Product Review: Champion's Choice Spotting Scope Tripod

[trax]

So I'm getting some equipment together to do some 3P shooting (and probably air or high power down the road). About 90% of my shooting is indoor at 50 foot, and I take all of my equipment with me from home to the range and back, so I wanted something that was lightweight and easy to lug around in my equipment bag.

You can click the thumbnails below to view them in full-size. I've got the whole album up on imgur at http://imgur.com/a/AKjbl


The stand comes with a lightweight aluminum tripod base, 66" of vertical rod, and a swivel head. I've mounted a cheap scope for demonstration purposes. The unit comes as pictured with three 22" long extension poles, as well as a plastic carry ball on the top pole.


The legs on the base are non-adjustable and measure about 14.5" long. When the base is folded up, it measures 16" overall vertically, and should fit nicely in most equipment bags. If you're at a range that has a crappy irregular floor, you might have a bit of a challenge balancing a heavy scope at off-hand height. Curious if that's caused any issues for anyone here?


The swivel head is designed to work on both 5/8" and 3/4" poles. One difference I immediately noticed is that this stand doesn't use a dedicated pan-view collar to support the scope vertically (like you'd see on a Freeland stand)--so the tension knob is responsible for both locking the scope horizontally as well as bearing the weight vertically. I'm curious how well this will hold up long-term.


The swivel head features a leveling bubble to help get the scope properly centered when you first set it up. To release the scope from the base, simply squeeze the quick-release latch and rotate clockwise.


Here's the swivel head with the quick-release base removed.


Here's a closer look at the base itself. It's a pretty typical swivel-style head.

I'm looking forward to trying this out at the range this coming week. :)

[FireHawk]

How did the quick release head work out for you?

[Mike Carter]

At the MBA range in Nashville, between two High School teams, there must be at least 30 of these scope stands and heads in use. From what I can tell they hold up very well.
I've used Freeland head for years to shoot prone and I'm considering switching to the CC mount because it's easier to move into position and I like the quick release attachment.

Mike Carter

[patriot]

The trip to Creedmoor last fall they had a new design on paper the looked very interesting. I'll check to see if its moving forward.

Mark

[aloreman]

i use a gear buggy its built like a tank

[zanemoseley]

I've got a HMR stand, very well made and about the same money as the CC. He used to only have a straight head for scopes with a rotating band but now has a pivoting head that I use with my Celestron that doesn't have a rotating band. Check him out.

[mike-bravo]

several months ago i was searching for a good, adjustable scope stand and came across this post. after comparing creedmoor's stand, the freeland style they also sell and the champion's choice stand, i chose the champion's choice bipod. i prefer the lightweight hollow base with no third leg to get in the way, and enjoy the range of motion in two axes the head offers that allows me to see through the eyepiece without breaking my position.

the original poster expressed the same concern i had, namely that the height adjustment knob had to support the entire weight of scope and head. here's what i did to fix that. i purchased from tractor supply a hillman brand 5/8th inch shaft collar, threaded for a 5/16-18 bolt (#1045521) for $2.29. i also purchased a hillman 5/16-18 knob with a 1 3/4 in diameter round handle (#1045530) for $3.49. i shortened the length of the knob's screw to 1/2 in. long with a hacksaw. in use, the collar with knob sits just under the head on the 5/8th's in shaft, and is easily raised and lowered by a twist of the comfortable, round knob.

for $5.78 i now have the dual clamping set up the stand should have come with. everything fits well, and the three knobs so closely match no one who has seen my stand is aware my set up isn't factory.

an additional mod i did to my stand was to slide a 3/4 in tall, 1 in. o.d. black plastic spacer with 5/8th's inside diameter onto the bottom of the stand rod below the bipod leg clamp, and above the grass spike that threads into the bottom of the stand rod. when i pick my stand up by the knob at the top to move it, i never worry about whether the clamp bolt on the base is loose and may slide off, dumping the legs, head or scope on the ground. i originally used two rubber gaskets from a garden hose for a spacer in this application, but the black one looks like it's supposed to be there.

i prefer my modified stand to the older, heavier freeland and the new freeland stand, and sitting and prone it's better than the pole cat for a lot less money. i am very pleased with this stand.