Lets talk bipods

[DocRDS]

Hi Nikky - I too have not seen nor handled the Gunwerks bipod.

But I have a general impression that Gunwerks is mostly (or perhaps traditionally in the past) been focused on high end (and fairly expensive) hunting rifles. Looking at their bipod offering, it seems to be hunter oriented being lightweight with carbon fiber legs and triple pull. Not saying I’m right, just the impression I get from looking at the specs.


So, Doc…you pulled the pod loc handle off and put a wrench on the nut that’s underneath and tightened it? And yes, they don’t seem to stay that way for long. Also, BT will install a new washer (or whatever provides the grip under there) but will not just ship one (even with offer to pay). MDT seems to claim that they have total cant lock out but it’s fairly pricey and I’ve never seen one to confirm that the lock it total and not just increased resistance like the Atlas.

Cheers

Yeah, just can't get it to my taste.

 

[chevy_man]

I was wondering if the Arca will mount to my Pic rail I reckon not. Havent done a lot of prone but will likely need to adapt to that for upcoming courses. The 73 year old neck, victim of a couple injuries, doesnt like to bend much anymore.

At this point I'm thinking save up and go with the Gunwerks Frank mentioned...or an Atlas,

Honestly, as much hate as Harris gets you'll be hard pressed to break one short of flat out abuse.

Is it the best benchrest/f class amazing stability? Not really.

Is it reasonably priced and long lasting with sub 20lb rifles? Absolutely. My Dad still has a few he bought in the 80s, and he still uses them for load development. Only ones I've broken so far were the Caldwell knock-offs.


I took a 9-13" $99 Harris, added $120 in RRS adapters, and I can hook it to any of my rifles with ARCA or Pic rail.
I did this because my match rifle is only 15 lbs, and the Harris is faster than my ckye pod to deploy.

So if I don't need the adjustability of the ckye pod I still default to the Harris for a lot of the simpler match stages.

 

[chevy_man]

The JTAC boys do and that's good enough for me. I used an Atlas years. Then took the JTAC class and was shown a video of how much my gun moved under recoil due to play in the bipod. Switched to a Harris, learned to shoot it the correct way. My groups got smaller and scores went up on prone stages. The AccuTac is even more rigid and stable but is slightly slower to deploy. The Ckye Pod is super versatile but suffers from the same problem as the Atlas, only worse. They also feel cheap to me.

I've seen quite a few that were driven nuts because they switched away from a Harris and didn't know how to load a bipod.

Ckye pod and Atlas both need more attention on your form behind the gun and how you control the recoil. Not a big deal once you figure it out, but it's definitely different.

 

[CK1.0]

For some, the question isn't whether or not one knows how to load a bipod... it's whether or not they want to have to or not. I think that's why you see guys carrying/using more than one.

What's the go-to Accu-Tac that's most similar to a pimped Harris? FD-4? https://accu-tac.com/products/fd-4-arca-spec-qd-bipod

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

Accu-Tac wider models are the most stable, then Atlas Cal. If you are doing mostly bench, get either the WB-5, FC4, or FC5 Accu-Tac and don't look back. You can find em on the px somewhat regularly for a lot less.

If you are looking for all around to include some prs then the Tbac is the best "All Around" and is a great bipod. For straight PRS, the CKYE is king of the hill. The Atlas is also a really good general bipod and so popular for a reason, the Cal is considerably more stable than the reg - ish width models but if going with something for bench and a wider model it's silly not to get the accu tac imo

 

[spife7980]

If I’m shooting from concrete or something smooth and flat I prefer the Atlas feet, if I’m shooting from different positions quickly I like the Harris.

 

[AleksanderSuave]

Ive had accu-tac, atlas, harris, magpul, and the fab defense at this point. So I guess my price point has been $400 and below.

