Advice Needed: Bipod for PRS with ARCA

[Sblzrd65]

I recently added an ARCA rail to my Tikka for local PRS matches. Previously I'd been using a Harris and it's worked decently. I find myself in need of something with an ARCA connector and find myself at a fork in the road. One option is to spend the $100 for an Area 419 ARCA adaptor, the other is buy a new bipod and sell off the Harris and the price ends up being similar. Budget is ideally in the $200-265 range. I've got the PRS discount code for some of the below so they all potentially fall under that price range. I think the MDT GRND-Pod looks the coolest (but that alone probably shouldn't be the reason to go with it.)


MDT GRND-Pod

Warne 7902 Skyline Precision Bipod

Accutac BR-4 G2 ARCA QD

Atlas CAL

 

[b6graham]

CAL. easy decision unless you need the adjustment of a CYKE pod for NRL Hunter or field type matches

 

[M8541Reaper]

CAL with the RRS SOAR mount and a set of slap jaxx.

If you’re feeling feisty, get the extensions and raider cleats.

 

[stevieb92]

Sell the Harris. From your list, the Cal with a RRS arca clamp adapter or the Accu-Tac BR-4 arca spec. I've got both and they both work well, but each have pros and cons.

 

[The4GunGuy]

Did a video that might help you with your consideration matrix below. I've ran the Accu-Tac for over a year now and love it for competition:

 

[Rob01]

If you're going to step up go right to the Ckyepod. You can easily angle the legs to the rear by spinning the bipod. The bipod also has an easy tension adjustment. The bipod is listed at $599 but you can get them for less with discount.

MDT CKYE-POD Gen2 Single Pull Short/PRS - Bipod

mdttac.com

 

[tlsmith22]

If you're going to step up go right to the Ckyepod. You can easily angle the legs to the rear by spinning the bipod. The bipod also has an easy tension adjustment. The bipod is listed at $599 but you can get them for less with discount.

MDT CKYE-POD Gen2 Single Pull Short/PRS - Bipod

mdttac.com

Completely agree with this, the others are nice bipods but the Ckyepod is the best I have used. Shoot one of the MDT shooters a message or email and I bet they will get you a coupon code.

 

[Northfl]

Inhave been running the accutac for a couple of years now. Solid bipod tor sure. Deploys fast, rock solid, probably faster to remive now that they have a qd arca clamp. ( havent used one of them yet) but soon. Removes fast enough with the screw clamp thingy

 

[stanley_white]

Did a video that might help you with your consideration matrix below. I've ran the Accu-Tac for over a year now and love it for competition:

Based on this video I chose the Accu-Tac and love it.

-Stan

 

[todd]

I have an Atlas PSR with the leg extensions that I can quickly add when needed. I borrowed a friend's Double Pull Ckye-Pod for a stage at a match and now I'm saving to buy one. It was THAT much better.

 

[1911Shootist]

Atlas CAL with a RRS SC-ARC clamp is fantastic. Next step up would be a Ckye Pod.

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

-The best shooter in the world uses a Harris. They still suck IMO.
-The Grnd pod is a piece of shit. Saw 2 blow up at matches this year.
-If you can stetch your budget the TBAC for around $400 is super nice. I didn't like it compared to ckyepod, but alot of guys love them.
-Atlas are solid, but they really lack options IMO. You could do worse.
-Same with Accutac, they actually have a huge PRS discount, which makes them cheap
-Ckyepod is what you will most likely end up with. Find a used one or wait until black friday for 40% off sale (assuming website doesn't break again). You can get a used one sub $400, which is what i recommend.

Whatever you get you want an ARCA knob, That way you can loosen and reposition the bipod or jettison it fast.

Buying a cheaper bipod and then a $100+ 419 or RRS adapter is kinda silly. Might as well spend a little more and get a ckye. The PRS length is perfect IMO.

 

[gebhardt02]

For a PRS flat range type match I'll choose my TBAC bipod. If I'll be shooting a field type match in rough terrain, I'll take the Ckye Pod. The TBAC with leg extensions works well in field matches too, but doesn't have as much adjustability. I rarely use my Harris anymore.

Lastly, I've used the Tier One bipods quite a bit, the older version and not the newer style, and really liked those also.

