Bipods and Tripods

[pewpew300WM]

I currently have a r700 paired with an acc chassis. I am awaiting my razor gen ii and other parts, but I did switch my action over along with my old optic setup just to see how it looks. I bought the m loc adapter to swivel so I could run my caldwell bipod, but it seems like the bipod can't handle the weight and causes the leg to lift and tip the weapon unless I have the legs extended. Long story short, I'd like some recommendations on bipod and tripod setups to cover all bases in shooting.

 

[cattleman99]

Atlas bipods are sort of a standard. Can’t go wrong with them. I like Accu-Tac bipods because they’re built like tanks. If you are willing to shell out the money, the Ckye pod is extremely versatile.

There is a lot of tripod options out there. I personally think Leofoto offers the most bang for the buck, but RRS tripods are the standard it seams. I’m excited for Colorado Tripod Company’s new line of shooting tripods.

 

[m1match]

For most of us that have shot a lot of precision rifle and have seen what works and what doesn't work, the Atlas bipod is about the least expensive top quality bipod that you can get. I have the V8 and the CAL bipods and I would suggest trying the CAL bipod which I prefer to the V8. Get the BT65-NC bipod with no clamp and then get the Really Right Stuff BTC-Pro clamp which will clamp directly to your ACC chassis rails.

My goto bipods for matches are my Atlas CAL and my MDT Ckye pod. For PRS type match shooting, the Ckye pod is, in my opinion, the best bipod out there but they are $500 vs. $280 for an Atlas CAL. For the way I shoot, the CAL is almost as good for shooting matches as the Ckye pod.

And before someone else tells you to go with a Harris bipod, I will say that if you are on a tight budget, a Harris will work but it won't work as well as an Atlas or Ckye pod. I own Harris bipods and I can honestly say they do not allow a shooter with solid fundamentals to shoot as well as they could if they were using a better bipod. Shooting with a Harris I notice the rifle bounces off target much more making spotting impacts harder.

For tripods, RRS is the gold standard but they are very expensive, like $1,500 expensive. Many shooters go with the Leofoto 364C or Feisol 3372 or 3472 tripods which cost 1/2 the cost of an RRS. In this quality level, most people run either a Really Right Stuff BH55 ballhead, RRS leveling base (these are probably the most popular), or RRS Anvil 30 ballhead. I started out with the Feisol 3472 but now have a RRS TFCT-34 with Anvil 30 ballhead. The Feisol needed parts replaced because the anti rotation collar in two of the legs wore to the point of legs rotating and requiring complete disassembly to get working right. I think the Feisol and Leofoto are good values but they are NOT as durable or as good as an RRS.

For less money, I've seen people shoot very well with the Hogsaddle PIG0311 aluminum tripods with a Feisol or Sunwayfoto ballhead. If you're on a budget, they are a good option from a good company.

A good quality tripod with stiff legs is a huge aid to shooting. At a Camp Pendleton match one of the instructors who shoots with us had his Marines compare our RRS tripods and heads to the aluminum Manfrotto's that they were issued and the difference in rifle stability was like night and day. The Manfrottos had skinny aluminum legs that were flexing just from the weight of the rifle whereas our RRS tripods with their rifles on them were rock solid.

 

[Secant]

For bipod, I’d say the Atlas Gen2 CAL is my new baseline. They’re not expensive in the grand scheme and worth it for the stability.

For tripod, you should name your budget. I only have a Pig 0311 that I picked up after spending way too much on other things. It works ok, but I’m looking to upgrade this year to a RRS setup.

 

[pewpew300WM]

Atlas bipods are sort of a standard. Can’t go wrong with them. I like Accu-Tac bipods because they’re built like tanks. If you are willing to shell out the money, the Ckye pod is extremely versatile.

There is a lot of tripod options out there. I personally think Leofoto offers the most bang for the buck, but RRS tripods are the standard it seams. I’m excited for Colorado Tripod Company’s new line of shooting tripods.

