bipods anyone?

C

CoolHandWill

Guest
it may not be "benchrest" oriented but i'm pretty curious about bipods. i hope i'm not blowing up the forum but i thought this was worth its own thread. if you've seen either of my previous threads, you know i just got my first centerfire rifle (ruger american in .308 with a redfield x12) and i have no idea what i'm doing with it! i have lots of experience shooting shotguns .22's and hunting, but not so much at long range.

in another thread someone pointed this bipod out to me:
http://www.sinclairintl.com/shootin...r-3rd-generation-f-class-bipod-prod44699.aspx

very cool, but a little too bulky for anything but a strictly target gun and very $$$. my gun is going more of a versatile route and may be used for hunting a bit but mostly just seeing what i as a shooter can do. a bipod seems appropriate in any case.

if this aforementioned bipod is too much, in terms of bulk, weight, and price, what's a good compromise? it looks like there are only two styles of bipods that i can see: very lightweight folding bipods that range from $20 to $145, and target bipods like the above. what else is there? how good are the lightweight folding bipods for long range target shooting? how much effect will the weight of a bipod have on the accuracy of my very lightweight gun?

TIA.
 
I've tried a couple of bipods, even some of those sleds they call bipods. We shoot a prone competition here where those sinclair-type sleds and rear bags are not allowed and we're getting < 0.3moa scores with plain-jane Harris bipods. Easiest, lightest and cheapest solution, stable enough too.
 
Must have cant movement

Wil,
you are right, the bipod is a versatile hunting rest, i own and use many of them.
The most important thing, you must decide, if you are going to shoot from a level surface? if not, you have to choose one that allows for cant adjustment or tilt if you like, so you can keep the cross hairs level. Shooting from a rock and having the cross hairs at 20 degrees out of level will mean a miss when you fire.
we shoot alot from the roof of a pick up so a bipod is quick and easy to use without this feature longer shots can not be taken. With the cant adjustment, the full potential of the cartridge can be used.
If you are shooting from a bench or fixed position than the best option is always a sand bag rest.
Good Shooting!
Jim
 
When I pointed you to the Sinclair, I also mentioned the Harris-type and pointed you to a page with info on shooting well from one. Do not expect to shoot as consistently from one as from an F-Class bipod like the Sinclair.

Greg J
 
Go over to Accurateshooter.com and read the article "Bugholes from bipods" by a guy called Froggy. Some pertinent info there on using bipods with good results, tho by no means Benchrest quality groups.
 
VT52 said:
If you want to shoot BR, then shoot BR, not off a bipod ;)
Click to expand...

never said i wanted to shoot benchrest though :) the benchrest people just seemed to be like good ones to ask! turns out i was right

thanks for all the responses guys. i believe i will invest in a plain old harris. probably a 14 inch or so. i have a predator hunt coming up!
 
CoolHandWill said:
i believe i will invest in a plain old harris. probably a 14 inch or so. i have a predator hunt coming up!
Click to expand...

When I first started shooting for accuracy, I used a Harris bipod off a bench...it was all I had. Harris also makes a short 'HBR' bipod (6"-9"). I found the best results by putting a piece of 1/4" masonite on the bench top and laying a piece of waxed paper (kitchen stuff) on top of that. That way, the bipod will slide rearward, rather than jumping as they are prone to do. Also, a piece of foam rubber between the bipod and the stock seemed to soak up some of the vibrations.

Here's a link to the Harris site:
http://www.harrisbipods.com/

Be aware that there are some crappy Chinese replicas being sold by some of the Big Box shooting supply houses and on eBay. Don't be fooled by them as they are junk of the first order.

Good shootin'. -Al
 
Bipods

Harris has an adapter to attach to a picatinny rail under the stock which allows you to rotate left and right without changing your position. They are also coming out with one that will attach to the sling stud. That one is still under construction and may be offered by the end of this month. A bit pricy though.

Roy
 
Roy Allain said:
Harris has an adapter to attach to a picatinny rail under the stock which allows you to rotate left and right without changing your position. They are also coming out with one that will attach to the sling stud. That one is still under construction and may be offered by the end of this month. A bit pricy though.

Roy
Click to expand...

oh i was under the impression that most of these mounted to the sling stud. i was kind of banking on it. because i have no rail or anything.
 
bringing this back.

i had a seemingly optimal bipod ordered but it's been "backordered" for two months now so i'm back on the search. here's what's making it hard: i really don't want a spring loaded one. it seems like a lot of $$ and weight for a feature that i'm not going to take advantage of at all. i'm completely capable of moving the legs down manually! i can find very few like that though, and even fewer good ones like that.

does anyone know of a good bipod that's like a harris without the spring loaded legs?
 
Don't worry about the spring loaded legs IMO...... I have owned just about every bipod available (all but the Seb of those mentioned in this thread) from AL to steel to fiberglass and two of carbon fiber and IMO the Harris is the way to go. But they need to be mounted solidly. Most commonly I take the stock off and inlet/epoxy a metal plate into the barrel channel to take a machine screw type front stud, I've used brass, aluminum and steel for the plates. I then will most often make a leather pad to accommodate the contour differences between the stock and the 'pod and crank 'er down tight. Mounted solidly I think the Harris can actually add accuracy to most setups.

opinionby




al
 
IMO, the barrel and forend of a rifle that has a free floated barrel are vary much like the tines of a tuning fork. If you strike a tuning fork so that it produces a tone, and then touch one tine, it effects the other. We have barrel tuners that work by adding weight and adjusting its location. Very little thought has been given to tuning the other tine, or bedding the other metal that is attached to it, that has the freedom to vibrate, so that that vibration may be more consistent.

On the bipod thing, there seems to be a tradeoff between accuracy and portability. F class competitors, that only have to deal with overall weight restrictions, and are not concerned with being able to fold their bipods for ease of rifle transport, seem to have found some advantage in bipods that have a wider stance. On the other hand, I don't think that many would want to carry those designs in the field.
 
I've had great luck just using the harris swivel model bipods and adding a pod-loc to them. Easy to level up and sturdy enough for about any weight rifle. This ISN'T benchrest, but more for varmint and informal sight-ins/general shooting. For an all around versatile rest they are great.
 
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