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Hog saddle vs arca Mount.
- Thread starter elmuzzlebreak
- Start date
Completely agree on stability. Maybe I’m doing it wrong but when using the saddle I feel the gun is always Canted and I end up fighting the rubber lining to level the gun.
Here is another thing to consider as well... I have all my stuff set up for direct mount, which is the best. Amongst my hunting buddies I am the only one that has invested in a tripod. The problem arises when one of them needs to use it.... they definitely don’t have plates on any of their gear.
There have been times I wish I had a cheap-ish pig saddle with an arca plate that is a more universal option if others need to use my tripod
There have been times I wish I had a cheap-ish pig saddle with an arca plate that is a more universal option if others need to use my tripod
That is a good point. I do have my saddle that usually just stays in the pack incase I want to put a spotting scope on there. From my messing with it, I feel I am fighting less to get the gun on target. Not sure what's up with a saddle but when I get the crosshairs where I want and let go the gun will always shift one direction or the other.
While some methods are more stable, I am of the opinion that you need to learn to shoot from a tripod using any means that may be available to you at the time. Meaning; learn to shoot with just a bag on the head, learn to shoot from a bag set on a mounted platform/table, learn to use a hog/pig saddle and learn to direct mount.
As mentioned, you, or others, may have a stock that's not equipped with a rail or a tripod that has a different clamping system. It's not a perfect world and you want to know how to adapt to any shooting situation that may arise with the equipment available to you.
As mentioned, you, or others, may have a stock that's not equipped with a rail or a tripod that has a different clamping system. It's not a perfect world and you want to know how to adapt to any shooting situation that may arise with the equipment available to you.
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The hog saddle is good for rifles without plates, and a must if there are spotting scopes in the mix.
I have a pair of Leica LRF’s that don’t have any way to direct mount. I have found something like an Abel Table to be a pretty diverse piece of equipment. Anyone can throw their binocs on top and use it for spotting. Or as mentioned, you can throw a game changer on there laying on its side and use it for a rifle. In my humble opinion it’s damn near as stable as a pig saddle and a whole lot faster.
Assuming you’re always going to have the bag anyways, a thin aluminum tac Table is lighter and packs easier. And there’s no need to spend $150 for all the fancy stuff out there, a 6x9 piece of 1/8 aluminum can be had on EBay for a few bucks. Bolt a plate on the bottom, get creative with a drill in your garage, and you’re good to go.
I have a pair of Leica LRF’s that don’t have any way to direct mount. I have found something like an Abel Table to be a pretty diverse piece of equipment. Anyone can throw their binocs on top and use it for spotting. Or as mentioned, you can throw a game changer on there laying on its side and use it for a rifle. In my humble opinion it’s damn near as stable as a pig saddle and a whole lot faster.
Assuming you’re always going to have the bag anyways, a thin aluminum tac Table is lighter and packs easier. And there’s no need to spend $150 for all the fancy stuff out there, a 6x9 piece of 1/8 aluminum can be had on EBay for a few bucks. Bolt a plate on the bottom, get creative with a drill in your garage, and you’re good to go.
You don't need a table for a game changer. Just toss it on top..
I use the RRS Anvil30 and leveling base on another and I do have one of the original Tac tables (I don't use it).. For my Match guns I run all full length dovetails. Hunting I also direct mount, but use one that has a full length, and several with much smaller plates. I've sold my Hog..
I carry one of these if I think I want to be nice enough to let a hunting buddy use my tripod that I carried all day long.. They cost $20 and I just unscrewed the post it left a 1/4 20 mounting hole for the plate for my tripod. It s MUCH lighter than caring a extra HOG
If you are a hunter you'd be surprised how discreetly you can mount a ARCA STYLE 1.5" dovetail, Mine is recessed on the magnum in the image.
I use the RRS Anvil30 and leveling base on another and I do have one of the original Tac tables (I don't use it).. For my Match guns I run all full length dovetails. Hunting I also direct mount, but use one that has a full length, and several with much smaller plates. I've sold my Hog..
