a serious , strong and rigid bipod

[gene so]

Hello,

I received my Sinclair top-of-the line bipod several months ago and only took it out today to inspect it. From a craftsmanship point of view, it is a complex bipod, with a lot of workmanship and design devoted to creating it. There are two different angles the legs can be set at, and I noticed immediately one of the plungers used to lock the legs into position would not allow me to move one of the legs. Next, I noted when the plungers are seated in the holes, that both legs wobble like crazy in a lateral fashion, not front to back.
I will be receiving another bipod from Sinclair's next week, but am afraid the replacement will have the same lack of bipod leg stability as the original. The rifle to go atop this bipod will be a 18 pound .284 set up for prone competition and the course I shall be mainly using it on will feature shots from 200-800 yards. I need a solid bipod, and I do like the adjustment lock allowing the rifle to set level on uneven ground.

I'd deeply appreciate experienced advice on this matter. Since the rifles' stock is a Hi Power competition unit and the 8 x 32 NightForce scope sets in High rings atop a Badger 20 degree scope base I feel way "up in the air" with this rifle and I really have to "eyeball" the level mounted on the scope. Therefore I hope you can understand my concern about a near rock solid bi pod, except for movement from front to back, to load it prior to taking the shot. I am used to the stability of a concrete benchrest and shooting at 1,000 yards; so this move to prone really has me aware of anything that will not contribute to a nearly solid hold. Thanks in advance for your attention in this matter.

Gene So

 

[nuclear_shooter]

My Harris BRM bipod works fine. I don't notice any wobbling or instability when shooting my 700 in 300 win mag (so it can take a beating). If you want to get the best money can buy, look into the Atlas bipods. But I'm warning you, they can be more than twice the cost of Harris...

 

[TheGerman]

Just the description of the multiple ways to set up your bipod made my head hurt. Not your fault, but bipods should be just that, a bipod that you can click down and make an easy adjustment with and then lock down so it doesn't wobble all over the place. That's it.

Get a Harris with notched legs and a KMW pod lock that is worth its weight in gold and be done with it.

 

[FN in MT]

I bought one of them and it's been lent out to two different buddies...everyone liked it so far.

Mine seems to be stable. I haven't had any issues.

But...Have to say...I like my ATLAS better.

 

[VJJPunisher]

Get a Harris with notched legs and a KMW pod lock that is worth its weight in gold and be done with it.

do this, or spend a million dollars on a atlas, I run both and love both

 

[bodywerks]

If you want a serious and rigid bipod look no further than LRA accuracy

PCR/XLR/TAC338 http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111453_255_zps1b498f0d.jpg http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111325_951_zps290ebdd0.jpg

 

[ZiaHunter]

The nice thing about the Sinclair is when you splay the legs to the widest setting it is rock solid steady. The Harris folds up tighter and won't rattle like the Sinclair. Both have pros and cons and depends on what you are using it for. In the field prefer the Harris and the Sinclair at the range. Haven't used an Atlas but heard they are very well made.

 

[Autark]

I'm not 100% sure you'll love the atlas if you spend the money on it. I personally do. However, you need to load it up. It's not like putting it on a block of concrete or in a vise and letting it do all of the work for you. Honestly, it sounds like you belong on a site like 6mmbr.com (regardless of caliber). There are a lot of benchrest guys there with good experience. There are accurate and precise people here, but I think the crowd on that side is much more "50 lbs rifle, bughole" than this one. YMMV.

 

[Terry Cross]

The big assed Accuracy International AW rifles in .338LM easily weigh what your rifle weighs when kitted out with glass, sling and bipod.
They ship almost all of their contract rifles with Harris SBRM bipods and Pod-Loc kits as OEM for those packages. I am sending another 400 kits to Acc Intl in the UK this week.

Most of those packages are seeing hard use when they hit the field and they have a very good track record.

It is not as massive and heavy as some of the purpose built F-Class bipods but it does very well. The total cost is also a fraction of what the others cost. If you purchase and it does not suit your needs, you can usually sell the combo for most of what you paid.

