Best Shooting Tripod for under $300
- Thread starter NavyshooterM40
- Start date
Specific uses might dictate some different suggestions but I’d venture an innorel rt90c.
www.snipershide.com
Imported carbon fiber tripod (RT90C)
Before I get e-buttfvcked by you guys has anyone tried the Innorel RT90C tripod? It's carbon fiber with 40mm tubes. Max height is about 63" and low about 7" and can support 80+ pounds. They are going for $290 or so imported from China. Yes I'm all about supporting vendors and keeping money state...
www.snipershide.com
PIG0311-G Field Shooting Tripod, Gen 2
HOG Saddle Shadow Tech, LLC PIG0311-G Field Shooting Tripod, OD Green , for Tripod Shooting
stores.hogsaddle.com
PIG0311 Tripod, as mentioned above, will do you well. Plus, if you want a ballhead instead of direct mounting your HS, you can squeak by at just over mid 300 for a Tripod and head from them.
I have a older manfrotto with a ball head; works ok. It has a 3 section legs and a swivelable center section. It’s not as stable as the 1200$ tripods but I can make it work for what I need it for.
Have any of you done a tear down/touch up/rebuild of the more affordable tripods and heads? Reading through the RTC90 thread it looks like most people are generally happy with the tripod itself, but less happy with the plate/bowl. Both have the issue of potentially allowing a ballhead to loosen during use and the bowl gets described as being not smooth. There are some mods with o-rings and an aftermarket plate one of the users here is selling that seem to make up for some of those shortcomings.
For the tripods (less concern) and the heads (more concern) how much benefit can you gain by just taking it down, cleaning up, polishing, and deburring whatever might need it, and reassembling? What about rethreading locking screws with a finer pitch? How much lipstick can you put on that pig? Is it put together in a way that you'll just break it if you try to really strip it down?
For the tripods (less concern) and the heads (more concern) how much benefit can you gain by just taking it down, cleaning up, polishing, and deburring whatever might need it, and reassembling? What about rethreading locking screws with a finer pitch? How much lipstick can you put on that pig? Is it put together in a way that you'll just break it if you try to really strip it down?
I haven’t tried that tripod, but previous experience tells me to avoid tripods with center columns, especially if you plan on putting your gun on it.
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the main issue with the bowl on the rt90c is it only has one screw to hold the ball head to it. It gives the opportunity for you ballhead/leveling head to work itself loose.
The plate @midwestoffroad makes is specifically designed to fit the anvil 30. Maybe others, but idk, I was only interest in it for the anvil. Midwest makes it to fit the screw pattern on the anvil 30’s pedestal so it can’t rotate itself loose and drop your rifle or Observation device.
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sorry meant to say I haven’t tried that tripod. I personally don’t like center columns for rifle uses for a few reasons.
1. The center column always seems to work loose.
2. Pipe in the middle gets in the way of things.
3. extending it up makes the set up significantly more unstable with a rifle on it. Less so with a pair of binos or camera. Side note, center columns on tripods are excellent for photography but don’t let go.
4. You can’t set them up low to the ground.
5. Due to the above reasons, I receive no benefit from a center column but do receive unmerited bulk when collapsed and weight when carried.
The RT90 is really a good platform itself. I bought one when I was looking to upgrade from my Slik700dx to something carbon fiber and higher weight capacity and taller.
I didn't mind the leveling base with a quick detach arca mount added.
And I primarily use the leving bowl at matches so when others look threw my spotter its less stuff to try to adjust. Or damage my glass.
I did run it originally with a Desmond 52mm ball head on the other flat plate until I was tasked to make a plate to retrofit a RRS anvil into a standalone plate. ....
After a dozen plates I did eventually switch over to the Anvil 30 as well. But still no complaints with the leveling bowl
I didn't mind the leveling base with a quick detach arca mount added.
And I primarily use the leving bowl at matches so when others look threw my spotter its less stuff to try to adjust. Or damage my glass.
I did run it originally with a Desmond 52mm ball head on the other flat plate until I was tasked to make a plate to retrofit a RRS anvil into a standalone plate. ....
After a dozen plates I did eventually switch over to the Anvil 30 as well. But still no complaints with the leveling bowl
