18kg

 

[FuhQ]

Can the head be changed to an ARCA type system?

Just wanted to show you a visual in the specs diagram... I put a red arrow to where it shows that it already comes with an ARCA-Swiss ball head on it, that the newly redesigned saddle mounts into.

 

[DeadFox]

I’ve got the knockoff sunwayfoto IB-30 and an RRS anvil 30. The sunwayfoto is much smaller, doesn’t clamp as rigid at all and a gun clamped in has WAY more wobble than with an anvil30.

That said, with a tac table and a bag on top, the difference in wobble isn’t as much. Or skip the head altogether and just spin a tac table on with 3/8 threaded insert or 1/2” plywood with a t-nut.

You can get away with a much lighter/cheaper tripod, with or without a head if you are shooting off a bag instead of locked in with an Arca plate on the rifle. At least that’s my experience. The leofoto 3 section 323 is fine if shooting off a bag, and pretty light for packing, and is dirt cheap.

If I wanted to shoot locked in with arca for $500 I’d be looking for a beefy 2 or three section and a good ball head which I don’t think I’d find unless used. So I’d just make do with a bag on a tripod and then probably realize I don’t need a ball head anyway.

 

[fedupflyer]

Thanks for the info.
I don't know shit abut tripods and it look like this might be the entry level tripod I am looking for.