Bi-Pod Questions/Discussion

[alamo5000]

I am probably going to invest in a bi-pod mount for my AR.

http://store.magpul.com/product/MAG609/M-LOK

Now though, I am going to need a bi-pod.

I see so many different versions and types and price ranges.... I am not really sure what would qualify as a 'good' bi-pod.

I don't need it to be super tall, just tall enough to lay prone and shoot with a 30 round mag.

I also place high priority on weight. If they have some kind of carbon fiber one with telescoping legs that would be awesome but I have no clue what makes one bi-pod $25 and another $125. I would probably pay extra for a light weight one.

What are the main features I should take into account?

I know some will swivel with your target without ever resetting the feet of the bi-pod. Others are just static. In order to re acquire the target you have to move the bi-pod.

What are the pros and cons? I see some with springs on them. I see others without springs on them.

I know some competition shooters tie the legs of their tripods together so when you pull one leg both legs come down...

If you were a bi-pod salesman what should I know about this before I buy?

EDIT: It must come in black [:D]

[schambers]

A Harris bipod is always a good starting point. They will also interface with the mount your looking at.

Keep in mind that the higher end bipods will generally come with a picatinny mounting solution.

The only thing that I would recommend you stay away from are the grip-pod type things. I hate those

[Ride4frnt]

My choice would be atlas if I had the money. Since I don't it's gonna be a notched leg harris. I like the notched legs because they deploy differently than the smooth legs. Smooth legs deploy the whole way by physically pulling them. You can deploy the notched legs but the press of a button, and adjust in half inch increments.

6-9" will be fine. I have a longer one on my deer rifle because I usually sit on the ground and I can sit upright and fire with the longer one.

http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/s374/blue94dc4/Firearms/FE465565-C312-40CB-8991-0BDAC743350E_zpsh3rvihww.jpg

[SwissyJim]

no one will ever take my Atlas from me.


EVER.


(can you tell I love mine?!?)

The ease of extending the legs, rotating the legs into position, being able to cant it degrees in either direction, totally silent either extended or retracted and folded, having the legs extended to different lengths for uneven ground, replaceable pod feet, quality construction, and more I have not even begun to use. Yeah, spendy. But, buy once - cry once is something I have learned over the years.

[alamo5000]

A Harris bipod is always a good starting point. They will also interface with the mount your looking at.

Keep in mind that the higher end bipods will generally come with a picatinny mounting solution.

The only thing that I would recommend you stay away from are the grip-pod type things. I hate those

I can get a strip of rail if I need to instead of the bipod mount. I am asking questions before i start buying. I just need to know how long of a rail would suffice.

[Former11B]

I can get a strip of rail if I need to instead of the bipod mount. I am asking questions before i start buying. I just need to know how long of a rail would suffice.

A 2-3" section will definitely work. I have a 6-9" Harris on my AR and love it. I shoot on unlevel surfaces regularly and havent felt the need for Atlas level performance (or price! Not to say it's not awesome...sorry Jim :) )

[alamo5000]

A 2-3" section will definitely work. I have a 6-9" Harris on my AR and love it. I shoot on unlevel surfaces regularly and havent felt the need for Atlas level performance (or price! Not to say it's not awesome...sorry Jim :) )

The rails I can get come in the following lengths:

1.6" (3 slots)
2.5" (5 slots)
3.3" (7 slots)
4.1" (9 slots)
4.9" (11 slots)

I am not sure which ones I should get...

I haven't even picked a bipod yet but I am guessing the 5 slot or the 7 slot would be fine. Maybe I should just get one of each.

[Ride4frnt]

For a harris you don't need a rail, you need this http://store.magpul.com/product/MAG609/M-LOK

[alamo5000]

For a harris you don't need a rail, you need this http://store.magpul.com/product/MAG609/M-LOK

I was originally thinking to get that part, but then someone (above) said 'better' bipods usually come with a rail mount. I am not gonna have 2 or 3 bipods...

The bipod mount is a one trick pony.... the rail on the other hand... it could possibly be used for more than one thing. If someone has a nice rail mounted bipod maybe they can count the number of rail slots it covers. I am sure going over a little won't hurt but I don't think I will need the 11 slot rail for something like a bipod. A little over is OK, but too much over... I want to avoid that.

