Bipods

[92xj]

Hey bone look up the spartan javelin. Attaches and detaches very quickly with a magnet so its not always attached to your rifle. I’ve used one hunting for a couple years now and while it’s not as steady as my atlas it is sure nice when hiking a long ways with your rifle.

THANK YOU!   I will look it up.

Just need to figure out a better way to carry my rifle if I'm walking long distances.

 

This is my biggest concern.

Are you always walking with a pack on?

[pashok23]

I use Swagger on my coyote hunt, helps alot.

[boneaddict]

Are you always walking with a pack on?

These days yeah, mostly.   I mean most of my hunting is with a longbow and that comes with its own issues, but thinking of high country bear hunts, and coyote.   I have a eberstock daypack which has a gun slot in the back,(not sure how the bipod would fit in it,  and my big pack also has a rifle holder. which I think would be ok, though it might catch on more brush....

generally coyote Im walking with it slung on my shoulder....  I suppose I could start using my pack though I havent used it with my winter gear on......   

[BULLBLASTER]

If your after sitting height maybe look into using your tripod instead of a bipod. You could arrange it at the front of the stock where a bipod would be or more at the center of balance to hold up the entire rifle.

[7mmfan]

I used one for the first time this year. I don't want one on my rifle at all times because I'm often hunting long distances, and in areas where quick close shots are likely. I got a quick disconnect version that I kept in my pack and when the opportunity presented itself I took the time to pull it out, get setup and make a great shot. There's no way I could have been as rock solid off my pack, as I was off that bipod. That said, I still will not carry one on my rifle full time, I don't even have a sling on my rifle because I dislike extra stuff so much.

I have used sticks for years, and killed a lot of animals off of them. They're always a hassle to carry around, but make for a good rest when needed. I'll have to decide moving forward from this point if I retire the sticks and go with the bipod, or carry both? They both have applications that are unique to each other so it's a tough call.

My tentative plan is to get the Javelin Bipod mentioned above, and carry shooting sticks as well. The Javelin, based on my research the best quick detach bipod available. Not great for sitting height, but excellent for prone shots.

[92xj]

Are you always walking with a pack on?

These days yeah, mostly.   I mean most of my hunting is with a longbow and that comes with its own issues, but thinking of high country bear hunts, and coyote.   I have a eberstock daypack which has a gun slot in the back,(not sure how the bipod would fit in it,  and my big pack also has a rifle holder. which I think would be ok, though it might catch on more brush....

generally coyote Im walking with it slung on my shoulder....  I suppose I could start using my pack though I havent used it with my winter gear on......

Since you have a pack on, buy a universal gun bearer and run the gun in a very quick and handy position with the weight on the hips.  It's one of the greatest tools out there and will work with any pack and you don't have to worry about taking the pack off to get access to the gun when it is needed quick.
https://store.kifaru.net/universal-gun-bearers-p197.aspx

Also, the tripod comment below reminds me of my solution to sitting or standing shots.  I carry my tripod with me everywhere I go and use it 90% of the time for my binos.  Instead of running a bino specific tripod mount, I run a flat plate that the binos strap to.  If I need to shoot and can not get prone, I pop the binos off the tripod and have a beautiful rifle resting place for sitting or standing shots within one second.
https://www.amazon.com/Snapzoom-Universal-Binocular-Tripod-Mount/dp/B01M6Y5I5M/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=bino+mount&qid=1574786572&sr=8-7

[bustedoldman]

I use a Vanguard that attaches with a picatinny rail, you can swap to other rifles easy,  able to sit or kneel behind, doesn't bother me packing in.

https://www.amazon.com/Vanguard-Equalizer-2QS-Sitting-Pivot/dp/B005DQG74E




 Varmint hunting or sitting on a wide open area all day I use a bog pod death grip.

https://www.amazon.com/DeathGrip-Lightweight-Hands-Free-Operation-Shooting/dp/B07L1NJNPS

[boneaddict]

Ive used my tripod before.  Without having a bipod, I've made do with whatever I could find at the time to make the shot.   So far it hasn't been a factor, or even much of a second thought.  I can really see a use though for predator hunting.   Long shots, minimal movement, open country.   I dont miss much, but thinking i could improve on shooting off a skipole or walking stick. 

