Using the Head from the Caldwell Precision Turret Rest on a Tripod

[Geezerhood]

For those of you who already have one of the Caldwell Precision Turret Rest and/or are thinking about buying the Bog DeathGrip head for your tripod, here is a way to get the functionality of both of those items for $70 which is $20 less than just the DeathGrip head.

• Remove the 4 screws that hold the head to the rest.
• Attach one of your tripod head plates to the bottom of the head. You will need to replace the 1/4-20 screw in the plate with one that matches the threads in the head.
• Attach it to your tripod head and you are good to go.

It is heavier at 1 pound 14 ounces than the Bog DeathGrip which weighs just about 1 pound, but it looks to me to be more robust.

I used this $9 Arca plate and it works great. The existing holes on either side of the long slot match perfectly with one set of the holes in the head, only requiring opening up the slot slightly so the larger diameter screws would fit through. Two great gun supports, one for the bench and the other for the field for $70.

 

[Geezerhood]

I just needed two shorter screws to attach the grip head to the Arca plate as the screws that hold it to the rest are too long. Though the threaded 1/4-20 scerw entry point on the Arca plate is a different thread, the finer thread pitch screws still went into the opening OK. No modification needed for this plate. Some others I had on hand did not line up with the holes, so they would need new holes drilled in them. I cut a groove similar to what you see on a camera locking screw on an Arca plate, at the top of the threads so the screws will stay captured on the plate when removed from the head.

 

[Bigragu]

Nice mod! Thanks for sharing

 

[Geezerhood]

Thanks! You are welcome.

 

[Ezana4CE]

@Geezerhood That is a very creative hack. That’s what I call ingenuity. Nicely done.

 

[Geezerhood]

@Geezerhood That is a very creative hack. That’s what I call ingenuity. Nicely done.

Thanks Ezana4CE.

 

[rsfrid]

Good idea. I'd use a heavy ball head.

 

[Geezerhood]

Good idea. I'd use a heavy ball head.

Yup, ball heads are great for faster target alignment and general use. I have one of these monsters that will hold a 40 pound Armalite AR-50 50 in BMG with ease on a surveyor's tripod, and several other ball heads in medium and smaller sizes, but that Manfrotto geared head is amazing for precision shooting as you can dial it in precisely for bullseye shooting from a tripod, which I find difficult with a ball head - too far left...too far right...too far left, up a bit more, ooops, back down a bit....etc. With a tripod in back with a saddle for the buttstock, it is significantly more steady than my 3/4" thick wood portable shooting bench and almost as steady as shooting from a 5 inch thick concrete bench. However, the geared heads are way to slow to get lined up for field use if the target is moving at all.