I would say my preference has been in this order:
accu-tac
atlas
fab defense
harris
magpul

Accu-tac's stability and deployment, plus the leg extension is the overall best in what Ive tried. I run the accu-tac FC4 g2 https://accu-tac.com/products/fc-g2-bipod which has almost a "spider" stance and feels closest to the the "fortmeier" style which puts the mount on top or in a U shape.

Being able to just pull the legs out and down, from folded, on the accu-tac is the best deployment in my opinion, which I think they've even improved on a few newer ones with a "quick deploy" option where you could slap it down, or attach a rope to quick deploy the legs in one pull.

The feet mounts are a little annoying, and they tend to come loose, which is where Atlas, with the detent design, I think is superior.

I think the Accu-tac has the sturdier feel (for me), but Im also comparing the Atlas PSR to the Accu-tac FC4, which I dont think is exactly apples to apples. I would like to try the Atlas 5H, which seems like a closer in comparison product.

I also am not crazy about the tension knob on my atlas PSR, after trying the pod loc on the accu-tac (much easier).

On the other side of compatibility, if you have an atlas bipod, LOTS of companies make an adapter mount for them. Accu-tac sells an Arca mount (if you bought picatinny), but only directly through them, at the cost of like $75+ shipping, soo..if you bought an FC4 g2, at close to $400, and then have to add that after the fact, it becomes a pretty damn expensive setup.

As for the cheaper stuff, here's my biggest take. If the bipod cant do 45 degree legs forward, I think its obsolete. That rules out the Magpul, and the Harris. You can "mod" the magpul with a dremel to do it, but its still not a great product.

The fab defense feels like an upgraded magpul, and has 45 degree legs forward. If I wanted absolute cheapest product, I'd buy that. I just wouldnt have any expectations of it performing like the higher end stuff on this list.

I would say if you have a couple thousand dollar rifle setup, an Atlas CAL should really be your bare minimum.

However, there's lots more higher end stuff I'd like to try as well, that seems unique in some ways, in no uncertain order there's the TBAC, tier 1 tactical's evolution bipod, MDT Cyke pod (similar to tier 1's offerings), spartan javelin, fortmeier, warne skyline bipod, etc so plenty more left to take a look at.

I did see recently that hawk hill makes feet adapters for accu-tac to use atlas feet, so maybe that frankencombo might be my solution.

 

[kthomas]

The JTAC boys do and that's good enough for me. I used an Atlas years. Then took the JTAC class and was shown a video of how much my gun moved under recoil due to play in the bipod. Switched to a Harris, learned to shoot it the correct way. My groups got smaller and scores went up on prone stages. The AccuTac is even more rigid and stable but is slightly slower to deploy. The Ckye Pod is super versatile but suffers from the same problem as the Atlas, only worse. They also feel cheap to me.

A bipod with "slack" versus one without requires different techniques.

Your gun shouldn't be moving under recoil anymore with an Atlas if you are employing the right technique. Same thing with group size differences.

Personally for me, I shoot better with bipods in which I have to "load" the slack versus rigid bipods, like Harris. But again, that comes down to technique. The best groups of my life have been shot with Atlas and Ckye-pod bipods, 5 shot groups well under 1/10 MOA. The bipods aren't the problem.

 

[Mormegil87]

A bipod with "slack" versus one without requires different techniques.

Your gun shouldn't be moving under recoil anymore with an Atlas if you are employing the right technique. Same thing with group size differences.

Personally for me, I shoot better with bipods in which I have to "load" the slack versus rigid bipods, like Harris. But again, that comes down to technique. The best groups of my life have been shot with Atlas and Ckye-pod bipods, 5 shot groups well under 1/10 MOA. The bipods aren't the problem.

Use what makes you happy and gives you confidence. I have trophies on my wall from matches using both Harris and Atlas bipod. If you prefer the Atlas or whatever you decide, cool. I'll stick with what works for me.

 

[kthomas]

Use what makes you happy and gives you confidence. I have trophies on my wall from matches using both Harris and Atlas bipod. If you prefer the Atlas or whatever you decide, cool. I'll stick with what works for me.

