TBAC BIPOD

[Zak Smith]

We usually hang out in the Suppressor forum, but we're pretty excited to have something to post over here...

https://thunderbeastarms.com/news/announcing-tbac-bipod/

https://thunderbeastarms.com/products/bipod



See it at SHOT'19. Accepting orders start at SHOT. Should see the first batches roll off assembly in March sometime

 

[SkyScrapin]

Love it. How much and are you selling them direct?

 

[Zak Smith]

All details on the product page
https://thunderbeastarms.com/products/bipod

 

[317millhand]

Ill jave to get one. lol.

Are we gonna be able to purchase these without the picatinny clamp? it saves some money if we plan to use an arca adapter.

 

[jbell]

Looks great!
Do the legs rotate, or better said is there an anti rotation feature to the inner legs so the bipod doesn't "roll away" from you when you load it?

 

[leftyk82]

At long last! Excited for this.

 

[dirthead1]

Looks great! I’ll be ordering one.

 

[blbennett1288]

Great stuff!

 

[B.Bates]

Zak

Deployed what’s the distance between the feet and how it compare to a Harris ?

 

[NoLegs24]

Ever since I played with it, knew I had to have it

 

[black5.3]

Looks like an awesome product!

 

[Zak Smith]

I left me demo

Zak

Deployed what’s the distance between the feet a?

Legs compressed (lowest setting at 90 degrees) center to center about 9.5"
With legs fully extended, about 12.25

 

[Subwrx300]

I left me demo

Legs compressed (lowest setting at 90 degrees) center to center about 9.5"
With legs fully extended, about 12.25

Do legs rotate inward (like Harris/old Atlas) or stay in fixed orientation under forward load?

Also, it appears 0 deg (closed), 45 (forward) and 90 (upright) positions, but not 45 deg backward, correct?

Awesome product and innovative way to solve the quick deploy with solid construction! I like it!

 

[_Windrider_]

Son of a bitch. Guess I’m buying a new bipod at SHOT.

 

[Zak Smith]

The lower legs can rotate if you turn them but they don't move under load

And yes, it doesn't go beyond fully deployed "down".

 

[Zak Smith]

The lower legs can rotate if you turn them but they don't move under load

And yes, it doesn't go beyond fully deployed "down".

You can mount the whole thing backwards if you really want to...

 

[TBACRAY]

I've got a lot of rounds on the prototypes testing the 338SR prototypes. The team kicked ass. This bipod is awesome and the new QD mount is finally a mount good enough for precision rifles.

 

[cro789]

I too will be getting one. The team at Thunder Beast always make good gear. Thanks guys

 

[Kickin45]

I likey

 

[fusiachi]

No-pan mode meaning pan can be locked out, or simply does not pan?

 

[Subwrx300]

No-pan mode meaning pan can be locked out, or simply does not pan?

First Zak was like: "we should do a bipid, a good one...".

And then he said:

via Imgflip Meme Generator

No pan on this bad boy!

 

[cro789]

The Harris has been used for years without pan. Atlas made one without pan as well.

 

[BJames]

Lowlight brought up one of the prototypes during one of his training evo’s this past summer in AK. It’s simply awesome, I can’t wait to get my hands on the final product.

 

[ddavis]

From the angle of the pics it's hard to see, but how far down does this hang when it is stowed? It looks like it hangs down quite a ways. That was a big problem with the Accutac. It would hang on EVERYTHING when it was stowed. Any pics from 90 degrees or looking straight down on it (to show width) with it stowed?

Thanks,
-Dan

 

[siscoe308]

SH Group buy?

That being said, the prices on these bipods are getting painful!

 

[308pirate]

$400? Seriously?

LOL

 

[high right]

I shot with one Ray had up in Wyo. Very solid, super lite.

 

[ForgeValley]

I get so frustrated with cant locks working loose that I would pay that if this one really holds all day.

 

[Zak Smith]

I eyeballed it and from the bottom of the pic rail it should be about 1.5" down when stowed, which I think it about as compact as anything else. I posted on FB, only half jokingly, that the pan feature causing problems on other bipods was like 40% of the reason we made this one. Remember the AI/PH bipod was $350 in 2008, and IMO there is no bipod even worth shooting under $300.

