Bipod Question

[slowr1der]

I really wanted a Harris bipod that swivels with notched legs. However, I found an awesome deal online for a Harris that doesn't swivel and doesn't have the notched legs. What are the advantages to a swivel one? Also the reason I wanted notched legs is so I could make sure I had them each extended the same length. Or is this a non concern? Having never used a bipod before, I'm wondering if I should just use this thing and see how I like it, or if I should and keep looking for a use swivel one with notched legs and keep this one as a spare?

BTW a friend also told me to be careful with them as if you are rough it can rip the sling swivel stud out. This got me to thinking. Is this a big concern? From shooting off the ground will the recoil of it do this if the legs are firm on the ground? How big of an issue is this?

 

[rcmodel]

A swiveling bi-pod allows you to keep the rifle perfectly vertical when the ground isn't perfectly level.
Most ground isn't.

Canting the rifle to the side ruins accuracy as the bullets trajectory will lob bullets off to the side away from the way the rifle is tilted.

Were it me, and I wasn't shooting of a perfectly level bench rest?

I'd much rather have a swiveling bi-pod then notches to make both legs exactly the same length.
Length of each leg doesn't really matter as long as the rifle/scope is perfectly vertical on top of them.

Swivel stud strength might be an issue on very thin forends on lightweight rifles.
But any rifle needing a bi-pod probably has a pretty sudstantial forend on the stock and a pretty stong swivel stud attachment point.

Plus, the bi-pod attachment has a wide base to spread the load over the forend and prevent the legs from directly camming the swivel stud out of the stock like a crow-bar nail puller.

rc

 

[taliv]

like rcmodel says. if you get one with notches, you definitely want the swivel so you can keep it level. (btw, in case it isn't obvious, the swivel isn't for swinging the muzzle left or right. it lets you rotate the gun clockwise and counterclockwise) if you got one without a swivel, you'd want to get one without notches too, so you could level it by adjusting the lengths of the legs, making one shorter or longer. that is time consuming, though

 

[slowr1der]

The one I got was without notches and without the swivel. It was cheap enough, that I'm sure I could sell it very easily for what I paid for it as most I've seen go for about $15-20 more than what I paid for this one.

I'm just wondering if I should keep looking for another one that does swivel or if I should not worry about that and just plan to use this one. I wasn't exactly sure what a swivel one does. So does it turn side to side so you can lean the gun over to one side?

In all honesty about 90% of the shooting I do now is on a pretty level surface. I'm not sure if it will change in the future or not, but that's how it is now.

 

[rcmodel]

So does it turn side to side so you can lean the gun over to one side?

More or less, yes.

It allows you to level the rifle vertically when the bi-pod isn't setting level.

rc

 

[Karl Hungus]

You will like the swivel if you shoot from any kind of uneven surface.

You will like the notches if you frequently adjust the bipod from a prone position with as little movement as possible.

You will like bags better than a bipod if you're primarily shooting at a range.