# Bipods



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

what are you running for Bipods ?
what height are you running ?
have you upgraded them at all with spiked feet or other add on accessories ?

most of my shooting has been done from a sling or sand bag and not a bipod.

but last year I tried one for the first time , I purchased a cheap Harris Knock off and while I think it is a piece of junk it worked for a while before it broke it served it's purpose , at 20 dollars it let me try the concept without dropping a hundred although I know think I probably should have just dropped the money on the Harris from the get go.

the cheap knock off wasn't the swivel type just 6-9 inch notched legs 

I was later able to try a neighbors 6-9 Harris with swivel and dropped the money to order one.
then add a pod-loc tension lever not sure why harris doesn't just include that it seems like everyone adds it.


I liked the groups I was shooting from the bipod and the light portability , carrying one rear bag is much easier than carrying a bucket of sand bags or wood blocks and sand bags


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

Not a fan of bipods. tried one for a while and while you can really shoot off of them good, I did not like the way the rifle carried and balanced with it. If I'm hunting open country where it's hard to find a tree to lean on, I'll carry a set of shooting sticks.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

for hunting distances which are for me about 10 yards to 125 yards normally they never really made any sense either , but when you start playing at 300+ it makes a difference.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I bought a Calwell which ran me about $90 canadian. I would rate it as the minimal acceptable. It has pivot. But I know I should have spent more.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

at least the Caldwell will take most of the same upgrades the Harris will.

they sell for about 45 US. 

the Harris is 95 on sale and the locking lever is 15 more , but I guess you could spend 400 for an Atlas 

hard to imagine spending that much on a bipod but it is a specialized tool I guess.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Availability is an issue driving price here. Hard to find Harris ir Atlas even onthe rack here. Mine is a 9-13 inch. Compact ones are cheaper taller version more. Pivot adds some cost too. We can get Champion bipods quite cheap. Probably not worth the money but might be ok. I think my brother has one.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Since we hunt from a sitting postition 99% of the time and do not care for stuff that makes noise we do not use a bi pod, not one of our group does.

Every one has made shooting sticks from the varmint al's web site design BI FUR pod.

Mine is old hockey sticks 1/4 x1/4 x 42" so I can quickly kneel if need be spred the legs and shoot. I have a cord across the bottom so it can only spread so far. Makes a nice sling for carrying.

They work nice on ground that isn't level also. You can set on a hump and have the shooting sticks setting lower even.
I have even just held the sticks closed and used them as a single leg stead rest.

You can find the old hockey sticks behind ice areanas in the trash, broken blades for free too.


 Al


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I have a few sets of shooting sticks , Varmint Al style although I used tape and not leather epoxied on.

different heights , for sitting in a chair , seated on the ground , or even a set I made for standing mine are just wood I cut down to the way I liked it on the table saw 
I run 3 inch screws in to just past the threads then cut the heads off with the angle grinder making a point they stick nicely in the ground keeping them from spreading more than wanted.

I really don't use the shooting sticks much for any hunting , I am nearly as stable in a sling seated I can shoot fine at 200 from a sling seated or kneeling.

where we hunt we seldom see 200 yards let alone farther.

unless your hunting out west in some long range 300+ yard shooting bipods are not so much for hunting in my opinion.

I see Bipods more for chasing little groups and small targets at long range.

part of why I hadn't spent the money on the specialized tool till recently , but now I am chasing small groups and long range targets .


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

Ross said:


> Availability is an issue driving price here. Hard to find Harris ir Atlas even onthe rack here. Mine is a 9-13 inch. Compact ones are cheaper taller version more. Pivot adds some cost too. We can get Champion bipods quite cheap. Probably not worth the money but might be ok. I think my brother has one.


I have a feeling the reason Harris keeps the s-lock handle off their bipod is to keep the retail price under 100 dollars.
shooting equipment over 100 dollars is export restricted. not sure how that applies to Canada I just see the warnings on items when purchasing from Midway and Brownell's .


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

I am too cheap up buy a bipod. I use the rear view mirror on my truck.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

When I am just wanting tiny groups I use my rifle rest for shooting.












It is home built also and was to be a proto type for a steel one and worked so well I never did get to makeing a steel one.
I have made some minor changes to this since the picture was taken.
I put a backer on to stop the stock from sliding.











 Al


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I think your better off without the backer , the rifle recoils differently if it can't slide strait back.

consistent shoulder pressure is the desired backer and recoiling strait back like your rest is doing.


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## shawnlee (Apr 13, 2010)

I run a pig buttstock pocket with a bals bag,,,,,my own remake of the bals mk-2 gen 2....

The pig carries a couple range cards and a mildot master and some misc items....




