I'm not saying you can't shoot well with a Harris, or that you can't perform at a high level in competitions with a Harris. Obviously you can, and many do (including yourself). You're a much better competition shooter than I, I'm certainly not going to tell you what you should do.

My point is that different bipods require different techniques. If you're shooting a Harris better than an Atlas, it's your technique. It's not because the Harris is a more precise bipod.

There's concessions no matter which bipod you choose. Harris deploys quickly, and it's definitely stable enough. However, range of height is very limited, mounting options are limited (though there are aftermarket solutions), and they aren't feature rich. I've also seen Harris' self-destruct mid stage - but at least they are cheap to replace.

Atlas bipods have a lot bigger range of heights, you can move the legs 45* forwards or backwards, and other features. It's better built than the Harris. It's more expensive, and certainly takes more time to adjust on the clock. The rotating legs can be annoying too.

Ckye-pods are great field bipods. Extremely versatile. Very expensive. Overkill for square range matches, but excel in the field.

Choose the tool that works for you. They all have their pro's and con's. For some, they will pick Harris'. Others may pick other bipods to achieve their objectives.

 

[Rocketmandb]

for stability the Super Cal and Accu-Tac are money well spent

I would agree with this. I'm putting together a video comparing the Atlas CAL, Super CAL, Accu-Tac 50, Elite Iron and a Phoenix for ELR work. Still a ways off as I have to figure out the right way to demonstrate everything on video, but here is the summary (all with ski feet):

Phoenix:
- Hands down the winner for stability and play (there is no play whatsoever) and getting shots on target - like, no comparison.
- Hands down the loser for ergonomics, transportability, and set up - like, no comparison.
- Winner for fine adjustments (getting bipod exactly where you want it to be).
- Winner for width
- Loser for making quick adjustments.
- Loser for looks (this thing is ugly).
- Phoenix, both Atlas and Accu-Tac are all tied for multi-rifle use.
- This bipod is very much two sides of a bipod coin - A #1 in some things, shit in others (though A #1 in all things related to the actual shot)

Elite Iron
- Worst for stability and play with legs extended, and call it a tie, but essentially the lowest even with legs retracted. The nature of the pinnacle of the legs being above the barrel helps this quite a bit, but there is a lot of play in the legs.
- Worst for multi-rifle use - you may need additional parts that, while not hard to change out, aren't the easiest or quickest either.
- Coolest looking
- Third for fine adjustments at 5/8" between leg detents.
- Call it second from last for making quick adjustments - adjustment mechanism is a little unwieldy
- I got the Elite Iron with high hopes, and I have to say I'm a little disappointed.
- Most expensive of the bunch.

Accu-Tac 50 HD
- Very limited play with legs retracted, while some with them extended. Both of the Atlas bipods and the Accu-Tac are essentially tied here - maybe slightly less play in the Atlas pods.
- I like the spring quick retract.
- Second only to the Phoenix (which has infinite) for fine adjustments at 3/8" per detent.
- Very cool looking (but not as cool as the Elite Iron).
- Second to the Super CAL on width at the mount, and third at legs (behind Phoenix and Super CAL).
- Pretty ergonomic to use, but barely #2 behind both Atlas pods

Atlas Super CAL
- Very limited play with legs retracted, while some with them extended. Both of the Atlas bipods and the Accu-Tac are essentially tied here - maybe slightly less play in the Atlas pods.
- I like the mechanism the best for extending the legs (Accu-Tac wins on retraction mechanism).
- Widest mount and feet outside of the Phoenix
- Barely worst at fine adjustments at ~11/16" - 3/4" - this is my only complaint with the Atlas pods. Would be very easy for them to make one with lower distances between the detents, and if I'm not using a rifle with an ABR, this comes into play more than I would like.
- Very easy to rotate legs - I think it and the CAL are the easiest of the bunch in this regard.

