bipods

SOTA

Private
Minuteman
Feb 20, 2013
0
0
Colorado
what bipod should I buy? I have a rem 700 vls .308 with H&S precision stock and nightforce NXS and I need to get a bipod. the primary use of the gun is long range with the occasional hunting trip.
 
For that a simple Harris would be fine. I have, or have had, about all of them. For tactical applications I like the Atlas best. For long range comp the Sinclare and for normal range use/hunting Harris.

Sully
 
SOTA trust me when I say the mantra of "buy once cry once" is 100% true. Anytime I have cut a corner all I ended up doing was spending more after I realized the item I bought was crap. You don't need the Atlas for your application but I highly suggest the Harris.

Sully
 
For your price range, definitely a Harris. It is a few bucks more but get the 6-9" model with notched legs (BR-S I think) and a pod-loc. Talk to Cheese on here and he can set you up for a good price on the whole package.
 
dully noted I do try to live by those words when it comes to tools and guns the best I can and all of my guns are the best I can afford and I have starved more than a few times to get them lol. That nightforce was a hard pill to swallow but Im glad I did I just wish it wasnt 30 ounces and Im sure I will be cussing it next time Im humping it through the back country of Colorado right up until I smack a elk at 600 yards. is there a certain model harris I should get I would like to get a light weight one so I dont have to ditch it when I go hunting I haven weighed the gun yet but Im guessing its around 12 lbs right now. I also need to get a anti cant device do you guys have a suggestion for that.
 
dully noted I do try to live by those words when it comes to tools and guns the best I can and all of my guns are the best I can afford and I have starved more than a few times to get them lol. That nightforce was a hard pill to swallow but Im glad I did I just wish it wasnt 30 ounces and Im sure I will be cussing it next time Im humping it through the back country of Colorado right up until I smack a elk at 600 yards. is there a certain model harris I should get I would like to get a light weight one so I dont have to ditch it when I go hunting I haven weighed the gun yet but Im guessing its around 12 lbs right now. I also need to get a anti cant device do you guys have a suggestion for that.

Harris 6-9 notched
 
ATLAS By far... I have 3....
I've looked at the Atlas fondly but haven't bought one because I don't see any big advantage. My guess is that you can forward load the Atlas better than the Harris.

All of my bolt rifles have a sling stud that the Harris is made to grab and hold, but aren't there some gyrations needed for the Atlas to do the same thing (like change to a short Pic rail)? The Atlas is 3X the price, and I can see some advantage to mounting on an AR, but not for a bolt rifle.

The one thing I don't like about the Harris is that the attachment tightening screw can work loose with use. I love the KMW Pod Loc and the Atlas' knob seems lilke it might be a little harder to reach.

Tell me more, if you have used both!!
 
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Harris now makes an adapter plate that attaches to a pic rail and rotates, giving a panning ability not before available, Approx $90, check out Harris's web site.
I've used both the Atlas and Harris units and while the Atlas has the advantage in more leg positions, the Harris is faster, third the cost, many more options in sizes that can be changed in seconds, and now the a fore mentioned adapters that,for my purposes, render the Atlas inappropriate. At least for some time.
 
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Badger makes a nice rail-to-stud adapter as well, but no panning feature. I'll check out the Harris adapter. Except for the attachment screw working loose, I like the Harris. I understand that a little blue Loctite can help keep the attachment screw tight.
 
Badger makes a nice rail-to-stud adapter as well, but no panning feature. I'll check out the Harris adapter. Except for the attachment screw working loose, I like the Harris. I understand that a little blue Loctite can help keep the attachment screw tight.

Jack,
ADM also makes a pic rail adapter and can pick em up from about any where. Go directly to Harris Engineering's web site to see the adapters
 
Badger makes a nice rail-to-stud adapter as well, but no panning feature. I'll check out the Harris adapter. Except for the attachment screw working loose, I like the Harris. I understand that a little blue Loctite can help keep the attachment screw tight.

Jack, are you tightening the adjustment screw by hand or inserting an allen wrench into the head and giving it a bit of torque?
 
Both Harris and Atlas are very good bipods. I switched to Atlas a few months ago and think it is a better bipod, although it is expensive. Customer Service at Atlas is first rate as well. I had a problem with the quick release. The screw was cross threaded into the quick release housing when it arrived. They fixed the problem by sending a new part next day air. Then they followed up by calling to make sure it got resolved.
 
Jack, are you tightening the adjustment screw by hand or inserting an allen wrench into the head and giving it a bit of torque?

Hand tightening.

Both Harris and Atlas are very good bipods. I switched to Atlas a few months ago and think it is a better bipod, although it is expensive. Customer Service at Atlas is first rate as well. I had a problem with the quick release. The screw was cross threaded into the quick release housing when it arrived. They fixed the problem by sending a new part next day air. Then they followed up by calling to make sure it got resolved.

The Atlas is a better tripod in WHAT WAY? I'm not opposed to buying a tripod that cost 3X the price of a Harris, but I'd like to have a solid reason for doing it.
 
Atlas bipod can be had for 220. I just upgraded after getting to play with one on another rifle. They pop up here occasionally, but they go really fast. Atlas has cant and pan ability too. The Harris has cant but no pan ability
 
Harris swivel in the height you want and I would also suggest the notched legs as they spring out and are easier to set than the standard friction legs. Put a Pod Loc on it and you will have an excellent set up for about $100. It's what all my rifles wear and I have never needed or wanted more.
 