 

[TOPGuN050]

atlas BT10, my rifle is every bit of 16lbs. I have been using an atlas for a year now and love it. wouldn't hesitate to buy another one.

 

[TheGerman]

The big assed Accuracy International AW rifles in .338LM easily weigh what your rifle weighs when kitted out with glass, sling and bipod.
They ship almost all of their contract rifles with Harris SBRM bipods and Pod-Loc kits as OEM for those packages. I am sending another 400 kits to Acc Intl in the UK this week.

Most of those packages are seeing hard use when they hit the field and they have a very good track record.

It is not as massive and heavy as some of the purpose built F-Class bipods but it does very well. The total cost is also a fraction of what the others cost. If you purchase and it does not suit your needs, you can usually sell the combo for most of what you paid.

Yep, my fattie of a bitch M24A2 weighs 18lbs and I use the Harris with zero issues.

 

[bohem]

If you want a serious and rigid bipod look no further than LRA accuracy

PCR/XLR/TAC338 http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111453_255_zps1b498f0d.jpg http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111325_951_zps290ebdd0.jpg

Absolutely this^^^

I've been using them for 3 years, I've yet to experience anything more stable and the quality is second to none

 

[CMH]

I have owned and run Harris, Atlas, LRA and a couple of others. I still run quite a few Atlas, but as far as stability and workmanship go, LRA is the cat's pajamaz.

 

[jashmore1234]

Bipod [Bipod] - $439.00 : Phoenix Precision, Premium Target Rifle Gun Sights

At the last 1k shoot i was at, the was a member of the US FTR team running the phoenix precision bipod. It looked rock solid.

 

[KydeX]

Looks like Santa's sled though..

 

[VJJPunisher]

Bipod [Bipod] - $439.00 : Phoenix Precision, Premium Target Rifle Gun Sights

At the last 1k shoot i was at, the was a member of the US FTR team running the phoenix precision bipod. It looked rock solid.

to be honest I never knew such things existed, those are not even in the realm of what my brain considers to be a bipod though technically yes I know they are. Different tools for different applications i guess. Interesting, I suppose my brain assumes they are to be fairly light, foldable, position assisting tools and not massive hardcore rifle holding platforms, thanks for posting some of these bipods above and broadening my horizons

 

[bodywerks]

Yeah, that's more like an f class bipod

PCR/XLR/TAC338 http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111453_255_zps1b498f0d.jpg http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111325_951_zps290ebdd0.jpg

 

[RJN]

Hello,

I received my Sinclair top-of-the line bipod several months ago and only took it out today to inspect it. From a craftsmanship point of view, it is a complex bipod, with a lot of workmanship and design devoted to creating it. There are two different angles the legs can be set at, and I noticed immediately one of the plungers used to lock the legs into position would not allow me to move one of the legs. Next, I noted when the plungers are seated in the holes, that both legs wobble like crazy in a lateral fashion, not front to back.
I will be receiving another bipod from Sinclair's next week, but am afraid the replacement will have the same lack of bipod leg stability as the original. The rifle to go atop this bipod will be a 18 pound .284 set up for prone competition and the course I shall be mainly using it on will feature shots from 200-800 yards. I need a solid bipod, and I do like the adjustment lock allowing the rifle to set level on uneven ground.

I'd deeply appreciate experienced advice on this matter. Since the rifles' stock is a Hi Power competition unit and the 8 x 32 NightForce scope sets in High rings atop a Badger 20 degree scope base I feel way "up in the air" with this rifle and I really have to "eyeball" the level mounted on the scope. Therefore I hope you can understand my concern about a near rock solid bi pod, except for movement from front to back, to load it prior to taking the shot. I am used to the stability of a concrete benchrest and shooting at 1,000 yards; so this move to prone really has me aware of anything that will not contribute to a nearly solid hold. Thanks in advance for your attention in this matter.

