What Is the Best Bipod for My Rifle?

A bipod is a useful tool for stabilizing your firearm and providing a steady shooting platform in almost any environment. You can use a bipod to rest your rifle on objects like the ground, a wall, rocks, trees, etc., giving you an excellent setup to prevent unnecessary movements while aiming. This reduces stress and fatigue from holding your rifle, all while providing a more stable and accurate platform to shoot from. This guide will break down the various features, materials, and mounting options of bipods to assist you in buying the best rifle bipod for your needs.

Swivel

The ability to swivel is a common feature found in certain bipods that allows the shooter to tilt their firearm side to side while the bipod is planted in position. This is useful when you are set up on uneven terrain and need to level your rifle so that it is in line with your target. Typically, manufacturers will provide the extent to which a bipod can swivel in degrees (ex: 15 Degrees of tilt/swivel). While this isn't a necessary feature for many shooters, it is an excellent one to have even if you don't use it often. This is because it's better to have a bipod with a swivel when you need it occasionally than have to swap bipods out.

Pan

Panning is another feature that can be found on some bipods that will allow the shooter to pan/swing side to side while the bipod is planted in position. This a useful feature for someone who is resting in a fixed position but needs the ability to scan with their rifle, switch between targets quickly, or lead a target while their bipod is deployed. This is particualrly suited to duty rifles and hunting rifles, as you often have to cover a larger area at once. This will also be commonly represented in degrees (ex: 15 Degrees of Pan).

Interchangeable Feet

Some bipods also have interchangeable feet. The feet of a bipod are much like the tires on a car; they are your only point of contact with the environment you will be using them in. They can vary in style and material, such as rubber, aluminum, and polymer, and even feature designs like spiked feet to dig into the ground once the bipod is deployed. Different materials and designs work better on certain surfaces. For example, metal feet work better on softer materials, allowing you to penetrate the ground to get a solid foundation. Alternatively, rubber or polymer feet can help navigate sharp angles in rocks or other hard materials. Not every bipod has this ability, but it is very useful if you shoot from a variety of different surfaces. Some common models that use interchangeable feet are Harris Bipods, Atlas V8, PSR, and Atlas 5-H.

Adjustable Legs and Bipod Height

Having adjustable legs on your bipod is very important and is found on most bipods on the market today. Being able to adjust the height of the bipod legs will assist in setting the correct size for your rifle in relation to the position of your body. The manufacturer will typically provide a range of adjustability measured from the feet of the bipod to the mounting surface of the bipod. Some bipods may provide 6” – 9” of adjustability, while others may provide 9” – 13”. If you have your rifle set on the ground and can extend your legs to 13”, you are no longer limited to only firing in the prone position. You would also be able to see over terrain that may have obstructed your view if you were in the prone shooting position.

Some manufacturers will specifically state what position their bipod is designed for. For example, the Harris S-25C Bipod extends from 13 ½” – 27” and is designed for the sitting position. Ensure you select a bipod that offers an adequate amount of adjustability for the environment you are planning it use it in.

Most bipods will offer the ability to lock the legs in a certain position in order to prevent the legs from dropping in height suddenly or moving when you don’t want them to. Besides just being able to adjust the height, bipods can also offer the ability to change the angle of the legs. A common angle for bipods is 45 degrees in which the legs of the bipod, when deployed, create a 45-degree angle from the fulcrum, or base of the legs, to the feet. Some bipods can allow for adjustment of this angle, or you can purchase bipods with a fixed angle.

Mounting

There are many ways to mount a bipod to your rifle. Many will use a sling swivel stud style mount that is designed to attach to the sling stud of a rifle and sit flush with the forearm of the stock. Another common method for mounting a bipod is via a Picatinny rail. These will simply clamp to any standard Picatinny rail system on a rifle. M-LOK and Keymod bipods are designed to attach directly to M-LOK or Keymod slots. ARCA rails also have direct mounting options from bipods that are specifically designed to bolt to ARCA rail systems. Direct mounting maintains a lower profile package and is often more stable.

Summary

When selecting the right bipod for your rifle, try to choose the mounting option that lets you attach the bipod directly to your rifle. The recommended strategy is understanding the environment and terrain you expect to use your bipod in to determine what height and features you require. The ability to swivel and pivot may not be needed for someone who only likes to target shoot at a dedicated range, while someone who hunts may want both features as terrain and movement of their targets can change. Having a bipod that offers a lot of flexibility won’t limit you from shooting in the prone position or having to set the bipod on an elevated surface. There isn’t a perfect bipod for all situations, so selecting a high-quality bipod for a specific use or several uses is going to give you the best result.