Sneak Peek - New LRA Bipod

bohem

PVA's HMFIC
Commercial Supporter
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 6, 2009
8,119
3,313
Southeast, PA
www.patriotvalleyarms.com
It's no secret that I'm a big fan of the LRA bipods, I have owned or currently own almost every bipod on the market including the Sako, Atlas, Parker&Hale, etc.

My biggest comment to LRA's owner, Dave, has been "size size size" even though I've been using his bipods in matches exclusively since 2011 and doing pretty well at it.

Here's what he came up with:

Same super stable design concept with a reduced form factor and weight, pull-truded carbon fiber leg tubes helps cut some additional weight. The new version is <1lb (my bathroom scale says 0.7-0.8 difference). This bipod will only be offered with QD lever, there's no downgraded option for a screw-on clamp as I understand it. The outer leg tubes still do not rotate just like the bigger version, which is something that I really hate about some of the other options out there.

This new version has the ability not only with the 0, 22.5, 45 and 90 but to fold backwards in the same angle increments as well.

I don't know what pricing will be, this is an advance copy for T&E since I've been railing on the LT's for a couple years and have provided feedback as I could. You can see from my LT in the photo below it's no safe queen (actually, it has somewhere north of 24,000 live rounds fired from it). I'll be putting this on through it's paces soon, I need to get to the range, working through it in the garage it feels excellent as usual and the fit and finish is second to none.

They're available after SHOT show, as I understand it there are some floating around SHOT next week at Surgeon, Ashbury, and I think AI's booths.

For comparison:

My full size Light Tactical, the new compact bipod, and an Atlas V8 screw mount
IMG_20140109_212743_818.jpg


And some other assorted shots of it mounted to the bottom of my 6.5 Creedmoor "everyday" rifle

IMG_20140109_213219_812.jpg


IMG_20140109_213147_329.jpg


IMG_20140109_213322_366.jpg


IMG_20140109_213207_580.jpg
 
Wow that looks really nice. Josh turned me on this year to the LRA LT after some frustration with some other bipods. They are really rock solid and worth every penny. Other than the size, which I overlooked quickly because of their how solid and functional they are, I am 110% satisfied because they just plain work. There were a couple of inconvenient positions (ie sides of rooftops) this year at matches I was able to setup solid and clean the stage which just wouldn't have been possible with anything else.

The biggest complaint I hear from people who have never used them is their size but now they have nothing to complain about. I see a big winner with this one. I'm still not giving up my light tactical though unless they do trade-ins!
 
Have they improved the side to side movement (cant)? They are a great platform but in dusty dirty environments there has been more than once I've had to fall back on my Harris.
 
Have they improved the side to side movement (cant)? They are a great platform but in dusty dirty environments there has been more than once I've had to fall back on my Harris.

To be honest, I'm not sure if he's made any changes. I had a little issue with it at the GAP Grind this year with the mud/sand from Friday and Saturday (mostly Sat). I cleaned out the bipod that night in the hotel room and it was fine on Sunday.

If you let the plastic bushing accumulate a bunch of crud it tends to bind up. My practice is that when I'm mucking out the gear from a particularly dirty event, I hose out the bipod in the utility sink and I don't have issues with it.
 
Josh-
these new smaller bipods look great. I absolutely love my full sized version. I used them to great success at the Fall Alleghany Sniper Challenge. The area where the LRA really helped with all the high angle shots at ASC. So as other guys where struggling to build positions, I would just move the LRA up or down to get the buttstock actually where I needed it to get a super stable position. I literally made a dozen shots thanks to the LRA bipod.

Question for you: what is the max and min height on these new smaller model? And I assume your "<1 lb" comment means that these new smaller bipods are 1 lb lighter than the full sized version?
 
Question for you: what is the max and min height on these new smaller model? And I assume your "<1 lb" comment means that these new smaller bipods are 1 lb lighter than the full sized version?

IIRC the new ones are 5.5-8.5 inches on a 1/4" adjustment pitch.


