front rest or bipod ?
- Thread starter rebs
- Start date
Yes, assuming you aren't talking about the rather wild f-class bipods, but are referring to a traditional Harris-ish style field bipod. A bipod requires you to load the rifle to control hop and movement diring firing, whereas a rest allows the possibility of free recoil, or even just softer holds.
garandman
Bolt Gun Bodacious
From my experience... it depends on what 22 cal rifle.
Recoil of 22 rf is so mild that I don't bother with "loading" the bipod, and can still easily get good follow thru and see my hits.
In fact I've gotten tighter groups (at times) with very light holds, using both rests and bipods, in 22 rf. Loading the bipod in 22 rf puts an unnecessary stress on shooter and rifle that seems (for me) to negatively affect my groups at times.
If yer meaning a .223 "22 cal rifle" ... then I'd pre-load the bipod. Front rests gave me equally good groups as a "loaded" bipod. NOT loading the bipod seems to negatively affect groups in .223.
Recoil of 22 rf is so mild that I don't bother with "loading" the bipod, and can still easily get good follow thru and see my hits.
In fact I've gotten tighter groups (at times) with very light holds, using both rests and bipods, in 22 rf. Loading the bipod in 22 rf puts an unnecessary stress on shooter and rifle that seems (for me) to negatively affect my groups at times.
If yer meaning a .223 "22 cal rifle" ... then I'd pre-load the bipod. Front rests gave me equally good groups as a "loaded" bipod. NOT loading the bipod seems to negatively affect groups in .223.
The great thing about a bipod on a .22lr is it's always ready IE attached to the rifle that makes it hard to forget.... I find no reason to put extream preload on a Rimfire.... On the other hand the rest can be used on other rifles etc... I have both but with my Rimfire I don't need to take my rest to the range because of the bipod.... Other than that it's what you like... In the bulletin here they post a little cheap bipod on Amazon for less than $20 , I put one on my Rimfire just to try it and have liked it so far.... I use Harris on my big rifles so the little one on my rimfire let's me get used to bipods cheaply....
Ned Ludd
Silver $$ Contributor
I find it generally more difficult to load a bipod consistently from shot to shot on a bench than it is lying prone. Not impossible by any stretch, just more difficult. The material the top of the bench is made of may also be a factor if it doesn't provide sufficient grip for the bipod feet. The advantage to the bipod is that it's really, really easy to adjust the point of aim.
A benchrest makes it a little easier to shoot consistently from a bench, IMO. Handling recoil is a very different animal shooting from a sitting position with your upper body essentially upright than it is when shooting prone, although with a rimfire rifle the recoil is already very mild, anyhow. I have modified a Whidden tracking plate to be "quick detach", so that it can attach on any of my rifles' front picatinny rail in place of a bipod, which makes it pretty easy to switch back and forth between bipod and front rest. I find that the ease of adjustability of a front rest is pretty much proportional to how much you spent for it. Obviously, having a joystick-type is nice, but those rests are pretty pricey. When shooting off a bench, it isn't as critical to have a joystick (or arms that are 4.9 ft long) as it is when shooting prone, so adjustment knobs will work just fine.
A benchrest makes it a little easier to shoot consistently from a bench, IMO. Handling recoil is a very different animal shooting from a sitting position with your upper body essentially upright than it is when shooting prone, although with a rimfire rifle the recoil is already very mild, anyhow. I have modified a Whidden tracking plate to be "quick detach", so that it can attach on any of my rifles' front picatinny rail in place of a bipod, which makes it pretty easy to switch back and forth between bipod and front rest. I find that the ease of adjustability of a front rest is pretty much proportional to how much you spent for it. Obviously, having a joystick-type is nice, but those rests are pretty pricey. When shooting off a bench, it isn't as critical to have a joystick (or arms that are 4.9 ft long) as it is when shooting prone, so adjustment knobs will work just fine.
Do you have a link you could post to find this particular bipod? I kinda like the looks of it. Is it all plastic? Do you think its pretty rugged?The UTG bipod is a great, inexpensive 'pod....
I've got 2 Atlases....and I can't legitimately claim they are worth 3-4 times as much.
garandman
Bolt Gun Bodacious
Every bit as rugged and solid as an Atlas....
https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/lea...ipods-tripods-and-monopods/extendable-bipods/
Scroll down a bit....
My son uses the UTG in NRA Mid-Range Prone Tactical Rifle?(AR). It is solid and has pan & Tilt with adjustable tension screw.
He shot 593-27x this past weekend with it. Back in January I shot a 598-24x with it also.
We tend to let it free recoil a little.....generally loading the Bipod to the Rear instead of Pushing Forward.
I did have to send one back to UTG that was almost a year old. One of the legs started to collapse on recoil(sometimes). I tried to tighten it up with a hex wrench...didn't feel right. Called UTG, they sent an RMA# & I Paid shipping to them.....a week or so later a New Bipod showed up at my mailbox.
We've been using it for a couple years now at couple matches a month with no issues. It's one of my Favorite Bipods.
He shot 593-27x this past weekend with it. Back in January I shot a 598-24x with it also.
We tend to let it free recoil a little.....generally loading the Bipod to the Rear instead of Pushing Forward.
I did have to send one back to UTG that was almost a year old. One of the legs started to collapse on recoil(sometimes). I tried to tighten it up with a hex wrench...didn't feel right. Called UTG, they sent an RMA# & I Paid shipping to them.....a week or so later a New Bipod showed up at my mailbox.
We've been using it for a couple years now at couple matches a month with no issues. It's one of my Favorite Bipods.
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