Bipod reccomendation

[JDBraddy]

Hi,
I'm normally a bench-rest shooter, but just bought my first "BIGGUN" a .338 Lapua, Stiller Tac-338 action, on McRee chasse, 29" Rock Creek 9.4 twist MTU profile barrel, 16lbs by itself, 17.5lb scoped. I've been shooting it off my Sinclair rest while working up a load, but will soon need a bipod for it. Have read reviews on Atlas, Versa-pod, Harris, Sinclair, etc... but haven't seen any of them first hand, all I ever had in my hands are the cheap $30 gun-show knock-offs commonly seen at the public range. So I though I'd ask for reviews and advice here.
Thanks,
JDBraddy

 

[406precision]

I prefer the Harris for heavy rifles but the Sinclair is a nice option it can certainly handle the weight.
I have been messing with the atlas but it's hard to beat the Harris for price and function

Jordan@406

 

[Deleted member 46119]

I prefer the Harris for heavy rifles but the Sinclair is a nice option it can certainly handle the weight.
I have been messing with the atlas but it's hard to beat the Harris for price and function

Jordan@406

+1 to all that. Have a Sinclair and 3 Harris swivel with lock arm. Next time out with the 16lb+ 338 will be with the Sinclair. On the Harris clover leafs at a simple 100 yards.

 

[R.Morehouse]

I use the GG&G extra heavy duty on a 16lb RUM and am happy with it....gun)........

 

[Punisher]

ATLAS bt10.

if you really want to hit your target, and not make a whole lot of extra work for yourself, just buy the thing.

 

[Canadian Bushman]

Ive been using the harris swivel style for a good while and its a solid product. I would recommend purchasing a cam lever to use with it instead of the knurled knob that comes with it.

However if my budget were more disposable id buy an atlas.

 

[C.O. Shooter]

I too have a Harris and it works well (BR, notched, swivel, and updated cant lock). I would like to try a Atlas, but 279$ for the quick throw lever model, plus 30$ for the picitani rail for your gun! Hard to justify the cost at this time. I will say, it may come in handy though, as I recently have been hiking and using my eberlestock J34 pack. I can not attach my Harris to my rifle and put it in the scabbard. Therefore I may need an alternative. I timed it the other day. I can take my pack off, take my gun out, set up, acquire a target, and send a dry fire in under a minute. My biggest issue was trying to attach my Harris to my gun!

 

[FEENIX]

I too use the Harris Bipods. Check out >>> Mystic Precision Bipod Manufactured by EGW 2.625": EGW Gun Parts

 

[Canadian Bushman]

I timed it the other day. I can take my pack off, take my gun out, set up, acquire a target, and send a dry fire in under a minute. My biggest issue was trying to attach my Harris to my gun!

Still impressive.

 

[jonthomps]

The Atlas is a great bipod but $260 for a bipod is crazy to me. I've used a Harris for years on a 338LM weighing in at 19lbs without a hiccup. Harris are pretty quick to deploy as well.

 

[Azprc]

Sinclair for me. Have seen quite a few broken Harris bipods but their CS is awesome and there are a ton of them out there. I still have some Harris bipods but they are always secondary to the 4 Sinclairs and the 2 Atlas. Good news about Harris is you can afford to have 2 or 3 to one sinclair. Again Harris CS is awesome, I know first hand x 2, had replacements within 2 weeks of sending mine off.

 

[Hognuts]

I have only ever used Harris fixed bi-pods and Atlas, I like Atlas way better, but I don't know if its a fair comparison with a fixed Harris to an Atlas that you can correct for cant and has some swivel built into, but I also enjoy the feature of the Atlas of being able to lock them in at a 45 degree angle. The only feature that Harris has that I prefer over the Atlas is they are much quicker to deploy.

I agree that the price point on the Atlas is a tough pill to swallow. In some cases your bi-pod would be more expensive than your rifle if you are running on a hunting rig! That is certainly the case on my Winchester model 70 this fall. Its a hand me down rifle with a $300 bi-pod on it!

 

[Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)]

My vote is for Harris swivel with the bipod lock. My brother has a Harris non swivel version and though good, for long distance, he has a heck of a time getting his scope/gun level.

I went with the swivel version and it is rock solid. Took a buck last year while I was on a trail with a 40* slope. I dropped to my ***, pulled out my legs, the uphill one just one out and the other almost fully extended. Leveled gun, locked bipod swivel, took aim, and that was that. This happened all under about 10 seconds. I'm totally sold on the Harris swivel, but it absolutely needs the bipod lock, which are cheap.

I've been so pleased with it, I purchased another with shorter bipod legs for some of the low grass belly shooting I do on some of my coyote hunts.

Very reliable and cost effective bipod IMHO.

 

[JSHou]

I work for a bipod company that produces a variation of the Harris designs. Price point is lower and the "swivel" model comes with the adjustment lever (instead of the knob).
I don't think I'm allowed to link to the website, but if you're interested, PM me. We're new, so we're priced pretty aggressively, but I guarantee you, it's not a "cheap knockoff" product.

One of the big changes is how the attachment mechanism works. It stays in place a lot better so you don't have to fiddle with it as much.

Okay, now that my plug is out of the way, I'll weigh in on the other stuff.

The Atlas is very well put together from the times I've played with it, but I just can't justify spending that kind of money on a bipod. Never had a chance to shoot it, but everyone I know that has loves them.

I bought a leg notch non-swivel Harris years ago and it has taken a beating. On the range and on hunts, it just keeps going. That's pretty par for the course from what I have heard. For longer range, I would get the swivel (a level weapon system is pretty critical at long range).