RFI: Atlas BT35-LW17 5-H

[G17C]

Though I have no aspirations to compete, I do very much enjoy my informal range sessions of getting on the ground behind my rifle and shooting for group size without any time constraints. For me, it's all about relaxation!

Which leads me to my question: as you can in the photo below, I'm using a Harris bipod fitted with pod-mod adapters and Hawk Hill talon feet. These mods make loading the bipod much easier. That said, I find that no matter how tightly I crank down on the cant lever, the rifle cants a bit after each shot. Perhaps it's due to me laying my fat head on the stock too hard, which also makes me move off target (to the left) after each shot. I'm still working on my prone technique and realize that has something to do with it too.

Note - due to an old neck injury in an auto accident, I need to set up high (bipod legs fully extended, about 9.5") in the prone position and lay the weight of my head on the stock.

My observation based on this is that my rifle "flops" on the Harris more than I like, but I still need the ability to adjust for cant. With my yearly bonus coming in the next few months, I am debating dropping the coin on an Atlas BT35-LW17 5-H. It looks like it would be substantially more stable than my current bipod, and due to the way I enjoy shooting my precision rifle seems like it might be a solid investment.

So my question - does anyone have experience with this model and based on what I described above, would you recommend it?

 

[G17C]

I have a BT35-LW17 5-H inbound from EuroOptic. I will report back once I have a chance to try it out.

 

[Spblademaker]

I’ve shot off both. I use the 5-H only now. Much more stable in my experience. Pretty sure Frank has a video on bipod design and apex over bore stability. And @Kasey is a member here and could give you a bit of info too.

Here it is:

 

[G17C]

Getting the apex above the bore (maximum stability) was a major consideration in my search for a new bipod.

I found that for me (and perhaps some not-so-great prone technique) that I had to readjust the cant after every shot - I simply could not get the cant pivot to hold tight enough on the Harris. Additionally, with Hawk Talons installed on the Harris, I could load it just fine but the lack of any panning forgiveness resulted in uneven loading of the legs, which I believe contributed to my primary reason for wanting to upgrade: it had become a true exercise in frustration having to rebuild my position after every shot.

No doubt I've got some technique issues I need to iron out but I'm confident the 5H will make addressing those considerably easier.

 

[Strykervet]

I have the other one with the legs closer. It's nice and definitely stronger than the Harris but not as fast or easy as the Harris. It does adjust for cant (don't know about the model you're looking at).

My absolute best bipod is the LRA on the .50BMG and it's like the one you're looking at but much larger. The .50 kinda needs the full size LRA but it wouldn't be out of place on another large rifle. I understand they make or are making a new bipod to compete with Atlas and if it's anything like the full size model, then that'd be the one you'd probably want. It's better quality, better made than the Atlas and has more notches on the legs, large locking lever in the back and other features (well, the large one is and I'm assuming the small is/will be better based on that).

 

[G17C]

The Atlas 5H arrived today (ordered Monday morning) and it is an impressive piece of gear. I have a Seekins SRS rail inbound and will hopefully have it all mounted this weekend.

 

[QuarterHorse]

I'm definitely interested in the 5H B35 from Atlas. It's been on my radar for my upcoming rifle. Looking forward to everyone's thoughts on it.

 

[G17C]

Initial impressions (not mounted on the rifle) are the following;

• Large! Makes the Harris look like a toy.
• Well-engineered and extremely well constructed. The fit and finish is top-notch.
• Rigid and strong. Gripping a leg in each hand and trying to twist it, it's solid.
• The "ball head" assembly and locking lever work well. It can be tightened to varying degrees, a "light lock" prevents cant but still allows smooth panning with what seems perfect resistance.

The price is a big gulp, but so far I have no regrets and am confident it will meet my expectations.

 

[Bradu]

Getting the apex above the bore (maximum stability) was a major consideration in my search for a new bipod.

I found that for me (and perhaps some not-so-great prone technique) that I had to readjust the cant after every shot - I simply could not get the cant pivot to hold tight enough on the Harris. Additionally, with Hawk Talons installed on the Harris, I could load it just fine but the lack of any panning forgiveness resulted in uneven loading of the legs, which I believe contributed to my primary reason for wanting to upgrade: it had become a true exercise in frustration having to rebuild my position after every shot.

No doubt I've got some technique issues I need to iron out but I'm confident the 5H will make addressing those considerably easier.

Install a pod lok in the Harris and it will lock it down solid.

 

[Silverjay]

For range time I really like mine, it is bit to carry installed. I have found that leaving the cant looser allows easier easy adjustment and when you load the bipod the cant binds or locks in place. It is much more stable Han my Harris or smaller Atlases.

 

[G17C]

For range time I really like mine, it is bit to carry installed. It is much more stable than my Harris or smaller Atlases.

It's truly a matter of compromise: small, lightweight bipods are easier to carry and faster to deploy than larger, bulkier bipods but do not provide as much stability.

Much depends on intended use as well. In my case, it's primarily recreational range use shooting from the prone where attaining as much stability as possible while still retaining field adjustability is my goal. I was very strongly considering the Accu-Tac FC-10 which I think could have been even more stable than the Atlas 5H, but in the end I felt the 5H was the best choice for my needs.

I don't consider a 15-pound bolt action precision rifle the ideal choice for running-and-gunning, and I'm not competing in PRS matches. If I need to remain as mobile as possible with a long gun, I much prefer a much smaller, lighter (7.2 lbs.) platform;

 

[G17C]

Installed the Seekins SRS rail on the fore end and got the 5H attached.

Wow, the 5H is rock solid compared to the Harris!

No matter how hard I tightened the PodLoc on the Harris, the pivot would not hold and the cant would change. All I had to do was get a good cheek weld and the rifle would tilt without even firing a shot.

No live fire yet but I've found that I can tighten the 5H to solidly hold cant while trying to rock the rifle by the scope (easily done with the Harris), yet still allow panning to fine tune alignment on the target. I like that I can fine tune the locking mechanism over the full range of totally unlocked, cant locked while still allowing panning to locking it all up entirely.

Not having to reset cant after each shot and having the ability to fine tune pan to get on-target will be a welcome relief. Now all I have to do is wait for the ice pack to melt. ;-/

 

[G17C]

It's -2 degrees F. outside right now, but I grabbed this quick shot of the 5H mounted to my rifle;

I used the Seekins SRS 4-inch rail to mount the bipod. It is designed to use the existing stud threads for mounting, but the rail fits comfortably on the bottom flat of the McMillan A5 moved over an inch forward. As FG states in his bipod tutorials, the further forward the bipod the better.

I spent some time behind the rifle this morning (inside) and have found the larger, heavier 5H makes a very noticeable difference in the stability of the reticle on the target - even with the legs fully extended which is where I run them on level ground. As stated above, once the cant is adjusted and the bottom lever tightened, cant stays put while still allowing pan function for fine-tuning alignment on target. Over all, the rifle feels much more stable on the 5H vs. the Harris, especially when using only the monopod in the rear.

Snow (in the typical quantities) is finally arriving here in NH this week, so it may be spring before I'm inclined to go to the range and lay on the ground. In the mean time there will be plenty of dry fire drills.