Rifle saddle
A clamp with padded jaws that closes on the rifle's forend or stock, so a rifle with no rail can sit on a tripod. The jaw opening, not always published, decides which stocks fit.
What it means
A saddle is a vise for the rifle. It screws onto a tripod or head, and a knob closes two padded jaws on the forend. HOG Saddle says its MOD 7 is standard issue in the Marine Corps and Army; KJI’s Reaper Grip, BOG’s DeathGrip and NightSnipe’s saddle are other takes on it. Some saddles have an Arca base so they drop into a ball head’s clamp instead of screwing on.
What it changes in the field
- No rail needed. A hunting rifle with a plain wood or synthetic stock can go on a tripod without fitting a rail.
- Grip. Clamped tight, the rifle cannot slide out when you take your hands off it in the dark.
- Bulk. Saddles weigh more than an Arca rail and clamp, often a pound or more.
What to look for
- Jaw opening. It has to close on the narrowest point and open over the widest. KJI publishes 40 to 71 mm for the Reaper Grip and NightSnipe 0.90 to 2.50 in for its saddle; HOG Saddle publishes none for the MOD 7.
- Pads that will not mark the stock.
- How it mounts: a 3/8-16 thread on a bare tripod, or an Arca base into a head.
How we use it on this site
Saddle pages give the jaw opening only when the maker publishes it. Figures that appear only on dealer pages are left out.