Sliding bipod?
- Thread starter Camoman1
- Start date
I tip my hat to you Camoman1 for thinking outside the box. Few people do.
I've been making my own for 20 years, but nobody else seems to "get it".
It's awesome though.
I use ropes or nylon straps to arrest recoil and transfer that recoil energy to the spiked feet of the bipod. It also prevents muzzle jump so effectively that I can watch my bullets fly to the target from inside the scope.
Since I'm arresting recoil I also find my stamina is better over a long day of competition.
This sort of system is very effective for group shooting (like F Class) on grassy terrain, but not good on sand or gravel.
The closest purchased component I have found is from Cadex. They make a sliding spring loaded pickatinny rail that you could use to connect the bipod. But... I suspect it will have a looseness to it that might not work out so well for precision shooting. I think its intended for use with machine guns.
You can experiment with the recoil absorbing concept using a Harris bipod and tent peg. Just pound a tent peg into the ground about 1 foot in front of the bipod and connect a sling swivel from the bipod to a 1 inch nylon strap that loops over the tent peg. You then pull back on the rifle until there is tension between the bipod and peg. Cheek the rifle down well into your rear bag before firing and bring your shoulder forward into the butt stock.
When the gun fires it will move only slightly which is what you want and then it will quickly settle right back to the original point of aim.
I also have some linear bearings that I have considered using for a line of bore recoil system, but never got around to setting it up. It could be added nicely to the sides of a J Allen stock if it has the rail pads on the sides of the forend.
Another method (instead of rope) is to use a pair of micro air cylinders and trap the recoil via trapped air inside the cylinders. The amount of pressurization would affect the travel under recoil.
To be F Class legal the spikes must be 2" long or less, but you can do whatever you want the rest of the time.
As far as I know, I'm the only person in the world who uses such a system in F Class competition. If there are other crazy B@$t@rd$ out there doing it, I'd like to know them.
I plan to post a video on youtube about this before too long.
The trick is to ensure there is absolutely no side to side or rotational play in the system and I've gone to great lengths to get it right.
I've been making my own for 20 years, but nobody else seems to "get it".
It's awesome though.
I use ropes or nylon straps to arrest recoil and transfer that recoil energy to the spiked feet of the bipod. It also prevents muzzle jump so effectively that I can watch my bullets fly to the target from inside the scope.
Since I'm arresting recoil I also find my stamina is better over a long day of competition.
This sort of system is very effective for group shooting (like F Class) on grassy terrain, but not good on sand or gravel.
The closest purchased component I have found is from Cadex. They make a sliding spring loaded pickatinny rail that you could use to connect the bipod. But... I suspect it will have a looseness to it that might not work out so well for precision shooting. I think its intended for use with machine guns.
You can experiment with the recoil absorbing concept using a Harris bipod and tent peg. Just pound a tent peg into the ground about 1 foot in front of the bipod and connect a sling swivel from the bipod to a 1 inch nylon strap that loops over the tent peg. You then pull back on the rifle until there is tension between the bipod and peg. Cheek the rifle down well into your rear bag before firing and bring your shoulder forward into the butt stock.
When the gun fires it will move only slightly which is what you want and then it will quickly settle right back to the original point of aim.
I also have some linear bearings that I have considered using for a line of bore recoil system, but never got around to setting it up. It could be added nicely to the sides of a J Allen stock if it has the rail pads on the sides of the forend.
Another method (instead of rope) is to use a pair of micro air cylinders and trap the recoil via trapped air inside the cylinders. The amount of pressurization would affect the travel under recoil.
To be F Class legal the spikes must be 2" long or less, but you can do whatever you want the rest of the time.
As far as I know, I'm the only person in the world who uses such a system in F Class competition. If there are other crazy B@$t@rd$ out there doing it, I'd like to know them.
I plan to post a video on youtube about this before too long.
The trick is to ensure there is absolutely no side to side or rotational play in the system and I've gone to great lengths to get it right.
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Yes, Bipods are great for one shot... Then it moves under recoil and never goes back to the exact same spot for the next shot.
