ARCA mount/clamp - is cheap OK?

[Tim_WNC]

I have a Leveling Base with PIG Saddle now. I’m looking to swap out the saddle for an Arca clamp. Do I need to spend big bucks on an RRS clamp? Or is a Manfroto/Suunway quality option good to go?

Total weight is around 15#.

 

[Crazy1323]

The issue comes down to there being no standard for Arca rails. RRS published an open source drawing of the RRS spec rail. Many companies, including Area 419 use the RRS Standard, but this standard isn’t really adopted outside of the shooting community.

When you use something that is not built on the RRS Spec it may or may not fit.

I personally have an RRS leveling base with a clamp and it is fabulous.

 

[Mr.BR]

Like Crazy 1323 says , no .
Most cheap 'Arca' are not compatible with RRS , have tried a bunch and just about every one had a slightly different standard.

 

[Nebulous]

...but this standard isn’t really adopted outside of the shooting community.

I come from the video/photography world and lets just say there are some other uses from the RRS acronym that I have heard thrown around.
What tends to infuriate people with RRS is that the RRS spec is only like 1mm smaller then most ARCA plates, so they look like they will fit but the clamp just wont close all the way.
The way I look at it; if the leaver quick release is a must, go with the RRS since you know it will lock and release properly. If speed isn't a necessity then just go with any off the self ARCA clamp, they are usually thumbscrew based so you can tension them for any plate.

Also when it comes to Manfrotto quality I can't speak more highly. I have overly abused the two aluminum tripods I own, the one is 15years old the other 9 both are still champs, both have been around the world and the one has been in salt water many times. The one I even trusted enough to put an 80k$ cinema camera on it, just for one shot, it was in a pinch but hey it did what it needed to do and was only 200$. For me though ill never buy, and prefer never to deal with a tripod with twist-locks, so RRS has always been out of the picture. However being new to the shooting world what is a necessity will probably change and the toothed rail from 419 seems interesting due to the physical/auditory feedback it can give you so you know how far you've moved something without looking.

 

[JMcBurn]

While most people say that the cheap clamps are arca not RRS I have found plenty of budget clamps on amazon listed as RRS clamps. I have a Desmond clamp and specifically have an Andoer KZ-40 on a cheap half ball head.

 

[Mr.BR]

While most people say that the cheap clamps are arca not RRS I have found plenty of budget clamps on amazon listed as RRS clamps. I have a Desmond clamp and specifically have an Andoer KZ-40 on a cheap half ball head.

Made my own on the RRS specs and RRS is somewhat smaller than most other Arcas so is not held well. Have a pair of those suposedly RRS standard 'el-cheapo' clamps and in both the RRS arca is ither not held at all or only slightly held.

 

[MDT_Josh]

Talked to @MPHReallyRightStuff about this a little while back as we were integrating the RRS dovetail into our MDT ACC chassis, and it turns out that Arca dovetails can range from 1.0"-1.8" wide with 45 degree dovetails, as there is no standard. Most of the commonly available arca plates and lever style clamps are 1.500" or 40 mm wide (to clarify 1.500" is 38.10 mm, so there is a window of roughly 2mm or ~0.080" tolerance in there).

After starting with a cheapy Sunwayfoto screw type clamp, then a lever style clamp and now the RRS clamps, I will tell you that they make a world of difference! If you're adapting an integral RRS dovetail to a tripod, RRS is the only way to go for lever style clamps. However, if you are using a bolt on plate (or M-Lok/Keymod) the screw type RRS dovetail mounts can work alright.

 

[Victor Co Heather]

I bought a couple cheaper Arca-Dovtail tripod clamps on amazon and while they would hold the rifle, they had a slight vibration to them which made precision shooting difficult. I couldn't keep the crosshairs steady enough to hit an MOA target at 600 yards. I broke down an bought a RRS Anvil 30 and it is an absolute hammer. The reticle is rock steady an any distance. Whatever magic they do to their ball joint is worth the coin.

 

[Tyler Kemp]

If ya got the change pay for the one with high margins and consistent. If you find you get a clamp that won't quite clamp hard...a trip to the sander will fix that in a few seconds. Are you ok with potential ghetto? lol

 

[Tim_WNC]

for reference, I'm looking to clamp onto a Sawtooth rifles rail that is mounted via MLOK on a Tikka Tac A1. I see a thread about their rails already on the 'hide, so I'll go add a question there about which clamps have been put to good use. Looks like they use teh RRS standard, 1.5".

Thanks for the feed back here!

 

[Timetoshoot]

I too have a photography back ground and have mixed Arca Swiss and RRS plates and clamps with big telephoto lens for decades. Most work. Need to verify and adjust. Occasionally clamps and plates of different manufactures don’t lock up tight. The RRS leveling base, anvil bullhead and tripod legs are unmatched for shooting applications. 1moa targets standing at 650 yards. The difference In wobble zone is amazing compared to other high end gear. This is using RRS leveling base/ tripod and 419 rail. On that leveling base I use RRS, Wimberly, and cheap amazon plates with other optics and all lock up tight.