New RRS Tripod and Anvil-30 Feedback

[B-P-UU]

Who here has made the switch to the new MK2 legs and Anvil head? How do you like it compared to the older legs and ball or leveling base?

Trying to decide if the juice is worth the squeeze. Would be used for hunting/spotting in the field as well as PRS matches (both shooting support and binos)

Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Victor Co Heather]

Very interested in this as well.

 

[SLG]

I love mine. Doesn't shoot differently for me then the older legs and ball head did, but they are just awesome tripods. Take a look in the advanced marksmanship section, we have a thread going there right now.

 

[nexusfire]

I love mine. Doesn't shoot differently for me then the older legs and ball head did, but they are just awesome tripods. Take a look in the advanced marksmanship section, we have a thread going there right now.

What is the advantage of the anvil 30 head vs the old leveling bases?

 

[SLG]

What is the advantage of the anvil 30 head vs the old leveling bases?

The Anvil 30 is much lighter than the Leveling base, and according to RRS, is supposed to be as stable as the leveling base, but have as much adjustment as a ball head.

The 30 also has a pic rail clamp within its arca rail clamp, so it is very versatile for different weapons. I am amazed at how small and light the setup is, while still being as stable as anything I have used. Now, if you have to add a Vyce, as I do for some guns, then the weight jumps pretty quick, but is still much lighter than a ball head with a Vyce on the old legs.

 

[MountainHunter]

One of the main benefits to the Anvil 30 for me is the user interface. Instead of twisting a knob you have the single lever that you manipulate with your support hand. I’ve usd ball heads and leveling bases though never owned either but I am extremely happy with my decision to go with the Anvil.

I’ve shot 3 matches with my setup, Feisol 3372 legs, Anvil 30 and Vyce clamp and it’s so versatile. 2 of the matches were squad RO’d and I spotted with my EL 8x32’s, shot from the Vyce clamp and used it as rear support. It’s seriously my favorite piece of gear other than my rifle.

 

[stevenc23]

I recently switched over from the Universal Leveling base to the Anvil 30. They are both great pieces of equipment and each have their advantages.

If I was only going to shoot off of them and and didn't need to shoot different targets at angles greater than 15 degrees I would choose the leveling base. To me it seemed a bit more stable and I like the tension adjustment better with a heavy rifle on it. Also it never flops all the way over to the side with the rifle on.

On the other hand. If I am going to be using it to shoot off of AND also spot with either binos or a spotting scope then the anvil is a better option. Not quite as stable as the Universal Leveling base but close. Also if you have multiple shots to take that require shooting at different angles greater than 20 degrees the anvil is the choice again.

So they are both great but they have different strengths

 

[Fred @ Bison Tactical]

I love my Anvil-30 head, rock solid and super easy to use.

 

[craigos]

I love mine. Doesn't shoot differently for me then the older legs and ball head did, but they are just awesome tripods. Take a look in the advanced marksmanship section, we have a thread going there right now.

I went from a BH55 head to the Anvil with Apex and love it ... so good!!

 

[Sheldon N]

I have the TA-3 leveling base and had the opportunity to shoot several stages with the RRS Anvil 30 on a buddy's tripod at the Quiet Riot match in Utah.

As far as ultimate stability, I was impressed with the Anvil 30. Can't definitively say if it's more stable or less stable than the TA-3, but my impression was that it was very solid and similar. Definitely capable of hitting MOA or smaller targets from awkward positions and plus the advantage of being able to do high angle shooting which some stages required.

What I really liked about the Anvil was the interface. Support side hand falls to the left side of the rifle, right where the lever control sits. It's a more natural position than reaching underneath the center of the tripod. The flip lever gets pushed forward by your left thumb to increase the tension. I found that I could easily pull the lever back to loosen when it was time to transition, then as I was coming in on the next target I could be increasing tension at the same time with my thumb. Allows you to lock in just as you get the crosshairs set.

