*See Post #23 for my comments on the Rempel *
It's been a while since I reviewed anything and, quite frankly, I am running out of guns to write about but some recent threads about bipods prompted me to hit the keyboard again.
Shooting off a bipod is a bit different than shooting off a rest and the shooter's intended application will often determine the type of equipment used. In some cases, like F/TR, weight may well be a consideration while in other situations speed of deployment may be important. With the different applications in mind I thought I would choose two tactical style bipods and two bipods geared more to competition use so in this brief review I will compare the ubiquitous Harris, the Versapod, the recently released MPOD from Jerry Teo's Mystic Precision and a more fancy carbon fiber specialised FTR bipod from Center Shot.
In keeping with the way I do things when writing firearm reviews, I actually own the bipods I am writing about and purchased Jerry's (at full price - no 'shilling' going on here lol!) pretty much so to have one on hand rather than borrowing one owned by a shooting buddy of mine.
Harris
The first bipod up for review is the Harris pictured below on my Remington AICS 2.0 combo.
This is the 6-9 swivel model and while I am at it I strongly recommend getting the swivel version - it far surpasses the regular versions and is worth the extra money. I also recommend getting the little handle ( I think its' proper name is the 'S lock' ) pictured that replaces the swivel nut as it makes for far easier operation in the field and is certainly worth an additional $25 or so that they sell for.
Harris bipods are made in the USA and are the best selling bipods out there and, like most poular products, are copied with knock offs selling for quite a bit less than the original which, locally, retails for about $130-140 ( the model being reviewed). Some of the copies like the one made for Shooters Ridge are OK but some of the really cheap ones found on Ebay may be ok for air rifles and .22's but I wouldn't trust them on centrefire rifles.
The advantages of a Harris are that it is easy to install, it deploys very fast ( i.e. you can get the legs in place very quick ) and relative to other well-known brands it is relatively inexpensive. Harris' are also light weight and fold close to the stock which means you are less likely to snag the folded legs when moving through bush or similar terrain. While there isn't much to really dislike about a Harris I do find them less stable than some other styles and they do have a tendency to bounce from shot to shot especially when deployed on a hard surface. Having said that they are tried and true and are used by many shooters worldwide.
Versapod
The Versapod - pictured below attached to my PGW Coyote - is a substantially 'beefier' and a more expensive option than the Harris
Manufactured in the USA the Versapod is similar to the old Parker Hale and is a popular choice amongst tactical shooters but not nearly as so as the Harris. A teensy bit more difficult to install than the Harris, the Versapod is still easy to attach to a rifle and offers some advantages over the Harris but the advantages come at a price. I purchased the 'Battle Pack' and paid over $300 which is significantly more than the Harris but for the money you get 3 sets of legs; the usual rubber feet as well as legs with skids on them and ones with claws or, as Versapod calls them, Raptor feet
and a molle pouch to hold them all together. The Versapod swivels and the legs are notched ( I always prefer notched legs - if you get a Harris which comes with and without notches I recommend going for the notched version ) . When installed it feels very solid and it is easy to 'load' the bipod if that is your preference. Overall I feel the Versapod is more stable piece of kit than the Harris and - for those that consider this to be important - it certainly looks more aggressive or 'Tacti-cool'
Besides the price being more than the Harris the only other downside to the Versapod is that it doesn't deploy so quickly but the difference is so small as to be, IMO, quite negligible. If ounces count the Versapod is also a little heavier than the Harris but not so much as to make a noticeable difference to the rifles balance. Is it worth the additional cost over the Harris ? In my view, yes it is but as with anything on the internet your mileage may vary.
Mystic Precision MPOD
Pictured below attached to my RPA custom F/TR rifle the MPOD is a new entry into the marketplace
I was fortunate last year to acquire a pre-production model from Jerry and, after using it for a while, I provided him with my feedback. Eventually I passed that particular bipod onto a friend of mine who still uses it and is happy with it. When I decided to write this review I purchased a new MPOD from Jerry as the new production incorporates some improvements over the pre-production model and I wanted to see how the finished product looked and felt. The retail cost of the new MPOD is $200 plus tax and shipping etc.
As always, dealing with Jerry is great - his customer service is amongst the very best and the MPOD arrived as fast as the fine folks at Canada Post could trot it over to me. The MPOD arrives unassembled and the included assembly instructions are clearly written and easy to follow but while that is the case please do not assume that you can take the package to the field or range, quickly install your new bipod and 5 minutes later be shooting as some fine tuning may be required. Mine needed a few minutes with a file to get the parts to fit properly together - while the instructions say that this may be necessary I was, nevertheless, a bit disappointed to find that I needed to do so. Maybe I am being overly picky but I am calling it as I see it.