Atlas CAL
- Not really fair to compare it to the others in the list, as it is a different class.
- Most ergonomic of the bunch because it's the smallest. Very similar to using the Super CAL, but since it's smaller, it's slightly easier to handle.
- Tied for last with the Super CAL at 3/4" for fine adjustments.
- Best by far for portability.
- For everything else, see Super CAL

TLDR:

If I could only have one bipod out of the bunch, it would be either the Super CAL or the Accu-Tac. Both are very beefy and stable, yet surprisingly versatile at the same time. They both have slight pluses and minuses over the other, but essentially equal out.

If I had to sell one, it would be the Elite Iron (and I still may).

The best at helping get rounds on target is the Phoenix (by far), but you need a frikkin' trailer to cart the thing around. So unwieldy... I just hate taking it out and getting it set up.

I am still searching for the perfect ELR bipod. If the Elite Iron or Accu-Tac had thumb screws or clamps to lock the legs in place once set, I'd be sold, as that would take all the play out. Alas, in a world of PRS where everyone uses regular or spiked feet and loads their bipod, manufacturers don't value such things. Until they do, I'm either stuck using a very unwieldy Phoenix to get the best consistency, or I'm shooting gimped for the sake of usability.

 

[NewsShooter]

You failed to mention what your rifle has for a mounting point? Are you needing to add a mounting point?

No, arca and picatinny are not interchangeable. You can buy tripod mounts that will accommodate either but I have not seen a bipod with a combination mount.

The RRS mount will work on arca or picatinney.

 

[vh20]

Elite Iron
- Worst for stability and play with legs extended, and call it a tie, but essentially the lowest even with legs retracted. The nature of the pinnacle of the legs being above the barrel helps this quite a bit, but there is a lot of play in the legs.
- Worst for multi-rifle use - you may need additional parts that, while not hard to change out, aren't the easiest or quickest either.
- Coolest looking
- Third for fine adjustments at 5/8" between leg detents.
- Call it second from last for making quick adjustments - adjustment mechanism is a little unwieldy
- I got the Elite Iron with high hopes, and I have to say I'm a little disappointed.
- Most expensive of the bunch.

Preach it, brother. For the life of me I can’t understand what everyone sees in these. I bought one because “everyone” agrees it’s so awesome. I also have Atlas CAL, Super CAL, and PSR, and several Harris bipods. The Elite Iron is by far the most expensive and also the only one I absolutely hate. The supposed advantage of the apex/pendulum effect causes the legs to have to be so much longer that they flex terribly, which makes it LESS stable instead of more. It is also bulky/ungainly, and I disagree with you on one point - I think they’re fugly. Always have, and it’s one of the reasons I postponed buying one despite the rave reviews. When I first started using it, I was shooting groups and zeroing at 100. The reticle had a right/left wiggle going on that I hadn’t experienced before and had trouble damping. Next time out same problem and it actually took me a while before it dawned on me that I didn’t have that problem before I started using this bipod. I switched back to any of the others and no more strange wiggle like that.

 

[Maggot]

Look for used in the px as said above. Someone else is shuffling to the “next big thing”, and you’ll find a deal if your quick and willing.

I’ve snagged atlas, Harris, and accu-tac from there a decent prices. They all have good and bad points in my opinion. GG&G makes a decent set as well.

Thats what I did, got a nice, heavy, Atlas used The enhanced stability makes a lot of difference.

 

[beetroot]

I stuck with a Harris for a long time before eventually going to Cykepod style (Tier One ATAC).

The worst thing about Harris IMO is that it's slow to make small height adjustments. The leg style that allows you to just pull them out to make the taller is beneficial for match use.

The Harris works better if you start out too long (easy with spring loaded legs) then adjust down with the weight of the rifle but if you have to extend just one notch its a bit of a pain from a prone position.

Atlas is even worse in this regard.

The new MDT Oryx bipod looks quite good, almost like an improved Harris.
Wish it didn't look quite as cheap and you could use atlas style feet.