Both stages where I used the tripod went well for me. They had you very busy with 6 to 9 different target engagements across a wide field of view in a 2 minute stage so you had to move fast not to time out. No issues getting all my shots off, despite not having any time to practice with the head.

The Anvil 30 is definitely on my "want" list.

 

[nexusfire]

Anvil 30 is legit. The mechanism takes a little getting used to but it seems more durable.

 

[B-P-UU]

Thanks everyone for the feedback.. I appreciate it. Next question is series 3 or 2 legs? Price is pretty darn close so I'm thinking 3 for most stability for match shooting.. however, 2's would be preferred for packing and field use.

I've been meaning to call RRS to discuss some of these topics but its always nice to get other users input as well.

 

[B-P-UU]

I have the TA-3 leveling base and had the opportunity to shoot several stages with the RRS Anvil 30 on a buddy's tripod at the Quiet Riot match in Utah.

As far as ultimate stability, I was impressed with the Anvil 30. Can't definitively say if it's more stable or less stable than the TA-3, but my impression was that it was very solid and similar. Definitely capable of hitting MOA or smaller targets from awkward positions and plus the advantage of being able to do high angle shooting which some stages required.

What I really liked about the Anvil was the interface. Support side hand falls to the left side of the rifle, right where the lever control sits. It's a more natural position than reaching underneath the center of the tripod. The flip lever gets pushed forward by your left thumb to increase the tension. I found that I could easily pull the lever back to loosen when it was time to transition, then as I was coming in on the next target I could be increasing tension at the same time with my thumb. Allows you to lock in just as you get the crosshairs set.

Both stages where I used the tripod went well for me. They had you very busy with 6 to 9 different target engagements across a wide field of view in a 2 minute stage so you had to move fast not to time out. No issues getting all my shots off, despite not having any time to practice with the head.

The Anvil 30 is definitely on my "want" list.

Good info.. thanks.

Do you recall if the legs were series 2or 3?

 

[SLG]

There is like a 4oz difference between the 2's and 3's, so even for me, packing in the field is not an issue either way.

I went with the 3's, and though I have not yet tried the 2's, I'm extremely happy with my choice. I've talked to a few guys who have access to both, and they agree that the 3's are a better way to go. Michael at RRS says there is almost no difference in stability between the two, and I take him at his word. I just like the beefier diameter of the 3's for some of the stuff I use them for. I'm also short, so the extra length of the 2's is really wasted on me, and I like the shorter package of the 3's. YMMV.

 

[Sheldon N]

Do you recall if the legs were series 2or 3?

3 series legs.

 

[Fred @ Bison Tactical]

Couple of things I have noticed...

The Anvil-30 doesn't seem to get as dirty as the other heads from RRS. I have shot off a number of RRS head that were sent as loaners for use on stages at events, and had a friends get very dirty. When both the leveling base and BH-55 get dirty they really suck to shoot with. They get very stuttery when moving (not smooth). The fix is to clean them. I have shot my Anvil-30 now at 4-5 matches in very dirty conditions (Quiet Riot, Dog Valley, Heatstroke etc), and zero issues with the head getting dirty. This is a great benefit I think over the other options, HOWEVER I would prefer to use it longer to see if I can get it dirty enough to start manifesting the problem.

The choice of legs on the tripod for me was a no-brainer. 3 series legs, in 3 sections. For me, the entire question was one of stability, stability and lastly stability. The 3 section 3 series is the most stable between the 2 series - 3 series and 3 section vs 4 section.

If you extend all the legs, the 3 section legs have larger diameter legs in contact with the ground, and that makes it more stable (less vibration etc).

There are benefits to running the 3 series, 4 section legs, for me basically that it compacts a bit more for packing. The 4 section legs weigh more, so you should balance that into the equation. When I measured them side by side, it as about a 1lb difference with the 4 section leg tripod setup being 1 lb heavier.

These sealed the deal for me, and I did 3 series 3 section legs with Anvil-30 conversion kit and head.

 

[SLG]

Couple of things I have noticed...

