I have an idea......

[jlorensen]

I have 2 AR rifles and 1 Magpul bipod (picatinny clamp). Instead of ordering another bipod, or carrying around a screwdriver, I've been thinking about using shouldered thumb screws to make this bipod easier to swap between rifles.

Dumb idea, or could I be onto something? This is what happens when I take time off work

 

[Green461]

Ya, thats what I do. I have one bi-pod (pic rail mount) and several rifles I put a 1 inch long rail attached via M-lok on the bottom of all the handguards. Bipod came with a knurled thumb screw and takes 10 seconds to swap.

 

[Aftermath]

I like these types for quick release stuff.

 

[chevy_man]

This is the hide...

You're not doing it right until you've spent 3x the money on quick release mounts from another company.

I love my RRS bipod mounts. If you don't want to spend the money on one then McMaster Carr is where I'd look for the same hardware you'll see with a manufacturers mount. Knobs and thumb screws are easy, just need to know thread length, size, and pitch.

 

[jlorensen]

This is the hide...

You're not doing it right until you've spent 3x the money on quick release mounts from another company.

I love my RRS bipod mounts. If you don't want to spend the money on one then McMaster Carr is where I'd look for the same hardware you'll see with a manufacturers mount. Knobs and thumb screws are easy, just need to know thread length, size, and pitch.

I just placed an order with McMaster Carr .......and I'm glad there are other folks who spend 3x for a "budget" idea too!

 

[Rodney65]

This is the hide...

You're not doing it right until you've spent 3x the money on quick release mounts from another company.

I love my RRS bipod mounts. If you don't want to spend the money on one then McMaster Carr is where I'd look for the same hardware you'll see with a manufacturers mount. Knobs and thumb screws are easy, just need to know thread length, size, and pitch.

I got an RRS BTC Pro clamp and felt that I should have spent more for a throw lever because the thumbscrew wasn't high speed/low drag enough. But then someone informed that it was actually better because not all arca rails are made to the exact spec and since I planned to move it from rifle to rifle it was probably the better way to go.

Here's a tip that's probably pretty obvious to everyone already but just in case: if you carry your rifle in the field and use a thumbscrew arca (or full length picatinny clamp with no recoil lug/cross member) consider putting a stopper such as a sling swivel stud or loop of paracord on the rail in front of the clamp if you have an extra hole for one. That way if the clamp comes loose your bipod can't just slide off the rail and never be seen again.

Also small side note, I wish the CAL legs locked forward in this "tips touching" position. It resuces the chance of them snagging but more importantly to me if something squishes them if they are in a soft case or unprotected you wouldn't bend or snap the legs.

Probably a stupid/trivial idea but with the extensions I worry about damage.

 

[chevy_man]

I got an RRS BTC Pro clamp and felt that I should have spent more for a throw lever because the thumbscrew wasn't high speed/low drag enough. But then someone informed that it was actually better because not all arca rails are made to the exact spec and since I planned to move it from rifle to rifle it was probably the better way to go.

Here's a tip that's probably pretty obvious to everyone already but just in case: if you carry your rifle in the field and use a thumbscrew arca (or full length picatinny clamp with no recoil lug/cross member) consider putting a stopper such as a sling swivel stud or loop of paracord on the rail in front of the clamp if you have an extra hole for one. That way if the clamp comes loose your bipod can't just slide off the rail and never be seen again.

View attachment 8581737

Also small side note, I wish the CAL legs locked forward in this "tips touching" position. It resuces the chance of them snagging but more importantly to me if something squishes them if they are in a soft case or unprotected you wouldn't bend or snap the legs.

Probably a stupid/trivial idea but with the extensions I worry about damage.

Throw lever is spring loaded so it grabs any rail with the same tension.

That said, I have both and the knob isn't that much slower. The new lever mounts are getting silly at $170. For $85 I can spin a knob.

 

[jlorensen]

We'll see how this shakes out.......I should be receiving 2 knurled thumb screws w/ shoulders from McMaster-Carr tomorrow. We have a winter storm in the forecast for the weekend, so should give me plenty of time to tinker if these don't just drop-in (and we all know they never do).

If I get it to work, I'll post up a pic or two.

 

[carbonbased]

Throw lever is spring loaded so it grabs any rail with the same tension.

?

I own a SC-ARC lever clamp from RRS and that is definitely not how that clamp works.

It works just like the ADM pic clamp pictured early in this thread. Namely, you usually have to adjust a screw to modify the clamp’s tension when swapping between different manufacturer’s rails.

 

[chevy_man]

?

I own a SC-ARC lever clamp from RRS and that is definitely not how that clamp works.

It works just like the ADM pic clamp pictured early in this thread. Namely, you usually have to adjust a screw to modify the clamp’s tension when swapping between different manufacturer’s rails.

