The Hatch bipod does look very useful. Did you go with the 27” height or the 36”?https://www.hatchoutwest.com/shop-products/
BI-POD KNOWLEDGE
- Thread starter Bill Norris
- Start date
Lengthy and interesting thread. I think the Op's final choice will work out for him; EGW makes pretty solid stuff and that looks like a decent, solid bipod for shooting off a bench, which I recall is what he said it was going to be used for.
Although sometimes they feel a bit springy, I've never had a Harris bipod fail on me, and I have to say that also includes the cheap Chinese knock-offs I bought some years back when a bit impecunious, although they don't feel as solid and the mounts do come lose sometimes. They fold up pretty compact so you don't really have to keep taking them off.
If I were going for a less expensive bipod today I like the MDT Ground Pods as they eschew the Harris stud fitting for either ARCA or Picatinny which feel a bit more solid to me.
That said, latterly my first choice in bipods has been a Sinclair F-class bipod. I didn't like it at first but it has really grown on me. It's been strong enough to use with my Savage 110 and 112 in 338 Lapua, attached to my BipodXT with a Harris stud adaptor on the 110. It's never come lose. And the bipod Harris fitting has held up very well, although I didn't expect it to on the 338.
Just lately I went for the Godzilla of bipods, a Valdada Anvil for the 338. It's big, but incredibly solid. It has the same horizontal footprint as my Sinclair. The downside is it isn't especially cheap but the best never is.
The bipod and and adaptor space is crowded for sure. I like the MDT Mlok adaptors for ARCA and Picatinny.
There's a lot of good stuff out there and in the middle market, say $200-$400 it's hard to pick one over another.
Full disclosure, I make a market in some of the products mentioned.
Although sometimes they feel a bit springy, I've never had a Harris bipod fail on me, and I have to say that also includes the cheap Chinese knock-offs I bought some years back when a bit impecunious, although they don't feel as solid and the mounts do come lose sometimes. They fold up pretty compact so you don't really have to keep taking them off.
If I were going for a less expensive bipod today I like the MDT Ground Pods as they eschew the Harris stud fitting for either ARCA or Picatinny which feel a bit more solid to me.
That said, latterly my first choice in bipods has been a Sinclair F-class bipod. I didn't like it at first but it has really grown on me. It's been strong enough to use with my Savage 110 and 112 in 338 Lapua, attached to my BipodXT with a Harris stud adaptor on the 110. It's never come lose. And the bipod Harris fitting has held up very well, although I didn't expect it to on the 338.
Just lately I went for the Godzilla of bipods, a Valdada Anvil for the 338. It's big, but incredibly solid. It has the same horizontal footprint as my Sinclair. The downside is it isn't especially cheap but the best never is.
The bipod and and adaptor space is crowded for sure. I like the MDT Mlok adaptors for ARCA and Picatinny.
There's a lot of good stuff out there and in the middle market, say $200-$400 it's hard to pick one over another.
Full disclosure, I make a market in some of the products mentioned.
I shot a bipod for 4 years: Two years in F-TR and my first two years in F-Open. I used the Sinclair adjustable height bipod. Initially and briefly, I used a Harris for my first F-TR competition. If I were in "hunting mode", I'd probably use a Harris-type, simple and light. Although not a hunter, nor a tactical competitor; I have my original Harris on a tactical rifle! I found the Harris to be most stable off-the-bench and out-of-the-grass by modifying the feet. First by wrapping the small "feet" with successive wraps of friction tape to the point that 1-inch rubber leg tips could just be forced on. This greatly stabilized the Harris on multiple surfaces and helped mitigate bipod jump common to "loading" the bipod with shoulder pressure.
With the Sinclair, my technique was not to load the bipod. Rather, to allow the rifle to recoil just as an F-Open shooter using a front rest...faux free recoil!? With no bipod jump.
You will know when you've mastered your bipod technique when you can watch the bullet vapor trail arch all the way into the target thru the riflescope, something that few F-Open shooters witness using a front rest! Maybe with a 6mm BR? No rifle torque.
With the Sinclair, my technique was not to load the bipod. Rather, to allow the rifle to recoil just as an F-Open shooter using a front rest...faux free recoil!? With no bipod jump.
You will know when you've mastered your bipod technique when you can watch the bullet vapor trail arch all the way into the target thru the riflescope, something that few F-Open shooters witness using a front rest! Maybe with a 6mm BR? No rifle torque.