The Anvil-30 doesn't seem to get as dirty as the other heads from RRS. I have shot off a number of RRS head that were sent as loaners for use on stages at events, and had a friends get very dirty. When both the leveling base and BH-55 get dirty they really suck to shoot with. They get very stuttery when moving (not smooth). The fix is to clean them. I have shot my Anvil-30 now at 4-5 matches in very dirty conditions (Quiet Riot, Dog Valley, Heatstroke etc), and zero issues with the head getting dirty. This is a great benefit I think over the other options, HOWEVER I would prefer to use it longer to see if I can get it dirty enough to start manifesting the problem.

The choice of legs on the tripod for me was a no-brainer. 3 series legs, in 3 sections. For me, the entire question was one of stability, stability and lastly stability. The 3 section 3 series is the most stable between the 2 series - 3 series and 3 section vs 4 section.

If you extend all the legs, the 3 section legs have larger diameter legs in contact with the ground, and that makes it more stable (less vibration etc).

There are benefits to running the 3 series, 4 section legs, for me basically that it compacts a bit more for packing. The 4 section legs weigh more, so you should balance that into the equation. When I measured them side by side, it as about a 1lb difference with the 4 section leg tripod setup being 1 lb heavier.

These sealed the deal for me, and I did 3 series 3 section legs with Anvil-30 conversion kit and head.

What level of precision are you able to achieve with the 3 section legs from standing? Do you use any additional gear, like a sling to help?

The first RRS tripod I used was a 3 section, and it was excellent. My 4 section 34/Anvil-30 is no less precise for me, but does pack up smaller. There was no option for a 3 section with an Anvil 30 at the time, unless you did a conversion to the old style legs. I think the new legs are nicer, being smaller in overall diameter when collapsed, and did not want the older style legs. I did buy the 34 untested, and took on faith that it would do what RRS said it would do. I have not been disappointed.

 

[Frankly]

I have the new Series 2 legs in a 24L and used to own the earlier Series 1. They're pretty similar but the 24 "feels" a lot more compact yet plenty strong.

If you don't need the Apex then the old models are very close... only a few minor changes like easier to use QDs for a strap and some threaded sockets if you want to mount accessories.

 

[Fred @ Bison Tactical]

What level of precision are you able to achieve with the 3 section legs from standing? Do you use any additional gear, like a sling to help?

I have shot most matches this season from the RRS + Anvil-30 (around 10 2 day matches) and have not had any issues with stability with the setup.

I did the conversion - I got the TVC-33 legs and Anvil-30 apex conversion and have been running it that way all season. My misses have been because of wind, or because I did something dumb, but I never once felt like it was because of instability in the platform.

 

[Diver160651]

The Anvil 30 is much lighter than the Leveling base, and according to RRS, is supposed to be as stable as the leveling base, but have as much adjustment as a ball head.

The 30 also has a pic rail clamp within its arca rail clamp, so it is very versatile for different weapons. I am amazed at how small and light the setup is, while still being as stable as anything I have used. Now, if you have to add a Vyce, as I do for some guns, then the weight jumps pretty quick, but is still much lighter than a ball head with a Vyce on the old legs.

It is not much lighter.. it is a wash. Your get 10 round mag flexibility and faster to angle; but it is a hair less stable.

 

[SLG]

It is not much lighter.. it is a wash. Your get 10 round mag flexibility and faster to angle; but it is a hair less stable.

I don't know what you mean by 10 round mag flexibility, but you are correct, the Anvil 30 is very close in weight to a leveling base. I must have confused it with something else, probably the 55 ballhead.

 

[Diver160651]

I don't know what you mean by 10 round mag flexibility, but you are correct, the Anvil 30 is very close in weight to a leveling base. I must have confused it with something else, probably the 55 ballhead.

The Anvil is smaller in the Apex area. It allows you to run a leg rear facing and with a longer mag without interference. For all out stability, the leveling base is it.

Much lighter than the 55, and within a few grams of the leveling base, the Anvil packs smaller than either, with stability between both. Hope that helps