Bipods
- Thread starter Wiszard
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tailchasers
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Harris. Because it works very well for the $....
willfrye027
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You’re not gonna like this but… the hatch bipod is very versatile for hunting. Low enough for prone high enough for sitting and everything in between. Expensive but Harris can’t do what the hatch can. Also easy on and off with a pic rail so it’s not digging into your shoulder walking around.
Wiszard
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Ya...I don't like that. LOL. I can't see spending $400 on that kind of accessory but watching the video on it....its the Swiss army knife of bipods. Don't talk me in to it, Will!!
Wiszard
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My Harris bipods are all at least 10 years old.....do you have a newer model?
tailchasers
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Yes. Got it for the wife to use in a sitting position. Believe it adjust up to 25 inches. Will not get short enough to shoot prone though. Fits her well. Not something she's comfortable shooting over 300 yards since it's just not steady enough in the seated position.
Wiszard
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I have not considered using/carrying a tripod simply because I'd like my hands to be free. Whatever I go to will need to attach to the rifle. Quite often, the shots are quick so an easy, fast extendable bipod is necessary. Thanks though....I've seen the M-Loks on many videos and if you have the time, they look very solid to shoot off of.
willfrye027
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My friends call me the “gear slut”. But they also benefit from my constant tinkering with different options! They all have the hatch now. I’ve played around with a few options, currently experimenting with shooting from a tripod.
Hatch: good all around option. Very quick attach/detach. I leave it in my pack. Can adjust easily from low prone to sitting. It has some play in the legs..not the MOST stable bipod..you need to “preload” the legs a little bit. I do not like that the feet are rubber (no spike) and they rotate. Take a little longer for me to get locked in and steady. But…it just works. Shot targets beyond 1000 yards and game from a long ways out. Very versatile for actually hunting from with all the angles you can get it to. Durable, not noise, put mine through hell the past few years.
Also have an atlas bipod. Rock solid but only can be used for prone. Used it this year and also brought my trekking poles with wiser precision quick sticks to use as shooting sticks for when a fast, sitting shot presents itself. Killed a deer at 390 and elk at 300 from them this year and countless others. It is not as steady as an attached bipod but works well enough, plus I need those trekking poles anyways to pack game off the mountain. Shot a buck from the atlas bipod at 535 yards and it was so solid, no wobble or doubt in my mind. So that combo works pretty well too.
Headed out to shoot off my new tripod now…very pricey and somewhat heavy so the jury is still out on that one.
Nothing like feeling 100% confident that you are going to make a great shot when your rifle is well supported and you’ve put in the practice…
Wyo_Roadhunter
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Hatch all the way!
El Gringo
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It’s THAT good….
Wyo_Roadhunter
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When you buy one they come with 1 rail. I bought mine at the expo and they give you like 10% off and an extra rail. It's nice being able to shoot prone or kneeling. It's expensive but I haven't regretted it at all. Have had it on around 20 hunts and no complaints what so ever.
willfrye027
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You buy the sized rail that you want. Comes with a couple different screw diameters. You unscrew the factory sling stud and screw in the rail through that. Then you have to make another hole in the stock for the second screw (unless you have two studs).
My redneck solution has been just to drill another hole, slightly smaller than the screw itself, and let the screw “tap” itself into the stock material. The bulk of the weight/torque is held in by my swivel stud screw. You do need two holes in the stock or it will pivot under recoil.
The “proper” way is to install a T nut…mine is working fine on 5 different stocks from plastic to carbon.
Wiszard
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I understand. So, once you've screwed a second hole in your stock, no going back.
Does Hatch offer different size rails? What is the purpose for different sizes?
elkassassin
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Would that Be A Ryan Hatch Bi-Pod?
willfrye027
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Yep. I’m sure a gunsmith could install a nicer T nut for you…my rifles are all pretty ugly and beat up so I could care less.I understand. So, once you've screwed a second hole in your stock, no going back.
Some rifles already have two swivel studs and you can get a rail of the correct size hole spacing and not need to drill.
Lots of pic rails exist…their design for attachment is very quick to attach/remove but it does not clamp down like some other bipods. So their pic rails will fit their bipod better than others. I believe they now offer a more rigid clamp down version for universal pic rails.