Looks like the newer ones are different. They look to have knurling on the knob whereas mine is smooth as glass?


On mine, there's no screw, and it grabs every arca or picatinny rail. I just checked 3 different rails and they all leave a different gap. Sure feels like a nice stiff spring in there.

 

[carbonbased]

Looks like the newer ones are different. They look to have knurling on the knob whereas mine is smooth as glass?


On mine, there's no screw, and it grabs every arca or picatinny rail. I just checked 3 different rails and they all leave a different gap. Sure feels like a nice stiff spring in there.

View attachment 8582663View attachment 8582664
View attachment 8582665

Huh. Look at that. Man. What the heck?

If I was a betting man…RRS might’ve gotten dinged by a certain type of self-adjusting clamp patent. Or maybe the design/tech they used just didn’t work they way they wanted.

You see, around 2010 these awesome vise-grip pliers came out with a patented joint that allowed them to grip just as you describe. They self-adjusted; another way to say it is the grip tension was “jaw width independent”.

All you did is set the tension you want, and it would grip a 1/16” plate with the same tension as it would grip a 1” bar.

All with no adjusting or interaction from yourself.
No more twiddling with the screw at the rear of the grip to get the right locking tension. Yes!

I know some woodworking clamp manufacturers had to redesign their clamps, as I guess they infringed on this patent.

I see there are some vise-grips still sold with this feature. Here’s is my pair by CH Hanson.

https://www.amazon.com/Hanson-10100-10-Inch-Self-Adjusting-Locking/dp/B000HT4J3I

Looks like they still make it, and perhaps has licensed the tech out to others like Facom, Autogrip, Hart etc etc. This is how they work.


After your first post, I remembered these vise-grips and thought it would be cool if Arca/picatinny clamps worked like they did. Now it appears RRS was going down that path but retreated for some reason.

When did you buy that RRS clamp?

@MPHReallyRightStuff what say you?

 

[chevy_man]

Huh. Look at that. Man. What the heck?

If I was a betting man…RRS might’ve gotten dinged by a certain type of self-adjusting clamp patent. Or maybe the design/tech they used just didn’t work they way they wanted.

You see, around 2010 these awesome vise-grip pliers came out with a patented joint that allowed them to grip just as you describe. They self-adjusted; another way to say it is the grip tension was “jaw width independent”.

All you did is set the tension you want, and it would grip a 1/16” plate with the same tension as it would grip a 1” bar.

All with no adjusting or interaction from yourself.
No more twiddling with the screw at the rear of the grip to get the right locking tension. Yes!

I know some woodworking clamp manufacturers had to redesign their clamps, as I guess they infringed on this patent.

I see there are some vise-grips still sold with this feature. Here’s is my pair by CH Hanson.

https://www.amazon.com/Hanson-10100-10-Inch-Self-Adjusting-Locking/dp/B000HT4J3I

Looks like they still make it, and perhaps has licensed the tech out to others like Facom, Autogrip, Hart etc etc. This is how they work.


After your first post, I remembered these vise-grips and thought it would be cool if Arca/picatinny clamps worked like they did. Now it appears RRS was going down that path but retreated for some reason.

When did you buy that RRS clamp?

@MPHReallyRightStuff what say you?

Must have been 4-5 years ago. Also odd, I don't see a clamp with only 1 screw anymore.

It was right about the time you could get them with or without the extra pin.


Found it. Discontinued. But I notice they advertised "50 lbs of clamp force".

Really Right Stuff SC-LR SOAR Lever-Release Clamp

The SC-LR SOAR Lever-Release Clamp is the perfect fit for shooting enthusiasts. With the Patented Dual Clamp design, the SC-LR easily attaches to...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[jlorensen]

Well.....this seems to have worked like a charm! Picked up 2 flared collar thumb screws from McMaster-Carr, and they fit perfectly.....I'm shocked I got this right on the first attempt and it only cost $20!

 

[B y r o n]

Well.....this seems to have worked like a charm! Picked up 2 flared collar thumb screws from McMaster-Carr, and they fit perfectly.....I'm shocked I got this right on the first attempt and it only cost $20!
View attachment 8583244View attachment 8583245

Great find, care to share the part number and size?

 

[jlorensen]

Part# 99607A228, 10-24 knurled thumb screw. I used 1.25" length.

 

[Waco Kid]

Dammit! I just sold an Atlas with a two screw pic mount, wish I’d seen this sooner I coulda tried it out! So simple yet nobody thought about it before I did upgrade to a different model so not disappointed but maybe would’ve kept the other as a backup with this mod making it more qd-ish. New one has the RRS pic/arca, really nice mount for sure.