 

[missed]

I'm looking forward to one! I have been meaning to change my feet and leg extensions to a locking system similar to those as the recessed push buttons are a pain.

 

[Zak Smith]

Some other notes that came out of the FB thread:

The 45-degree "feature" in most bipods is one we're really torn about, mainly because it seems to cause a lot of problems. The TBAC Bipod has this feature, but we designed it to stay out of your way unless you really deploy it "on purpose". Unless you knew it was there and how to use it, you might never even realize the bipod could do it.

The leg length adjusters were designed so they could be used the same way the old AI/PH ones could be adjusted: stay prone in shooting position, reach forward with weak side hand and pinch button, use strong side hand still in firing grip to cant rifle up- the leg extends "just enough" under spring tension and you release it. Super fast, one handed, does not screw up shooting position.

The titanium inner legs are PVD coated. All stainless hardware (mostly the important mating surfaces) are all ISONITE QPQ Nitrided, and all the rest of the aluminum is Type III anodized.

 

[Kasey]

I have recieved emails and calls about this bipod, yes it "looks" like the Atlas Gen 2 CAL at first glance but the TBAC does not infringe our patents to which I appreciate. Furthermore, I in no way believe TBAC copied or even referenced the Gen 2 CAL in their R&D.

 

[goatboy]

Looks good, I'd pre-order in a SH group buy

 

[Zak Smith]

It's a bipod that has a picatinny adapter on the top and two legs that rotate down from the up position, so in that sense, it will "look" similar to other bipods in gross terms.

We designed this from the ground up and form followed function. Once you look closely, *all* details are different, controls, operation, etc. We would never copy another design, and we are cognizant of existing patents to not unintentionally infringe, and we do have at least one patent filed on our bipod.

 

[cro789]

Zak
When will this be available. I am looking for a new pod.

 

[THEIS]

Zak
When will this be available. I am looking for a new pod.

Hi,

In his OP he mentions taking orders a Shot and first batch rolling off assembly line in March...

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[Lowlight]

I love this bipod,

 

[Zak Smith]

We will have sample units to play with at SHOT, for those of you who will be there #10075

 

[leftyk82]

I'll be buying one but I won't be at SHOT unfortunately.

 

[high right]

I took a Atlas Cal off when I shot Rays, not even close to the same other than 2 legs!

 

[Srikaleak]

Just to confirm, the product page states all B&T plates will work with the new TBAC Bipod. Does that mean I could mount the BTC Pro clamp directly to the TBAC Bipod or will I need to get the RRS plate interface to do that?

 

[Zak Smith]

Stand by, I'll get an answer for that...

 

[Zak Smith]

According to the engineers: BTC pro will bolt straight on. The lever release clamps will need the adapter

 

[Crews]

Put in the “knock off the ADM clamp and ~$50 off the price” camp.

 

[Zak Smith]

Thanks for the suggestion; we'll take it under advisement. I don't think that would take $50 off the price however.

 

[cro789]

Zak,
I noticed you have extensions for the bipod. How many can be put on at one time? Also to deploy the legs do you have to push a button or can they just be pulled down?


Thanks Jeff

 

[Zak Smith]

Two sets can be stacked for sure. We'd have to run the engineering numbers to see for more.

Deploys without the push of a button, just like demo'd in the video.

ETA: You can deploy it, both legs at once, but simply swatting your hand firmly on both legs.

 

[Crews]

Thanks for the suggestion; we'll take it under advisement. I don't think that would take $50 off the price however.

Yeah the specific $ amount isn’t as important as the principle of paying extra for something I’ll immediately take off and never use.

 

[JMGlasgow]

Played with one at a match that a TBAC employee had today. Very nice piece, lighter than a Harris, extremely rugged build. The R&D and testing that went into this product was very thorough. TBAC is local to me, and I've seen this bipod at the shooting range since the early prototypes, I just never played with one until today. Buy with confidence.

 

[cro789]

Thanks Zak I will be ordering one as soon as I can and placing it into service.