If you are shooting for groups, then you need repeatability over all the shots.
So yes, keeping the feet in the same place is the first step.
Having the rifle track along the axis of bore is next.
Ensuring there is no play in the system is third.
The biggest problem I've been dealing with is portability. I cant just fold it up and roll like with a Harris or most other bipod systems. I assemble it at the range and take it off before it goes back into the case.
If you are shooting for groups, then you need repeatability over all the shots.
So yes, keeping the feet in the same place is the first step.
Having the rifle track along the axis of bore is next.
Ensuring there is no play in the system is third.
The biggest problem I've been dealing with is portability. I cant just fold it up and roll like with a Harris or most other bipod systems. I assemble it at the range and take it off before it goes back into the case.
The rigs I made so far are free to pivot fore and aft.
The only thing that restricts rotation is tension across the string or rope to the spiked feet depending on the model.
To translate that to Harris speak... the legs need to be able to pivot forward while the rifle is under recoil.
I used to shoot with a very well known shooter who put spiked feet on his Harris. He won F Class matches from Ottawa to Bisley with it for years.
Just spiking the feet maintains your position much better than rubber feet.
The only thing that restricts rotation is tension across the string or rope to the spiked feet depending on the model.
To translate that to Harris speak... the legs need to be able to pivot forward while the rifle is under recoil.
I used to shoot with a very well known shooter who put spiked feet on his Harris. He won F Class matches from Ottawa to Bisley with it for years.
Just spiking the feet maintains your position much better than rubber feet.
Spiked feet are super common in PRS circles. Some of the nicer ones are the Hawk Hill talons. You can get em for Harris or Atlas. I've got a pair on my Harris, makes a huge difference!
Sakoman .308
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- Location
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These sound Interesting. I am going to have a look at em.
The ones used for PRS are typically Raptor feet made from a triangular shaped plate with the corner bent down and might bite about 1/2 inch deep. I've never seen anything longer but it might be out there.
That's better than nothing but not in the same league as what I'm referring to with 2 inch deep spikes on a recoil absorbing system for F Class. Deeper for anything else. I've even used 2 foot long rebar on occasion for real mule kickers.
These are the typical raptor feet at the bottom. They can still jump out of position under recoil if not trapped somehow.
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Sounds interesting. Have you expressly asked DCRA and ICFRA if it is legal for competition? Myself I would ask rather than saying I have been getting away with it for 20 years. I am talking about a sliding mechanism that returns the rifle to the original point of aim not the spikes which can be 50mm, if you spend a lot of effort learning to make them work.
The ones used for PRS are typically Raptor feet made from a triangular shaped plate with the corner bent down and might bite about 1/2 inch deep. I've never seen anything longer but it might be out there.
That's better than nothing but not in the same league as what I'm referring to with 2 inch deep spikes on a recoil absorbing system for F Class. Deeper for anything else. I've even used 2 foot long rebar on occasion for real mule kickers.
These are the typical raptor feet at the bottom. They can still jump out of position under recoil if not trapped somehow.
I've never seen a single pair of these "raptor feet" at a PRS match. Which match did you see them at?
The hawkhill and riflestix ones are much more popular in PRS.
The ones used for PRS are typically Raptor feet made from a triangular shaped plate with the corner bent down and might bite about 1/2 inch deep. I've never seen anything longer but it might be out there.
That's better than nothing but not in the same league as what I'm referring to with 2 inch deep spikes on a recoil absorbing system for F Class. Deeper for anything else. I've even used 2 foot long rebar on occasion for real mule kickers.
These are the typical raptor feet at the bottom. They can still jump out of position under recoil if not trapped somehow.
Yeah, I'm with Kthomas on this one. No one uses those feet (or Versapods, for that matter), at least not in the PNW. Hawkhills are the most popular and then Clint's Riflestix and some guys run the ones that Shane was selling at Tac Supply. None of them go 2" into the ground but that wouldn't exactly be practical for PRS-type matches anyways. I can tell you that the stainless spike on the Hawkhills gets purchase on concrete though!