Harris swivel in the height you want and I would also suggest the notched legs as they spring out and are easier to set than the standard friction legs. Put a Pod Loc on it and you will have an excellent set up for about $100. It's what all my rifles wear and I have never needed or wanted more.
Agreed, Rob. I'm trying to find out if I'm missing something that the Atlas has. Harris now offer a quick attachment adapter (separate from the bipod itself) that allows panning.
 
Atlas bipod can be had for 220. I just upgraded after getting to play with one on another rifle. They pop up here occasionally, but they go really fast. Atlas has cant and pan ability too. The Harris has cant but no pan ability

Wrongo Buffy. Harris makes rotating adapter with quick release button that has a range of motion equal to or greater than the Atlas
 
Quick attach with cant and pan with that newer adapter and quick deployment, I see no need to replace the Harris. I've never handled an Atlas, but I don't see any advantages and definitely not with that price tag. Any "solutions" they've come up with are to non-issues, in my opinion. Sure you can get lower and load them more, but you're not firing a fucking SAW. How much are you really going load your bipods? I can tell you this, if you're digging your toes in and pushing forward, you're wrong.
 
Wrongo Buffy. Harris makes rotating adapter with quick release button that has a range of motion equal to or greater than the Atlas

I stand corrected. Although the technicality got me. It is an add on to the bipod. The Harris is great and I had one before the atlas. I do like that the atlas come with all the function in a very clean little package. Light and not bulky. You are spending 190 retail to make the Harris do what the atlas does for 220.
 
Agreed, Rob. I'm trying to find out if I'm missing something that the Atlas has. Harris now offer a quick attachment adapter (separate from the bipod itself) that allows panning.

I guess panning would be useful in some situations but I haven't found a need for it yet.

SOTA, get a BRM-S with the swivel.
 
I only like the pan feature because I mainly hunt. Running coyotes is the reason I like the pan feature. Track your target before it stops or after it runs without readjusting position. SOTA I think you will like the Harris with the notched legs.
 
What is the difference between brm and brm-s

Swivel, I shoot both Harris and Atlas. BOth are great bipods. Don't go Caldwell or shooters ridge. I have trashed a few of each but never a harris or atlas. I love my atlas but again I love the harris. If I was going to have just one then I would be in a bind. The harris is much faster to be on a target from standing up but the atlas is nice when set up and in position. Both have pro/cons. The atlas can be loaded more and I can watch trace/hits easier and bipod legs are always in the same spot. When I use my harris I can still see my hits and trace but my crosshairs are likely to be right or left just a hair. The slop in the atlas is what I like about it. I look at those two brands myself and nothing else. Good luck
 
I stand corrected. Although the technicality got me. It is an add on to the bipod. The Harris is great and I had one before the atlas. I do like that the atlas come with all the function in a very clean little package. Light and not bulky. You are spending 190 retail to make the Harris do what the atlas does for 220.

Atlas with quick release is $280, so you're still $100 cheaper. I know, I paid for the Atlas. It's a wonderful tool, but it too has limitations in cost and function.
 
I stand corrected. Although the technicality got me. It is an add on to the bipod. The Harris is great and I had one before the atlas. I do like that the atlas come with all the function in a very clean little package. Light and not bulky. You are spending 190 retail to make the Harris do what the atlas does for 220.
You can find the Harris 6"-9" with notched legs and swivel for $90, and a PodLoc for $23 ($113 total). It works on most rifles with a sling stud, but you'll need an adapter for a Pic rail. If you want the panning adapter (it might be nice for varmint hunting), add another $65.

The Atlas begins at $220 and then you need attachment adapters for a rifle with sling stud that bring the price to at least $280. For my useage, I would be spending $113 for the Harris instead of $280 for the Atlas. Buyers have to consider how they would use these bipods as some features would not be used.

Since I already have 6-8 Harris bipods that I've acquired over the years, I might buy the panning adapter for my bolt rifles! The Atlas is lighter and the $220 version attaches directly to a Pic rail, so it might be the better choice for an AR even though it's more money. Personally I hate attachment adapters on an AR, they make it more complex and cause problems.

So far, I think: Harris => bolt rifles with forend sling stud, and Atlas => AR with a Pic rail on the bottom of the forend. The simpler attachment and lightweight make the Atlas worth the extra money on an AR.
 
You can save even more on the pod lock by going with the E. A. Brown S-lever. You can get one for $12 on Brownells and is just a clone of the Harris product. So Harris S for $90 and S-lever for $12 and your only $2 over goal.

Sully
 
Stick with the original Pod Loc from Terry Cross at KMW. If anything happens to it he will replace it no questions asked. He is a great guy and been a long time Hide contributor and competitor.
 
As a new member to this site, I can truly say it is hard on the bank account of an impulse buyer such as myself. I purchased two of the Atlas bipods and they are very impressive. I also purchased a couple of GG&G pods and they seem to be very well made. No one has mentioned them here, did I make a bad selection on the GG&G's?
 
As a new member to this site, I can truly say it is hard on the bank account of an impulse buyer such as myself. I purchased two of the Atlas bipods and they are very impressive. I also purchased a couple of GG&G pods and they seem to be very well made. No one has mentioned them here, did I make a bad selection on the GG&G's?

I have the gg&g heavy duty bipod, a Harris, and an atlas. I think all three are great. My favorite is the atlas due to how adjustable it is but the gg&g is rock solid and slightly more adjustable than the Harris. I can't see how anyone would have a problem with any of them. Just look at what features u want and like and go with it.