Gene So

Hey Gene, I own the Sinclair Pod you're concerned with. I have it on my SA SM M1A and it rocks. It turned that weapon into a 'Weapons System'. When I wind dope it's GTG to 800yd. without throwing a single shot.
I put it on a Savage .223 LRPV and shot a 395 18X 600yd. F-TR match. Awesome the way this pod loads. It's like shooting free recoil BR. I'm happy w/ it.
Good luck w/ yours. Let me know how it works out for you. RJN

 

[gene so]

thanks for all this info

Hey Gene, I own the Sinclair Pod you're concerned with. I have it on my SA SM M1A and it rocks. It turned that weapon into a 'Weapons System'. When I wind dope it's GTG to 800yd. without throwing a single shot.
I put it on a Savage .223 LRPV and shot a 395 18X 600yd. F-TR match. Awesome the way this pod loads. It's like shooting free recoil BR. I'm happy w/ it.
Good luck w/ yours. Let me know how it works out for you. RJN

Thanks to each of the people who took the time to reply to my question. It was ascertained correctly that I have spent a lot of time on 6mmBR.com since I wrote for Precision Shooting and held a couple of worlds records at 600 yards. Now I am retired and seen my last patient and have moved to New Mexico. The life in the Rockies here at 6,500 feet indicates shooting from the prone position, and hitting what you are aiming at with the first shot, is a whole new priority to me. All the advice about different types of bipods is really appreciated by those of you with experience with these devices. Thank you very much, gene so

 

[littlecalm]

I have LRA, Atlas and Harris. Hands down LRA is most robust for heavier rifles.

 

[MSTN]

You can spend more money on a bipod than a Harris BRM-S with a Pod-Loc:

But, will you shoot any better with the high dollar bipod? I've tried. Hard. Atlas, two Sinclairs, a Parker-Hale, even, and most recently a LRA. The money spent trying to improve on the Pod-Loc equipped Harris BRM-S could have been better spent on any number of different things.

The only other bipod I'm keeping is the LRA. It's so much more than just a bipod - it's art.

The LRA is BIG. It has to come off before the gun can go in the safe, in the case, etc. But, the Harris with Pod-Loc will be on the gun when you need it.

 

[Kasey]

To the OP,

I'd wait till I got the replacement before judging the Sinclair bipod, I've heard nothing but good about them for bench/f-class shooting.

There are several good bipod choices on the market, the Harris is the standard to which all others are compared so it's an honor to have the Atlas considered along with them. The V8 Atlas does what no other bipod can do and is ounces lighter than any other bipod on the market with less features. BUT weight might not be a consideration for you but it was for the requirements we built it for.

Our 5-H bipod will bring the patented features of the V8 into a beefier, stiffer and heavier bipod with some new features applicable for ELR shooting into the market for consideration. The parts are being fed to the shop now for prototyping and then production with delivery early 2014. And yes, its been a long time coming and as I'm not inclined to listen to excuses I will not give any, other than to say we have not been idle with our time....

 

[ccoker]

I have a Sinclair tactical
There is no play like you describe.

 

[wchartz]

The nice thing about the Sinclair is when you splay the legs to the widest setting it is rock solid steady. The Harris folds up tighter and won't rattle like the Sinclair. Both have pros and cons and depends on what you are using it for. In the field prefer the Harris and the Sinclair at the range. Haven't used an Atlas but heard they are very well made.

I ordered the Sinclair because of the extra height adjustment over the 6"-9" Harris. When I examined the Sinclair I did not like the design. The lower and most used heights can only be utilized with the legs in the wide position. The legs are set so wide that extending the legs gives very little height adjustment per notch. I can see that in a competition situation where you have to move and set up in a timed event you will be fooling with the width setting and leg extensions to get the right height on sloping or uneven ground. It is very slow to get it to the right height on some terrain. For non timed events it would be great but it is much heavier than the Harris. My Harris has never let me down or been the weak link in tactical or hunting situations.

 

[WaltHer]

This might be too much for standard rifle EliteIron High Quality Suppressors but it is a top notch piece of kit in all regards, except $$$, and even then it's pretty fine. I have the heavy version, now if that HTI would ever get here.

 

[Whiskey9514]

Atlas solid bitch for sure

 

[thrusty]

Atlas solid bitch for sure

He'll yeah - one sold bitch she is!

 

[Whiskey9514]

He'll yeah - one sold bitch she is!

Nothing against Harris I just hate how it doesn't loxk