I almost bought a cyke when mdt did their overstock and blemish sale. I should of but they went real quick and I wanted to get the acc ordered first.

 

[pewpew300WM]

I

For most of us that have shot a lot of precision rifle and have seen what works and what doesn't work, the Atlas bipod is about the least expensive top quality bipod that you can get. I have the V8 and the CAL bipods and I would suggest trying the CAL bipod which I prefer to the V8. Get the BT65-NC bipod with no clamp and then get the Really Right Stuff BTC-Pro clamp which will clamp directly to your ACC chassis rails.

My goto bipods for matches are my Atlas CAL and my MDT Ckye pod. For PRS type match shooting, the Ckye pod is, in my opinion, the best bipod out there but they are $500 vs. $280 for an Atlas CAL. For the way I shoot, the CAL is almost as good for shooting matches as the Ckye pod.

And before someone else tells you to go with a Harris bipod, I will say that if you are on a tight budget, a Harris will work but it won't work as well as an Atlas or Ckye pod. I own Harris bipods and I can honestly say they do not allow a shooter with solid fundamentals to shoot as well as they could if they were using a better bipod. Shooting with a Harris I notice the rifle bounces off target much more making spotting impacts harder.

For tripods, RRS is the gold standard but they are very expensive, like $1,500 expensive. Many shooters go with the Leofoto 364C or Feisol 3372 or 3472 tripods which cost 1/2 the cost of an RRS. In this quality level, most people run either a Really Right Stuff BH55 ballhead, RRS leveling base (these are probably the most popular), or RRS Anvil 30 ballhead. I started out with the Feisol 3472 but now have a RRS TFCT-34 with Anvil 30 ballhead. The Feisol needed parts replaced because the anti rotation collar in two of the legs wore to the point of legs rotating and requiring complete disassembly to get working right. I think the Feisol and Leofoto are good values but they are NOT as durable or as good as an RRS.

For less money, I've seen people shoot very well with the Hogsaddle PIG0311 aluminum tripods with a Feisol or Sunwayfoto ballhead. If you're on a budget, they are a good option from a good company.

A good quality tripod with stiff legs is a huge aid to shooting. At a Camp Pendleton match one of the instructors who shoots with us had his Marines compare our RRS tripods and heads to the aluminum Manfrotto's that they were issued and the difference in rifle stability was like night and day. The Manfrottos had skinny aluminum legs that were flexing just from the weight of the rifle whereas our RRS tripods with their rifles on them were rock solid.

I almost got a cyke when mdt did their sale but by time I order the acc chassis they cykes were gone.

 

[pewpew300WM]

For most of us that have shot a lot of precision rifle and have seen what works and what doesn't work, the Atlas bipod is about the least expensive top quality bipod that you can get. I have the V8 and the CAL bipods and I would suggest trying the CAL bipod which I prefer to the V8. Get the BT65-NC bipod with no clamp and then get the Really Right Stuff BTC-Pro clamp which will clamp directly to your ACC chassis rails.

My goto bipods for matches are my Atlas CAL and my MDT Ckye pod. For PRS type match shooting, the Ckye pod is, in my opinion, the best bipod out there but they are $500 vs. $280 for an Atlas CAL. For the way I shoot, the CAL is almost as good for shooting matches as the Ckye pod.

And before someone else tells you to go with a Harris bipod, I will say that if you are on a tight budget, a Harris will work but it won't work as well as an Atlas or Ckye pod. I own Harris bipods and I can honestly say they do not allow a shooter with solid fundamentals to shoot as well as they could if they were using a better bipod. Shooting with a Harris I notice the rifle bounces off target much more making spotting impacts harder.

