Quote History Quoted:
t me clarify my recommendation.
I'm saying do not buy a tripod, get a scope stand.
Scope stands are designed for the kind of shooting I believe the OP is doing (but my assumption about that could be wrong).
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I kinda zipped past that, and made assumptions that I shouldn't have. Most people these days are trying to shoot standing up with a tripod, which is what I assumed
Trollslayer, I agree with your assumption (which I think is a safe one), maybe you know Yojimbo better than I do. I don't know
As for the tripod-stand request
It's not going to happen under $100, neither is a tripod, not with the parameters given. Please understand that going forward.
Heck, a low-end Freeland is gonna go for around $150 without an extension kit or shipping. God help him if he looks at a Ray-Vin or GearBuggy stand
Yojimbo, I was giving you my opinion based on what is more affordable for someone who is budget restrained
You can shop around through a broader selection of tripods than shooting stands. Competition in pricing with those is a real thing, this is not as much so with shooting stands which are aimed at a specialized market
If you want to use a spotting scope stand (especially for competition) examine your position (or anticipated positions) in competition, and focus on that
For service rifle or F-Class I'd recommend a 2-leg base stand that can fit around the corner of your mat.
Creedmoor Sports makes a decent one with an extension kit for around $200 without shipping
Pros, they adjust all the way up and down. I mean from 4" to the top of the tube. But the higher you go the more top-heavy it gets and wind is real. Traditional 3-leg tripods shine here, the 2-leg versions aren't as stable at tall heights
So if you're tall maybe thing about one that has holes in the base legs for tying sand socks or using small stakes for anchoring
I almost forgot to add: if you're planning on doing a fair amount of spotting I can strongly recommend the Creedmoor scope mount saver, for $25 it's a good way to extend the life of your spotting scope mount
This is going to sound funny, but bear with me: if you choose a spotting scope stand, save for it and get the very best one you can right out of the gate
These are specialized equipment and most are made by smaller shops or individuals with personal quality control. The term "you get what you pay for" really applies here