support | Coldboremiracle

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

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