Installing a Tripod QR Plate on the Magpul Hunter 700

[Canonshooter]

What follows is an easy and secure way to install a quick-release plate on the Magpul Hunter 700 stock for direct connection to a ball head. In my case I am using an Arca-style plate, the same that I use on my camera gear and what my ball head clamps accept. This attachment method should work fine for other style plates.



http://www.canonshooter.com/photos2/hunter700-2.jpg





The plate I used is similar to this one found on Amazon for $12.50 – Desmond DP60 P-60 60mm QR Lens Plate Quick Release Arca Swiss Compatible (https://www.amazon.com/Desmond-Plate-Quick-Release-Compatible/dp/B0087QK9TG)

Photo below shows my desired spot on the stock to mount the plate. This is an ideal location for maximum strength due to how the forearm attaches to the integral aluminum block;





http://www.canonshooter.com/photos2/700plate-1.jpg





This job can be done with basic hand tools, a Dremel tool with cut-off disc and a hand drill (a drill press will make it quite a bit easier). The attachment hardware was purchased at a local Ace Hardware for about $11.00;



2 – 10 X 24 Allen head screws, 3/4” long
2 – 10 X 24 Allen head scews, 1” long
2 – 10 X 24 flange nuts
1 – JB Weld epoxy



The lower half of the stock’s forearm can be removed easily: remove the two screws on the sides of the stock by the magazine well and all of the screws in the barrel channel. By gently spreading the side panels near the magazine well, the lower half of the forearm can be removed.



If you have access to a drill press, you can hold the QR plate in the correct position on the lower forearm and drill through both the plate and forearm in one pass. Since I did not have access to one, I carefully marked and drilled the holes through the QR plate by hand;





http://www.canonshooter.com/photos2/700plate-10.jpg





I removed the rubber grip-strips before drilling the holes, then cut holes in them with a paper punch before reinstalling them in the bottom of the plate;



http://www.canonshooter.com/photos2/700plate-11.jpg




I then marked the lower forearm and drilled it separately, using a slightly larger bit to allow some range of adjustment to get the QR plate perfectly positioned.

The flange nuts I purchased were round and had to be cut to fit inside the lower forearm. I used a Dremel tool with a cut-off wheel and cleaned up the cuts with a file. After test fitting the QR plate and flange nuts with the 1” long screws, I mixed up a batch of JB Weld. I applied just a dab on each flange nut then secured the QR plate to the stock, making sure it was perfectly centered and positioned on the bottom of the forearm just the way I wanted it;



http://www.canonshooter.com/photos2/700plate-2.jpg





In the photo above, you can see the internal webbing of the lower forearm. Also seen are the three attachment points where the forearm clamps on to the integral aluminum block, making this a good spot to place the QR plate.

Once I was happy that the QR plate was precisely where I wanted it, I tightened the screws and filled the void with JB Weld to fully embed the flange nuts for maximum strength;



http://www.canonshooter.com/photos2/700plate-3.jpg



Below are three photos showing the stock’s integral block and the forearm’s three attachment points to it. The screws pass through from the barrel channel through the block and engage threads in the lower forearm (which has molded-in bushings to fit tightly in the screw holes of the block) effectively clamping the lower and upper forearm pieces to the block. With the way all the pieces fit so tightly together, it’s easy to see how Magpul attained good rigidity on the forearm.



http://www.canonshooter.com/photos2/700plate-4.jpg



http://www.canonshooter.com/photos2/700plate-5.jpg

http://www.canonshooter.com/photos2/700plate-6.jpg




The QR plate was attached to the forearm using the 3/4 longs screws;



http://www.canonshooter.com/photos2/700plate-7.jpg





http://www.canonshooter.com/photos2/700plate-8.jpg



http://www.canonshooter.com/photos2/700plate-9.jpg



With the plate attached this way it should stand up to plenty of recoil abuse without fear of breakage or coming loose, and can be easily removed if desired. For those who wish to shoot their Magpul Hunter 700 stocked rifle on a tripod without the use of a saddle, I hope you find this post useful!

[mattpittinger]

Great post bud!
I'm currently using a pig saddle and I have a triclawps saddle as well, how do you feel the QR plate compares? Or have you tried them side by side? I run a Larue QR plate on my Long range AR, and it's solid but I prefer the saddle, I'm wondering if this would be more stable than the rail mounted systems.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SeriousStudent]

Very nice work, and thank you for the photos.

[Canonshooter]

I'm currently using a pig saddle and I have a triclawps saddle as well, how do you feel the QR plate compares? Or have you tried them side by side? I run a Larue QR plate on my Long range AR, and it's solid but I prefer the saddle, I'm wondering if this would be more stable than the rail mounted systems.

I have not compared direct mount vs. saddle but I can see advantages/disadvantages to both. For me, the direct mount was convenient as I already had QR plates and the Magpul Hunter stock has the perfect spot to mount one. Also, with more direct mounts becoming available from various quality providers, it seems the direct-mount method is gaining some traction in the precision shooting community.

Truth be told, I've been using tripods for over three decades for nature/wildlife photography so I'm well versed on how to use them, but have yet to fire a shot with a rifle mounted on one - that will change as soon as I get my barreled action back from being threaded. That said, I've spent hours with the rifle mounted on the tripod trying different positions and stabilization techniques. From what I can see through the scope in terms of wobble zone, technique is a major factor. The most stable position (least wobble) so far has been;


Getting low as possible (sitting position)
tripod legs spread as wide as possible (as shown in first photo of original post)
legs/knees placed in back of and against the two rear tripod legs to better anchor them against recoil
shoulders squared-up behind rifle and leaning into it to "load the tripod" (just like loading a bipod in prone)
using sling wrapped around tripod leg as shown on the SS Loophole Sling page on hogsaddle.com site



Using the above technique the observed wobble zone at 10X is extremely small. My goal is to be capable (with slow, deliberate fire) of 1 MOA accuracy using a tripod from a sitting position, though that may be a bit too optimistic for my meager shooting skills.

One last observation - while plenty of info/instruction can be found for bipod technique, there is very little for "rifle tripod technique." Most videos I have found look unstable due to the way they are set up (like this one (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpb4JyvixBc)), and only one video I have found (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-ALqzUCSfE) actually looks stable during recoil. No doubt more/better info will emerge as using tripods for precision shooting becomes more popular.

I have a range date set for later in the month and plan on taking some video so I can observe how well my technique is managing recoil, with the goal of being able to observe hits on target. If it' not too embarrassing, I'll post it here.

[Canonshooter]

Very nice work, and thank you for the photos.

My pleasure, the use of tripods for rifle shooting is new ground for me too.