Bipod Reviews
Next up is the SLK Industries Bipod. This bipod is a more traditional metal bipod that has manually adjustable legs in the same 6" - 9" range as the Neopod. The 14.7 ounce SLK bipod is mounted to your rifle with an ADM style picatinny rail mount, and has a friction adjustable cant lever for maintaining rifle position. There is no panning provision, but the inherent looseness of the legs provides a very minimal amount of panning. The legs are capped with a rubber "chair leg" type cover. This cover grips well on a variety of surfaces.
When the legs are stored forward, they are friction fitted in position. The legs move a bit in the forward stowed position and could make noise during more active shooter movement. Deploying the legs does not require operating any type of release, much like deploying the legs on a Harris bipod. Movement of the legs does feel a little stiff and almost grating. I suppose that's a function of being friction fitted in the stowed position and may smooth up with more use. The legs do lock into the down position and require the pressing of a button near the top to be released and moved to the stowed position. Like the Neopod, the legs are either up or fully down. There are no intermediate locking positions or ability to lock the legs to the rear like with a Harris type set up.
Adjusting the legs is strictly a manual 5 position affair. The shooter depresses a part near the top of the leg and moves it into the desired position. I found this movement also a bit stiff and grating though it was easy to choose your desired position.
At the range, I found the deployment and adjustment a bit cumbersome. Deploying the legs was rather fast and easy, but making leg length adjustments was not as fast or easy as the spring loaded type of bipod legs. Being prone and making manual adjustments requires the shooter to tilt their rifle and hold that position while depressing the leg extension release and manually pulling the leg out. Not a very easy maneuver to do when behind the rifle and not very fast to get it right.
The ADM pic attachment with cant friction worked very well. However, there is more inherent movement in the loose fitting of the legs to the mount. Properly loaded, this wasn't much of an issue. It would make the shooter pay more attention to technique when settled in behind their rifle wearing this bipod. This closeness does afford the shooter a degree of panning ability.
I think the SLK bipod, while a well-made sturdy piece of kit, does lack some of the ease of use, smoothness and ease of adjustment other brands of bipods afford the shooter.
Pros
- Sturdy and fast attachment mechanism
- Locking cant friction works very well
- Nice adjustment range
Cons
- Heavy for size
- Bit clumsy when adjusting leg length
- Fit of legs to mount a bit loose and creates movement that may be distracting
When the legs are stored forward, they are friction fitted in position. The legs move a bit in the forward stowed position and could make noise during more active shooter movement. Deploying the legs does not require operating any type of release, much like deploying the legs on a Harris bipod. Movement of the legs does feel a little stiff and almost grating. I suppose that's a function of being friction fitted in the stowed position and may smooth up with more use. The legs do lock into the down position and require the pressing of a button near the top to be released and moved to the stowed position. Like the Neopod, the legs are either up or fully down. There are no intermediate locking positions or ability to lock the legs to the rear like with a Harris type set up.
Adjusting the legs is strictly a manual 5 position affair. The shooter depresses a part near the top of the leg and moves it into the desired position. I found this movement also a bit stiff and grating though it was easy to choose your desired position.
At the range, I found the deployment and adjustment a bit cumbersome. Deploying the legs was rather fast and easy, but making leg length adjustments was not as fast or easy as the spring loaded type of bipod legs. Being prone and making manual adjustments requires the shooter to tilt their rifle and hold that position while depressing the leg extension release and manually pulling the leg out. Not a very easy maneuver to do when behind the rifle and not very fast to get it right.
The ADM pic attachment with cant friction worked very well. However, there is more inherent movement in the loose fitting of the legs to the mount. Properly loaded, this wasn't much of an issue. It would make the shooter pay more attention to technique when settled in behind their rifle wearing this bipod. This closeness does afford the shooter a degree of panning ability.
I think the SLK bipod, while a well-made sturdy piece of kit, does lack some of the ease of use, smoothness and ease of adjustment other brands of bipods afford the shooter.
Pros
- Sturdy and fast attachment mechanism
- Locking cant friction works very well
- Nice adjustment range
Cons
- Heavy for size
- Bit clumsy when adjusting leg length
- Fit of legs to mount a bit loose and creates movement that may be distracting
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