Light, stable, and affordable, the Springbok Tripod from Spartan Precision equipment is a game-changer for hunters
by Richard Mann
One of the core axioms of rifle shooting is if you can get closer, get closer, and if you can get steadier, get steadier. Getting closer and steadier are the two easiest ways to increase the probability of a hit. When hunting, there is a point you will reach on every stalk where getting closer is either not possible or advisable, and savvy hunters are prepared for that situation by having a means to get steadier. Spartan Precision Equipment specializes in helping rifle shooters get steady, and one of their newest tools to help with that is the Springbok Tripod.
Spartan Precision Equipment
Since 2013, Spartan Precision Equipment, which is a United Kingdom-based company, has been a leader in the shooting support industry, providing stable and lightweight supports that interface with their revolutionary Magnaswitch connection system. All their products undergo a rigorous development process that includes outsourcing testing to experienced shooters, and they use the feedback to further refine each product.
I’ve been using Spartan Precision gear for more than a decade, partly because it works, but also partly because of how light and structurally rugged their products are. One of the main reasons, though, I so often use Spartan Precision Equipment is because of the ingenious Magnaswitch system.
Traditionally, hunters and shooters have attached bipods and tripods to their rifles by way of various rail systems. Most of these attachment systems are heavy, require tools, and take a substantial amount of time to make the connection. The Magnaswitch system used by Spartan consists of a small 8mm diameter stud that is only 13mm long. This stud contains a strong rare Earth magnet, and it’s used on all the Spartan shooting supports designed for hunters. The stud also interfaces with various receptacles/adapters you can mount on any rifle.
Spartan has a gunsmith adapter that installs flush with the stock, adapters that attach to the sling swivel stud, and others that connect to Picatinny, M-LOK, ARCA, or UIT rails. Once you attach the receptacle/adapter to your rifle, you can use any of their hunting supports, including the new Springbok Tripod.
The Springbok Tripod
Last year, Spartan Precision introduced the Springbok Bipod, which was a two-leg shooting support that is particularly well-suited for shooting from the kneeling or seated positions — especially in high-angle situations where you’re shooting up or down hill. What really set the Springbok Bipod apart from other two-leg shooting sticks is its silicone head where the two legs connect.
This temperature-resistant head contains their Magnaswitch attachment system, but it also allows you to spread the legs from narrow to wide, which permits immediate elevation adjustment without having to screw or flip any locks to make leg length adjustments. With the Springbok Tripod, Spartan has applied this innovative silicone head to a three-leg support.
Spartan Precision makes the Springbok Tripod legs out of carbon fiber, and when you collapse the unit, they are only 32 inches long with an overall collapsed length of 36 inches. This allows it to easily fit inside a hard-sided rifle case for travel. By virtue of a screw lock, you can extend the legs from 32 inches out to 59.5 inches, where they will have an equilateral triangular footprint of about three feet. The Springbok Tripod is tall enough to provide support for a shooter who is more than six feet tall while standing. And, on the bottom on each leg, there’s a steel projection in an aluminum housing that will dig into just about any surface; however, you can also replace these feet and/or combine them with claw feet or snow baskets to better suit the terrain you’re hunting on.
The silicone head pioneered on the Springbok Bipod is almost as ingenious as the Magnaswitch connection system. This head provides flexibility to the angle of the legs, and by simply grabbing one leg you can instantly go from a standing support to a kneeling or sitting support. With some leg adjustment, and the continued flex of the silicone head, you can instantly go from kneeling or sitting support to prone support. I’m not aware of any other tripod that allows this much flexibility — this fast — when switching positions. Just as important, with the magnetic attachment of the tripod to your rifle, when you need to make quick/short location movements, your rifle and tripod stay connected. Should you need to make a fast move to take an offhand shot, like you might need to do as a follow-up shot on dangerous game, you can disconnect the tripod and rifle in a second.
Tested
The real test of any tripod is whether it allows you to shoot better. I tested the Springbok Tripod by shooting at eight-inch steel plates from various positions out to 300 yards. Hits came easy, but more importantly, the unit was so fast to deploy. I conducted a test at 100 yards, where I started with the tripod in one hand and my rifle in another, and I was able to deploy the tripod, mount my rifle, and hit an eight-inch plate in about five seconds. I conducted a similar test where I had my rifle on the tripod — aiming at an eight inch plate at 100 yards — and then dropped from standing to kneeling. I was able to switch between those positions, back and forth, and still get my hits in about five seconds.
One other interesting aspect with the Springbok Tripod is how you can use the silicone head to further steady your shooting platform once you get into position. By gripping the head in your support hand and then twisting it, the malleable silicone allows the head to warp and sort of lock the legs, providing a stronger and steadier support.
The tripod also comes with a leg lock that is a flat, quick-connect clamp. It connects to each leg and holds the legs together when you’re carrying it around. If you want to stop and rest or use the tripod to support your binoculars, you can just twist the head with the legs connected and it will stand up by itself.
Final Thoughts
In June of this year, as my recent safari in Africa was coming to close, I met up with Rob Gearing of Spartan Precision in Africa’s Limpopo province. He had one of the Springbok Tripods with him, and while I did not get to hunt with it, I got to see it in action, and several professional hunters had a chance to look it over. The first thing we all liked about it was how light it was. It weighs less than 28 ounces, which is incredibly light for a tripod. Another thing we all liked was the versatility of the Magnaswitch system, which allows you to, with multiple adapters, share the tripod with any rifle you own.
Also, and this is important, too, with the Spartan binocular adapter, you can use the Springbok Tripod to support your binoculars for extended glassing sessions. With the heavy duty optics adapter, the Springbok can support a spotting scope or a camera. Further, you cannot overlook the fact that once you have one of the Magnaswitch connection adapters on your rifle, your rifle becomes compatible with all the other Spartan shooting supports.
I spend about a month on safari in Africa every year, and if you’re going to hunt in Africa, shooting sticks are a necessity because of the spot-and-stalk method of hunting combined with the height of the grass and other vegetation. With its light weight and versatility, I think the Springbok is the ideal tripod for Africa. But I also think spot-and-stalk hunters everywhere can appreciate it. You might find a heavier tripod that could be a bit steadier, but you will not find one you can adjust so easily that weighs less.
You can order your Springbok Tripod direct from the company for $349.99.
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