Heavy Duty tabletop tripod?

[TxPhred]

I've got a nice carbon tabletop tripod which I use for my 20x60 Razor spotting scope. On a calm day, the scope is nice and steady, and I really like its compactness and light weight. However, when the wind is blowing, the scope is vibrating, and the image is terrible. I'd like to buy a small tabletop tripod that is built tough and can handle a heavy optic in the wind. I ONLY use the tripod on a concrete bench so I'm not interested in tripods that that extend for higher use.

Any suggestions? Links?

SINCLAIR BENCH MOUNT SCOPE STAND | Brownells

Our bench spotting scope stand employs two large clamping plates to lock the stand securely to the bench. A bench thickness of one fourth inch to 12 inches is easily accommodated. The scope mounting head moves smoothly up and down on the 18 inch s...

www.brownells.com

I have one of these and it works great on concrete tables. I use a digi-scoping setup and take pics of the target after each shot so I know the order of impact, videos are good to. downside is that on non-concrete tables, the vibrations are not good for the video quality as recoil is transmitted to the scope and video is affected. YMMV. Good luck.

 

[JustMe2]

I would use 2 bipods or one tri and one bi. Attach one to the scope as normal, then attach the 2nd to the front of the optic with a rubber or velcro strip. For a shooting bench, you don't pan the scope much. You could also fabricate a cradle with a few pieces of wood. Take a piece of plywood and screw a piece of wood cut with a "V" at one end of plywood to hold the front of the spotting scope. At the other end of the plywood, attach something to adjust the elevation of the scope. You can then pan by just rotating the entire plywood cradle. Lots of ways to design a cradle with whatever you have laying around the shop. Think of it as a mini-ledsled.

This for front rest, then use your small tripod for back rest.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Following

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm looking into them now.

 

[nocannons]

I got a real cheap Barska tripod from Walmart for about $18 that works real good with my 20-60X80 mm spotter with my cheapo assemblage. I would like to use a hugely stable concrete & steel bench while shooting rodents but benches like that weigh about 300 - 400 pounds, but I would need a forklift to get it aboard & off my vehicle. A clamp on spotter stand would be a big improvement.



A lead sled loaded down with 25-pound or more bar-bell weight(s) on top of a massive concrete bench would provide stability and recoil absorption but would not be kind to nice wood stocks and scopes because the mass of lead sled & barbell would make for lots of inertia to resist recoil impulse generated by big guns like a .300 PR and the stock and scope (tiny little parts for erector tube) would be subjected to almost all recoil impulse vs. the shooters body that would provide a dynamic resistance to recoil impulse. No problems with my little .22-.250.

The lead sled provides more stability than any clamp on tripod connection at a single point assisted by balance location. Attachment using an underside rail connection or other would be a big improvement, but with single point attachment, rifle balance would be a big factor for stability.


Imagine - a nice tender, cool, medium rare roasted beef sandwich with lettuce, tomato & 1000 Island served on a checkered tablecloth with a tall frosty glass of iced tea complete with a folded napkin having correctly placed silver (eating utensils like forks).

A photo would show how the Teflon fry pan works much better than a description.

A clamp on spotter stand sounds like a good idea. I think I will make one with a budget limit of $50 & avoid the 'out of stock" situation.

I have seen a very steady system that is very simple and easy to make with a 4in. c-clamp and piece of 2x 1/4 in. flat bar cut to desired height. Combine this with window mount clamp and you are set. Would recommend using steel clamp for best results. sorry do not have pics.

 

[0-tolerance]

I usually just add weight to the tripod on windy days. That takes care of my optics moving due to the wind.

 

[GUNNNN]

I got a real cheap Barska tripod from Walmart for about $18 that works real good with my 20-60X80 mm spotter with my cheapo assemblage. I would like to use a hugely stable concrete & steel bench while shooting rodents but benches like that weigh about 300 - 400 pounds, but I would need a forklift to get it aboard & off my vehicle. A clamp on spotter stand would be a big improvement.



A lead sled loaded down with 25-pound or more bar-bell weight(s) on top of a massive concrete bench would provide stability and recoil absorption but would not be kind to nice wood stocks and scopes because the mass of lead sled & barbell would make for lots of inertia to resist recoil impulse generated by big guns like a .300 PR and the stock and scope (tiny little parts for erector tube) would be subjected to almost all recoil impulse vs. the shooters body that would provide a dynamic resistance to recoil impulse. No problems with my little .22-.250.

