To Bipod or not to Bipod; that is the question

[FirstFreedom]

I have a M98 in .243, w/ a Fajen stock that I finished - it's a benchrest/precision looking rifle with an HB. I have a nice Harris bipod that was previously on it with its former plastic stock, but I'm thinking I don't want the bipod on this rifle to (a) mar its good looks, and (b) interfere with benchresting it on sandbags. Plus, I'd have to drill & set a swivel stud in there to make the bipod work, and with me, it's always possible that I'll SNAFU the stud installation - off to the side or something - don't have a countersink bit anyway.

But I can't think of any other rifle I have that I'd like to put the bipod on either, and I don't want it to go to waste. What are the pros & cons of bipods in general? I'm thinking that if I DO put the bipod on a gun, it should go on something other than a benchrest gun; like a rifle I might take into the field to p-dog with - maybe my NEF Handi Ultra in .223 rem....., or even on a deer rifle....thoughts?

[10-96]

The only bipod I've ever had any use for was the basic utlitarian scissor-type clip on I toted while I was in the Army. Most times, I've found that the grass I'm in is taller than the bipod. And for shooting off of the bench- I'm just much more used to sandbagging about 2" in front of the receiver or magazine. I don't know, maybe if I'd seen more bipods in use then I wouldn't be so critical of them. I think that most of the guys I've seen with them just get them for asthetic purposes. If I remember correctly, the term we applied to these guys were PX Rangers. But on the other hand, there are folks who have great things to say about 'em and use 'em a lot... I guess. They just aren't much good in my neck of the woods, the jungle, or in the desert where shoot-n-move is the order of the day. Boy, I've wasted a lot of space just to say- "If it works for ya- go for it. Don't if it don't."

[hoytinak]

But I can't think of any other rifle I have that I'd like to put the bipod on either, and I don't want it to go to waste.

Sounds like a good excuse to purchase another rifle.

[MacGille]

A bipod can mar the stock of a rifle and will ruin its balance. I took the Bipod off of my Savage 93r17BVSS because it pulled the swivel loose in the stock, wouldn't fit on sandbags, and wouldn't fit in cases. Besides it was ugly.

[FirstFreedom]

A bipod can mar the stock of a rifle and will ruin its balance. I took the Bipod off of my Savage 93r17BVSS because it pulled the swivel loose in the stock, wouldn't fit on sandbags, and wouldn't fit in cases. Besides it was ugly

I hear ya loud and clear - those were pretty well my thoughts exactly, but....

Found a rifle that I thought it went well on, a Marlin 25 MN in .22 mag, sporting a Mueller scope. Thought it a good fit, since this is a field gun, not a range gun, and since the gun is cheap enough that if I screw up the extra swivel stud installation, it won't matter much, and since .22 mags are not terribly inherently accurate anywa - couple that fact with the fact that since this rifle's barrel is not free-floated, I'm not concerned with upward pressure put on the forearm by the bipod. And this rifle, being a rimfire, is light enough that the extra weight doesn't feel to me like it throws off the balance much. Happy now.

[MTMilitiaman]

I took a Harris off my Rem M700 7mm Rem Mag because my reach is long enough that I naturally grasp around the front sling swivel when shooting off hand. With the Harris there, it was uncomfortable to do so. It upset the balance of the rifle, which was partially to blame for a nice muley getting away, and entirely to blame for cutting the crap out of my knuckle on recoil.

The bipod now sits on a heavy barreled 10/22 that really doesn't see much action because it is so specialized I just don't see a need for it very often.

[Wild Bill Bucks]

Being the kind of guy that has to have one of everything, I put one on my .308 before deer season last year. It looked pretty cool on my Ruger 77, but I soon realized that it did nothing that a sand bag didn't do at the range, and was truly worthless in a hunting situation.

I think they would be better for small caliber rifles in a prarie dog situation where you set up in one spot and take long distance shots. But for stalking, they are pretty much worthless, and even worse in a tree stand set up.

But it did look cool.

[boltactionlife]

I agree, a bipod looks cool but a sand bag will be more stable of a platform. Bipods are not that great to shoot from. I had a bipod on my rifle in Iraq and fired it many times but never used the bipods.

[hoytinak]

The only time I use a bipod is when I go prairie dog hunting where I'll be laying in the prone for an hour or so just shooting away. I haven't found a need for one on my deer rifle. But they do look tactiCOOL.

