Should I use a bipod?

[Krazykarl]

Sandbag front and rear will permit a recoiling rifle to ride the bags upon recoil. It will be easier to slide the stock back into position and return to battery. A bipod has its place. In the field they do work. On a concrete bench the bipod encourages bouncing as the rifle can not consistently move with recoil.

[trky chsr]

Can you be more descriptive of the "bags" you are using? A simple tube (or multiples stacked) filled with sand wouldn't be nearly as stable as a cheap bipod. A Protektor Model Standard Front Bag or Caldwell Deadshot Bag would give closer to the same stability.

Do you load the bag in the same way a bipod is loaded?

Good question. The bags I use are actually empty shot bags that I fill with cleaning media. They are very stable when I'm using my bolt guns but the AR just seems to bounce around even though I have a good "V" in the top bag. For those suggesting prone, no doubt it would be more stable but unfortunately not an option at the range I go to. We have concrete tables we shoot off of.

[RobertTheTexan]

There was a time when the instructors we took courses from prohibited the use of bipod in training, we either used our packs, which was most of the time, or sand bags made for shooting. I don't remember the reason, there seemed to be institutional bias against it which didn't make much sense to me then, and even less so now. If we didn't always have access to bipods, who carries sandbags in their packs with them all the time?

One thing the sandbags and packs are good for is you can get really low on the ground. With the new generation of bipods that are more adjustable, that wasn't always the case with the bipods we had access to back in 2000s, this advantage is no longer exclusive to sandbags and packs.

Sandbags (empty) can easily be carried in a ruck, but here in CENTEX/Ft Hood area, I don’t even want to think about filling one up out in the field. If you have a sand pit - great, but if you don’t your sandbag is going to be more of a clay clod bag. Lumpy as a bag of tangerines.


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[Dienekes]

I use a Harris bipod with a very stock 6720 in prone at 200 and out. In olden times I shot M1 and M1A with slings; unsupported prone with a carbine makes for a lot of instability. I don't care much for the bipod's weight out front but it helps greatly and DOES come off...

[voiceofreason]

try both and see which works better for you, borrow a bipod

I personally prefer a bipod and my shoulder pocket over double bags, but the results are almost identical. Just a matter of how long it takes between the two.

[Failure2Stop]

Bipods are actually a detriment to precision potential due to bipod "hop", even with floating handguards.
This occurrence is not seen with rests, bags, and most other "hard on soft" types of support.
Now, that's taking it to a high level of precision, if your individual issue is finding a stable position, then yes, a bipod is going to help. If you aren't shooting precision oriented ammunition with a decent amount of practice, the difference between bagged shooting and rested shooting will likely be transparent.
That said, unless you get a very long leg set, you're not going to be high enough (or at least no higher than you would be off a pack anyway) in real-world application to actually use the things. The old adage is that bipods and the prone are for zeroing and data collection only.

[Duffy]

I have 4 sandbags bought for long range courses, they're being used as door stops now. I use my pack instead, far more practical. I have bipods but rarely used them, I really want the Knights Armament bipods but know they'd end up with my Atlas and GG&G bipods. Well since it's KAC, I don't care, I should get them anyway

Failure2Stop is right, we used them to zero our rifles and on square ranges. I don't like bipods myself but they do have their uses.

Sandbags (empty) can easily be carried in a ruck, but here in CENTEX/Ft Hood area, I don’t even want to think about filling one up out in the field. If you have a sand pit - great, but if you don’t your sandbag is going to be more of a clay clod bag. Lumpy as a bag of tangerines.


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[markm]

I hate shooting pods off of the bench. You can't typically load the pod. And if you're running a carbine length (7" hand guard), the pod would be too "teeter tottery". Pods are best when you can place them as far forward as possible.

[Firefly]

I hate shooting pods off of the bench. You can't typically load the pod. And if you're running a carbine length (7" hand guard), the pod would be too "teeter tottery". Pods are best when you can place them as far forward as possible.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I run one on my carbine length with a vfg sometimes, sometimes not.

Not really for accuracy but its comfortable to just bring up and have all the weight kinda in line if blasting with an optic. Way better than a grip pod. I see what you mean by teeter totter but never really let it bother me.

If I am relegated to a bench then I am doing the least amount of physical effort possible.

[arptsprt]

Ok. I get where you are coming from. I guess I should have said that I find a bipod more dynamically consistent. At least I find a good bipod to be. And, more versatile and mobile. If that makes sense.

I have owned and used one with the outcomes I stated. I have no doubt a bipod would be steadier than off hand or probably even prone, but seriously doubt it would be more stable than sandbags based on my experience.

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