Just Arrived! PIG0311-G Field Tripods $229.95

prairieguy said:
Bartok5 - Here's my educated guess

Left to right
AK - Russian or Yugo?
FN-FAL
HK G3
FN L2A1
AR10
AR15 SP1
XM177
AR18 or AR180
Robinson Arms M96
Steyr Aug
Gail ARM
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Very Good! Here's the school-book solution:

- 12 (3) Russian Izhevsk AKMS
- 12 (5) Canadian Arsenals FNC1A1 8L Series
- 12 (3) French MAS HK G3A3 African Contract
- 12 (3) USGI TRW M14
- 12 (3) Dutch Artillerierie Inrichtingen AR10
- Restr US Colt AR15 SP1
- Restr US Troy XM177E2
- 12 (5) UK Sterling AR 180
- NR US Robinson Armament M96 Expeditionary Rifle (Stoner 63A Clone)
- 12 (4) Austrian Steyr AUG
- 12 (5) Israeli Galil ARM

You only missed one, and it was hidden pretty well so good job for sure!
 
Trump308 said:
I was going to wait for a sale to pop up go order one of these, but after Bartok5’s review I ordered one up last night and an LBA2 swivel
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Good for You! I really think that you will be impressed with the value for money that the HOG 0311 Tripod represents. It is a genuine bargain for what you get. Heavier than Carbon Fibre, but not really "heavy" in its own right. Very smooth operation and stable when set up with a rifle's weight centred on it.

The Levelling Head is really the way to go in my (admittedly limited) experience. I tried the Manfrotto Pistol-Grip Ball-Head Mount that seems to be the Ball-Head of choice in the US. I found it very tall and the friction-lock barely held the weight of my Cadex Guardian .308 in a steady position. I simply did not trust it with my $10k of rifle, optic and bipod. The Levelling Head is everything that the Manfrotto Pistol-Grip Ball-Head wasn't. It is low-profile, super stable, easily locked rigidly in place, and there is physically no way that your rifle can flop over on its side (unlike a Ball-Head). Oh, and a Benro Levelling a base is 1/5 the price of a decent Manfrotto Ball-Head!

I have owned both the aluminum HOG Saddle and the steel PIG Saddle. Functionally, there is no difference between each the two devices. Heck, they even look the same and operate identically. The only difference is the weight (and bragging rights). Whereas the HOG is machined from solid billets of aluminum, the PIG is made from pressed and folded sheet steel. Hence, the PIG is much cheaper, It is like a Rolex versus a Timex - they both tell the time just fine, but one is nicer than the other.

Enjoy your new rig! I am sure that you will be impressed, especially once you do a little comparison shopping with the strićtly civilian camera tripods. Most decent options cost much more and lack the shooting-specific features that the HOG 0311 includes right out of the box.
 
Another lighter (much cheaper) option is to mount a ball head or leveling base directly to a picatinny rail on the bottom of your rifle. No play whatsoever on my PRST tripod, and much lower center of gravity. I won't post a link as this is NM's thread but there are a number of manufacturer's that make picatinny or keymod to ball head adapters. Just Google picatinny arca Swiss adapter and you'll see a number of products. The only caveat is that you have a pic rail on your rifle.
 
wildphil24 said:
Is it quick detach or do you leave the ball head on your rifle?
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You will want a QD system on the ball-head's picatinny interface, otherwise the combination of rifle and ball-head becomes very cumbersome to mount/dismount on the tripod. The biggest problem that I find with the direct-mount option is that there is no picatinny rail at the balance-point of my two rifle chassis. Ideally, I want the rifle mounted right in front of the mag well. However, the picatinny mounting points on my rifles are further forward on the underside of the handguard. As a result, direct-mounting for me ends up with the rifle very butt-heavy and unbalanced on top of the Tripod. You guys may have better luck with different stocks or chassis systems. I am using a Cadex Guardian .308 and a Rem 700 in an MDT ESS chassis.

Another option is to direct-mount a HOG or PIG Saddle to your tripod head and forego the ball-head or levelling-head entirely. Depending on how much tension you apply, there will be enough play between the rifle and Saddle to allow vertical adjustment. The tripod's rotating head will provide you with horizontal adjustment. It is not as refined as using a ball/levelling-head, but lots of folks opt for this system because it is simple, less expensive and lower-profile.
 
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I've got a QD Arca Swiss style ball head with a throw lever. For me the benefit of using this setup is that you can quickly cycle between a spotter, a rangefinder, and then the weapon with a single method of attachment.The adapter is just a small plate that hard mounts to the rifle.

At less than three ounces it's substantially lighter than even the aluminum hog saddle. It's the best of both worlds and at under 100 bucks it's my favorite set-up but YMMV.

I'm using them on a MDT LSS XL (tikka action) and a couple XCRs. They balance nicely on my guns but I would agree that the rail location would be a deciding factor. I've got the RRS Vyce (similar to the hog) but i never found it was as solid a connection as I wanted.
 
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Bartok5 said:
You will want a QD system on the ball-head's picatinny interface, otherwise the combination of rifle and ball-head becomes very cumbersome to mount/dismount on the tripod. The biggest problem that I find with the direct-mount option is that there is no picatinny rail at the balance-point of my two rifle chassis. Ideally, I want the rifle mounted right in front of the mag well. However, the picatinny mounting points on my rifles are further forward on the underside of the handguard. As a result, direct-mounting for me ends up with the rifle very butt-heavy and unbalanced on top of the Tripod. You guys may have better luck with different stocks or chassis systems. I am using a Cadex Guardian .308 and a Rem 700 in an MDT ESS chassis.

Another option is to direct-mount a HOG or PIG Saddle to your tripod head and forego the ball-head or levelling-head entirely. Depending on how much tension you apply, there will be enough play between the rifle and Saddle to allow vertical adjustment. The tripod's rotating head will provide you with horizontal adjustment. It is not as refined as using a ball/levelling-head, but lots of folks opt for this system because it is simple, less expensive and lower-profile.
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Bartok5 would you be so kind as to take a few pics with the leveling base in the most downward angle the rifle can go at and conversely the most upward , I am curious about the range the base would have vs a ball head . Thanks in advance
 
The hard date on the PIG0311-G Tripod is mid March. Unfortunately contracts that the US Supplier in the US has come first but we have lots inbound.
Wish we could get them sooner but not so easy.
 
Don’t buy ONE!! :eek:

Buy TWO of them!! :evil:

I bought one and here it’s set up with my training .22 LR..... you guys DO train don’t ya?

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And here it is being shared at my PR matches in Garrison Petawawa with Chalkriver2.25 somewhere in the background

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I also purchased the Feisol ball head assembly from the USA because the shop recommended it’s higher strength rating (heavier than any DSLR). It works well with the PIG0311 tripod. I used this tripod at the Meaford LRSC this past 2017 Labour Day weekend with my Kowa TSN82SV on top. Most impressed. So now I need a second PIG 0311 for my spotter Bushy Legend Tactical Mrad...

I shopped around for a second tripod just for spotting purposes but a SLIK 700 with a pan head was gonna run me just around $200 anyways.... besides Bartok5 knows the number 031 and we just cannot resist

VP Always! :wave:

Cheers, Barney
 
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Hey Barney,

Were you practicing with your nail gun as well?

Chalkriver2.25 in the back, what saddle/rail clamp is he using?

Cheers,
Phil
 
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