Atlas Bipod Cant

[Tiker]

Been using Atlas bipod for a while but can’t figure this out so looking for advice.
To start off, yes, its a real Atlas. I’ve also installed spiked feet on it.

I have the bipod mounted on MR308, so a semi auto piston gun.

I point the rifle at the target, then i push down on the handguard so the spikes are pushed into the ground. I then get behind the rifle and load the bipod. I make sure that the bubble level on my scope is in the middle, then I get off the rifle and tighten the bipod’s adjustment knob with 2 hands to the point where i cannot turn the know anymore.

After I get back into position, everything is fine. I load the bipod and make sure the level is still in the middle. I take the shot and the rifle recoils. The recoil moves the rifle and caused the bipod to cant, resulting in the rifle to end up at an angle, instead of perfectly in the center of the bubble level like how it was before the first shot. From this point I tried 3 things:

First I tried to tilt the rifle back to its original position the best I can by looking at the bubble level. This results in the worst grouping.

Then I tried to ignore the fact that this is even happening and just continue to shoot the group. This group is tigher than the first one.

Lastly I set it up so that the rifle is leveled at the end of one side of the movement range of the bipod’s cant. This way after every shot I can consistently reset to the end of the movement range. This produced the best grouping.

Are atlas bipods just suppose to work like this or am I doing something wrong?
I used to have a Harris bipod with the lever that locks the cant feature and it never did this(although that was on my bolt gun, not a semi auto piston gun)

 

[r34skyline]

I don't think the atlas has a cant lock. It's a friction adjuster. Ideally I have mine set up to where the cant takes effort but is smooth enough that if i need to adjust it doesn't resist too much. I think you are overthinking it with the bubble. Maybe your shooting style is different. Me personally I wouldn't try and lock the bipod. Rather focus more on the sight picture and make minor cant corrections as needed.

 

[Tiker]

I don't think the atlas has a cant lock. It's a friction adjuster. Ideally I have mine set up to where the cant takes effort but is smooth enough that if i need to adjust it doesn't resist too much. I think you are overthinking it with the bubble. Maybe your shooting style is different. Me personally I wouldn't try and lock the bipod. Rather focus more on the sight picture and make minor cant corrections as needed.

what you are saying is kinda like what I did in my second try.

Here are my results:

4 X 5 round groups.

Groups 1 and 2 are shot with readjustment after every shot referencing the bubble level.
Group 3 was shot without any readjustments and just let the rifle tilt.
Group 4 was consistently pushing the bipod to the maximum edge of cant after each shot.

I can't seem to get a good group at all with this bipod.

 

[r34skyline]

what you are saying is kinda like what I did in my second try.

Here are my results:

4 X 5 round groups.

Groups 1 and 2 are shot with readjustment after every shot referencing the bubble level.
Group 3 was shot without any readjustments and just let the rifle tilt.
Group 4 was consistently pushing the bipod to the maximum edge of cant after each shot.

I can't seem to get a good group at all with this bipod.

If that bipod isn't matching your shooting style maybe its time for a different bipod. What model of atlas is it anyways?

That being said your last group is not that bad. And barring that flier is a seriously good group.

You can try my style see if it works for you. If not maybe you need a bipod with a locking cant feature.

 

[Bile]

...

 

[Tiker]

I would say the shot in the last group is not a flier. That was the first shot, and so it is different from the other 4 shots as the other 4 shots had a rifle position reset. Yes all 5 shots were with the bipod fully canted to one side, but the first shot didnt have a recoil before it. Thats kinda what I mean, cant get consistent groups (I believe the rifle is capable of doing the last group minus the flier if I had a non-swiveling bipod)

It is a BT10, not a PRS. Yes the rotating legs suck, but going to the spikes fixed the issue i think.

I thought only the fake replica had the issue of tilting/panning under recoil. Really disappointed to discover the real ones are like this too.