I’d recommended the shortest pic rail and mounting it as far forward as possible. Otherwise the sling attachment will be too far back and won’t balance well when you’re carrying on your shoulder.
Happy to send some pics your way if that doesn’t make sense.
willfrye027
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Guaranteed to help you kill big bucks in the right, or wrong state
OLDHORNHUNTER
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WOW I have been hunting deer elk bear lopes yotes ETC for over 40 years & NOT 1 single time in all of those years hunting did I not have time to find a tree a rock drop to the ground & get a shot at a critter. H3ll what happened to learning to shoot off hand ? IF you have the time to setup slide out all the legs lock them in place & get back on that critter your wanting to shoot . I am pretty sure you could find a solid rest to shoot off JUST SAYING !!!
Wiszard
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I hear you, however....until you've shot off of one you can't understand how much time it saves you. I can have legs extended ready to shoot by the time I have sat down to get in to position....or by the time I get prone. While I am extending legs, I am watching the animal and determining its path...seeing where it'll be when I'm in position a second or two later. Instead of looking for a tree, rock or putting my pack in place to HOPE it is the right height to get a good shot off, I am on the animal steady and sure. It's practice and those that use them have it dialed in so it is time saving and better for the animal to get a good kill shot off.
Nothing wrong with doing it old school but I may have missed many animals if I didn't use a bipod.
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OLDHORNHUNTER
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Not saying I didnt try them I had a couple of different ones Harris Caldwell sold or gave them away !! I use a 20$ pair of shooting sticks when I am calling yotes & they get me busted by yotes a lot of times, and there is nothing to mess with the legs are already out.. I use my trekking poles to shoot off if I cant find a better rest And $400 to $500 for a bipod is outrageous
Wiszard
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I agree...the cost is outrageous. That is the world we live in and I hope to be here another 25 years so I guess I'll pay to play!
Have any of you using the Hatch system, had any issues with the pin system? It looked a little cheap, but a buddy has used it for years and loves his. I called Hatch a few years ago and explained I work in a business where we use bipods daily, and asked if their system would hold up to that kind of use. They said “probably not”. I appreciate their honesty and went another direction.
wilydawg
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Another vote for Hatch. Seems like I've tried most eveything, and spent a pile doing so. For hunting i don't think it can be beat. I still use Harris for the bench sometimes. Buy once cry once. All you need if you have a sling stud is this:
Caldwell Pic Rail Adapter
Caldwell Pic Rail Adapter
Wiszard
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Did you drill a second hole in your stock to accommodate the pic rail?
I do. Drop a T Nut. Super easy and the right way to do it. I found the Caldwell adapter super cheesy. Had one break, with a sling and the rifle fell off my shoulder.
willfrye027
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BigPig,
Check out the “how-to” videos if you’re not familiar. It’s a pin system that allows the leg angles to adjust to prone position. It seems with a lot of use or hurried use, it’s a part that might fail. I’m not knocking the product, just curious myself with heavy-users if there has been any issues with broken pins, etc.
I love the idea of a prone/sitting bipod and it appears this is the best product out there. Very innovative.
I haven’t had any issues with probably 1500+ rounds fired, even with most out of a .338 wm. I’ve also pulled the pin hundreds of times with no issues.
But that said, I can’t stand that leg deployment and angle change method. It’s just a dumb design. It’s awkward and sloppy. It relies on a plastic friction washer and screw tension. Tighten the screw to take out the leg slop and it’s too tight to deploy. Loosen it to where it works, and it’s got excess slop. Frustrating. That’s what I meant by it’s engineering flaws. Seems like it was rigged up in Bubba Sixpack’s garage. A push button leg deployment design like the Atlas is so much easier to use and more solid.
But that said, I can’t stand that leg deployment and angle change method. It’s just a dumb design. It’s awkward and sloppy. It relies on a plastic friction washer and screw tension. Tighten the screw to take out the leg slop and it’s too tight to deploy. Loosen it to where it works, and it’s got excess slop. Frustrating. That’s what I meant by it’s engineering flaws. Seems like it was rigged up in Bubba Sixpack’s garage. A push button leg deployment design like the Atlas is so much easier to use and more solid.