For tripods, RRS is the gold standard but they are very expensive, like $1,500 expensive. Many shooters go with the Leofoto 364C or Feisol 3372 or 3472 tripods which cost 1/2 the cost of an RRS. In this quality level, most people run either a Really Right Stuff BH55 ballhead, RRS leveling base (these are probably the most popular), or RRS Anvil 30 ballhead. I started out with the Feisol 3472 but now have a RRS TFCT-34 with Anvil 30 ballhead. The Feisol needed parts replaced because the anti rotation collar in two of the legs wore to the point of legs rotating and requiring complete disassembly to get working right. I think the Feisol and Leofoto are good values but they are NOT as durable or as good as an RRS.

For less money, I've seen people shoot very well with the Hogsaddle PIG0311 aluminum tripods with a Feisol or Sunwayfoto ballhead. If you're on a budget, they are a good option from a good company.

A good quality tripod with stiff legs is a huge aid to shooting. At a Camp Pendleton match one of the instructors who shoots with us had his Marines compare our RRS tripods and heads to the aluminum Manfrotto's that they were issued and the difference in rifle stability was like night and day. The Manfrottos had skinny aluminum legs that were flexing just from the weight of the rifle whereas our RRS tripods with their rifles on them were rock solid.

I almost bought a cyke when mdt did their overstock and blemish sale. I should of but they went real quick and I wanted to get the acc ordered first.

 

[pewpew300WM]

For most of us that have shot a lot of precision rifle and have seen what works and what doesn't work, the Atlas bipod is about the least expensive top quality bipod that you can get. I have the V8 and the CAL bipods and I would suggest trying the CAL bipod which I prefer to the V8. Get the BT65-NC bipod with no clamp and then get the Really Right Stuff BTC-Pro clamp which will clamp directly to your ACC chassis rails.

My goto bipods for matches are my Atlas CAL and my MDT Ckye pod. For PRS type match shooting, the Ckye pod is, in my opinion, the best bipod out there but they are $500 vs. $280 for an Atlas CAL. For the way I shoot, the CAL is almost as good for shooting matches as the Ckye pod.

And before someone else tells you to go with a Harris bipod, I will say that if you are on a tight budget, a Harris will work but it won't work as well as an Atlas or Ckye pod. I own Harris bipods and I can honestly say they do not allow a shooter with solid fundamentals to shoot as well as they could if they were using a better bipod. Shooting with a Harris I notice the rifle bounces off target much more making spotting impacts harder.

For tripods, RRS is the gold standard but they are very expensive, like $1,500 expensive. Many shooters go with the Leofoto 364C or Feisol 3372 or 3472 tripods which cost 1/2 the cost of an RRS. In this quality level, most people run either a Really Right Stuff BH55 ballhead, RRS leveling base (these are probably the most popular), or RRS Anvil 30 ballhead. I started out with the Feisol 3472 but now have a RRS TFCT-34 with Anvil 30 ballhead. The Feisol needed parts replaced because the anti rotation collar in two of the legs wore to the point of legs rotating and requiring complete disassembly to get working right. I think the Feisol and Leofoto are good values but they are NOT as durable or as good as an RRS.

For less money, I've seen people shoot very well with the Hogsaddle PIG0311 aluminum tripods with a Feisol or Sunwayfoto ballhead. If you're on a budget, they are a good option from a good company.

A good quality tripod with stiff legs is a huge aid to shooting. At a Camp Pendleton match one of the instructors who shoots with us had his Marines compare our RRS tripods and heads to the aluminum Manfrotto's that they were issued and the difference in rifle stability was like night and day. The Manfrottos had skinny aluminum legs that were flexing just from the weight of the rifle whereas our RRS tripods with their rifles on them were rock solid.

So with the BT65-NC bipod with no clamp and then the Really Right Stuff BTC-Pro clamp I’ll be able to slide that bipod from the mag well or close to it where the rail is to the end of the chassis itself to adjust for different obstacles and shooting right?

