<strong>U.S.A.</strong> -<a href=”https://www.libertyreport.co/” target=”_blank”>-(Libertyreport.co)-</a>
Recently, a good friend of mine gave me the opportunity to check out some new gear made in Norway and an updated piece made in the United States. This particular set of equipment battles the age-old issues of weight versus rugged abilities. Those who track miles to their destination or need to be in a lightweight fast-moving situation should take note of the Mission Critical Design Precision Rifle Shooter Tripod or P.R.S.T. and their BH1 Ball Head. The saddle is American made by HOG Saddle. The P.R.S.T. is a Norwegian made carbon fiber tripod designed for rifle shooting and BH1 ball, also made in Norway, compliments it. The HOG Saddle is the missing piece of the solution. So what makes this tripod set up so much different than the competition?
The P.R.S.T. weighs in at a light 4.1 lb. It has a maximum load rating a 40 pound and a maximum height of 62.2 in. In the shortest height configuration, the tripod is 6.8 in tall. Collapsed down for traveling, the P.R.S.T. is a minimal 22 in long. Putting that in perspective, this tripod will support a 6’5″ shooter using an 82A1 .50 BMG Barrett Rifle, and any smaller caliber Semi-auto rifle. Looking at the specs, it is surprising to see such height variances that can support heavy weight, but the right equation of aluminum for specific parts and carbon fiber for the rest enable these specs. While using this particular OD Green Cerakote tripod, the key feature that stood out was the four section legs that had “snap levers.”
The “snap levers” did an excellent job of cinch in place and had an appropriate amount of resistance to open for adjustments while using mittens or gloves. When opened to raise or lower the tripod, the levers allowed the segmented leg to travel freely, almost as if it was on high-end ball bearings. With that type of movement, it was surprising to see the “snap levers” do an excellent job of holding the tripod in place while shooting a heavily customized .308 Remington 700 receiver, placed in a Hog Saddle, at 800 yards.
The other feature that needs this particular tripod stand out was the center column. The P.R.S.T. Is not only adjustable in height, but it can also rotate 360°. This feature allows foremost any saddle to be mounted on the tripod. Keep in mind the thread is 3/8 in-16 keeping it adaptable to many seats on the market currently. The center column does not have a locking mechanism either. This allows the shooter to track their target and not have to worry about tightening or loosening a nut, giving all attention to the mission at hand.
What are the options for mounting a ball turret on the P.R.S.T.? In surfing a few websites, the distributors of the Precision Rifle Shooter Tripod, HOG Saddle, have an option right on their site. This piece is also made in Norway, and it offers a lightweight ball and mount system for whichever saddle the shooter chooses to use. The team at Mission Critical Designs came up with an intermediate ball that Bridges the gap between having a very high-end ball and no ball at all.
Perfectly matching up with the P.R.S.T. Tripod, the BH1 he’s in at 10 oz. Its height is 3.1 in tall and has a load rating a 40 lb. The BH1 is available in a matching OD Green finish. The goal of Mission Critical Designs was to make a very durable ball head system and match it with the theory moving the P.R.S.T. system forward. That theory focuses on light, durable gear that takes abuse in a multitude of climates throughout the world. A perfect example; the P.R.S.T. BH1 Ball Head was designed to accept the recoil of an M82 .50BMG Barrett Rifle in arctic, desert, or jungle setting.
What is the missing piece to make for an excellent tripod altogether? We need to install a mount for that rifle. With many companies making some quality gear, HOG Saddle worked with Mission Critical Designs to allow for their PIG Saddle and HOG Saddle Mod 7 to work correctly in harmony with each other. Whichever is your choice, take note that both are compatible with the P.R.S.T. system.
During my trigger time on the highly modified American Built Arms chassis Remington 700, I used the full P.R.S.T. system, including a HOG Saddle Mod 7. As referenced earlier, 800 yards was no problem with high, unpredictable winds in a valley. The West Virginian setting allowed for the P.R.S.T. combination and HOG Saddle Mod 7 to work in harmony. Though the 40-degree temperatures didn’t push the carbon fiber as Arctic temperatures would, the constant use of the “snap levers” to adjust for multiple shooter heights didn’t faze the gear. Out of the 20 people who used the setup, shooters ranged in height from 5ft 2in to 6 ft 2 in and every single person took the opportunity to adjust the tripod for their body.
Mission Critical Designs did their due diligence in designing a tripod and ball head that is packed in and out of a location with relative ease and can withstand constant abuse of fieldwork in a military setting. Understanding the abuse many teams put on this set-up should make any hunter feel at ease upon purchasing this product. It is available at http://stores.hogsaddle.com/prst-carbon-fiber-tripod/. At $385, the P.R.S.T. is worth saving your pennies for. The BH1, at the price of $99, is the ideal accessory to the setup. The P.R.S.T system is only available through HOG Saddle in the United States.
