Arca Swiss Plate on a Prod / Marauder Pistol

[Geezerhood]

Keeping with the original intent of a lightweight backpacking rifle, I added an Arca Swiss plate to the fore end of the Prod, using a longer screw through a washer, the plate and the fore end, threaded into the attachment point for the handguard by the trigger guard. The front screw comes down through the floor of the handguard and threads into the hole that was meant for the anti slide off screw. I enlarged the hole to fit a 6-32 screw and added a fender washer to distribute the "pull' on the plastic which is fairly thin. A bit of metal had to be removed on this particular plate to clear the trigger guard for alignment with the fore end mounting hole.

Quick to attach, very steady and fast to adjust with a small sized ball head. The carbon fiber legs weigh 2 pounds 9 ounces. The ball head is 11.4 ounces and the plate is 1.2 ounces for a total of 3.35 pounds.

 

[N2 Shooter]

I was thinking about adding one to the bottom pic rail on my Maverick. I have a BOG Fieldmax Pro, but it's kinda overkill for the Maverick VP. I have a mini carbon fiber tripod that will be just the ticket for a lightweight support.

 

[lbc_PSI]

@Geezerhood
What tri-pod are you using?
Is there only one size of Arca Swiss base/ball-head or are there different sizes?

 

[Glem.Chally]

@Geezerhood
What tri-pod are you using?
Is there only one size of Arca Swiss base/ball-head or are there different sizes?

The arca mount is universal but lots of selection of ballheads. I found the bigger ball makes it lock more solidly and easily. I have two in the 44-52mm range and they're great. Tried some other smaller ones and they sucked. Keep on mind I was using a relatively heavy gun. With a pistol or light rifle the size might matter less. Buy once cry once IMO with ballheads. Aliexpress has really nice full carbon fiber tripods for 80-100usd. Pm me if you want links of what I'm blathering on about.

 

[Geezerhood]

@Geezerhood
What tri-pod are you using?
Is there only one size of Arca Swiss base/ball-head or are there different sizes?

All Arca Swiss style plates and the heads (the clamping portion), if they are properly made are interchangeable. The Arca Swiss brand is top notch but very expensive. I buy made in China stuff off Amazon.

I am also an outdoor photographer and have about 8 tripods and about a dozen heads. The one I am using with the Prod is the lightest one I own and the smallest, lightest head. I got it from Amazon about 10 years ago. The tripod is a Neewer and the head is a Pergear. The Neewer head that came on it only had a single tensioning knob. I prefer two of those so I swapped it for another one. One smaller knob to set the tension for when the large knob is loosened and the large knob for clamping it solid. I can't find the order as it was too long ago but these are pretty close to what I got. It was quite a bit less $$ ($69?) when I bought it, but everything has gone up.

This tripod is too small and light for a full sized airgun but will hold one up in a pinch. Just don't let go of it! Stable enough with the Prod on it, but I wouldn't walk away and leave it standing for an extended time frame. If you want one tripod for everything you own rather than an ultralight setup for the Prod, go with something significantly beefier than this "micro" setup.

Neewar Tripod with head

I have a surveyors tripod with a massive Manfrotto ball head that will hold up an Armalite AR-50 - 50 BMG rifle that weighs over 40 pounds with the scope.

 

[1shooter]

Nice work. I have a prod I was going to sell but can’t as its a classic and sooo light. I will have to do this or something like it.
You left room for a small picatinny rail for bipods or lights etc.
Note: It kinda looks like fine pieces of Aluminum of the under side picture? Not sure but If so might want to take off and rinse with water (outside hose?) dry with paper towel (dissposable) and final wipe corners/crevasses with q tips. But maybe you already cleaned it up.

 

[Geezerhood]

Nice work. I have a prod I was going to sell but can’t as its a classic and sooo light. I will have to do this or something like it.
You left room for a small picatinny rail for bipods or lights etc.
Note: It kinda looks like fine pieces of Aluminum of the under side picture? Not sure but If so might want to take off and rinse with water (outside hose?) dry with paper towel (dissposable) and final wipe corners/crevasses with q tips. But maybe you already cleaned it up.

Thanks. The work was done with hand tools and yes, there are metal particles on it. I just barely finished it and installed for fit. Forgot to clean up up for the photos. I have a sling stud on the front of the handguard and rear of the stock as well per the photo. The empty 1/4-20 camera clamping screw slot in the Arca plate made for a nice viewing port to see the gauge.