[Kreyzhorse]

I use a Harris bi-pod on my western hunts. My shots are usually longer than I care to take free hand and the bi-pod makes a hell of a difference on long shots. When I hunt in the hills of Kentucky, I don't use the bi-pod at all. It is certainly ugly and throws off the balance of the gun. It's a trade off based on where you are taking the gun and what you are shooting. That is my decision maker.

[joeranger]

about 2" in front of the receiver or magazine

I was going to start a new thread for this question. If you do use a bi pod or bags, is it better to put them closer to the muzzle or receiver?

[BobMcG]

The only bi-pod I'll use on occasion is my Stony Point bi-pod type shooting sticks. Works well and it isn't attached to any one rifle.

[MTMilitiaman]

I was going to start a new thread for this question. If you do use a bi pod or bags, is it better to put them closer to the muzzle or receiver?

That depends. Some rifles are more sensitive to differing torques and pressures on the forend that others. The Harris caused vertical stringing on my Rem M700 until I free-floated the barrel, for example.

I would recommend experimenting with your rifle and finding a position that works with it and for you, then stick with it. Accuracy is consistency more than anything.

I usually have the sandbags back near the recoil lug because I prefer to pull back on the sling at the front swivel to simulate tension on the sling as it would be in the field, where I use the 1907 military style sling more as a shooting aid than a way to transport the rifle. Your results may vary.

[FirstFreedom]

I use a Harris bi-pod on my western hunts. My shots are usually longer than I care to take free hand and the bi-pod makes a hell of a difference on long shots. When I hunt in the hills of Kentucky, I don't use the bi-pod at all. It is certainly ugly and throws off the balance of the gun. It's a trade off based on where you are taking the gun and what you are shooting. That is my decision maker.

Ya know, KZH, you hit the nail on the head there - if you're in the woods, you can rest your hand against a tree, and your rifle in your hands braced against the tree, or just shoot offhand on a close-in shot. But if you're out on the open plains for say, pronghorns or mulies, even elk maybe, with no trees around to brace against, your best bet is probably a shooting stick, but if you're trying to stay low to keep from being seen, a bipod might make more sensethan standing up to use a shooting stick, to get you just above the grass line, and this Harris extends enough to do that, for shortish grass anyway. So that makes me think I ought to put it on my .25-'06 which I recently re-acquired, instead of the .22 magnum, since it's pretty well a dedicated Western trip hunter - hmmm, decisions.

[MacGille]

In the Army I used a bipod on my m60 a lot. And when I carried an m-15 I used a bipod. But for anything but full auto fire I find a bipod to get in the way more often than it helps. The only way to fire an M-15 (m14 with a selector) full auto is short bursts from a bipod. Any thing else and you are shooting at ducks and geese.

[Fat White Boy]

Bipods will slow down your set up for a shot when you are out hunting. You have to pull down each leg, then adjust each leg to the height desired. Most of the time the shot will be gone by the time you set up. If you really need support and you have the time, use shooting sticks.

[MTMilitiaman]

Even out west, I think you will find the bipod to be a very specialized instrument. While I could see a bipod on a dedicated varmint rig, or a pronghorn/muley rig for the eastern areas of MT, for example, in the Rockies, they are still going to be too slow for most of the hunting you do.

The areas I hunt, and the ways I choose to hunt them make a shooting sling a far better choice than a bipod. You can find yourself in dense over-grown alder or thick lodgepole blow-down one second, and glassing a large clear cut or an exposed ridge line 400 yards away the next. Plus you're hunting white tail and mule deer, and elk, all at the same time. It means you have to be versatile. In my experience, most of your shots are going to be within 100 yards and will either be offhand, or from a quick improvised rest. Learning to use a shooting sling will give you greater support from field shooting positions while being less of a hassle than a bipod when not in use, and taking less time to set up correctly. The sitting position with a tight sling is stable enough to allow a reasonably competent rifleman to be able to engage game out to at least 200 yards, and this will easily cover 90%+ of all shots presented.

Even in the rare occasion you have to get set up prone with the bipod, I think you'd be equally well served with a good sling and your rifle over a pack.

[teriyakisaki]

what is the opinion of the grip-pod (forward vert. grip with 2 bipod legs that pop out of the bottom)? more importantly, what about on a SHTF type rifle?