Tag Archives: bipod

Leapers UTG OTB Bipod

Ancillary gear, Product review, , , ,

Sometimes I forget how long I’ve been around this business of shooting. There was a time when I couldn’t wait to visit the gun shows, and believe it or not I even bought some of the stamped garbage they sell there. There was a time where I even picked up one of those garbage bipods that clamp to your barrel, looks almost like a WWII machine gun bipod? You know the one. Thank goodness times have changed, my tastes have matured, but they still sell all that garbage.

The reason I bring it up is, just as we mature and grow, so too can manufacturers. Leapers UTG is not a new name to me, I have heard it and seen it a million times over the years. I never bought anything from them, but I had always associated the brand with inexpensive gear I considered not worthy of my time. As the years have passed, I paid them no attention, until I was recently given the chance to try one of their bipods. My historical perception almost instantly biased me against the idea, I was quite sure I wasn’t going to like it. But when it finally arrived in my hands, my bias began to dissipate just as quickly as it had risen.

The bipod is quickly detached if needed, while the mounting block remains fixed

The UTG Over the Bore Bipod is as its name suggests mounted above the bore. It uses a mounting block that clamps to the 12 o’clock rail of your rifle, the bipod has a spike that is received into the block. The bipod cants on the spike allowing the rifle to be leveled on uneven terrain, the spike is also mounted on a horizontal hinge, which allows the rifle to pan left and right. In the mounting block itself, there is a small tension knob, which tightens like a clutch around the bipod spike to tension the cant of the bipod to your liking.

The mounting of the Over Bore Bipod did not interfere with sights

My initial impression of the bipod was that it looked like a strong and buxom piece of kit, the weight made me confident that it was well built. But I was also initially concerned that the cant and pan of the bipod wouldn’t be sufficient for my anything but flat world. As it happens, I was quite happy with the panning radius of the bipod, I was able to pan left and right enough to have to move my body position. I figured that if I can pan enough to have to move my body position, then it’s no big deal to reposition the rifle in the process. The cant, while sufficient was not quite as much as I would have liked. Though this may be directly related to the rifle it is mounted on. The diameter of the barrel/handguard is the limiting factor with this bipod, so the thicker your setup, the less cant you will have before the bipod legs stop against the rifle.

From above, you can see the pivot point allowing the rifle to pan left and right
Up close detail of the OTB Bipod features, notice tension knob on the side of the mounting block, pivot hinge, and oversize leg-locking buttons.

The legs of the bipod are one of its greatest strengths, the pivot of each leg is very robust, and the large lock release on the outer edge of each pivot is easy to feel and press whether or not you are looking at it. The legs fold both forward and backward with several locking points allowing more stowing options, as well as shooting positions. The legs extend with a pull, and have notches every half-inch or so to lock them at height. The legs are spring retracted when the leg-lock is depressed, these controls are easy and intuitive.

One of my biggest fears when I saw the bipod initially was that it would be too bulky to stow when walking around. Most bipods add bulk to the front bottom end of the rifle handguards, when affixed they reduce the space you have to grip when shooting from the offhand position. This is something most of us either get over, or get used to. When I saw the size of the UTG bipod, I thought for sure this thing will be a significant hindrance while trying to maneuver. Again, to my surprise, the UTG bipod when stowed to the front or rear was completely out of my way and allowed unmolested use of the entire handguard. And with the ability to quickly remove it by simply depressing the release on the mounting block, it can easily be stowed elsewhere if you wish.

The UTG OTB Bipod as seen mounted to the Desert Tech HTI 50BMG

Shooting with the UTG bipod was also more pleasant than I had anticipated, with both the pan and cant features providing more radius than I expected. Shooting the rifle with the bipod folded up and stowed was also no issue. Almost every fear I had about this bipod going in was a non-issue, all but one. The only problem I could honestly give about this bipod is its weight, it is not a light bipod. I have several others that weigh very similar, and they are certainly in another class, but cost two to four times as much money too.

The UTG bipod is built well enough I would consider using it on very heavy rifles, and even on lighter built rifles provided I didn’t have to pack them very far. I think this bipod would be perfect for range shooting, prairie dog shooting or any other activity where the weight wouldn’t cause an issue. I love the way my rifle hangs from the bipod, it naturally wants to rest level, and it never wants to topple over, which is an issue I’ve had with many other bipods. With a street price under $150 its no surprise it has five-star reviews from Amazon and Optics Planet.