The lead sled provides more stability than any clamp on tripod connection at a single point assisted by balance location. Attachment using an underside rail connection or other would be a big improvement, but with single point attachment, rifle balance would be a big factor for stability.


Imagine - a nice tender, cool, medium rare roasted beef sandwich with lettuce, tomato & 1000 Island served on a checkered tablecloth with a tall frosty glass of iced tea complete with a folded napkin having correctly placed silver (eating utensils like forks).

A photo would show how the Teflon fry pan works much better than a description.

A clamp on spotter stand sounds like a good idea. I think I will make one with a budget limit of $50 & avoid the 'out of stock" situation.

I'm. Not sure if one is made but if a lead sled is hard scopes with large caliber rifles someone needs to design one with a shock absorber that slow the recoil down before stopping it

 

[greywolf68]

Sinclair

 

[Ronald W Schaefer]

I use this little Vanguard MR 1 OS. It is short but stout--holds up my Viper Vortex 20X-60X X 20" spotter in thunderstorm first gust (that's a story), very solid and easy to set up and adjust. Leveling bubble is very handy.

 

[Rosebud]

I looked at the specs of the Infinite! Its just a more streamlined version of the death grip. Not sure it's worth the extra $$$. My death grip works very well. Not sure I'd want to pack either of them into the backcountry though. I set up mine when hunting bean fields where I can see 600 plus yards.

 

[Sealesniper]

I replied earlier, one Q, someone told me you can't shoot out of a led sled, supposedly a well know gun builder. But what he builds I'm not impressed with as far a long range shooting. I would like to know since I have the same sled and 2 other gun rest like a Rodzilla , I want to know how the gun knows if the gun in a sled or your shoulder, I've never had a issue with using one. Maybe because his custom built 300 PRC wouldn't group under 8" at 100 yds.

I have used a lead sled without any adverse effects to my gun, but I don't load the sled with lead or sand. I no longer use the sled as I prefer a bipod and rear bag as that is how I hunt most of the time. The theory is, heavy optics and small screws do not like a hard wall of a recoil stop. What I mean by this, is the gun gets momentum from the recoil and the butt runs into the rear stop on the sled and has an abrupt stop. Everything was in motion and now dead stop, where is has a slow/gradual deceleration against your shoulder as your body absorbs the recoil and moves with it. In the sled, it can be an instant stop. Heavy scopes and rings can be cleanly sheered off by this repeated force and wood stocks can be splintered. I have seen this first hand.

Solution, bed your rail and drill and tap your action for bigger stronger screws, if you need to use the lead sled. The sled has a purpose and works great alone as a recoil reducer for kids or people who are recoil shy, just use caution not to stop recoil completely with too much weight or you may have gun damage.

Hope this answers your question.

 

[Dee Hugo]

I've got a nice carbon tabletop tripod which I use for my 20x60 Razor spotting scope. On a calm day, the scope is nice and steady, and I really like its compactness and light weight. However, when the wind is blowing, the scope is vibrating, and the image is terrible. I'd like to buy a small tabletop tripod that is built tough and can handle a heavy optic in the wind. I ONLY use the tripod on a concrete bench so I'm not interested in tripods that that extend for higher use.

Any suggestions? Links?

I made one from a garage sale tripod. I took the top and shaft out of the tripod and used hose clamps to attach a C clamp. I attach it to the concrete bench with the C clamp and it's rock solid.

 

[CNY Yote Hunter]

I've got a nice carbon tabletop tripod which I use for my 20x60 Razor spotting scope. On a calm day, the scope is nice and steady, and I really like its compactness and light weight. However, when the wind is blowing, the scope is vibrating, and the image is terrible. I'd like to buy a small tabletop tripod that is built tough and can handle a heavy optic in the wind. I ONLY use the tripod on a concrete bench so I'm not interested in tripods that that extend for higher use.

Any suggestions? Links?

Bog Pod Deathgrip is a super nice tripod and you can change to any grip with a ball mount. Super good product and fully adjustable

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Bog Pod Deathgrip is a super nice tripod and you can change to any grip with a ball mount. Super good product and fully adjustable

Is it short enough to stand on a concrete bench and use a spotting scope?