Bipods - with poll

**DWood** · 01-10-10, 20:42

"Loading" the bipod means pushing forward into the bipod causing it to tighten up.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xa5...oncrete_school

**MarshallDodge** · 01-10-10, 20:56

All of my "target" AR's have round free floating handguards so I have never used a bipod with a special mount.

The only one I have experience with is Harris. I have three of them and they have all given me good service. One of them is 15 years old and still works like new. The only downside with Harris is the bluing on the knobs, etc. You have to keep them coated with a good oil because they are not resistant to rust.

**ryanm** · 01-10-10, 22:11

Originally Posted by rob_s

EXCELLENT post! Do you mind elaborating on why you like the Bobro best? "smooth and stable" I get (even if it's a little subjective) but what, specifically, does it do that the others are lacking?

That Atlas does look nice. I'm not sure, however, if I understand how the legs deploy and are positioned.

On the Bobro, their "CTM" or Collapsing Triangle "feature" is what I think lends the stability and positive feel to the bipod. Their marketing literature does a fairly good job of explaining the design:

"The bipod utilizes Patent Pending CTM (Collapsing Triangle Mechanism) technology to permit deployment without the requirement of control manipulation such as buttons etc. The bipod is deployed by pulling the legs rearward fully until the claw within the clawbox applies pressure to the clawbox post. A conical interface applies constant and even pressure to ensure that the bipod remains positively locked and cannot collapse without Operator input. Having the bipod lock securely and not collapse is the most important feature, and is much safer than a design that permits collapse without dedicated intent. To collapse the bipod, depress the claw pivot and start pushing the leg(s) forward. Once the leg(s) start forward travel, the claw pivot button is released."

When comparing directly to the Harris, the action is far smoother and more consistent. For example, when you deploy the Harris you are overcoming the inherent spring pressure which retains the bipod up or down. There is a progressive tension that holds its position. The Bobro's tension is still enough to provide resistence to deployment but much less than the Harris. The locking mechanism is also very smooth, the buttons on the legs are pressed to return the bipod to the stowed position. The locking mechanism is also what allows them to use springs with a few pound-ft less tension.

The leg deployment is also incredibly smooth. I have to use camera tripods as a point of reference. The Bobro feels like a high end Gitzo vs. a Manfrotto. That's not meant as a slam on the Harris or Manfrotto, its just a comparison.

I wish I would have bought a couple during my first order. The next batch isn't available until May according to the Bobro website.
http://www.bobroengineering.com/view/product/1/

Here are some pics on one of my Sage M1A/EBRs. My other Sage has the Tango Down bipod, I don't have any pics of that with me.

I'll compress and upload pics of my other bipods. I don't have them all with me but the breakdown of what I'm using is as follows:

Rock Creek SOPMODs on Armalite builds

VLTOR on PTR91/MSG build
Tango Down on Mod 1 EBR (I have a black TD to replace the BoBro on the above Mod 0 EBR but I can't bring myself to swap it for the BoBro. I wanted to relocate the BoBro to a Mk12 mod1 but I think I'm going to end up mounting the TD on that rifle)
Harris/LaRue BRM-S on HS Precision/Remington 700 build

Atlas on AICS/Remington 700 build

The Atlas is a totally different bipod design. They are very smooth and well made, I think I have an older version as they now seem to be on version 7. I'm just not 100% sold on the design yet. If I spent more time with that rifle I might change my opinion. Deploying the bipod and changing the settings is not as ergonomic as I would like. There are extra steps in the process, by design (knobs)--and I can see why it was done. But I'm not all the way there yet in terms of falling in love with it. I'd have to let someone with a much higher round count on an Atlas comment. All I can say is they are stable, I like the 45 degree angle option when shooting from sandbags/prone and they are high quality.

**M1A2_Tanker** · 01-11-10, 21:51

Originally Posted by DWood

"Loading" the bipod means pushing forward into the bipod causing it to tighten up.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xa5...oncrete_school

Good to know, Thanks for the link. I have never done any research or training on/with bi-pods. I just sorta thought the word "Loading" was a good way to describe what I was doing, lol. I Just tried Loading it both push and pull, it seems to be just as steady either way, of coarse this is just dry firing on the carpet.

**DWood** · 01-11-10, 22:00

Originally Posted by M1A2_Tanker

Good to know, Thanks for the link. I have never done any research or training on/with bi-pods. I just sorta thought the word "Loading" was a good way to describe what I was doing, lol. I Just tried Loading it both push and pull, it seems to be just as steady either way, of coarse this is just dry firing on the carpet.

Understood; pushing the weight forward with the shoulder rather than pulling back with the hands frees the hands for what they need to do.

**decodeddiesel** · 01-12-10, 10:16

I have no experience with the other brands listed, however I ran a Harris Bi-Pod on my M4 then on my M14 in theater for some time.

I was using my M4 with TA01-NSN and KAC Can with the weapon acting as a pseudo-SPR HARD for about 4 months of sustained combat ops in Mahmudiyah Iraq.

I ended up taking it off of my M4 and mounting it on my Sage EBR M14 when I got one of those. It stayed on there for 3 more months and kept on chugging.

I was always impressed with the durability and quality of the construction of the Bi-Pod. Never once did the legs jam up, or the mechanism fail in anyway whats so ever, and I bashed the hell out of it on numerous occasions. I wish I would have taken a picture of how beat to shit that bi-pod was after all of that abuse.

**Bimmer** · 01-12-10, 12:48

Originally Posted by SHIVAN

The only AR rifle I have that uses a bipod has a sling swivel built in to the bottom of the rail, retained with a nut on the inside of the rail.

I'm one of those who voted "Other."

I've got a Harris, and I'm simply using the Harris AR-specific stud in my regular handguard.

Total cost out-the-door was under $100 ($85 for the bipod on eBay, $10 for the adaptor). It took me about 10 minutes to install the stud.

As a bonus, for another $10 I bought the M14 adaptor, and for nothing I put another swivel stud on my bolt-action .22. The same bipod will do duty on all three guns...

I haven't even taken this to the range yet, but so far I like it at a lot.

Bimmer