Favorite Bipod for F/TR

[Gun Guy]

I am looking at purchasing a bipod for F/TR. What do you use and why?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[eab7-a]

Duplin Rorer Spec Bipod

 

[Medic505]

Flex-pod. It doesn't bounce.

 

[kybountyhunter]

Star shooters bipod, made of carbon fiber & aluminum and weighs less than 2lbs. They are in Canada and great people to deal with.

 

[broncman]

Duplin...

It does not bounce either. My setup recoils straight back...

 

[savageshooter86]

I like my Duplin.

 

[dragman]

I don't shoot F/TR but do a lot of long range shooting and hunting and i LOVE my sinclair tactical. let's me preload and spot all my shots even @100 yards with a big magnum I can see them.

 

[Nomad47]

I also don't shoot F T/R, but if I did I would use GNERGY's bipod.

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

I do not want to appear snooty or anything, but the OP should ignore any recommendation for an F-TR bipod from anyone who is not an F-TR shooter, the requirements are different. Not better or worse, just different.

I shot F-TR; 1000 yards almost exclusively now.

I have used 4 different bipods over 7 years and I classify bipods into two types: pedestal (Harris equivalent) and cradle (Sinclair). I switched to cradle type about 5 years ago and never looked back.

I have long believed the pedestal type, the ones that focus the top of the legs under the fore end, are more prone to hop and torque, especially if the ground underneath is hard and uneven. In contrast I find the cradle type to minimize or virtually eliminate the torque and hop at firing. I will state that I have not tried the new and varied bipod offerings such as the ones listed above in earlier posts, so it's entirely possible and indeed very likely that they do a better job of controlling torque and hop than the regular pedestal types, but I do not know.

What I discovered when I first switched to a cradle type, the Sinclair Gen 2, was that you do not want to load these devices. You want to let the bipod do the work of supporting the rifle and all you need to concentrate on is aim and a proper follow through. With the Sinclair Gen 2 or 3, I find that I can fire rapidly with minimal or no setup, provided I keep a good shooting form and that helps me.

 

[Medic505]

Denys,
Be sure and tell the maids at the Holiday Inn Express hi in the morning.

 

[effendude]

+1 for Denys' comments.
F-TR is not hunting. I do both and the equipment isn't the same. I suggest for economy and simplicity that you start off with a Sinclair F-Class Bi-Pod. I have used all 3 designs and they work well. The wide stance is a huge benefit. They hold their value well so if you decide later to spend more on a space age unit, you are not out much. BTW, I have never found the need for the elevation adjustment option on the Sinclair Gen 3. With good position and control, I don't have elevation changes that I can't handle. I also use the CenterShot bi-pod. It is lighter and works well but I can't see any improvement in scores from using it over the Sinclair.
Scott

 

[Down South]

Flex-pod. It doesn't bounce.

 

[Nomad47]

Denys and Scott, I understand where you are coming from. However, I know of one F-TR 1000 yard competitor that uses the bipod I mentioned. And I know it was in use at the Nationals and Worlds in Raton last year.

 

[roninfl.]

Flex-Bipod works for me.

 

[Medic505]

"I have long believed the cradle type, the ones that focus the top of the legs under the fore end, are more prone to hop and torque, especially if the ground underneath is hard and uneven. In contrast I find the cradle type to minimize or virtually eliminate the torque and hop at firing".

So which is it, the cradle type or the cradle type?

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

"I have long believed the cradle type, the ones that focus the top of the legs under the fore end, are more prone to hop and torque, especially if the ground underneath is hard and uneven. In contrast I find the cradle type to minimize or virtually eliminate the torque and hop at firing".

So which is it, the cradle type or the cradle type?

What are you carrying on about?

 

[Laurie]

Flex-Bipod works for me.

............. and for me. (Do a search on the Bulletin and you'll see Monte Milanuk's write-up as to why this design works so well.)

This is not a feet-track-back-on-the-ground type. It involves a certain degree of loading, the exact amount determining the muzzle elevation. It works brilliantly on the UK's grass turf firing points. For hard, gravel etc firing points a piece of carpet or doormat anchors the feet just fine.

Because of the ease with which fine elevation changes are made using body pressure on the buttplate, there is no need to squeeze the back bag in the aim. I switched to a hard packed heavy sand filled Edgewood bag as used by BR and F/O shooters and its greater stability and consistency helps reduce long-range elevations.

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

Denys and Scott, I understand where you are coming from. However, I know of one F-TR 1000 yard competitor that uses the bipod I mentioned. And I know it was in use at the Nationals and Worlds in Raton last year.

Trust me, there were all manners of bipods at the Nationals and the Worlds. This was my third Nationals (and first Worlds but it was essentially the same folks as the just concluded FCNC,) and I think I've seen most (not all) methods of using two legs to hold a rifle. I saw everything from a Harris to the Seb Joy-pod.

I don't know that one bipod is better than another. Well, that's not true; I do know anything is better than a Harris for F-TR. It's more important that you learn to use the bipod and use it as it's intended and let it do its job as you concentrate on your marksmanship. If you find that your bipod is fighting you, that's when you might consider something else, but you will know what you're looking for.

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

+1 for Denys' comments.
F-TR is not hunting. I do both and the equipment isn't the same. I suggest for economy and simplicity that you start off with a Sinclair F-Class Bi-Pod. I have used all 3 designs and they work well. The wide stance is a huge benefit. They hold their value well so if you decide later to spend more on a space age unit, you are not out much. BTW, I have never found the need for the elevation adjustment option on the Sinclair Gen 3. With good position and control, I don't have elevation changes that I can't handle. I also use the CenterShot bi-pod. It is lighter and works well but I can't see any improvement in scores from using it over the Sinclair.
Scott

I have the elevation adjustment on my Sinclair Gen 3 and while I don't use it very much, I do want it on the bipod. During the course of a day, there will be at least 3 setups and sometimes there is even a firing point change. What I like to do is keep the elevation adjustment in the middle of its travel and then setup the legs on the Sinclair so that the rifle is aimed in the black. I tighten down the legs and then I use the elevation adjustment to refine the alignment on target. The elevation adjustment is not critical, but it's very nice to have.

I don't think one can go wrong with any of the current crop of F-TR bipods.

 

[jr600yd]

Another thing to consider when choosing a bi pod is the weight of the rifle. Since there is a max weight in both FTR and FO one should know the weight of the bi pod in order not to go over the limit. If you have a heavy action like a Gilkes Ross (48oz), a heavy barrel (1.25 X 30") Knightforce scope (48oz) and an F class stock believe me the weight adds up.