Shooting off tripod question on gear

[steveptr]

IM looking at getting a new Jim white pan head and was wondering if that head will hold up a Rifle and handle the recoil. If anyone has any experience with this pleas let me know.

 

[MaraviaDave]

From my perspective:
Glassing off a ball head.....sucks!
Shooting off a panning head.....sucks!

My solution has been to glass with a panning head (Outdoorsmans for light optics. Manfrotto for heavy optics) and to also carry a shortened center column with a RRS Anvil 30 on my pack’s waist belt.

When a shooting situation presents itself, generally, you’ll have time and opportunity to pull the ‘glassing’ center column/panning head out of the legs and insert the ‘shooting’ center column/Anvil 30.

If you don’t have time to do this...you’re prolly looking at a closer range shot and could use another, hastier, option for supporting the rifle.

The short center column with RRS Anvil 30 weighs close to that of a bipod. If I had to choose between the two.....I’d definitely leave the bipod at home. shooting off a tripod is much more versatile. Including the ability to shoot prone from it by opening the legs all the way up, so that they lay flat.

Here’s my response from another thread, on a similar topic.....

 

[Big Ern]

If you are going to shoot off a tripod get some gear that is proven.

Ball head, go RRS BH55 or RRS Anvil 30. i prefer a leveling base...again, RRS.

Tripod wise you have More options and don’t need to go with high end RRS stuff if you want to save some money. Feisol, Slik CF, Sirui, Mandritto, all have options. Note: some of the RRS stuff ie anvil and ta-3 leveling base won’t work with these tripods or will with some modifications.

RRS universal leveling base and the regular ballheads will work without issue.