When assembled the MPOD is very solid and attached to my RPA ( which uses the American rail ) with ease but, sadly, does not attach to my other F-Class rifle nor my Anschutz .22 both of which use the European rail. At the time of writing I don't know if Mystic offers a choice of attachments.
Where the MPOD really shines in in the use - it is a very stable platform from which to shoot feeling much more solid than even the Versapod and yet it is still nice and light (12.8 oz). It doesn't move about and I think people will notice a tightening up of groups when moving to the MPOD from a Harris or similar. It slides on and off the rifle with ease and is fully adjustable to allow for uneven terrain etc. For those with a particular need I believe it is possible at the time of ordering to customize the MPOD to allow for wider forends etc which is nice to know.
Overall I am very impressed with the MPOD - light, strong and very stable when shooting.
Center Shot Carbon Fiber F-Class Bipod
Pictured below on my Swing custom F-Class rifle
I bought this bipod from Paul Reimer in Kamloops and the price was a bit below $400 after tax and shipping etc. Arriving fully assembled it weighs a hair over 16oz but being a bit 'long legged' it felt a bit flimsy but I guess that carbon fiber stuff is pretty darn solid for the weight - hence the cost - and I'm sure I was just imagining things when I thought flimsy.
The Center Shot attaches easily to both European and American rails and is a pretty sophisticated looking piece of kit. It has a very wide stance and like the MPOD and one of the available Versapod leg sets has skid feet which are meant to help the rifle recoil back in a straight line rather than bounce or hop about. Adjustable for cant or tilt like the Harris (S) and Versapod it also adjusts for height like those and the MPOD but the height adjustment is vastly superior to all three as the spiked wheel on the underside of the center portion of the bipod allows for the most precise of adjustments which makes it real easy for a shooter to adapt the Centre Shot to their rear bag height - no more using the left hand to squeeze the rear bag.
The Centre Shot doesn't fit as easily in a case or range bag as the MPOD and therefore may not be the first choice for the weekend range trip. Also it isn't quite so easy to get on and off the rifle as the MPOD and it is a few ounces heavier. Nevertheless when installed it provides a very solid shooting platform and the micro adjustable height feature may make the Centre Shot the better choice for a match.
Conclusion
All four bipods are very good at what they are designed to do. My favourite for a tactical rifle is the Versapod and for a F-Class match is the Centre Shot but at $200 the Mystic Precision is for sure the value buy - it will work very well at a Tac Rifle match (if match rules allow) or for a F-Class shoot and its compact size is just great for most everyone's range bag.
It's been a while since I reviewed anything and, quite frankly, I am running out of guns to write about but some recent threads about bipods prompted me to hit the keyboard again.
Shooting off a bipod is a bit different than shooting off a rest and the shooter's intended application will often determine the type of equipment used. In some cases, like F/TR, weight may well be a consideration while in other situations speed of deployment may be important. With the different applications in mind I thought I would choose two tactical style bipods and two bipods geared more to competition use so in this brief review I will compare the ubiquitous Harris, the Versapod, the recently released MPOD from Jerry Teo's Mystic Precision and a more fancy carbon fiber specialised FTR bipod from Center Shot.
In keeping with the way I do things when writing firearm reviews, I actually own the bipods I am writing about and purchased Jerry's (at full price - no 'shilling' going on here lol!) pretty much so to have one on hand rather than borrowing one owned by a shooting buddy of mine.
Harris
The first bipod up for review is the Harris pictured below on my Remington AICS 2.0 combo.
This is the 6-9 swivel model and while I am at it I strongly recommend getting the swivel version - it far surpasses the regular versions and is worth the extra money. I also recommend getting the little handle ( I think its' proper name is the 'S lock' ) pictured that replaces the swivel nut as it makes for far easier operation in the field and is certainly worth an additional $25 or so that they sell for.
Harris bipods are made in the USA and are the best selling bipods out there and, like most poular products, are copied with knock offs selling for quite a bit less than the original which, locally, retails for about $130-140 ( the model being reviewed). Some of the copies like the one made for Shooters Ridge are OK but some of the really cheap ones found on Ebay may be ok for air rifles and .22's but I wouldn't trust them on centrefire rifles.
The advantages of a Harris are that it is easy to install, it deploys very fast ( i.e. you can get the legs in place very quick ) and relative to other well-known brands it is relatively inexpensive. Harris' are also light weight and fold close to the stock which means you are less likely to snag the folded legs when moving through bush or similar terrain. While there isn't much to really dislike about a Harris I do find them less stable than some other styles and they do have a tendency to bounce from shot to shot especially when deployed on a hard surface. Having said that they are tried and true and are used by many shooters worldwide.
