Tripod rest: vise style or free rest craddle for medium range hunting

[Motard]

I stalk for boars & roes in thick central Italy's woods. Range is usually from 200 to 300 mt in open clearings within thik woods, timber and tall grass 6/8 months a year. So bipods are not usually viables. Had killed with bog-pod, vanguard and 4stable stik as rests but now I feel the need of something more stable. I build myself the rest in attached pics. It's capable of holding the rifle well balanced without me with hand on. Nevertheless I am still wondering if a clamping craddle (hog saddle or similar) would be a better choise. What stop me from buyng and testing it is: mainly I am not a fan of having the rifle fixed to the tripod. And then I wonder if it is not better letting the rifle free to recol instead of braking it . At the end this is the way I and others are shooting at the range. And it works . What is general consensus?

 

[Ranchhand]

I use a pig saddle when I'm calling coyotes.
If I'm doing losts of glassing then take a shot I have a small aluminum plate with a sand bag

 

[Motard]

Read somewhere a test between vise saddle, and a sandbag on a plate for shooting from tripods. Author's conclusion was in favour of sandbag.

 

[acourvil]

I would say (1) arca plate on rifle with a quick release tripod head, (2) sandbag on a plate, and then (3) vise saddle. For (1) and (3) you need a leveling base or ball head with the tension adjusted so that it doesn't slip easily but can be moved with reasonable pressure. All can be used effectively, but my experience is that the vise saddle has all the drawbacks of the other two methods.

 

[JBoomhauer]

I use a flat plate with a git lite gamechanger on top. Works well and is fast to adjust.

 

[JBoomhauer]

 

[Motard]

All can be used effectively, but my experience is that the vise saddle has all the drawbacks of the other two methods.

This is interesting. Can You explain me better about the drowbacks of each methods cause this is exactly the information I was looking for. I am reluctant on the vise, wich is by far the item commercially best promoted, because of the non slipping forend during recoil. All force seems to me to be transmitted to tripod's legs and I think the whole combo (rifle+tripods) will jump up making difficoult following the impact and impossible eventually doubling fire. but never tested in realty. My Diy craddle has enought play to let the rifle slip back and forth altought the rifle can freely rest on it. Have also a small leveling base (5.7 cm diameter) not very ample adjusment capacity but enaught for most if my shooting

 

[Feniks Technologies]

This is interesting. Can You explain me better about the drowbacks of each methods cause this is exactly the information I was looking for. I am reluctant on the vise, wich is by far the item commercially best promoted, because of the non slipping forend during recoil. All force seems to me to be transmitted to tripod's legs and I think the whole combo (rifle+tripods) will jump up making difficoult following the impact and impossible eventually doubling fire. but never tested in realty. My Diy craddle has enought play to let the rifle slip back and forth altought the rifle can freely rest on it. Have also a small leveling base (5.7 cm diameter) not very ample adjusment capacity but enaught for most if my shooting

The saddle isn’t as solid a connection as a direct connection. And both require being fairly good at adjust the ball head or leveling base. Takes time to learn how to use the base well enough to be able to lock or semi lock it down on target. Otherwise, you will have a bad natural point of aim when you lock it down.

Not to mention, you have to keep adjusting after each shot due to recoil.

So, both are equal in the aiming side, but the saddle is less stable than clamped. Therefore clamped wins.

A sandbag on a plate lest you move the rifle much faster as well as not having to lock it down perfectly. Easier to establish good natural point of aim. And follow up shots are much faster.

So, IMO:

1: bag on plate
2: arca clamped into tripod
3: saddle

In that order. And honestly, unless forced to, I’d never use a saddle.

 

[Motard]

Thankyou for explaining sir. Claer and feep. Do refer also on the use of bag on hunting situation or on long range shooting? Anyway I have a spare Arca Swiss stile base I can test with a pillow as per Jboomhauer pics.

 

[Motard]

Thankyou for explaining sir. Claer and feep. Do refer also on the use of bag on hunting situation or on long range shooting? Anyway I have a spare Arca Swiss stile base I can test with a pillow as per Jboomhauer pics.

BTW It happened to me to try the shot to a nice RoeBuck, 250 meters away from me, sittin the rifle on the top of plastic garden table that was there around. Instead of using my backpack as a rest I stupidly developed the harris bipod that I had one the rifle (was not on wood hunting that day). What a grat miss! On the firing everything jumped on air and I could hardly spote the roe walking away untouched. I think that male is still laughting on me.

 

[acourvil]

This is interesting. Can You explain me better about the drowbacks of each methods cause this is exactly the information I was looking for. I am reluctant on the vise, wich is by far the item commercially best promoted, because of the non slipping forend during recoil. All force seems to me to be transmitted to tripod's legs and I think the whole combo (rifle+tripods) will jump up making difficoult following the impact and impossible eventually doubling fire. but never tested in realty. My Diy craddle has enought play to let the rifle slip back and forth altought the rifle can freely rest on it. Have also a small leveling base (5.7 cm diameter) not very ample adjusment capacity but enaught for most if my shooting

I mostly agree with what Feniks said, but for me the solid connection works better. If you are clamped to the tripod, you need to practice and get comfortable with how you are bracing the tripod, and you need to make sure that your tension for adjustments is set just right, so that nothing slips but you can make an adjustment w/o unreasonable effort. For me, I can get back on target quicker with the rifle clamped to the tripod than if the rifle is loose on the bag. But if you can control your rifle better on the bag, then that’s the way to go for you.

The other disadvantage to the vice is that getting the rifle in/out is slower and creates more possibility of mishandling the rifle. With the quick release area clamp, it is a one second operation that involves just throwing the lever. And the vise is heavier.

 

[Alpine 338]

I prefer using a bag on plate, follow up shots are quicker, especially if the rifle has some recoil. The bag absorbes most of the recoil, and doesn't transfer it to the tripod, which can often move the tripod. Also, time to get on target is much quicker than messing around with adjusting the tripod head via direct or clamped method.

This is my creation, the Precision Shooting Platform, conceived back in 2017, field tested in 2018, and in production in 2019.

 

[Motard]

Definitely worth traing it. Can you share board measures?

 

[Alpine 338]

Approximately 185mm x 235mm, I designed it with the Wiebad Tac Pad in mind, where the elastic straps go under the platform, and hold it snug, so it doesn't fall off when I run and gun.

Tac Pad | WieBad Gear

wiebad.com

 

[kthomas]

I've found a wiebad mini fortune cookie/fortune cookie draped over a ballhead to be very stable and effective.

A direct connection such as ARCA is more streamlined if weight is a concern/consideration.