Rifle Bipod Positions?

[Redlg155]

This is my first experience with a Harris Bipod, although not with bipods in general. So far all of the bipods that I have seen mounted on rifles have the legs in a position facing forward when retracted. Well, when I got my new bipod in the other day I found that it fit much better and was more comfortable with the legs facing towards me. This was the way I was used to having a bipod on an M60 in the military and my former G1.

Couple of pics..
Extended

And folded.

Anyone know if there are any reasons why a bipod shouldn't be mounted this way? I suspect most folks mount the other way due to handguard room. In my case I still have plenty for offhand shooting.

Oh..and the Bipod is a Harris S series 6-9" with leg notches for adjustment. Gotta love the 45 degree tilt feature.

Good Shooting
Red

 

[Preacherman]

One of the reasons was hand placement: but another, and perhaps more useful, was to move weight forward on the gun to help counter the muzzle-rise effect of recoil. I don't know if that's much of a factor on .223, though... it certainly helps with .308!

 

[QuarterBoreGunner]

I mount mine folding forward for a simple reason; when I prone out I tend to slightly lean into the rifle. With forward folding legs it’s no problem; with rear folders…well the legs tend to collapse and leave my nose in the dirt. Not cool.

 

[Zak Smith]

I can't tell from the picture, and I don't remember from using my Harris (almost same model), but the further forward the feet are relative to the rifle, the more stable its position will be, in that a movement at the buttstock will rotate the muzzle less.

Also, if the legs are set to fold forward, then you can tie a loose piece of para-cord between the feet. Now, to deploy the bipod quickly, just give the middle of the para-cord a pull to the rear. Simple and fast.

-z

 

[lycanthrope]

I think on a large bore rifle you would torque the bipod legs under recoil and perhaps damage them.

 

[yzguy]

my reasoning was more the recoil thing... that is when firing and the rifle jumps back it will fold the legs forward. If they don't go that way, they may break eventually... (then again I have it on a .308)

 

[Redlg155]

my reasoning was more the recoil thing... that is when firing and the rifle jumps back it will fold the legs forward. If they don't go that way, they may break eventually

I kinda thought of that myself, but then I thought back to the G1 FAL where the legs fold backwards. I would also think that if the recoil was severe enough to flex the legs on a mount, then it would be enough to collapse the mount if the legs were mounted so they fold forward. That would leave your entire front end in the dirt. Hopefully that made sense.

Good Shooting
Red

 

[yzguy]

yeah, that's true...

I don't really think it will matter to much one way or the other...

 

[dickwholliday]

i've got mine forward and i keep a piece of para cord dangling from the legs that lets me grab the paracord and put the legs down in less than a second....comes in handy on a threegun stage....DICK

 

[Redlg155]

Thanks for some good input and some tips!

I finally ended up mounting it like everyone else, with the bipod legs folded forward. The biggest thing was the location of the sling swivel. With the bipod mounted with the legs to the rear they dug into my back. Moving it with the legs forward cleared the area and placed the sling swivel on the bottom. It also allowed my to reach the cant tension knob easily.

Good Shooting
Red