 

[Trevor300wsm]

Completely agree with this, the others are nice bipods but the Ckyepod is the best I have used. Shoot one of the MDT shooters a message or email and I bet they will get you a coupon code.

Who are these @MDT_Josh shooters? I would like a code if possible for a new Cyke pod.

 

[The4GunGuy]

If you are already a member of PRS (https://www.precisionrifleseries.com/memberships) you'll get 15% off already from MPA. My 0.02 is that Accu-Tac is a great bipod for a reasonable price as well (and you get a 30% discount from them too through PRS).

 

[MDT_Josh]

Who are these @MDT_Josh shooters? I would like a code if possible for a new Cyke pod.

I'm not sure that we're still running that program, but it was all of our brand ambassadors who had discount codes (Jon Pynch, Keith Baker, Scott Satterlee and Matt Hornback). Unfortunately we cannot provide much of a discount on Ckye-Pod's as they are very expensive to produce, so I am not sure we'd be able to do much more unless you snagged one on Black Friday!

- Josh

 

[Trevor300wsm]

If you are already a member of PRS (https://www.precisionrifleseries.com/memberships) you'll get 15% off already from MPA. My 0.02 is that Accu-Tac is a great bipod for a reasonable price as well (and you get a 30% discount from them too through PRS).

Thanks, I emailed into MDT and got the discount code.
I tried the Accu-tac, but the legs were a pain in the ass to deploy. Very stiff/sticky, unless you loosened the screw off some, but then they had slop in them. There was no “perfect tension” where they were easy to pull down and fold out without slop/play in them.

 

[Chris W.]

Thanks, I emailed into MDT and got the discount code.
I tried the Accu-tac, but the legs were a pain in the ass to deploy. Very stiff/sticky, unless you loosened the screw off some, but then they had slop in them. There was no “perfect tension” where they were easy to pull down and fold out without slop/play in them.

Huh. This is exactly opposite my experience. I've run a CAL and a Accu-tac and I stayed with the accutac because it was faster for me to adjust.

 

[Trevor300wsm]

Huh. This is exactly opposite my experience. I've run a CAL and a Accu-tac and I stayed with the accutac because it was faster for me to adjust.

I might have just got a bad one, but there is no way in hell that I could adjust those legs laying behind the gun. Im not talking about just pulling the inner leg out for more height. Im refering to changing the angle of the main leg. They were stiff as shit to pull down and adjust.

 

[Chris W.]

I might have just got a bad one, but there is no way in hell that I could adjust those legs laying behind the gun. Im not talking about just pulling the inner leg out for more height. Im refering to changing the angle of the main leg. They were stiff as shit to pull down and adjust.

Yeah you've got me there. The matches I run don't really have any stages where changing bipod angle is needed. Once I set it I don't have to change it mid-stage. That would be way easier on a CAL. The legs adjust easy, just not the angle.

 

[Mongo68]

I changed out the springs in the accutac for slightly less tension. Seems easier to adjust the angle now. Was way too stiff before.

@MDT_Josh I've emailed support a couple times for the PRS code and they haven’t responded. I guess I know why now.

 

[A.sosa]

I added a Harris Pic rail adapter and a cheap UTG bipod to my Tikka T1X for NRL22.

It is useful for some of the stages and also for grounding the rifle when needed.

 

[Trevor300wsm]

@MDT_Josh I've emailed support a couple times for the PRS code and they haven’t responded. I guess I know why now.

There is a still a code for PRS. I emailed in yesterday and got it within 30 minutes. I’ll send you a PM.

 

[Lightning8]

Some top PRS competitors still use the Harris (I am mid-pack!). I ran the AccuTac for a couple of seasons but had issues with the tension of the cant knob loosening on stages where I needed different cant angles (car hood, car roof, car trunk for example). I am back to the Harris with the RRS adapter. If I can find a deal on a CkyePod I will try it.

 

[Mormegil87]

Some top PRS competitors still use the Harris (I am mid-pack!). I ran the AccuTac for a couple of seasons but had issues with the tension of the cant knob loosening on stages where I needed different cant angles (car hood, car roof, car trunk for example). I am back to the Harris with the RRS adapter. If I can find a deal on a CkyePod I will try it.