So, while I’m not going to ditch my Harris and Atlas bipods anytime soon, as they all have their use, this UTG bipod will definitely stay in my collection.
-CBM

Accu-Tac LR-10 Bipod

blog, Product review, Shooting hardware, , , , , , , , ,

Every now and then, I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to try a new piece of equipment. Its a strange place to be, when you have what you think is a perfect fit, and then have to try something different.
That was the case this weekend, when I put the Accu-Tac LR-10 bipod on my SRS Covert. I usually run either a Harris for compact lightweight, or an Atlas 5H for position building perfection. Today my purpose was to give the Accu-Tac a shot, and see how it measured up.
My initial impression when I picked it up, was a bit skeptical. It looked like it was built to be stout, but it also had a bit of a different style to it. Being the complete poser that I am, I pay very close attention to aesthetics. I wasn’t too sure how to feel about the LR-10.
I wasted no time, and quickly put the bipod into use, trying various positions. Like any new piece of gear, it took a second to get used to . But I quickly found myself liking the simplistic operation one would hope to find in two legs attached to a rifle. The QD attachment was smooth and easily adjustable, making installation simple.

Being used to the Atlas and Harris, the LR-10 was an easy shoe in. The few controls on this bipod were quite simple and obvious as to their function. The bipod world has many different options when it comes to leg extending, and I am still undecided about legs springing in, or out. This bipod is of the former, retracting its legs with the simple push of a levered cam. So easy to push in, I was concerned it might be easily pressed by accident causing a loss of sight picture in a heated moment. But to my surprise, the angled cut of the lever uses the weight of the rifle, to create quite a resistance. Making it a deliberate action required to adjust the leg length. Conveniently, when the rifle is not on its legs, all functions of the bipod are very smooth, and require little force. The legs are easily folded by simply pulling them away from the rifle, and positioning them, both front and rear 45 degree angles, as well as the standard 90.

The feet of the bipod screw in, making it easy to change out for spikes vs. rubber.
The extension length of the legs did leave me wanting a bit more. I was surprised they didn’t come out further, considering the size of the un-extended portion.
The pivot point, at the center hub of the bipod has a captured rotation, allowing plenty of cant for uneven terrain, but not allowing the rifle to tip over. A “T” shaped thumb screw is located in the hang down position between the legs. The screw applies pressure to a small brass shoe, that applies a braking force against the shaft on which the bipod cants. The braking force can be adjusted from slight resistance, to completely locked up. While robust in most places, the pivot point of this bipod appears to be the weakest link on this device. I think it would do fine on most rifles, but I would be a bit concerned putting it on heavy recoiling rifles (.33+). I am no engineer, but it does seem to me that a slightly larger shaft could benefit the LR-10.

My impression of shooting with the Accu-Tac was very positive, it was very sturdy. The wide stance, and stout construction made my rifle feel very steady. The quick lockup of the cant feature was easily done with my thumb from the firing position, locking the rifle firmly into place. Setting up position was also quick. By simply rocking the rifle to one side, and pulling down on the downhill leg, followed by a quick leveling, and you are ready to engage. Even under hard bolt manipulation I found it quite easy to keep the rifle on target, and not loose sight picture.
The LR-10 also proved quite stable when shooting from improvised positions, allowing me to really lean into the rifle.

With as many good bipods as there are out there, and as much as some of them cost, I would want to get the best I could for the money. While I dont think I would trade my Atlas 5H in for this LR-10, I do think it is a good product overall. And at almost half the price of the Atlas, the LR-10 is definitely an appealing option for HD bipods. For the average guy who wants a solid rest without spending a huge portion of his earnings, I think this bipod would serve you well. But if you are a tier 1 poser, you may have to step up your gear queer appropriating to a higher level.
-CBM

A Tripod for the People: Precision Rifle Solutions tripod

Ancillary gear, blog, Product review, , , , ,

When I began precision rifle shooting many years ago, it was a different landscape. An astounding amount of growth has occurred over the years, and it has kept my perspective shifting, as well as my goals. Technology and product innovation have kept our shooting world fluid, making it quite the challenge to stay on the cutting edge.