Versapod
The Versapod - pictured below attached to my PGW Coyote - is a substantially 'beefier' and a more expensive option than the Harris
Manufactured in the USA the Versapod is similar to the old Parker Hale and is a popular choice amongst tactical shooters but not nearly as so as the Harris. A teensy bit more difficult to install than the Harris, the Versapod is still easy to attach to a rifle and offers some advantages over the Harris but the advantages come at a price. I purchased the 'Battle Pack' and paid over $300 which is significantly more than the Harris but for the money you get 3 sets of legs; the usual rubber feet as well as legs with skids on them and ones with claws or, as Versapod calls them, Raptor feet
and a molle pouch to hold them all together. The Versapod swivels and the legs are notched ( I always prefer notched legs - if you get a Harris which comes with and without notches I recommend going for the notched version ) . When installed it feels very solid and it is easy to 'load' the bipod if that is your preference. Overall I feel the Versapod is more stable piece of kit than the Harris and - for those that consider this to be important - it certainly looks more aggressive or 'Tacti-cool'
Besides the price being more than the Harris the only other downside to the Versapod is that it doesn't deploy so quickly but the difference is so small as to be, IMO, quite negligible. If ounces count the Versapod is also a little heavier than the Harris but not so much as to make a noticeable difference to the rifles balance. Is it worth the additional cost over the Harris ? In my view, yes it is but as with anything on the internet your mileage may vary.
Mystic Precision MPOD
Pictured below attached to my RPA custom F/TR rifle the MPOD is a new entry into the marketplace
I was fortunate last year to acquire a pre-production model from Jerry and, after using it for a while, I provided him with my feedback. Eventually I passed that particular bipod onto a friend of mine who still uses it and is happy with it. When I decided to write this review I purchased a new MPOD from Jerry as the new production incorporates some improvements over the pre-production model and I wanted to see how the finished product looked and felt. The retail cost of the new MPOD is $200 plus tax and shipping etc.
As always, dealing with Jerry is great - his customer service is amongst the very best and the MPOD arrived as fast as the fine folks at Canada Post could trot it over to me. The MPOD arrives unassembled and the included assembly instructions are clearly written and easy to follow but while that is the case please do not assume that you can take the package to the field or range, quickly install your new bipod and 5 minutes later be shooting as some fine tuning may be required. Mine needed a few minutes with a file to get the parts to fit properly together - while the instructions say that this may be necessary I was, nevertheless, a bit disappointed to find that I needed to do so. Maybe I am being overly picky but I am calling it as I see it.
When assembled the MPOD is very solid and attached to my RPA ( which uses the American rail ) with ease but, sadly, does not attach to my other F-Class rifle nor my Anschutz .22 both of which use the European rail. At the time of writing I don't know if Mystic offers a choice of attachments.
Where the MPOD really shines in in the use - it is a very stable platform from which to shoot feeling much more solid than even the Versapod and yet it is still nice and light (12.8 oz). It doesn't move about and I think people will notice a tightening up of groups when moving to the MPOD from a Harris or similar. It slides on and off the rifle with ease and is fully adjustable to allow for uneven terrain etc. For those with a particular need I believe it is possible at the time of ordering to customize the MPOD to allow for wider forends etc which is nice to know.
Overall I am very impressed with the MPOD - light, strong and very stable when shooting.
Center Shot Carbon Fiber F-Class Bipod
Pictured below on my Swing custom F-Class rifle
I bought this bipod from Paul Reimer in Kamloops and the price was a bit below $400 after tax and shipping etc. Arriving fully assembled it weighs a hair over 16oz but being a bit 'long legged' it felt a bit flimsy but I guess that carbon fiber stuff is pretty darn solid for the weight - hence the cost - and I'm sure I was just imagining things when I thought flimsy.
The Center Shot attaches easily to both European and American rails and is a pretty sophisticated looking piece of kit. It has a very wide stance and like the MPOD and one of the available Versapod leg sets has skid feet which are meant to help the rifle recoil back in a straight line rather than bounce or hop about. Adjustable for cant or tilt like the Harris (S) and Versapod it also adjusts for height like those and the MPOD but the height adjustment is vastly superior to all three as the spiked wheel on the underside of the center portion of the bipod allows for the most precise of adjustments which makes it real easy for a shooter to adapt the Centre Shot to their rear bag height - no more using the left hand to squeeze the rear bag.
The Centre Shot doesn't fit as easily in a case or range bag as the MPOD and therefore may not be the first choice for the weekend range trip. Also it isn't quite so easy to get on and off the rifle as the MPOD and it is a few ounces heavier. Nevertheless when installed it provides a very solid shooting platform and the micro adjustable height feature may make the Centre Shot the better choice for a match.
Conclusion
All four bipods are very good at what they are designed to do. My favourite for a tactical rifle is the Versapod and for a F-Class match is the Centre Shot but at $200 the Mystic Precision is for sure the value buy - it will work very well at a Tac Rifle match (if match rules allow) or for a F-Class shoot and its compact size is just great for most everyone's range bag.
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