Shooting from a bipod

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adamsgt

Jerry Adams
Took my Palma rifle to the range this morning for my first attempt to shoot from a bipod. The Harris bipod attached OK although I'm going to have to fabricate a different way to attach to my accessory rail. Got the Sightron 8 X 32 scope positioned for good eye relief and boresighted. Somewhat confused about using a rear bag. Trying one of my benchrest bags was a lot of fussing with little help. Discovered that if I placed my left hand under the bottom of the pistol grip I could adjust elevation quite easily and was stable. I'm guessing that there's no point in using a rear bag unless you're using a front rest? Anything illegal doing it this way?

This pic shows the second five shots at 100 yds. Surprised me as I wasn't really trying hard. I had been contemplating building a 30BR for Varmint for score but perhaps I could use this rifle for that as well. :)

P1000027.jpg
 
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Jerry,

It's a great way to break into the F-Class game with out a big lay out of cash for something new. Looks like you've got the hang of it, and using your hand as a rear support is not illegal, see the High Power Rule Book, download it and read it, the complete thing, as things change each year. Although I think if you find the right rear bag you'll be happier, I know I was.

Also Harris and Choate both make an adapter for the rail to a Harris type bi-pod, just a small flat plate with a flush set screw and a sling stud, I get my stuff here froma fellow shooter:

http://www.shootersdiscount.com/cart/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=778

I hope this helps,
 
I used to use a heavy Freeland mitt on my left hand under the rear toe of the stock... it worked well enough at the time.

Generally I've found that if the pistol grip comes back and contacts my hand that is squeezing the rear bag, that shot is liable to go off gawd-knows-where. So I'd be a little apprehensive about intentionally using a hand under the pistol grip as the primary rear support, if it were me. I suppose if you are able to do it consistently and repeatably it might not be a problem. I've seen people use rear bags jammed up under the pistol grip, etc. and almost every one that I've worked with shot better and more consistently with the rear bag, whether a 'formal' bunny ear bag or a simple squeeze bag, back closer to the toe of the stock. Like anything else, it is a unique skill set that takes a bit of practice to get it right.
 
Yeah, you're probably right. I've had only the one short session at the range to try this out and what I did was out of necessity rather than good sense. Once I get a sled built it will probably shed a whole lot of light on a better way to do it.
 
Taildrag15X said:
Jerry,

It's a great way to break into the F-Class game with out a big lay out of cash for something new. Looks like you've got the hang of it, and using your hand as a rear support is not illegal, see the High Power Rule Book, download it and read it, the complete thing, as things change each year. Although I think if you find the right rear bag you'll be happier, I know I was.

Also Harris and Choate both make an adapter for the rail to a Harris type bi-pod, just a small flat plate with a flush set screw and a sling stud, I get my stuff here froma fellow shooter:

http://www.shootersdiscount.com/cart/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=778

I hope this helps,
Click to expand...

I have the Harris #6 adapter but the problem is that the accessory rail on the rifle has a slotted back. As the screw on this adapter is secured by pushing against the back of the rail, there is only a small amount of rail it will work on. Need to make something like Centra uses on their handstop that clamps against the rail lips.
 
Sinclair's super-deluxe (or whatever they call it) bipod adapter should work for ya then. Two tee-nuts that tighten down aganst the rail lips rather than the back of the rail. The only catch would be if your fore-end rail is one that doesn't open on the end, but has the 'keyhole' opening instead.
 
The snazzy Sinclair adaptor works fine for the rails w/ the key hole at the bottom, rather than the opening at the front. Pricey, at $28-ish, compared to the B square option, but it sure does the trick.
 
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Matt,

Not bad. Taking some time to play with things *other* than F/TR... like Palma, a new F/O gun, etc. Nice change.

George,

Hmmm... this is what I found for a definition on-line:

bi-pod:
–noun
a two-legged support, as for an automatic rifle.

The Sinclair and such have two legs for supporting the front of the rifle. They are factored into the weight of the complete rifle, just as intended by the rules. You don't have to use one if they offend you ;)

If you don't like the Sinclair, you must really not like the Centershot design...

And I think you mean 'powers that be'?

Monte
 
Get a decent rear bag and pay attention to it when you shoot.
Read the article by Froggy.

Don't expect a shining light and voice from heaven to come and bless you on your first outing. I don't think he shoots F-class or else he would have done away with mirage so our summer scores would be higher.
 