Which allows me to have a custom cheek riser height concealed under it.....a piece of foam taped on and then I add the bals bag for a rear bag.....










Giving me a better set that fits me better...….the mk version has a smaller rear bag and a smaller pocket











That pre made mk-2 is not bad, but the pocket size makes it all but useless and the bag is also small....

By using the pig and choosing the size bals I want to mount to the rear gives me the large pocket and a large bag...….it still tucks up off had and secures out of the way like the premade mk-2.....and it was cheaper to piece it together.

Upside is when not at the range, if I go hunting everything I need is in the pocket pouch....holds like 10 rounds a mini oil bottle, some lens wipes...mini pencil, paper, range card, a couple small allen wrenches for any scope or mount issues that could happen.....pretty much everything the rifle needs.

The biggest up side is being able hide the carved up cheek rest of foam so riser height and cheek weld is perfect and it looks better than some taped on foam as the pig covers it up....

The pig holds a shocking amount of stuff considering, it also holds more if you do not fill it up with ammo that will never get used when in the field, unless you leave camp for a week...lol


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I put the backer on it and it works just fine.

The Caldwell lead sled has a butt cradle on it.










I use mine when I mount a scope and am dialing it in. Takes the weak link out (ME) when sighting it in.

I also used it when working up my reduced loads for the Swift then being able to drop in a 3808 round and know where to dial the turret.
Never know when a coyote will pop up when squirrel hunting.

 Al


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## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

I use an Atlas, with both spike and rubber feet on one of my precision rifles and a couple Harris's on other rifles. Both are 9-13, but I do have a set of extensions for the Atlas. The spiked feet are very good as they allow me to load the bipod by pushing into it.

I actually do my load development using the Bipod as that's how the rifle will be shot. For a rear bag I've gone to an Armegedon Gear "Game Changer" which is more of a multi-function bag rather than just rear. I find a bench rest to be steadier and easier to get good groups from.

Now for hunting, I'm not a bipod fan and normally carry a "Bog-Pod" tripod. When I do go prone, I normally just shoot off my back-pack, or the Bog-Pod goes pretty low when spread out. Last years 10pt was at 297y off the Bog-Pod sitting.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

up till recently I shot mostly from a sling , I am running about 1.25 to 1.5 MOA groups from a sling prone but I am chasing a sub minute load and a half mile target. just a personal goal last year I got to 200, 300, 400, 475 and 500 yards this year my goal is a half mile 880 yards and of course all the data that comes with working out to these ranges. 500 was with 223 AR and once I knew the dope a 10 inch plate at 500 off the bipod with my sock full of rice for a rear squeeze bag wasn't to difficult to keep rounds on.

I have foam on my stock to get the right height then horse wrap and athletic tape over that , doesn't look the best but it works and doesn't move.

this year I am working with 308 .

the rice squeeze bag isn't quite firm enough and I am changing bags I was getting 1 moa of vertical dispersion with only about a half minute of horizontal dispersion at 400 yards off my cheap bipod on a 10 shot group working on bettering that. it's nothing to complain about that is 10 rounds under a dollar bill at 400 yards I just think I can do better.

I broke the cheap knock off of a harris they used cheap soft metal and eventually it broke where it mounts to the sling stud.

I have to wait for the corn to come down to go beyond 200 yards but it is starting to come down soon.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

chuck that looks like a sweet bag with a pile of uses but ouch $108 for a bag , the precision game can get expensive.


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## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

GPC,

Yup, but I caught a sale, so it was a little less pain. For some reason it seems like everything designed for game gets expensive....Last month I dropped $1700 for a new match pistol and now I'm spending $$$$ to get in where it needs to be........nature of the shooting hobbies I suppose.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

Chuck I was just watching a video , 



they ran just rifle , a bag and the rail mounted barricade system he went 7 for 8 hits on all but he nearly cut his time in half with the rail system.

the rail is interesting , but obviously very game driven


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## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

GPC,

The game changer acts similar as you can strap it to the forearm of the gun.






On my 3Gun rig I have a barricade brace, similar to the video you posted, it does work well as you can "load" or push into the barricade while shooting to steady. 










So I have no doubt their barricade brace works.


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

I really hate the lead sleds. Too much junk in the way for me to properly hold the rifle.
I just use old school sand bags.


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## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

Fishindude said:


> I really hate the lead sleds. Too much junk in the way for me to properly hold the rifle.
> I just use old school sand bags.


Same here.

A friend at work gave me one for working with his wife on shooting and letting him zero a couple rifles on my range. I've used it once, took some pictures of my rifle on it and haven't dragged it out since. I'd rather just use a front benchrest and rear bag. Seems like the lead-sled takes me too long to get the shot lined up.


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