[Karl Blanchard]

Here is my take. Whatever you use, whether pack, sticks, bipods, etc, be proficient with it. Ive lost track of the amount of folks I've seen fumble in the field because they don't practice like they play. Shoot all year off sand bags and then try and use shooting sticks in the field makes no sense. I've shot literally hundreds and hundreds of coyotes off sticks. I personally dont see a reason to a sitting height bipod over shooting sticks. Seated shots are almost always gonna be short to mid range shots and sticks are plenty good for those situations. Sticks are gonna weigh less than a sitting height bipod as well and won't be hanging off the end of your gun. I'm also a big fan of the spartan javelin for a hunting rig. I carry it on my bino harness and only have to put it on if needed. I'm a full time trekking pole guy so if a fast shot presents itself I'll just shoot off my poles. If you've made it this far in life big game hunting with little issue I'd just keep doing what you are obviously proficient at already. Predators though sticks are king. You can come off them if you need to turn quick for a hard charging dog, you can prone out without having to collapse the legs or having a 16oz weight hanging off your gun, etc.

[kentrek]

I think im going to be selling a spartan sentinel soon if thats somthing youd be interested...

It's a pretty versatile setup

With that said il be moving to a custom rrs tripod and a removable bipod but for the money the spartan is pretty sweet

[Magnum_Willys]

Used the Javelin Carbon Fiber Magnetic mount bipod last few years with pack for rear rest.    Handy tool if you are weight conscious.  Pack alone works fine at times also as long as you have front or  rear locked in somehow. 

For under 400 yd shots steady sticks are much quicker and only way to go in brush.

[Stein]

I always have a bipod on my rifle.  It doesn't get in the way and I end up shooting off of it probably 80-90% of the time.  Mine is long enough for a seated shot but not standing.

Do you ever carry your rifle over your shoulder, or does that impede that.

Yeah, I carry it on my shoulder over an Exo pack 90% of the time and without a pack 10% and I've never had the bipod hang up on anything while carrying or shouldering.  I don't notice it there at all.  I have had problems with the scope and bolt I had to sort out, but the bipod is above anything it could hang up on.

I never take it off during hunting season.  It does get in the way at the range when on a sled, but that's not much of an issue as they only take 2 minutes to take it off.

It may be the brand that makes the difference, I have a Harris on both mine and my daughter's rifle.  My brother borrowed one to shoot a deer this year and neither of them had any problem with them and we all cover quite a few miles every year.

[syoungs]

having dual sling studs is a big help when shouldering a rifle with a sling and a bipod. I use to run a single sling stud, and attached the sling to the bottom side of the bipod, but it would never sit right, and was always digging into my shoulder. with the dual stud setup, I have the sling on the stud closest to the action, and the bipod at the end of the gun. Carries just fine, though weight balance is off slightly.
I have a harris that goes tall enough for me to sit and shoot. wouldn't be caught in the field without it if I have an opportunity for a shot over 250yds or so. I can also transition to my backpack pretty quickly which I have to do from prone in certain circumstances, only because I'm fairly tall, and to get a bipod tall enough to shoot from a sit, wont go low enough or me in a prone 100% of the time.

[RightPlace-RightTime]

I finally bought a gun bearer for my pack.
Omg best thing in the world.
Wish I had it years ago

[BULLBLASTER]

Here is my take. Whatever you use, whether pack, sticks, bipods, etc, be proficient with it. Ive lost track of the amount of folks I've seen fumble in the field because they don't practice like they play. Shoot all year off sand bags and then try and use shooting sticks in the field makes no sense. I've shot literally hundreds and hundreds of coyotes off sticks. I personally dont see a reason to a sitting height bipod over shooting sticks. Seated shots are almost always gonna be short to mid range shots and sticks are plenty good for those situations. Sticks are gonna weigh less than a sitting height bipod as well and won't be hanging off the end of your gun. I'm also a big fan of the spartan javelin for a hunting rig. I carry it on my bino harness and only have to put it on if needed. I'm a full time trekking pole guy so if a fast shot presents itself I'll just shoot off my poles. If you've made it this far in life big game hunting with little issue I'd just keep doing what you are obviously proficient at already. Predators though sticks are king. You can come off them if you need to turn quick for a hard charging dog, you can prone out without having to collapse the legs or having a 16oz weight hanging off your gun, etc.

Something I desperately need to practice