Well, Larry Bartholome gave a very useful and informative class on F-class shooting up in Trinidad. We spent three days in the classroom and two at the Whittington Center 1000 yd range. The bipod was pretty much a disaster. Too flimsy and too difficult to adjust for height. The rifle shot well at distances from 300 to 1000 yds. On the second day Larry loaned me a rest but that wasn't real stable as it was set up for 3" forends. Again the rifle wants to shoot but my setup was too unstable. JJ Conway was there during the Palma match and I was able to pick his brains on a set up. He recommended a front rest rather than a bipod as he had started with a bipod but changed to a rest and never looked back. I have an older Sinclair All purpose rest that I'm going to update with the longer screws and big feet. Ordered that from Sinclair earlier tonight. Larry had a Savage F-class rifle for evaluation with the Sinclair bipod. The guys that shot it seemed to like it. If Larry gives another class next summer I highly recommend it. It was well worth the time and money.
 
What kind of bipod (make and model) did you end up using? Some are more of a PITA to adjust from position than others - even for me and I have a fairly long reach compared to a lot of folks. Setting up a front rest is all well and good, but then you are stuck in F/Open, regardless of what caliber you shoot.
 
The bipod is a Harris Ultralight series S Model L. I got it as a door prize at one of the Rocky Mountain Palma Matches five or six years a go. Adjusting the legs for an intermediate position while prone was clumsy. :( It's only going to cost me $85 or so to add the long screws and big feet to the front rest. I'll see how that works with the option of going to the Sinclair bipod later. At least I was able to determine that I could get down and up from the prone position without too much complaint from my replacement knees. Hurt a little but not too bad. Did like shooting prone without being wrapped up in a shooting coat and sling. :)
 
Do ya want the good news or the bad news? ;)

The good news... that bipod you have is probably about the least suitable option for F-Class there is, and you experienced why. The harris models with a swivel head and notched legs are several orders of magnitude better, add a pod-loc and they work well and are about as bullet proof as need be - and still lighter than many options out there. The notched legs are probably the one feature that I wish the Sinclair had - they are 'infinitely adjustable, which means if you loosen one side, it drops to the bottom - so you have to get up out of position to adjust them if need be. A Harris with notched legs, swivel head, and a pod-loc is cheaper, more compact, and way easier to get on the gun when un casing it... but the Sinclair has a much wider foot print which adds to stability. If price isn't an issue... check out the Center Shot bipods (disclaimer: a friend of mine makes/sells 'em)

The bad news is... you probably could have gone to the local hardware store and got the equivalent hardware for about a quarter of what the Sinclair bits are costing you - if you have some basic hand tools at home. The screws are a standard thread pitch; a piece of all-thread rod cut to length and then ground to a point on the ends would work just fine. Add some knobs from the hardware store (like I said, standard thread size), and a fender washer and a couple ny-lock nuts to hold the washer in place on the thread... I have the Sinclair bits, got them when they first came out. Now my Shadetree rest uses the hardware-store variant - but then again, I like to be able to pick my stuff up and move it between yard lines with out needing vehicular assistance... guess thats why I shoot F/TR ;)
 
milanuk said:
Do ya want the good news or the bad news? ;)

but then again, I like to be able to pick my stuff up and move it between yard lines with out needing vehicular assistance... guess thats why I shoot F/TR ;)
Click to expand...

That's certainly a consideration and why I tried to use the bipod I already had. Using a front rest adds to the gear weight and items that need to be transported. I would prefer to use a bipod if I can find something suitable that costs less than $450.
 
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=155546 + http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=153528

or

http://www.gggaz.com/index.php?id=63&parents=144,145

Go to your local Safeway/Fred Meyers or equivalent, and get one of the thin flexible plastic cutting boards - a few bucks for three, probably.

Set the plastic 'mat' out in front of your firing position, and have pretty much identical behavior regardless of whether the firing line is concrete, cinder ash, 3/4 minus rock, gravel, grass, sand...

If you end up getting something with a wider foot print, like the Sinclair or a Center Shot... take two of the plastic mats and put a couple velcro dots on them so they over lap by an inch or so. Voila!
 
Sinclair bipod = good as a front rest (if you know how to use it).
Just set 11 National records in F-T/R with one.
Jerry
 
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