ARCA Rail vs Fixed Bipod

[kermit the monster]

Hey guys, I'm new to bolt guns, looking to compete in PRS. What setup would you recommend, an ARCA rail or just a Pic Rail fixed bipod mount? Is there a significant advantage of an ARCA system over a fixed bipod?

For reference I'd be using this on a Cadex Sheepdog (R7 action with a Nuke Chassis). Brand new to PRS, trying to stay within a budget, so I'm leaning towards a fixed pic rail. I was gifted a 12" ARCAlock, but it overhangs quite a bit, would need to reinforce with a bracket of some kind.

Appreciate any input, thanks!

 

[loveha]

If you are on a budget and just trying a comp you may not stick with, I would not bother with getting all the "cool" stuff.
Some people have rails that go past the forend 1-3 inches and they are just fine. No need for some bracket.

 

[sleeplz]

Go arca, no question. In the video you can see one application where he can raise his elevation easily. At matches, you'll have different barricades, tires, concrete slaps, or rocks and you can measure with your arm to adjust the bipod and rear stock length. This gives you a good modified prone position on barricades and you'll smoke the stage easily.

You can skimp if you want, but you'll just end up buying the arca rail later on and the fixed bipod mount will just move to the used bin.

 

[McMillan]

Just cut the rail down a bit and run it

 

[MakeSawdust]

I agree, if you have the rail, cut it down and run it. If not, put a RRS BTC Pro clamp on the bipod and you are set for both pic and ARCA. You can upgrade later without having to modify stuff on your bipod.

Also, I find myself in very few situations where I want the bipod moved back. I have found that at most matches, if you can shoot well from prone or modified prone, and also from many positions utilizing a barricade bag, you will do very well. I typically shoot Border Wars matches, so there are no tripods allowed, but even the couple two day matches I have shot no one used a tripod due to the par times for the stages. I would assume in field style matches that stuff would be much more useful, but in the typical PRS match I have not seen a huge need for it. If you can clean stages with a barricade bag and from the prone, those two skills will take you far.

 

[kermit the monster]

If you are on a budget and just trying a comp you may not stick with, I would not bother with getting all the "cool" stuff.
Some people have rails that go past the forend 1-3 inches and they are just fine. No need for some bracket.

I'm at 2.75 Inchs over, I'll give it a cautious try, thanks!

 

[kermit the monster]

Go arca, no question. In the video you can see one application where he can raise his elevation easily. At matches, you'll have different barricades, tires, concrete slaps, or rocks and you can measure with your arm to adjust the bipod and rear stock length. This gives you a good modified prone position on barricades and you'll smoke the stage easily.

You can skimp if you want, but you'll just end up buying the arca rail later on and the fixed bipod mount will just move to the used bin.

Thanks for the video! Makes sense now, I didn't know if it was something I'd end up using a lot.

 

[kermit the monster]

Just cut the rail down a bit and run it

Yikes

 

[kermit the monster]

I agree, if you have the rail, cut it down and run it. If not, put a RRS BTC Pro clamp on the bipod and you are set for both pic and ARCA. You can upgrade later without having to modify stuff on your bipod.

Also, I find myself in very few situations where I want the bipod moved back. I have found that at most matches, if you can shoot well from prone or modified prone, and also from many positions utilizing a barricade bag, you will do very well. I typically shoot Border Wars matches, so there are no tripods allowed, but even the couple two day matches I have shot no one used a tripod due to the par times for the stages. I would assume in field style matches that stuff would be much more useful, but in the typical PRS match I have not seen a huge need for it. If you can clean stages with a barricade bag and from the prone, those two skills will take you far.

Appreciate the insight, thanks!

 

[lash]

Don’t cut the rail down.

 

[King_beardsly]

I’d say if you’re just starting out with the PRS game, fixed bipod isn’t an issue and good starting point. Now once you get hooked and start shooting more matches having it on the arca is handy, lets you adjust its position to fit smaller areas instead of getting into weirder positions to allow the bipod to rest on the object. I personally got jammed up on a couple stages last year due to the bipod being fixed to far out and this season I made the small investment to get a clamp on my bipod.

sidenote sawtooth rifles has a whole bunch of stuff to allow you to run a pic bipod with arca stuff, I’m running the MPA pic rail adapter plate with an arca
clamp on top.

Products - Sawtooth Rifles

This is where you can add new products to your store.

www.sawtoothrifles.com

 

[kermit the monster]

No reason not to cut it (shape it up a little, brush on aluminum black, put the cut end in the back and you'll never know it was hacked), I'd leave an inch or so of overhang on that chassis.

Gets expensive once you factor in a good bipod clamp, though.

I'll probably pick up the Atlas CAL Gen2 with the quick detach and get the 419 Arcalock clamp. Is the extra few inches helpful? I can make a bracket that takes care of the overhang with a little bit of work, just attached to the night vision mount.

Functionally, would the full 12" rail be that much better than say, 10-11"? Or not really noticeable?

 

[502Chevelle]

^^^ I would start out with what you have and shoot a couple matches, and if you like this game, invest a little more into your rifle. Be careful, because it is an addicting sport, and it’s easy to spend a lot of money. The above post is true until you are shooting off a barrel that is sideways, and then you want to bring that bipod back. The good thing about an arca rail, is that you have options.

 

[kermit the monster]

^^^ I would start out with what you have and shoot a couple matches, and if you like this game, invest a little more into your rifle. Be careful, because it is an addicting sport, and it’s easy to spend a lot of money. The above post is true until you are shooting off a barrel that is sideways, and then you want to bring that bipod back. The good thing about an arca rail, is that you have options.

Appreciate the insight! Man looking at the price of a quality bipod, scope, scope mount and bags is making my head hurt.