 

[m1match]

Short answer is yes. The BTC-Pro clamp is a knob clamp not a QD lever. I have 3 of them and they work very well, they seem to stay tight and don't loosen. Arca is the generic term now used for these rail systems and comes from the camera tripod brand Arca Swiss, but none of the camera tripod makers used a standardized spec for the rails until Really Right Stuff standardized the rail spec and published it). The advantage of RRS rail is it allows you to quickly adjust whatever is attached to the rail and put it in the right spot. Another advantage of the BTC-Pro clamp is that it will work with either RRS rails or Picatinny rails.

 

[pewpew300WM]

Oka

Short answer is yes. The BTC-Pro clamp is a knob clamp not a QD lever. I have 3 of them and they work very well, they seem to stay tight and don't loosen. Arca is the generic term now used for these rail systems and comes from the camera tripod brand Arca Swiss, but none of the camera tripod makers used a standardized spec for the rails until Really Right Stuff standardized the rail spec and published it). The advantage of RRS rail is it allows you to quickly adjust whatever is attached to the rail and put it in the right spot. Another advantage of the BTC-Pro clamp is that it will work with either RRS rails or Picatinny rails.

Okay I get what your saying now for sure it’s all starting to make sense with the mounts and stuff. I did buy the mdt mloc to swivel adapter because I did plan to use the Caldwell but it’s not cutting it. I’ll keep an eye out on here for that atlas bipod used. Now with the mdt cyke it would also mount right to the acc or does it need a adapter also?

 

[m1match]

The Ckye pod comes with an Arca/RRS clamp so nothing else needed

 

[pewpew300WM]

The Ckye pod comes with an Arca/RRS clamp so nothing else needed

Okay thanks for the explanations it definitely helped me understand what I need to start looking for.

 

[pewpew300WM]

For bipod, I’d say the Atlas Gen2 CAL is my new baseline. They’re not expensive in the grand scheme and worth it for the stability.

For tripod, you should name your budget. I only have a Pig 0311 that I picked up after spending way too much on other things. It works ok, but I’m looking to upgrade this year to a RRS setup.

I need to get a bipod first and then try to look into tripods. It’s not a need more like a want I guess. All my shooting is from a bench or the ground. I’ve never shot with a tripod but the more I look around a lot of people seem to be using them and I think it would help my shooting if I’m not laying down.

 

[Corprin]

@pewpew300WM did you really order four ACC’s and miss out on four CYKEs?!?!?

 

[pewpew300WM]

@pewpew300WM did you really order four ACC’s and miss out on four CYKEs?!?!?

huh? i only ordered one acc

 

[Sendit6.5]

I use the PRST tripod you can get from Josh at Hog Saddle. I really couldn’t tell the difference between the RRS tripod and the PRST - at least not enough to justify the cost difference. I use the Sunwayfoto XB-52DL ball head. It’s pretty expensive but the weight rating enables really really smooth movements, even with a heavy rifle. I’ve put the system through a LOT (~120 days annually) of field use over the past 3+ years and I’ve never regretted the cost. In real-world hunting applications my tripod gets 20x more use than my bipod. One RRS item I’ve been wanting to try for a couple of years is their “leveling base,” to eliminate the ball head. I rarely need more than 15° of adjustment anyway so the leveling base would provide plenty wile reducing weight and getting my rifles closer to the tripod, which WILL increase stability/rigidity. The one advantage with a ball head is the ability to pan, which I do a lot of. Sometimes to make follow up shots on coyotes and often just to use my scope to get a better look at a number of deer than I can get with my binos. If you’re hunting/shooting a fairly level area, you can level your tripod, use the ball head to insure you don’t have ANY rifle cant and, then, loosen your pan and cover a wide area. It’s pretty nice. If the RRS base had an adjustable pan feature, I would have bought it already.

IF you go the tripod route and use the RRS leveling base (regardless of your connection method) you can substitute it for a bipod; but bipods are NO substitute for a tripod. Even with a ball head, if your center post is short, you may be able to get low enough for a prone shot using a tripod. It just depends on the tripod. My PRST will splay out the legs making it possible.

Hope this helps!