I have the same issue with an accutac. It's always too tight or too loose and tends to get loose at the wrong time.

I keep a Harris around just in case. I'm not sold on the ckye pod, there's just too much play and flex for my liking, though the versatility is second to none.

 

[Rob01]

I'm not sold on the ckye pod, there's just too much play and flex for my liking, though the versatility is second to none.

A buddy of mine was looking for a smaller foot print bipod when fully extended and wanted to try my Ckyepod. First thing he said was that he felt it was loose and a lot of play and I told him you do not feel it when you use it. I took it off my rifle and he went to play with it on his rifle and then came back and said I was right and that it was solid when shooting and it is. Between it being solid and the versatility the Ckyepod is my go to match bipod. I bought mine used here on the Hide.

 

[Mormegil87]

A buddy of mine was looking for a smaller foot print bipod when fully extended and wanted to try my Ckyepod. First thing he said was that he felt it was loose and a lot of play and I told him you do not feel it when you use it. I took it off my rifle and he went to play with it on his rifle and then came back and said I was right and that it was solid when shooting and it is. Between it being solid and the versatility the Ckyepod is my go to match bipod. I bought mine used here on the Hide.

I thought the same thing until I was shown slow motion video of all the bipods under recoil. The ckye was the worst of all of the major bipods in terms of movement under recoil.

Accutac > Harris > Atlas > Ckye Pod.

In terms of versatility there nothing close to the Ckye.

 

[Rob01]

I thought the same thing until I was shown slow motion video of all the bipods under recoil. The ckye was the worst of all of the major bipods in terms of movement under recoil.

Accutac > Harris > Atlas > Ckye Pod.

In terms of versatility there nothing close to the Ckye.

Well I don't shoot in slow motion and can care less what a slow motion video shows when I see great results on target.

 

[Mormegil87]

Well I don't shoot in slow motion and can care less what a slow motion video shows when I see great results on target.

Same. Performance at distance got better and more consistent when I went to the Accutac for PRS. I shoot in the east so I don't need the versatility of the Ckye. If it's questionable I just use a bag.

To each their own. I personally feel the Ckye is overpriced, overrated & not needed and I'm an MDT fanboi. But obviously others feel differently and that's cool too.

 

[Rob01]

Same. Performance at distance got better and more consistent when I went to the Accutac for PRS. I shoot in the east so I don't need the versatility of the Ckye. If it's questionable I just use a bag.

To each their own. I personally feel the Ckye is overpriced, overrated & not needed and I'm an MDT fanboi. But obviously others feel differently and that's cool too.

I have no problem with long range precision with the Ckyepod. Same as my Harris I have used for 20 years in matches. I shoot in the east too but almost every match find a stage where the Ckyepod helps me a little.

I agree they are expensive and more than I would spend new and why I bought mine used. There are a bunch of options out for people and I don’t care what others use either. Just wanted to give my experience with the Ckyepod and the movement.

 

[Vivacious Stallion]

Of the bipods I have:
Ckyepod>TBAC>Atlas Cal>Accutac. I prefer the Ckyepod to the others by far for nearly every situation. Plus, if you shoot matches out west they force you to shoot at the moon sometimes.

 

[ECK]

I started with a Harris w/ a RRS arca conversion. It worked but I felt like it was tippy, especially when my rifles started getting up there in weight. Went to an Atlas CAL next and shot that for a while in rimfire and centerfire matches. The Atlas gave me better stability and a little more adaptability when shooting modified prone off boulders or rooftops turned sideways. I finally broke down last year and got a double pull Cyke-pod. Sticker-shock was a hard pill to swallow, but definitely a buy-once/cry-once purchase.

I agree with the comment above that it feels like there is a lot of play when the Cyke-pod is mounted on the rifle, but all that goes away when you get on the gun. I went double-pull bc I ran into a few stages where the extra height was needed. For me, the double-pull is perfect for PRS, PRS22, and NRL22. Shooting with the legs splayed out as wide as they can go is super stable.

Call me crazy, but I’m contemplating getting a Cyke-pod triple pull for my NRL Hunter rig. I can see a lot of situations where the triple at full extension w/ tripod for rear support would be more stable than shooting off the tripod to get a shot over veg or terrain.