I carry one of these if I think I want to be nice enough to let a hunting buddy use my tripod that I carried all day long.. They cost $20 and I just unscrewed the post it left a 1/4 20 mounting hole for the plate for my tripod. It s MUCH lighter than caring a extra HOG
Here’s my .02 so take it for what it’s worth. i hunt and shoot from this tripod set up nearly every day. many nights a week killing predators. when i get out of the truck my rifle gets locked into the arca of my RRS for the entire set and i carry the tripod extended with the whole thing over my shoulder. i have also done this at many of prs match. after seeing many people loose their rifle or spotter out of a saddle onto the ground. after firing thousands of rounds from my direct mount system there is no comparison with a saddle. recoil mitigation included. the saddle benefit is simply versatility for anything you want to clamp. everything i have has a dovetail so for me that versatlity isnt as useful vs the solid lock up and mounting of all my guns and gear.
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Another option is shoot off of a bag on top of a platform.
Pictured is the A-D Precision PSP or Precision Shooting Platform with a bag on top of that.
I find that utilizing a bag between the PSP and rifle provides stability, and allows the bag to dampen recoil, human movement, and wind induced oscillations. Plus target acquisition and engagement is much quicker than direct attachment to a Hog Saddle, or Acra clamp.
Pictured is the A-D Precision PSP or Precision Shooting Platform with a bag on top of that.
I find that utilizing a bag between the PSP and rifle provides stability, and allows the bag to dampen recoil, human movement, and wind induced oscillations. Plus target acquisition and engagement is much quicker than direct attachment to a Hog Saddle, or Acra clamp.
In messing with set ups a bit more I think the hog saddle lets me get closer to the mag well on an ar which helps with my stability. My 6.5 AR10 has an Area 419 Arca Lock but with the handguard being a fortis switch rail I still have a solid 4-5 inches because of the lever.
I've used both. For years, it was the Manfrotto tripod and ballhead with HOG Saddle. I believe I bought my Feisol and RRS leveling base in 2016 and I haven't looked back. For me, the leveling base offers a far superior interface and it's quicker, too. That's not to say the HOG Saddle was bad. It served me well for years! But I don't change simply because something is new and shiny. When I tried the leveling base, I found it to be far more stable with less wobble.
I started with a used Manfrotto with the pistol grip and a pig saddle. Used it for hunting and could shoot fist sized groups at 500 with it. Bought the 3442 Feisol with a RRS universal leveling base and sold the Manfrotto. I used it with the pig saddle, but I have a rail on my match rifle, so the saddle only gets used on rifles with no direct mount. Getting ready to add direct mounts to all of my rifles as it is easy to attach and much lighter than the saddle.
The one thing I worry about with the RRS/Arca setup is simply the problem of companies getting the plates/clamps spec right. If they are off just a bit the holding force is compromised greatly, and most of the heads/accessories do not have the ability to really crank down the clamping pressure. I've seen bipods loosen/fall off of at matches because of out of spec rails/clamps. JP had a problem with their new chassis being out of spec early on. It was fixed but to me while there is the potential for more stability and adjustability of balance point with the rails, the interface seems like it's almost asking for problems until there is an industry accepted standard. So you basically need to stay with RRS only or run the risk of things not holding solid.
That's my issue with MPA. I have a RRS clamp on my Atlas bipod, but the MPA spigot dovetail adapter is like a millimeter too narrow, so my bipod slides under recoil. I thought it was just me, but my friend experienced the same thing, and when I asked on the Hide, i learned others experience the same issue
I finally took the plunge and picked up a tripod. Nothing fancy, just the tall tripod from ShadowTech and the Feisol ball head. It's stupid how stable it is whether mounted into the Arca clamp or just sitting on top of a game changer. Doing match shooting for several years without a tripod really makes you appreciate the tool when you finally get to use it. Even with this more budgetary setup, it's unbelievably stable.