The bipod is is "less than" 1 lb, I think it's 14.x oz but I didn't want to quote that for certain as I can't remember for sure. Taking a full pound out of the exisiting full size design would mean that the bipod would be (unrealistically) light, less than 8 ounces
 
bohem,

Thanks for posting some info on the new LRA. Do you by chance have a KMW sentinel you could try it on?

I tried the the light tactical model, but due to the mounting pocket on the sentinel it made contact with the forend. This new version looks like it might work.
 
I don't sorry. This one is much less obtrusive though and there's about 1/2" of vertical clearance on my stock to rail with the T4.



bohem,

Thanks for posting some info on the new LRA. Do you by chance have a KMW sentinel you could try it on?

I tried the the light tactical model, but due to the mounting pocket on the sentinel it made contact with the forend. This new version looks like it might work.
 
No problem, I will likely order one anyway when they come available and give it a shot. Eurooptic has them up for backorder on their site, the price surprised me(lower than I expected).
 
Thanks for the photos, guys. I'm giving one shot, should be here next week. I like my atlas bipods a lot, but they've never been exacoy what i want.
 
Shot with it today on my AX338. Pretty badass. Havent had it out in the rough yet, just doing some load development from my porch, but i like it a lot better than the atlas so far.
 
Shot with it today on my AX338. Pretty badass. Havent had it out in the rough yet, just doing some load development from my porch, but i like it a lot better than the atlas so far.

Does it give you enough elevation for a wide variety of positions with your AX? Some pics would be great if you have some. Trying to decide between this and the F-Class model on my AX 338.
 
Does it give you enough elevation for a wide variety of positions with your AX? Some pics would be great if you have some. Trying to decide between this and the F-Class model on my AX 338.

Its hard for me to answer that question since i was just shooting from my flat porch to some paper targets. I like the lever for tightening and loosening the cant vs atlas' wheel. I like that the legs don't roll. i like the lower center of gravity and wider stance for an 18lb rifle. It may be a few weeks before I've put it through its paces.

It doesnt swivel and the tight tolerances mean its liable to lock up in a muddy competition. Its ~4oz heavier than the atlas and probably not quite as versatile. All this means I doubt I'd ever use it in a competition that involved more than shooting prone, but it may be nice to have the option and its nice to shoot heavier rifles from when the atlas just doesn't quite make the muster IMO.

I'm out of town until this weekend so I have only one photo that wont do much good. If you PM me your e-mail address I'll see if i can't send more and maybe a video when i get home.

image.jpg
 
Brasscow,

Nice summary

I will add to it since I have several years if time on my full size LRA Bipods and a couple months now on the small one.

I didn't get one to lock up or get tight until it was dunked in sandy mud down at K&M, it was still functional but somewhat sticky. I loosened everything up and hosed it off in the hotel bathtub that night, problem solved


The stable lockup is better than anything else I've used, I like the lever a lot more than the ball joint knob setup. I have had the ball joint rotate about the vertical axis and my rifle fell over because the knob preload on the joint doesn't remain tight.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk
 
I'm glad they finally got a smaller more compact version. I've always liked the design of there bipods but found the a bit big for my use. I'll will definitely be getting one of these as soon as I am able to.
 
Well I'm going to buy one regardless, I'll try and put out a video of it, I usulualy never do YouTube videos but I can't find ANY videos on this thing. Ask me if there's anything in particular you would like to see. I'm curious to see if there is a POI shift between the atlas and LrA, couldn't find a straight answer if the LRA is able to load as well as an atlas or enough.
 
Ashbury posted some images

[/IMG]


No company in history has had the bank account draining effect that this one has on me. I don't know if it's cuz there fellow Virginians or what but it's like a spell has been cast and until I own all their amazing shit, my life just won't be complete.
 
Mine came the other day... Haven't had time to even mount it.... Seems really nice.... My new Atlas PSR should be here in the next day or two.... Should be fun comparing the two.... Hopefully the LRA proves it's worth the additional $.... Definitely looks nice.