Genuine Harris bipod Vs knock offs

[ejg]

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 is better although I had one completely fall apart, Harris sent a new one.
edi

 

[Steff]

I had one completely fall apart, Harris sent a new one.
edi

Oogh, I once disassembled a Harris and that wasn't an easy exercise. They're built like tanks.

 

[Heym SR20]

I have a very useful bipod that gives very good support and none of the bounce that occurs when you use a harris.

It also takes my spare ammo, a couple of knives, coat, food and for longer walks in, the rifle. And it will also take a roe, or bits of a bigger deer if needs be.

And it takes seconds to deploy.

If I am going lightweight I have another bipod that is very light, is always in my hand or around my neck and allows me to see things more clearly.

 

[jcampbellsmith]

I've

Depending on application and budget, there's Spartan, Magpul, Warne, Blacklanz, Tier One, NeoPod, Versa-Pod, Cyke-Pod... I mean, pretty much every half-decent bipod on the market beats a rattly old Harris.

I've tried a fair few of these and resold them. I've still got half a dozen Harris bipods. The only recent change has been to make some of them Picatinny rail compatible.
Regards
JCS

 

[Steff]

I have a very useful bipod that gives very good support and none of the bounce that occurs when you use a harris.

It also takes my spare ammo, a couple of knives, coat, food and for longer walks in, the rifle. And it will also take a roe, or bits of a bigger deer if needs be.

And it takes seconds to deploy.

If I am going lightweight I have another bipod that is very light, is always in my hand or around my neck and allows me to see things more clearly.

You're reading too many German hunting magazines. My rucksack is hardly ever filled to the point that it could serve as a rifle rest. But I do know a few people who like to carry half of their household with them. For them it will work .

I also don't have a Zeiss Diallyt 8x56. I'm too young for that. Current binos are at best tall enough to shoot on a putting green.

 

[Heym SR20]

You're reading too many German hunting magazines. My rucksack is hardly ever filled to the point that it could serve as a rifle rest. But I do know a few people who like to carry half of their household with them. For them it will work .

I also don't have a Zeiss Diallyt 8x56. I'm too young for that. Current binos are at best tall enough to shoot on a putting green.

I don’t carry much in my pack, but roll it up a bit. And / or there is always a lump in the ground on which you can rest. I also like to shoot nice a low so all my chest is supported. I don’t understand how some shoot off a high bipod with most of their torso well off the ground.

As for long grass, heather etc - no bipod works. You either have to move to a bit of a hump or rock etc or shoot from a sitting position.

With experience you very quickly learn to read the ground for shooting positions. As a left hander though I look from a left handed perspective, which confuses right handers.

 

[20-250]

The idea is that you carry the bipod off the rifle and only attach it when needed, which simplifies the design and avoids having some bulky protuberance constantly dangling off the forend that spends most of its time making rattling noises, snagging on brush, and stabbing you in the shoulder.

Works great!

If you like having your pockets full of stuff to lose, that sounds ideal. Till you need to reposition your rifle and leave the bipod in the mud or heather.
No, I'm not convinced.
I'm definitely sticking with Harris, thanks!

 

[nun_hunter]

The notched leg 9-13" with swivel/cant is very hard to beat once a Pod-Loc and ARCA/Pic adapter from RRS is added.View attachment 317518

Saying a bipod is hard to beat once you take bits off it and then add quality bits from another supplier is a bit of an oxymoron.

I mean a Rem 700 is hard to beat once you've had the action blueprinted, replaced the trigger, stock and barrel

 

[ejg]

Oogh, I once disassembled a Harris and that wasn't an easy exercise. They're built like tanks.

The Harris had a bad weld and broke off with the lightest load. This position is only welded from the top on a Harris, the Chinese Knock-off is welded top and sides, looks much stronger. The replacement Harris is in use since 2008 without an issue. I had never heard that anyone else had a Harris fail like that.
edi

Weld on the copy:

 

[jthyttin]

Saying a bipod is hard to beat once you take bits off it and then add quality bits from another supplier is a bit of an oxymoron.

US consumer market is more like ecosystem where third parties develop additional features / parts to existing products, at their own risk. Some of them succeed and others don't. Compared to European market, best characterized by large German companies, where it's "our way or highway" or "because H&K hates you".

That said, Harris does sell a podlock (named "S lock") and they've quite heavily offering the S series with Picatinny, M-Lok and Keymod attachments in addition to traditional sling stud method. I kind of guess that if you take Picatinny top BRM-S or LM-S and opt for S lock, the end product doesn't differ from any other podlock plus RRS adapter (assuming you want to attach it to Picatinny). For extra features that ARCA offers, you need to go third party. But that's the case for some competing products also.

 

[scotch_egg]

Purely to answer the OP’s question I’ve sold o man all my copy pods. I only have genuine Harris now. I find the Harris copies have monkey metal legs that really aren’t rigid like a genuine Harris.

 

[JH83]

@JH83 has first hand experience of this, his Chinese knock off version now resides deep in a forest having been far flung in a fit of anger after failing at a crucial moment!

Sadly this is all true @NickJ

Got a zedio on my 308 last year, in a moment of insanity. Got into 3 hinds (which would be half the cull on this bit) at 200 yards, prone. Should be game over. I loaded the pod and popped the bipod clean off the front swivel. The lead hind saw the rifle drop and alerted, I tried to pick it up and hold it onto the stock and take a shot but alas no good. Deer trotted off.

Aforementioned zedio went astral travelling in a fit of fury. Within an hour I had bought a Harris off here. Heed my warning !

 

[JH83]

Others I have tried;

Spartan javelin=crap
UTG=fussy

I just can’t emphases enough how I wouldn’t ever deviate from Harris now

 

[VSS]

I had one original and a couple of knock offs and personally think they're all terrible.

Way too big, noisy and painful on a stalking rifle

They do the job but are dammed uncomfortable to the shoulder when carrying the rifle on the sling. So much so I normally leave it in the pickup. I am reluctant to buy something else in case they are no better or worse

Can't disagree with either of the above.
I ditched the bipod from my main stalking rifle (270) and now either rest on my backpack or use my "monkey pod", which is cheap, lightweight, easy to carry tucked down a boot, and quick to deploy. Although I continue to use Harris or knockoffs on my other rifles, I won't go back to a fixed bipod on the 270.

Monkey pod:

 

[Foxyboy43]

I don’t carry much in my pack, but roll it up a bit. And / or there is always a lump in the ground on which you can rest. I also like to shoot nice a low so all my chest is supported. I don’t understand how some shoot off a high bipod with most of their torso well off the ground.

As for long grass, heather etc - no bipod works. You either have to move to a bit of a hump or rock etc or shoot from a sitting position.

With experience you very quickly learn to read the ground for shooting positions. As a left hander though I look from a left handed perspective, which confuses right handers.

I long ago made a set of “mini” quad sticks” from B&Q’s thinner plastic-coated poles - basically cut to height for me sitting/kneeling - light as a feather, perfectly stable and great in heather or long grass. Bad news is that for some time now getting back up on my feet is increasingly difficult! They will also serve as a handy marker or cross should I peg it on the hill…….

 

[Taff]

If you have a 223 or below and rarely use it, then buy cheap, if you have anything with recoil spend the money, the cheap ones pins snap,