Bipod or no bipod?

Ryan Avery

Admin
Staff member
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
8,689
0-600 yards you can get away with shooting off your pack if you practice good fundamentals. Past that I need a bipod and a good bag in the rear.

I like the spartan Javelin with the pro legs. It's light so I always have it with me.
 

mtblackdog

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 3, 2017
Messages
201
Location
Montana
Hatch bipod, Its fits a rail. Goes on and off quick. On back pack trips it goes on side pocket of my pack. Out hunting its on the gun. Not cheap but I think they are best system made.
 

XLR

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
May 24, 2018
Messages
695
Location
Grand Junction, CO
Its hard to justify carrying a bipod when you can get so steady off a tripod. Plus it doubles up to glass off of. I carried my bipod this year because i was only getting 4-5 miles from the truck but in the future when getting deep I will just be carrying the tripod. Check out some of the PRS shooting techniques of using a tripod for rear support. You could lay your rifle on the pack and use the tripod as rear support to get almost as stable as the bipod and rear bag.
 

Attachments

  • 262429037_432250775056302_5826348887294179766_n.jpg
    262429037_432250775056302_5826348887294179766_n.jpg
    310.9 KB · Views: 103

ID_Matt

WKR
Joined
May 16, 2017
Messages
1,367
Location
Southern ID
I always bring the bipod. I am ok with the trade off of having the extra pound for more stability. I would guess the bipod is used just over 50% of the time on shots, when it is not used it is usually a hurried off hand shot or off a pack but most of the time it seems we have time to get in a good position with the bipod. I have slowly been adding arca rails to all of my hunting rigs and practicing off a tripod so the bipod may be used less in the future.
 

ChrisAU

WKR
Joined
Jan 12, 2018
Messages
6,094
Location
SE Alabama
Spartan Javelin here as well. Used the fixed lite legs this past October in WY and got home and immediately ordered some Pro Tac legs, think its perfect now.
 
Joined
Jun 23, 2019
Messages
1,223
Location
Florida,Dwneast Me,Catskills
I already answered in a previous reply, but wanted to make sure you understand that vegetation height might make your bipod useless weight. Might want to check that to save a panic situation.

A few years ago my buddy was setting up on a pronghorn with his 23" bipod only to find the greasewood was too high. He borrowed my sticks, and it ended well.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Jul 20, 2019
Messages
2,243
The most useful bipod is the harris 12-25. Its a little heavier, but can shoot prone, sitting and kneeling.
 

sneaky

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 1, 2014
Messages
10,063
Location
ID
The most useful bipod is the harris 12-25. Its a little heavier, but can shoot prone, sitting and kneeling.
The Hatch Out West bipod is lighter, more adjustable than the Harris, but at a bigger buy in. I don't miss my Harris bipods at all, but, they are in the price point a lot of guys are looking at spending on one.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

Huntin_GI

WKR
Joined
Apr 14, 2016
Messages
369
Location
N. Colorado
So I was thinking the same thing 6 months ago. Simultanesouly I was trying to improve my glassing kit and had a bit of an ahha moment. Went with a Slik 833 tripod and it will now pull double duty. If I am rifle hunting, I have my glass, and if I have my glass, I have my tripod. All of the PRS guys have went the direction of tripods for good reason.
 
Joined
Jul 20, 2019
Messages
2,243
The Hatch Out West bipod is lighter, more adjustable than the Harris, but at a bigger buy in. I don't miss my Harris bipods at all, but, they are in the price point a lot of guys are looking at spending on one.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Its less than 3oz lighter, and costs 3x more. I used a hatch for a season and hated it. I didnt feel like it was worth the money. Maybe I need to give it another shot. I have a few Atlas CAL talls on some hunting rifles, but the bulk of my rifles have the harris 12-25, one dedicated coyote rifle that has a 13.5-27.
 

Zappaman

WKR
Joined
Mar 9, 2021
Messages
541
Location
Eastern Kansas
I use my Primos TALL trigger sticks (two legs) for the bino's and the rifle. They can get wide and low for sitting shots in a short ground blind easy too. If on a hill or flat (dry) land without vegetation, I pull the day pack off my waist and use it if I have time and it's a longer shot.

I tried a bi-pod and it wasn't tall enough in most areas I hunt-- "tall grass" Kansas. But the rifle was also harder to manage (for me anyway) on mountain hunts especially- heavy. The trigger sticks also double as a good hiking stick when crossing rougher terrain-- BUT don't get them wet (use them in streams) as they will gunk up and need a PITA cleaning afterward. But they are fine in rain (so far). Just dry them good when you get back.
 
Joined
Jul 27, 2021
Messages
1,458
I have a bipod on my rifle I use for Antelope and mulies but most times just use my pack as a rest. Saying that I would rather have one and not need it than need one and not have it.
 

S-3 ranch

WKR
Joined
Jan 18, 2022
Messages
990
Location
Sisterdale Texas / Hillcounrty
The most useful bipod is the harris 12-25. Its a little heavier, but can shoot prone, sitting and kneeling.
Yes, on a Harris, I am primarily a white tail, pronghorn, nilgai ,mulie deer hunter , and kept my bipod on my model 70 .300wm , from the equator to the artic circle , only one time it was off was on a elk hunt and felt naked, try hunting in a swampy area and you will probably wish you have one
 

Seeknelk

WKR
Joined
Jul 10, 2017
Messages
778
Location
NW MT
I use the Spartan javelin also. It weighs about as much as a can of Copenhagen and fits in vest pocket. Its out and snapped in place to kill stuff in seconds. No boat anchor swinging around on the gun. I have a couple rifles with the flush adapter installed. Clean , light and kills.
 
Joined
Jun 1, 2014
Messages
30
Location
Washington
Yes to the big Harris bipod. Been using it since 98 and feel it really helps extend my accuracy at range. Used to use my pack but now use a combo of the pack in back and bipod in front. If I'm going ultralight I might ditch the bipod.
 
Top