Tripods – The Support You Need

When the word “tripod” entered my mind, it seemed to be in only one or two contexts. Someone needed to take a stable photo. Or something belt-fed and fully automatic had come into play.

As a former infantryman, I typically thought of M-60s and M240Bs, general-purpose machine guns or larger ones, such as the M2 Browning Heavy Machine Gun and the Mk-19 40mm automatic grenade launcher.

Roles

In the last few years, however, there has been a significant shift in the What, When, and Why of tripod use in practical applications. What specifically?

Mounting optics for spotting was an easy one. Need to use a spotting scope? Attach it or a set of quality binoculars to a tripod mount.

We now regularly see long guns being fired from tripods, both on the range and in the field. Photos of snipers in law enforcement and the military (ours and others) shooting from tripods are common across social media. Hunters are doing this well, especially those involved in depredation.

Sticks

I will point out a significant difference between shooting sticks and tripods, having used the sticks in Africa. The ones I used were two loose and unconnected individual sticks. One of your professional hunter’s staff would hand them to you when you had gotten into position. You or they held the sticks together, forming a V beneath the rifle’s forearm, which rested in the V. The sticks minimized your movement of the rifle, assisting with and improving your accuracy for at least the initial shot.

Far more often than not, I use the tripod for zeroing red dots in my pistol-mounted optics classes. Being able to put the shooter in a standing, supported position – closer to how they normally shoot – gets one closer to a true zero versus being in a seated, bent forward, or hunched over position.

Are They Heavy?

The weight of these tripods runs across the spectrum and is dependent on the material, driven by the role. If it is just going from the shed to the firing line, a heavier tripod may be just fine. However, if it is being used in the field, regardless of the quarry, a lighter model will be preferred as long as it is reliable and rugged enough. And with that comes a cost.

Height-wise, these are quick and easy to adjust regardless of the shooter’s height. One of my tripods can be used from a raised prone position to a high, seated position. And others that will work from seated to standing.

Materials

You will see models with tubes made from one of two materials: metal alloys and carbon fiber. All will have adjustment points for the lengths of the shafts on each leg. Some of those adjustments are made of metal, while others are synthetic. Mine have synthetic sleeves; loosen it to free the leg for adjustment by twisting it one way, then tighten it for use while turning it the other way.

Add Ons

Some clamps attach to the tripods’ heads for both rifles and handguns. With a rifle, they will secure the forearm by making contact with the underside as well as both sides of the forearm. For a pistol, they can be clamped onto the dust cover and the front of the frame or a weapon-mounted light.

For my most frequent use, I prefer a deck with a sandbag. After being introduced to RhyTec decks, that is what I am sticking with. Their deck is a flat, machined 6″x10″ piece of aluminum. They are cera-coated, and the top is covered with a large piece of skateboard tape. The taped deck keeps whatever bag you have chosen to use in place and stationary.

Bags & Fill

There is a wide variety of bags available for use. Some are general-purpose, filling a variety of roles; others are much more purpose-built. One tip for using them that I took away from a recent precision rifle class was to use the deck and bag on its long axis (for greater contact and support) rather than across the shorter one. While mine are from The Wilderness, those I trust also recommend bags from Triad Tactical, Red Tac Gear, Badger, and Short Action Precision.

In terms of the fill you use, the role will drive that. Mine stay in the truck for use on the range, so they have kitty litter in them. If they were carried for operational use, hunting, or matches, there are some very lightweight fills that will work.

Closing

Whether zeroing a pistol or taking a hostage rescue shot with a rifle from an urban hide, there are significant benefits to employing a tripod.