Tri-pod recommendations

Rhett Steele

New member
I bit the bullet and ordered a thermal scanner. Going to scan with the monocular and shoot with an ar in 6x45 equipped with a photon xt. I'm thinking it would be nice to have a rifle on a tripod and scanning with hands free.

I've looked at the Caldwell magnums and was wondering if there is a better option out there.?
 
Originally Posted By: Rhett SteeleI bit the bullet and ordered a thermal scanner. Going to scan with the monocular and shoot with an ar in 6x45 equipped with a photon xt. I'm thinking it would be nice to have a rifle on a tripod and scanning with hands free.

I've looked at the Caldwell magnums and was wondering if there is a better option out there.?

I have a Caldwell Magnum. It is a very nice system. But.. it is very heavy (14+ lbs) and a little clumsy to carry and set up. If you don't mind that, it is very nice for the money and I don't regret buying it. With that said, I almost never use it anymore. I mainly use a Manfrotto tripod/ballhead/pig saddle and the Night Stalker tripod/ballhead/pig saddle. They are both much lighter and easier to set up.
The Night Stalker from Night Goggles is really a good value for what you get but the price has gone up $40.00 since I bought mine.
Once you use a tripod you will wonder how you ever got along without it.
 
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Originally Posted By: KirschNight Stalker all the way. Use an Arca Swiss Plate and attach directly to the ball head and save money.

If you use the arca swiss plate adapter you will only be able to use the tripod with rifles that you can mount a picatinny rail to the bottom of the forearm. With the pig saddle you can use it with any rifle. $69.00 for the Cretac adapter + whatever it cost to add a rail to every rifle that you plan to use on the triopd or $130.00 for the universal Pig Saddle.
I don't dedicate my tripods to one rifle so it made more sense for me to go with the Pig Saddle. If you plan to dedicate your tripod to one rifle then I agree the Cretac adapter will save you some money.
 
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The ARCA swiss adapter plate bypasses the CRETAC mount and Picatinny and attaches directly to the underside of the forearm. It costs about $50.

Personally the Pig Saddle while very sturdy is also pretty heavy and takes away from the advantage of the light weight carbon fiber Night Stalker---just my opinion of course.

I did keep my Pig Saddle just in case that I might want to swap out an AR for a bolt action, but with the thermal shooting scope, that isn't likely to happen for me.
 
Just an FYI. A direct mount will always be more stable than a vice like mount that squeezes the side's of the stock. Whether or not you need that added stability is up to you and your situation.
Just my opinion.

DoubleUp and I must have been typeing at the same time.
 
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Originally Posted By: DoubleUpThe ARCA swiss adapter plate bypasses the CRETAC mount and Picatinny and attaches directly to the underside of the forearm. It costs about $50.

Personally the Pig Saddle while very sturdy is also pretty heavy and takes away from the advantage of the light weight carbon fiber Night Stalker---just my opinion of course.

I did keep my Pig Saddle just in case that I might want to swap out an AR for a bolt action, but with the thermal shooting scope, that isn't likely to happen for me.

Did the same thing...Arca swiss directly mounted to forearm. Kept the Pig saddle for the occasional use of my bolt action rifles.
 
Arca Swiss plates are pretty cheap and can be found on Amazon. I have two Predator Plates that are really nice steel plates that use MLoc to attach. I have 4 rifles set up with the plates and my bolt action rifles required drilling and attaching with small bolts/nuts through the plastic stock. Might not wanna do this on a nice wood stock but the little effort it takes is worth keeping things streamlined and light as well as more stable... it’s a real slick setup. I have not tried any of the reaper grips or saddles. I get that they are universal but The plates are only a few bucks and you can get 15 of em for what a clamp grip costs. And it’s a better setup to mount direct (IMO)
 
Would you guys mind sharing which ARCA plate will fit directy to the Night Stalker tripod? I looked up ARCA plate and was afraid to hit the order button. Not sure which one will fit?

Thanks!
 
Arca is Arca, it's a dimensional standard for attachment. If it takes Arca, then it will take any Arca.

- DAA
 
All Night Stalker tripod ball-heads are Arca-Swiss compatible. Our Night Stalker Pro’s will be back in stock in two weeks and the standard Night Stalker in three weeks. Hope this helps.
 
I got the night stalker pro. This thing is amazing. I think I could stand on the dam thing. It is the most solid tripod I have ever owned yet it is very light weight and very easy to operate. Well worth the money!
 
Originally Posted By: Rhett Steele

I've looked at the Caldwell magnums and was wondering if there is a better option out there.?

Better? Depends on what you require of your tripod. There are lighter, more convenient ones. There are ones that are made better, but that all comes at a price. The night stalkers are very light and EXTREMELY well made but I will challenge anyone to an accuracy competition using my Caldwell deadshot Magnum field pod. It is heavy and a bit clumsy at times but I don't know of a more stable shooting platform in this class.
 
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Bow, I think the competition would be better with yourself. Why don't you shoot both with the same rifle and then report back on your findings. Thanks
 
I did. Lol. That's why I felt qualified to comment. My buddy had the night stalker. After trying both.....there was no comparison in the accuracy category. To be fair.......he had a clamp/saddle style head instead of a direct mount. I'm sure a direct mount would increase stability. He hated it and I sold it here for him. He bought the Caldwell and is very pleased with it.
 
Lol, good deal. I have a Magnum Fieldpod as well. As you say it is very solid and very heavy. At 71, if I had to carry the Magnum 400-800 yds. into a stand and then compare how I could shoot as compared to carrying the Night Stalker that distance, I don't think I would see much difference, if I survived the carry in.

When we use the golf cart and ride right up to where the stand is going to be made, then the Magnum worked pretty well. I'm a lot older than you are and carrying an extra 13 lbs. on a long walk just isn't an option I want to participate in.

I also liked my Night Stalker much better when I got the direct mount.
 
I have the Night Stalker and like it. When sifting through recommendations I like to check the members posts. I'm more inclined to side with the guy who starts a lot of posts and has success compared to the guy who's littered with just responses "Re:"
 
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