Proper Rifle Support
I’m always looking for things that make shooting easier and more fun. And, I want those items to transfer from the range to the field with ease. Practicing for the best shot possible should occur with every pull of the trigger. This is not limited to your rifle or your cartridge, but also in your optics and your rest. I doubt you’re going to carry bags around with you in your backpack when you’re hunting. You may carry shooting sticks. You may rely on a tree or a rock or a jacket or sometimes even a shoe. I use a bipod.
Now some people are not interested in always having a bipod attached to their rifle. They don’t want the weight. There are movable parts, which we all know are subject to fail. How many times are you going to get in the prone position to shoot anyways right? I’ve been lucky enough to have shot everything from the prone position with my rifle and if you are shooting game long range, chances are, you’re going to be prone anyways. And let’s be clear, these were not guided hunts nor were they on a ranch. They were all on public land where a little bit of luck and scouting our behinds off was the only way to find anything.
At the range it is a little easier to carry bags or a sled. I shoot at the range prone and sometimes I use the bench. But let’s face it. Range benches are not designed for most women or youth and I’ve even seen men struggle with their height. Not all of them have seats available so you’re stuck with whatever chair you may or may not have brought, or if you’re like me, you’re in a camp chair folding up your soft rifle case and sitting on one foot to get to the proper height to make a shot. Uncomfortable, and your foot falls asleep. Short-lived shooting.
We can’t fix the height of the benches or chairs, but we can simplify the stability of your rifle with a bipod you’re going to love.
The first bipod I was given was a Harris in the Swivel series. It worked great for a few years. But if you have more than one rifle and want to use it on them, it gets tedious unscrewing it and moving it from rifle to rifle. If you have a sling attached to it, that is one more thing to mess with. The legs fold and are spring loaded. And, when you extend the legs and then retract them, they go inside of themselves from the bottom up taking whatever dust and dirt with them up into the legs. Eventually the button to collapse them gets stuck with dirt and grime no matter how diligent you are cleaning the thing. Who has time to clean it when they’re hunting? Now don’t get me wrong, these are great bipods but I’m a little rough on things and after 4 years, the screw that holds the bipod to the rifle has given out. I can take 3 or 4 shots and then I need to readjust and retighten it. I wanted something better.
I’ve heard of and even seen an Atlas Bipod once or twice. At this year’s SHOT SHOW I was meandering through booths on my last day with a glazed over look in my eyes when I happened to walk by the B&T Industries booth which is the maker and patent holder of Atlas Bi-Pods. I stopped to look, and they asked me if I was familiar with their products. The owner took me behind the counter for a one-on-one rundown and now I’m convinced, especially after attaching one of their bi-pods to my rifles, that they are the best. My gunsmith even thinks they are the best. I was going to get to try the BT46-LW17 and this bipod was selected for use on the SOCOM PSR (Special Operations Command Precision Sniper Rifle) Weapons System.
What makes this bipod, or any of theirs so special? For one, you can attach them to any platform with a 1913 style picatinny rail, or they make adapters capable of attaching to any stalk. As with the Bell & Carlson stalk in the photos, the BT 15 3.35” 1913 style rail along with the BT1517 rail mountain fastener set is used. Check with the stalk manufacturer or with BT Industries prior to ordering which mount is best for your rifle.
The bipod quickly attaches and detaches to the rail with it’s ADM 170-S Lever and locks in place. The legs have five adjustment angles of 0, 45, 90, 135 and 180 degrees. Each leg operates independently and can be operated by either hand. The outer legs slide over the inner legs for length adjustment from 4.75 to 9.0” through 5 positions ¾” apart. Once you put the legs in these positions, they lock in place and do not move without pressing the button to release them. No springs like you see in many other models. The legs do not roll on themselves. These features were very nice when I was shooting. I watched my shots through my scope, reloaded and quickly zeroed in on my target again for quick and accurate follow up shots. No movement, which is essential.
Also available are 3” leg extensions, or simply remove the feet and use homemade dowels. There are several spike and cleat options to replace the rubber feet if so desired. The bi-pod comes in black, but you can have it made in another color with a quick call when ordering or sending it back to B&T Industries and requesting a color change.
This model also allows for up to 30 degrees pan and cant (or angle to the side) allowing for easy follow-up shots without moving your rifle. There is a tension knob on the bottom for easy adjustment of these features.
Made from aluminum that is hard-coat anodized and heat-treated stainless components, the standard height bipod is lightweight at 13.6 oz. When the legs are folded forward or backwards, they align flat with the stalk and are unobtrusive making it easy to lay flat on another rest if needed, for holding in a quick off-hand shot if necessary and for ease of fitting into a rifle case. I have small hands but felt very comfortable holding the rifle with the legs folded.
I believe you get what you pay for. Are you going to spend a little more for this than knockoffs or other brands? Well sure you are. They are knockoffs or other brands. But like any other equipment you take to the field, you don’t want it to fail, especially in the middle of your hunt. And you don’t want to have to purchase a new one every season. They do have a tab on their website for blemished models. As with all manufacturing, sometimes things come out with scratches or discoloration that is simply superficial. These are offered at a discounted price but still the same quality, workmanship and performance.
After a month with the Atlas, it’s functional and reliable. To top it off, the owner of the company and the staff are top notch and get back to you quickly with answers to any of your questions. From here on out when someone asks for a bipod recommendation, I’m going to suggest one of the Atlas Models. As for me, I’ll be ordering rail attachments for all my rifles. For more information, visit their website at www.accu-shot.com. Or give them a follow on social media.
https://www.facebook.com/btindllc/
https://www.instagram.com/btindllc/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxnwUZhG3yao3xTgacEhXCQ/videos
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jessica Haavisto
ReelCamo Girl Pro-Staff
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