Why should you use a bipod?

Rifle bipods are super handy tools that help shooters keep their rifles steady. Whether you're out hunting, target shooting at the range, or just want better control over your shots, a bipod can make a big difference. It attaches to the front of your rifle and gives you a stable rest, especially when you're shooting from the ground or a bench. This extra support can help you stay on target longer and improve your accuracy. Bipods come in different sizes and styles, so there’s something out there for just about every shooter and shooting situation.

Choosing a bipod

When it comes to choosing a bipod, looking through pages and pages of bipods makes it seem like a daunting process, as there can be hundreds of options and hundreds of pounds between them. Choosing can be made easier by asking yourself, What do I need it for? Will it be going onto a lightweight hunting rifle and need to be light itself, or will it be going on a heavier target rifle and need to be large, strong and sturdy? These are the questions we will help you answer.

Types of bipods

Fixed Bipod
The first type of bipod to look at is the fixed bipod. This is the simplest form of a bipod with no adjustment either on the height or the position. They are durable, easy to use and most often the most budget-friendly option. The main advantage of this type is the simplistic nature, lightweight and low cost of these bipods. The downsides of this type of bipod are the limited adaptability for uneven terrain or changing positions. These units are best for flat environments or during static (not moving) shooting styles such as bench rest. This type of bipod is not very common any more with the introduction of cheaper adjustable models.

Adjustable Height Bipods
These bipods feature adjustable legs, allowing for a change in shooting height, which is helpful when using different shooting positions or terrain. E.g., up or down hill or moving from a prone to bench rest position. These bipods are good for their flexibility in use, as they can be used in multiple shooting environments and positions. While these bipods are highly versatile, they are generally a little bit heavier than the fixed models, but the usability due to the adjustable legs does set them apart. These bipods generally fit onto a swivel stud fixed to the bottom of the rifle. Some great models from Hawke fit this type. These are one of the most common types of bipods for hunting use.

Swivel (Pivot) Bipods
Swivel bipods allow for a side-to-side motion, which will allow you to cant the rifle to remain upright in undulating terrain such as a hill or other obstacles. These bipods perform well in dynamic hunting environments where the position where the shot will be taken is not clear until the very last moment. It will allow you to level the rifle on a hill or obstacle so you can make a perfect shot. These bipods generally fit onto a swivel stud fixed to the bottom of a rifle and are also one of the most common bipods for hunting use. Swivel bipods can cost more than standard adjustable bipods and take a little practice to use the swivel lock in these models, but they can easily improve your shooting ability with correct use. Hawke also makes excellent models that fit in this category.

Tactical Bipods
Tactical Bipods have been designed for rugged professional or tactical use. Very popular with long-distance shooters, Precision rifle series (PRS), Hardcore airsoft, Police and military use. They often feature a quick detach system, durable materials and various mounting options to fit popular platforms such as Picatinny rail and ARCA mounts. These bipods are very high quality and often feature the latest bipod technology, as well as offering extreme durability to accommodate the fast nature and generally rough conditions associated with PRS competitions and high-calibre rifles. With these high-level features often comes a higher price and more weight. Excellent examples of this type of bipod are the Tier One and Accu-Tac lines.

Harris-Style bipods
While Harris-style bipods are very similar to the previous Adjustable and Swivel bipods, it is worth mentioning them separately. The Harris bipods are a premium offering for hunting and target use. These bipods have similar features to the previously mentioned bipods but also offer different types of adjustment in the legs, whether it be notched legs for quick and easy deployment or smooth legs for self-levelling and fine adjustment for the legs. They also offer hunting bipods with picatinny and M-LOK mounting points, which is helpful with more and more rifles and aftermarket stocks coming with M-LOK holes in lightweight packages such as the Springfield Waypoint rifles or the MDT hunting stocks. While also being similar to the previous types of bipods, Harris has made these bipods to incredible levels of quality, meaning they are extremely durable and long-lasting, but this increase in material quality has also added a very slight increase in weight from the standard types. These bipods make a great all-purpose bipod which can fulfil most requirements.

Lightweight Bipods

With the introduction of carbon fibre in the shooting industry, weight saving has become the race to see who can make the lightest equipment, and this is easier to accomplish with carbon being a fraction of the weight while keeping the rigidity of heavier bipods. These bipods are designed for portability without sacrificing stability. Great for hunters who trek up mountains and for those who have to carry their gear longer distances, as every bit of weight saving will help for those arduous days. While being great for hunting use and very light, the cost of the bipods can be a downside, with it being twice the price of a current Harris model. The Spartan bipods are a great option for those looking to get one of these bipods, and they offer a unique mounting system (ships with the mount), which is super quick and easy to use.

Benchrest Bipods
With the popularity of benchrest shooting in today's community, it only makes sense for manufacturers to make bipods specifically tailored for this discipline. These bipods are optimised for use on stable surfaces like tables or flat terrain and often use extra-wide legs for stability. This is great for target shooting and zeroing your rifle, as the extra stability will make your rifle very precise. The added size of these bipods makes them very durable and reliable; however, they also make them cumbersome and unwieldy. This can be a drawback if you want to use them for multiple purposes, but if you only wish to use them for static shooting, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better type of bipod.

Which Height do I need?

Height for the bipods depends on your specific rifle, physical size and intended use. If you had a standard Tikka T3X Lite for hunting use, a 6"- 9" Harris bipod will likely suffice, as it is not a very large rifle. Whereas, if you had a Tikka TAC A1 for target use, you would consider a taller 9"- 13" bipod, as you will need to compensate for the added size of the rifle.

However, this is not always the case; Harris does make a 27" bipod, which is very useful for shooting in a field with longer grass, as it allows you to rest the rifle above the top of the grass, and you can generally sit behind the rifle rather than having to lie down.

Some consideration will need to be given when selecting a height for the bipod, but if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact the Optics Warehouse Team.

Mounting Options

With multiple different mounting options now for bipods, it can be a little confusing which one you need.

Here are the main types:

- Picatinny: Best for versatility and compatibility with most chassis rifles.
- M-LOK: Ideal for lightweight setups and modern chassis and aftermarket hunting stocks such as MDT.
- KeyMod: Good for shooters with existing KeyMod-equipped rifles such as the AXMC. However, this attachment point is not as common as it used to be.
- Swivel Stud: Suitable for traditional or hunting-style setups, with most rifles having this attachment point.
- Quick-Detach: Perfect for lightweight hunting situations and using the same bipod between multiple rifles. This can be a proprietary mount, such as the Spartan mount or simply a quick-detach Picatinny or arca. 

Final things to remember

When choosing your bipod, imagine yourself using it. Do you want a heavier, larger bipod on a hunting rifle? Or a small, lightweight bipod in a long-range competition?

Imagine hiking up a hill with a large backpack weighing you down. These are the questions that will help you make an educated choice and will help you get out shooting sooner and stronger

If you still have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact the team at Optics Warehouse at 01803 611895