Re: Which bipod? Does it really matter?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Milan Metal</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I am building my Grendel (AR Platform) and I am getting ready to buy a bipod. I have seen alot of them and to be honest they all look pretty much the same. I know I am going to get a 6-9" but beyond that I have no clue on which to buy. I am not really looking to spend more than $100. Opinions? </div></div>
<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">"Yes", it does matter.</span></span> For the $100.00 definitely get a Harris - stay away from the Shooters Rest, Caldwell, and other cheapie knockoffs floating around. They may look the same at a glance, but when you pick them up it's easy to see and feel the differences. The Harris look-alikes' are made of thinner, cheaper metal (they're definitely less robust) bend easily, and they rattle. The adjustments feel like shit too.
A 6-9" is a very good overall height and works great off a bench and prone for most people. However - if you're a big guy and/or are on the "thick" side you may want the extra height of a 9-12" when shooting prone. I highly recommend getting the Notched & Swivel model of whichever height you decide on. With Harris bipods, <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">"BR"</span></span> denotes a <span style="font-style: italic">"Bench Rest"</span> (6-9" height), while <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">"M"</span></span> denotes a notched leg model. So the <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">BRM-S</span></span> is a 6-9" Notched & Swivel and the LM-S is a 9-12" Notched & Swivel. The <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">M</span></span>'s legs <span style="font-style: italic">spring-out</span> under tension to deploy.
A big difference between the notched (<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">"M"</span></span>) and non-notched Harris is that the legs of the <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">"M"</span></span> <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">spring-out</span></span> under tension (you just press a tab on each leg), making them faster to deploy than the non-notched versions. However, because the legs are notched about every 3/4" you may not get the "perfect" height to line-up your reticle perfect. The legs of the non-notched models <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">retract</span></span> under spring tension, <span style="font-style: italic">so you have to manually pull the legs out to the desired length and turn a thumbscrew to lock the length while they're trying to retract.</span> This is tedious but the advantage here is that the legs are infinitely-adjustable so you can fine-tune the height <span style="font-style: italic">exactly</span>.
I would get a <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">
BRM-S</span></span> - it's more likely to work for you, and in the event that you want/need more height the BRM-S will be easier to sell than an <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">
LM-S</span></span>. I also highly recommend that you get a <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">"
KMW Pod-Loc"</span></span> because the Pod-Loc makes loosening, adjusting, and tightening the swivel tension much easier and faster than the Harris's knurled thumbscrew tension knob. The KMW Pod-Loc also features a geared sprocket "clutch" so you can "park" the Pod-Loc's lever out of the way too.
Finally, what are you mounting the bipod to? Are you mounting underneath old school handguards? If so, you'll need a <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">
Harris H5 Adapter</span></span>. It's inexpensive and does the job admirably but it doesn't mount the bipod as solidly and isn't as quick to attach and detach as a bipod mounted on a rail with a good QD Mount.
If you'll be mounting the Harris to a Rail you have a lot of different QD mounting options. Most bipod adapters designed to work with a Harris or Harris clone consist of a block that attaches to the rail and a bipod stud is screwed into the block. The bipod then attaches to the bipod stud with the picatinny rail bearing against the Harris Bipod's saddle/platform. Theres' a lot of parts stacking there. Yankee Hill Machine, GG & G, DoubleStar, some American Defense, ProMag, the Larue LT130, and Knight's Armament attach in this way.
A much better way to attach a bipod (Harris or other) is directly to the Rail. If you're using a Harris this means you'll be eliminating several unnecessary parts - the block and bipod stud and the "saddle"/platform that the bottom of the fore arm or Rail usually bears against. This is good, as eliminating these parts does several things: (1) provides a more rigid and stable mounting point, (2) eliminates the weight of the platform (saving weight), (3) reduces parts stacking and overall height.
There are several excellent direct-mount QD solutions available including the Larue LT706, the American Defense Manufacturing (ADM) <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">
AD-170-S</span></span>, and the and <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">
AD-170</span></span>. All three are QD mounts that mount directly to the picatinny rail, increasing rigidity, saving weight, eliminating parts stacking, and slightly lowering the center-of-gravity.
I prefer a Harris + LT706 QD Mount setup. You can buy a complete <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">
Harris BRM-S + LT706 QD Mount</span></span> or <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">
Harris LM-S + LT706 QD Mount</span></span> from Larue for $179.00, or buy the LT706 QD Mount separately from Larue for $79.00 and convert an existing Harris bipod - it's easily done with a socket wrench. Yeah - it's an extra $80.00 over your $100.00 budget, but it's money well spent.
The LT706 QD Mount isn't listed separately on the Larue site, but they do sell it separately (I've bought five of them myself). <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="text-decoration: underline">If you want to order the LT706 without any hassle call or email:</span></span></span>
<span style="font-weight: bold">Tyler Guyett
Senior Technical Support
LaRue Tactical / APPI
Phone: 512-259-1585
[email protected]</span>
Setup with an LT706 QD Mount and a KMW Pod-Loc you'll be looking at around $207.00, but it's a great mounting setup. Triad Tactical sells the <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">
KMW Pod-Loc</span></span> for $22.95 (plus shipping). I now have three BRM-S and two LM-Ses setup with the LT706 QD Mounts on ARs' and bolt rifles.
Keith