[jymbeux]

I'd vote for a Harris 6-9" notched/swivel (BRM-S I think) tripod with podloc (aftermarket part but handy for locking /unlocking the swivel). The Atlas bipod does look pretty nice, hard to beat the value of a Harris though.

[CarbonScoring]

Harris BRM-S with ADM QD mount

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8635/15283317163_a5f04ae4b5_b.jpg

[toolboxluis00200]

i use a NCstar on my .22lr SPR and it works nice
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x151/toolboxluis/THUG601of1_zps11ff07f2.jpg (http://s183.photobucket.com/user/toolboxluis/media/THUG601of1_zps11ff07f2.jpg.html)

[alamo5000]

Harris BRM-S with ADM QD mount

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8635/15283317163_a5f04ae4b5_b.jpg

So now you resort to throwing sexy pictures at me??? Is that it? [:D]

[alamo5000]

I don't know if anyone has ever seen this guy's videos but he's pretty good. I like him. He's a very knowledgeable person and I like his videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD6BPAeUg_M

Now after watching that I think I of some features I would like...I would like a swivel type head where I can move side to side to get the right cant, and back and forth as well. That being said having a prominent lever or knob on the back to lock down my position once it's where I want it would be nice.

I also think a QD like in the picture above would be great.

What do you guys think I need?

I think CarbonScoring got right to the point with this one though [:D]

[CarbonScoring]

So now you resort to throwing sexy pictures at me??? Is that it? [:D]

I took that especially for you. [:D]

The features I really like about the Harris I have are the notches on the legs and that the legs shoot out when you release them. Both features make it quick and easy to set up the bi-pod quickly.

When it comes to the QD, I use that because I often switch the bipod from rifle to rifle, especially for zeroing if I can't get sandbags, or shooting from prone.

[gatordev]

I don't know if anyone has ever seen this guy's videos but he's pretty good. I like him. He's a very knowledgeable person and I like his videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD6BPAeUg_M

Now after watching that I think I of some features I would like...I would like a swivel type head where I can move side to side to get the right cant, and back and forth as well. That being said having a prominent lever or knob on the back to lock down my position once it's where I want it would be nice.

I also think a QD like in the picture above would be great.

What do you guys think I need?

I think CarbonScoring got right to the point with this one though [:D]

I've used an Atlas for 4 years and it has a lot of great features. I think mine is a V8 or V7. I bought it because it could move in both planes and I thought that was important. I also liked the notched legs and QD attachment so I could move it across rifles. In the past, I've used it for zeroing, plinking, and in a Magpul SPR class, both prone and using barriers. After using it a lot, and especially after doing precision work with it, I've found it to be generally a great bipod. You can really pre-load it if that's your thing, and the ability to adjust the legs at something other than full down can occasionally be helpful.

Over time, I've found the ability for the bipod to pan (move left and right) really wasn't all that critical. I can "pan" a Harris, as well, by loading a leg against the springs. If I need to pan to a point past what the Harris can do, I should probably be repositioning the rifle and my body anyway so I'm not exerting a force into the gun. I also found that I could never really get my "tilt" (leveling of the gun) of the Atlas to lock down enough so it would prevent the gun from starting to cant. Maybe it's just my unit, but it's hard to get your hands onto the knob under the mount when in a shooting position to begin with, and even harder for me to have it tight enough to stop movement and keep the reticule level once set.

After the first Magpul class, I decided to try a Harris on a .308 gun. I put a Podloc on there as well. The spring loaded feet is a nice touch on the BRM-S with the notches. Deploying the legs aren't as refined as the Atlas, but after putting some 550 cord on the legs, it works. I ran the .308 gun with the Harris through a Magpul PR1 class and it worked great. I've been running the Harris on two precision guns for the last year and half and find I don't have the cant issue that I did with the Atlas, especially with the Podloc on there when I need to adjust. The Harris is heavier, but with a Larue mount (LT706), it's not that much heavier than the Atlas.

I still use my Atlas for plinking/zeroing, and it's definitely a great bipod, but have taken it out of the precision rotation. My cant issue isn't horrible, it's just that the Harris is much better.

Regardless of which bipod you get, I HIGHLY recommend these:

http://www.highspeedshootingsystems.com/#!products/c1t

He makes the Fang feet for both Atlas and Harris. These things are fantastic and will grip concrete better than the rubber feet. Obviously softer shooting surfaces are no problem. Just don't stab yourself in the leg with them.