 

[Jamie]

I know I might get hate. But are you right behind and good position? You might be better off leaving the friction can looser to get back to level faster.
I broke my atlas and in truth don’t like it. I have been running a Harris 6/9BR for over 25 years and I am staying with it.
I believe “ loading” is something that must be practiced a lot or don’t do it. I can shoot two groups with loaded and unloaded from most ARs and most rifle stocks. ( MDT lss Gen 2 is one chassis I can load hard with no shift from free recoil)

 

[Tokay444]

Look at their CAL offerings.

 

[EDF339]

I prefer my atlas cal over my atlas PSR too. CAL has locking lever just like Harris BRMS And I don’t really need paning function

 

[Jamie]

I would like to play with the new MDT pod.

 

[b_w.]

I get better results not loading it and just giving it a good squeeze back into my shoulder.

 

[Tiker]

Well, tbh, since I never went to any class or anything, I don’t know if I’m loading it right. I just referenced some youtube videos.
But I will say I’ve had success with a non swivellig harris before.

Also this movement is not with just atlas. I tried an accu-tac bipod too and it also tilts.

To the CAL owners, how is the lockup? Really tight and wont tilt after recoil? I see they released a gen 2 cause gen 1 was working itself loose.

 

[mustang979]

I have never tightened my bipod down to the point where it binds, I Want things to be able to move, but not easilly (I don't want to fight the rifle to make adjustments). I've never had a huge problem with the bipod canting when I shoot it except for when I shoot on a bench. It just has to do with how it goes in to my shoulder/recoil management for me, maybe it's the same for you.

 

[Tiker]

When I shoot with bipod its always from prone with the spikes planted in the ground.

I get what you mean. I’ve had the atlas for over 6 month and have tried to deal with it the best I can, but still it tilts.

So basically if its completely normal for the atlas to tilt and the user is expected to tilt the rifle back to original position after every shot, then I should definitely switch to a non-tilting bipod.

 

[Armedsask]

Also this movement is not with just atlas. I tried an accu-tac bipod too and it also tilts.

Well my friend, what is the common factor in the equation?

User error is likely your culprit.

Also, your rifle is highly unlikely to stay perfectly aligned after recoil, regardless of bipod. That's just the nature of movement.

 

[Tarrantula]

What distance are you shooting at? Those groups don't look half bad

 

[Tiker]

Well my friend, what is the common factor in the equation?

User error is likely your culprit.

Also, your rifle is highly unlikely to stay perfectly aligned after recoil, regardless of bipod. That's just the nature of movement.

True, but another common factor is that both bipods cant.

I understand that the rifle isnt going to act like as if nothing has happened after the shot, but I’m surprised by just how much tilt there is. I’m surprised because when using a non-canting bipod, yes, the rifle recoils, but after it settles down, the bubble will still be in the middle of the level.

The distance was 100yards. I truely believe the rifle to be capable of consistent sub moa groups, thats why I feel the groups are terrible.


If the nature of the atlas BT10 and PRS models is to tilt after each shot, then I guess its just not the right choice for me (and for others too apparently since they made the CAL line as well).

 

[Armedsask]

The bipod cants, therefore the rifle will cant. I think you are overthinking this.

Remove the bipod and shoot from a bag. Figure out what is causing the issue by systematic elimination of potention problems.

Its entirely reasonable to be able to shoot those groups sitting at 100 yards. Off a bipod should be much tighter.

 

[Tiker]

I plan to get an Atlas CAL and give it a try. My original intend was to get a swiveling bipod that can lock the swivel after adjustment. I misunderstood the BT10’s knob as I thought it can lock the cant.

If my groups dont improve with a locked up CAL, then it proves that its my fault and not the bipod’s. I’ll update this thread after I test it.

 

[P of PDent]

I'm just curious how you determined this was not a fake Atlas? We recently took in some guns and accessories including an "Atlas" marked bipod. The person we bought it from included the bipod without asking much more from the original deal ,which spiked my interest. Since we are an authorized Atlas retailer I compared this recent suspicious one with a confirmed unit, and while there small mostly insignificant details they both appear to be legit to the untrained eye. After a quick trip to the internet produced several videos of confirmed fakes I confirmed it also was fake, I did note the fake ones had other company names and I didn't notice anyone trying to say they were in fact an Atlas product. I took the fake bipod home and will find a personal use for it on a non critical gun. Phil.