Bipods yes or no
- Thread starter brian82
- Start date
Only have a cheapo amazon harris copy as only use it when zeroing.
Never even think to take it stalking.
Sticks , high seat or on very rate occasion roe sack.
Never even think to take it stalking.
Sticks , high seat or on very rate occasion roe sack.
My old Harris is the single bit of stalking equipment I haven’t changed since the beginning. I can think of very few other devices, in any activity, that do their job so well.
I grew up shooting without bipods, and for the first few years of stalking in the UK refused to use one, for all the reasons listed here. Heavy, ugly, indicative of mediocre shooting and lack of practice etc etc.
Then I used an estate rifle with a pair, and it was transformative. Bought mine the next day, and they’ve never been off since.
Along with moderators and thermal, they’re the modern tools that purists despise but everyone else finds indispensable.
I grew up shooting without bipods, and for the first few years of stalking in the UK refused to use one, for all the reasons listed here. Heavy, ugly, indicative of mediocre shooting and lack of practice etc etc.
Then I used an estate rifle with a pair, and it was transformative. Bought mine the next day, and they’ve never been off since.
Along with moderators and thermal, they’re the modern tools that purists despise but everyone else finds indispensable.
maximus otter
Well-Known Member
No bipod on my main rifle (6.5 x 55mm) as l stalk the flatland of East Anglia. lf l went prone, all l’d see through the scope would be grass…
Blaser carbon quad sticks.
maximus otter
Blaser carbon quad sticks.
maximus otter
Genuine Harris bipod Vs knock offs
We have quite a few "newer/better" bipods in our workshop. For hunting I will always have three Harris in the car, 6-9, 9-13, 12-25. I just grab what is most suited to the terrain. I have one Harris copy that held up OK after plenty Loctite but it has more wobble. In the long run the original...
www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk
HonestJohn
Well-Known Member
I think I bought my limulus sticks at the Kelso stalking fair, must have been maybe 2013?
They have shot, oh, probably 200 deer just on those sticks alone. It’s been a
Long and complex relationship - some deer I’ve been able to get a good steady shot at because of them, other deer I’ve not because of the wood clattering, fumbling opening them, or the legs getting stuck in vegetation when needing to move/track a deer that’s feeding. They’ve pulled roe through the legs many times, they’ve pulled sika and reds with one person each end. They’ve been tossed into woodland out of frustration the noise/clattering from the legs when moving in on a a deer. They’ve been thrown into a stream in frustration. Brought to the recycling centre - yet, always recovered and not let go of….
A true love hate relationship
devon deer stalker
Well-Known Member
Same here, accept since making a set of B&Q sticks they have been redundant, thanks for the design @south-nofolk-stalker, since I made them they have had 5 new legs and needed new bolts, but still the same set
south-nofolk-stalker
Well-Known Member
Bloody long time ago I showed you thoseSame here, accept since making a set of B&Q sticks they have been redundant, thanks for the design @south-nofolk-stalker, since I made them they have had 5 new legs and need bolts, but still the same set
Exactly that.
Never on the stalking rifle, but usually mounted to the foxing rifle, not for shooting from, but just for setting the rifle down as quite often on muddier ground. All my shooting is off sticks.
Brave Echo Niner
Well-Known Member
Always have one on my stalking rifles.
On open hill I will take 99% of my shots off the bipod, on clearfell perhaps 50-60% of my shots, in woodland still about 5-10% of my shots.
I am yet to find an environment where it isn't of benefit at times, so to me the very small disadvantages of having it fitted are far outweighted by the times it's very useful.
Ben
On open hill I will take 99% of my shots off the bipod, on clearfell perhaps 50-60% of my shots, in woodland still about 5-10% of my shots.
I am yet to find an environment where it isn't of benefit at times, so to me the very small disadvantages of having it fitted are far outweighted by the times it's very useful.
Ben
My journey went the other way. Started out using a bipod, it gave me confidence, wouldn't have dreamt of trying to shoot without it. It wasn't until I bought my 270 and found it really didn't perform well off a bipod that I tried without and found that not only did it shoot better, but I was quite capable of shooting it, without. And what's more, I liked it. Nicer to carry, more versatile to use.
(I now know that it only takes a bit of fettling of the barrel channel to get an old P-H to perform well off a bipod, but I didn't know that at the time).
Similar story with moderators. When I bought my first centrefire it was a few months before I even fired it because I had no mod. It had become so ingrained in me that a mod was an essential bit of kit that I was bloody terrified at the thought of pulling the trigger without one.
A few years later I bought another rifle that wasn't screwcut, used it as it was, and discovered how liberating that is not to be encumbered by a great lump attached to the end of the barrel.
So while I accept that moderators and bipods have their place, and I still use them on some rifles, I find stalking much more pleasant (and just as successful) without either.
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