Ned Ludd
Silver $$ Contributor
There are basically two styles of bipods, the "classic" Harris-style, and bipods that use ski-feet. The shooting styles used with each are quite different. With a Harris-style bipod, the [rubber] feet are pre-loaded to help prevent hop, and some type of squeezable (bean bag) type rear bag is used to adjust elevation. The ski-type bipods common among F-TR shooters are typically used with a sand-filled eared rear bag. As the styles of shooting used with each type differ, so do the special considerations necessary to obtain the best precision. The primary consideration with a pre-loaded bipod is that the same pressure be applied every time, or increased vertical dispersion will be the result. The primary consideration with ski-type bipods is that they track straight back during the recoil impulse. Otherwise, increased horizontal dispersion will be the result.
Being one that prefers to pre-load a bipod, I favor the Long Range Accuracy F-Class bipod. It has a footprint that is half again as wide as the Harris or standard Atlas bipods, meaning that it helps oppose rifle torque better. Bill, you mentioned you might be looking at a heavier bipod. If that is still you intention, have a look at the LRA bipods (https://www.eurooptic.com/longrange-accuracy.aspx). Just be aware that they are much larger and heavier than a Harris-type bipod. If the extra size and weight are an issue for they type of shooting you intend to do most often, they may not be your best choice. However, if you wish to pre-load the bipod and are looking for the greatest stability possible (i.e. light weight and mobility are less critical), the LRA might be the ticket for you. One other thing, they're a bit pricey compared to smaller classic bipods such as the Harris/Atlas.
Being one that prefers to pre-load a bipod, I favor the Long Range Accuracy F-Class bipod. It has a footprint that is half again as wide as the Harris or standard Atlas bipods, meaning that it helps oppose rifle torque better. Bill, you mentioned you might be looking at a heavier bipod. If that is still you intention, have a look at the LRA bipods (https://www.eurooptic.com/longrange-accuracy.aspx). Just be aware that they are much larger and heavier than a Harris-type bipod. If the extra size and weight are an issue for they type of shooting you intend to do most often, they may not be your best choice. However, if you wish to pre-load the bipod and are looking for the greatest stability possible (i.e. light weight and mobility are less critical), the LRA might be the ticket for you. One other thing, they're a bit pricey compared to smaller classic bipods such as the Harris/Atlas.
Bill Norris
Back in the Day
Yea, for lack of knowledge I may have mis-stated my point of interest by saying heavier. What I should have said was I am interested in a wider more stable bi-pod for shooting from my bench that does not require pre-loading. I have never done this in the past even with my existing Harris BR model which some say will hinder accuracy by not pre-loading it. Fortunately, I have been able to shoot good groups with my hunting rifles without pre-loading it and don't feel like my accuracy has suffered from my technique. And honestly I probably will not see any gains or improvements from switching over to it but after looking at several videos and comparing models vs. $$$ vs. claimed stability I have settled on the EGW M-pod Mystic Precision: https://www.egwguns.com/mystic-precision-bipod-mpod-manufactured-by-egw-2-625.
Lastly, at least with this one simply because with it having the skid-style feet and using a regular rear bag-rest I'm hoping to get a better feel and more closely resembling the straight back movement as the front rest and rear bag with my BR rifles. Hope this makes sense.
Bill Norris
Back in the Day
Thanks Bro. Yea, I had seen that recommended earlier somewhere on here I believe.
muleystalker
Silver $$ Contributor
Bill does that bipod have an adjustment for barrel cant? It doesn't look like it does. For the price of that bipod there are better choices for what you are using it for and they will be easier to adjust the hight while using which is big. Something like an FTR bipod would do what that bipod will do and a lot better. One is the DULPIN ROAER Bi Pod, hight is adjusted with the turn of one wheel also there is a quick adjustment for barrel can't. There are several other brands with the same principle. These come up for sale on here if you keep an eye out. It will be much more user friendly than the one you're looking at. You can put a Picatinny clamp on it also. I tried to attach a link but for some reason its not working. There is a write up on them in the Daily Bulletin.
Bill Norris
Back in the Day
Yea the one I'm looking at does cant. I did take a look at that one. They were sold out and that one is about 100.00 more than the EGW model.
ronsatspokane
Gold $$ Contributor
Yeah, if you are not competing with it, create a trough for the feet to run in and have a heavy rear bag like a SEB bigfoot. It'll track really nicely. People were doing this in competition but it got shutdown. Kind of defeated the purpose of FTR making it more F Open like.