As a blue collar shooter, I have had trouble over the years fulfilling my desire for top tier hardware. Always having to find a compromise, and doing the best I could with what I had.
A quick browse through gun rags, internet forums, and some of the regional trade shows will surely drive the average shooting enthusiast out of his mind. The ever growing surplus of whiz-bang accessories being peddled to the American shooter is astonishing. And the effort by so many to reach tier zero civilian-operator status fuels it.
In the storm of QD-this, and tactical-that, it’s easy for a guy who just wants to shoot, and shoot well, to get overwhelmed with wants. My father taught me as a child that my “getter” had to be bigger than my “wanter”. Compromise was a learned discipline that over the years, helped me achieve my goals.

All those years ago, a point was reached wherein I thought I had achieved some sort of status. It came from a sense of confidence or accomplishment when I proved to myself that I could hit almost whatever I wanted with my rifle given a few conditions. One of those conditions was to have a good shooting position, which was almost always prone. In order to up my game, I had to “get off my belly”, as put by my friend The Blanman

A crucial step forward was realizing that any fool with enough ammo and a decent rifle and scope can hit distant targets from a prone position. It is entirely a different thing to hit targets from tough positions, at difficult angles, in a short time, and all the while making those first round hits. This was indeed a challenge, and one that required practice, and some additional hardware.

This is where Precision Rifle Solutions came into my kit. I had long wanted for the gear that so many of the pros use, but I simply couldn’t afford to spend four or five hundred dollars on a tripod. So after some research and few reviews, I bought a PRS medium QD tripod. The tripod came with a small padded saddle that was perfect for resting my rifle on.

I quickly became quite fond of this lightweight little tripod, and just as quickly I worked it into my range routine. In the steep and rough mountains that I normally shoot from, it was perfect for when the bipod just wouldn’t do. The easily adjustable legs were quickly deployed and help me get a good solid rest, allowing me to shoot over tall grass, bushes and other obstacles that often block a shot from a regular bipod. It also worked exceptionally well for those high angled shots where again, a standard bipod left me wanting more. I have been using the PRS tripod and saddle for quite some time now, its become one of the most handy tools in my pack.

Well, the good people at Precision Rifle Solutions have been hard at work, looking for more products to offer the serious recreational shooter. And I was excited to get this next one in my hands.
The Freedom Quick Release Mount is a small aluminum block that you can attach to your rifle, and with the QD release plates also available from PRS, you can in a matter of seconds, attach your rifle to any of their tripods. It attaches to your rifles pic rail, giving you a very solid lockup with the tripod. I have found it to be an invaluable addition to my tripod, I can run it either with the saddle, or without. Instead opting to snap the rifle directly to the ball head. The best part of it all, is that I can do all of this without even removing my standard bipod. Allowing me to go from a prone position on my traditional bipod, transitioning to a kneeling, or sitting position in literally a couple seconds. I can just as quickly drop the tripod loose, and go right back to my bipod. The FQRM is very compact and doesn’t interfere with the function of the bipod if your rifle has a full length bottom rail and allows you to mount both.

When coupled with the QD Tripod, and its compact ball clutch, it is amazing how quickly I can transition from one position to another. And if you have a good backpack to use as a rear support, you can get so stable, you’d think you were prone on the ground. Making long range shots quite a doable challenge.

The compact and lightweight tripod easily fits in a daypack for an afternoon hunt, or for a competition. The FQRM is also easily attached and left on most tactical style rifles to be used with or with out a bipod mounted next to it. It can also double as a barricade stop when it’s not attached to the tripod.
The FQRM is attached to a pic rail, sliding on from one end, and using two cross bolts, it clamps down. I got the FQRM with the PRS quick release plate, but with common threads in it, Im sure you could attach any kind of tripod QD mounting plate to it. With additional QR plates, there are countless mounting options, to put, optics, or other accessories on the top of this handy little tripod.


With so many expensive options for shooting accessories, its very refreshing to find good quality gear, made in America, for a reasonable price that the average shooter can afford. I will continue to use the great products from Precision Rifle Solutions, and cant wait to see what innovative and useful product they come up with next.
If you’d like more information, go to their website:
Precision Rifle Solutions

And tell them I sent you, you might get a platypus sticker out of it…
-CBM