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Shooting tripod prototype

toadboy65

Plastic
Joined
Feb 10, 2018
I have had my eye on a H&K PSG1 tripod for a while, but figured I could do better. I completed the first prototype-
rest2.jpg

The basic tripod is similar to the H&K, but larger and somewhat beefier. My intention was to be able to shoot comfortably while sitting on the ground. For me, that puts the handguard of the rifle 23" above the ground.
rest1.jpg
The legs are just threaded in, instead of the Gardini single-screw system. The everything is aluminum or stainless steel, except for the friction surfaces and "V" of the rest attachment, which are carbon or carbon/kevlar. The adjustment points have the threaded handle pulling on a ring encircling the stainless rod, which I don't know the proper term for, but seems to give consistent friction through the whole range of motion, and lets it lock very securely without damaging the rod.
There is a further assembly that is able to hold the rifle securely, with a further adjustment up and down.
rest3.jpg
The clamping surfaces are delrin covered with long use velcro, so I can add wedges or odd shapes for irregularly shaped guns.
The anodizing is sort of irregular, as I used different grades of aluminum alloy, and was experimenting with masking. The legs are hard anodized.
All the components use standard 3/8-16 threads and identical alignment pin spacing, so they can be attached in different orders, and so that photographic equipment can be mounted as well.
The next version will be more streamlined and compact. This one sort of evolved, so it lacks elegance of design. But it is stable enough for my personal use around the ranch.
Anyhow, I have been fiddling with this for several months in idle moments, and used it for the first time today.
 
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How'd it work out for you? First impressions?

I made a PSG1 tripod 10 years ago based on the Garbini? patent from HK's initial offering. I put a lot of work into that heavy beast and was disappointed the first time I used it. The tripod being attached to the rifle made follow up shots impossible since the whole thing moved with each shot. It looked cool on the rifle, but has never been used since.
 
It was good. The rifle tends to slide back a little with each shot, but bracing firmly seems to help. The tripod itself seems stable enough, although it would probably move a bit on sand or soft ground.
My primary purpose for it is long distance shooting in the mountains, and I usually don't need to put a second round in the same place. I need to be able to sit comfortably for a couple of hours, and smoothly pan and elevate to identify targets. I can let go of the rifle and get a drink or go to the binoculars, and it stays the way I left it. The smoothness is a feature I really focused on, but all the teflon and honed stainless does not show up in the images.
Previously, I have either gone prone with a bipod, or leaned the rifle across a ATV, which tends to move a bit with wind gusts. Neither of those two options was particularly comfortable.
Right now I am working on a benchrest that the whole upper part of the rig can be attached to, but which will have pneumatic recoil compensation. That would be for target shooting, and of course securely hold the butt of the rifle. Once it gets further along, I will post here. Mostly now it is about the slide and pneumatic assembly, and working to get it to return to original zero after each shot.
 
I did make one change. Since the first action after setting the tripod is to level the vertical arm, I made a little level that bolts on where I can readily see it.
stand.jpg
A smarter move would have been to design the level into the structure it is now attached to. But this one is for my personal use.
 








 
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