Bill Norris
Back in the Day
Yes, they have an adaptor to actually go from the dual sling studs on the B & C stocks to T slot rail. Another good thing.
Bill Norris
Back in the Day
B Nettesheim
Gold $$ Contributor
Harris bipods have never let me down in function or accuracy but I like to try different things, so I bought a magpul, biggest most wobbly pos I’ve ever used but managed to shoot 2.25 & 5” groups with it at 1k with a hunting rifle . My favorite as far as ease of use is my atlas, you could adjust it with welding gloves on at -20.
My bipod obsession stated about 25 years ago when I started shooting F Class.
The problem with most bipods of the day was shot to shot stability on the ground. That evolved to a wider stance with larger feet. In recent years, I have taken an interest in PRS/NRL style events. The Op seems to be looking for something to use from a bench. These are key distinctions in ideal functionality that need to be considered.
From a bench it does not really matter how long it takes to deploy. The width does not matter much, but rubber feet will probably help reduce barrel harmonics and hop.
For F Class, again, time to deploy is not really a consideration, but shot to shot consistency over many shots is a priority, so wide feet are an advantage as is a ridged anti cant system that does not slip. For F Class on a grassy range, nothing beats my home made bipod because it transfers recoil to the spiked feet and controls muzzle jump. It ensures the rifle remains in the same position throughout the shot string. This bipod cannot be used on cement or gravel as it needs to be jammed into the ground. This works exceedingly well on the 3 grassy clay military ranges I have used for F Class in Ontario, Cedar Springs, Borden and Conaught. It also works well at the range in Ypsilanti Michigan.
For PRS, speed to deploy is an absolute priority and where the humble Harris has its advantage in this regard as nothing is faster. That being said guys will often gravitate to Atlas for reasons that allude me. I have a couple but find every excuse not to use them.
My overall preference for a bipod is made by Cadex. It was not inexpensive, but it is a real nice bipod.
The problem with most bipods of the day was shot to shot stability on the ground. That evolved to a wider stance with larger feet. In recent years, I have taken an interest in PRS/NRL style events. The Op seems to be looking for something to use from a bench. These are key distinctions in ideal functionality that need to be considered.
From a bench it does not really matter how long it takes to deploy. The width does not matter much, but rubber feet will probably help reduce barrel harmonics and hop.
For F Class, again, time to deploy is not really a consideration, but shot to shot consistency over many shots is a priority, so wide feet are an advantage as is a ridged anti cant system that does not slip. For F Class on a grassy range, nothing beats my home made bipod because it transfers recoil to the spiked feet and controls muzzle jump. It ensures the rifle remains in the same position throughout the shot string. This bipod cannot be used on cement or gravel as it needs to be jammed into the ground. This works exceedingly well on the 3 grassy clay military ranges I have used for F Class in Ontario, Cedar Springs, Borden and Conaught. It also works well at the range in Ypsilanti Michigan.
For PRS, speed to deploy is an absolute priority and where the humble Harris has its advantage in this regard as nothing is faster. That being said guys will often gravitate to Atlas for reasons that allude me. I have a couple but find every excuse not to use them.
My overall preference for a bipod is made by Cadex. It was not inexpensive, but it is a real nice bipod.
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Bill Norris
Back in the Day
The Op seems to be looking for something to use from a bench. These are key distinctions in ideal functionality that need to be considered.
Yes, I will use it on the bench with hunting rifles only. I plan to place carpet on the bench for the feet/skids to ride on.
Yes, I will use it on the bench with hunting rifles only. I plan to place carpet on the bench for the feet/skids to ride on.
I guess I don’t load I push, into bipod harness or spikes, whatever keeps it in the same spot for several rounds. With a brake, can see impacts, don’t have to reset the shooting position, no hopping, repeatable. And with a Harris there might not be slack but there’s a ton of hop because there’s no slack. Having the recoil pad as high as possible in relation to the bore helps. So does being able to push.
I can spot hit and no repositioning and no hop with Harris bipods. Have used them in matches for many years and no pushing. Body position has effect also. If directly behind the rifle then you can do it all without pushing the rifle.
Bill Norris
Back in the Day
I never have pushed or pre-loaded the Harris. Always shot well with it but wanted to try something wider to try and duplicate the feel of my front rest with BR rifles.
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