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If you lower the center shaft you'll get a lot more stability out of the setup.
I have a PIG saddle with my setup. If I were going to convert to an ACRA rail, which ball-head would some of you recommend?
For the AR-15 rifles with M-LOK hand guards, which ACRA rail would you recommend? I'm not going to replace my front hand guards on the AR-15s so I will need the rails to attach.
For the AR-15 rifles with M-LOK hand guards, which ACRA rail would you recommend? I'm not going to replace my front hand guards on the AR-15s so I will need the rails to attach.
I use both but prefer my ARCA plates. It feels lighter and more stable. I have older rifles that I just need the saddle for. The Browning SA22 is good for squirrels out to 75+ with saddle but sometimes I pull the 17HMR for the longer shots and the plate just feels stable. I find that my TwoVets tripod leveling base works well with both.
Anvil30 is what you want to use for shooting. The anvil also accepts pic rails. I have arca on my boot guns and pic on my ARs. My pig saddle is long gone.
I've not spent much time using a direct mount ARCA rail but I didn't really like it, not with a ballhead anyway.
Seemed like I spent too much time trying to get the rifle aligned with the target before locking it down and the rifle/ballhead combo is majorly top heavy so wants to cant all over the place.
I imagine an anvil or leveling head would make life much easier.
Ultimately I just like using a bag on a plate, find it incredibly stable easy to set up and allows for massive freedom of movement without having to adjust anything.
Seemed like I spent too much time trying to get the rifle aligned with the target before locking it down and the rifle/ballhead combo is majorly top heavy so wants to cant all over the place.
I imagine an anvil or leveling head would make life much easier.
Ultimately I just like using a bag on a plate, find it incredibly stable easy to set up and allows for massive freedom of movement without having to adjust anything.
Well me laying down looking through a loop in a piñon tree, helping my buddies. No way could they accomplish this kinda shot without the rails -
See more on my field tripod post/UKD
I'm about to start learning to shoot with a tripod (love your post in the other thread I wish I could save it to my computer somehow) and I have a question about your picture. In a lot of videos on tripod shooting I see them tighten the lever down to maximum tension before each shot, do you do that in hunting situations or is your tension more like in your picture where it's not clamped down all the way? I'm not quite sure whether there's a balance to keep since animals obviously move and you may need to re-adjust several times before shooting to account for that.
Arca is best, but the saddle will fit more guns.
I have two tripods, one with an Anvil-30, and the other with a saddle for this exact reason. The Anvil-30 goes to matches, the saddle goes to the field.
I have two tripods, one with an Anvil-30, and the other with a saddle for this exact reason. The Anvil-30 goes to matches, the saddle goes to the field.
It really depends on the situation. On this case we are tracking animals up on the ridge. In general, I only lock down enough to make a stable shot. With a magnum, especially a light one, even locked hard you’ll have to relock to make a follow-up shot. It’s faster in the end not to lock it out completely.
As far a hog sattle hunting, ya it is easy too, but too heavy for me. Plus the extra length and angles of the saddle seem to get fucked in scrub oak and willows when your trying to get through the tight shit.
My goal with the tripod is always to be net neutral or less in weight over old systems. Adding the hog defeats this. What I am replacing with the tripod are my bipod, shooting sticks and a tiny spotting tripod- all with the 4.6lbs of the beefy RRS and Anvil.
Another thing to consider is how tightly the tripod folds. This is where the anvil system shines. Below is one of our pack-outs and you can see how the apex on my son’s pack keeps the tripod a bit bulky. Now he has 2 qtrs in the load-shelf. My pack just behind him only has one hind Qtr- granted we don’t finish one Qtr as much as we should - but he didn’t seem worried about the extra weight and length.
Ps the stays on the pack are not threaded correctly because he forgot to install when switching his bag.
For reference on just how big/heavy his pack out is my pack below with one Ek hind-
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