Harris Bipods for Hunting: Why?

C

Clevinger

New member
If they don't rotate, don't they end up being awkward for lining up a shot?

I'm considering them but not quite sure of their utility. Also, do their heights allow shots from a seated position?

opplanet-harris-engineering-ultralight-bipods-hinged-base-13-5-27-inch-s-25cs.jpg
 
Different Models

Buy the longer one.
Another option is whatever kind Les Johnson uses on Predator Quest
I think that one swivels.
Another option is crossed sticks. They can be used as walking sticks untill you are on shooting position
 
Many shooters like them. I for one am not one who doesn't.
I have never used a bi-pod on any of my own rifles much.

I tried one on my old 22-250 but I didn't like it a tall. Way too slow and awkward. To each his own, but I find I shoot better over a back pack and I can get out of the pack and rest the rifle faster than I can deploy the bipod.

You need a quick release strap slider on the right side. (If you are right handed)
You relieve the right pack strap and the pack falls away from your back and swings to your left front. You are holding the4 rifle in the left hand. You drop down and pull back on the left pack strap as you kick your feet to the rear.
The pack is now directly in front of you. As you kick your feet back you push the rifle toward the target. This whole set of movements takes about 2 seconds. The left pack strap never comes off your forearm. You fire and then you get up with the pack is still on your left arm and your rifle is in your left hand. As you walk throw the pack around and catch the right strap with your right arm. Slip the slider to it's regualy position.

Continue to march.
 
Bi-pods really aren't used for rushed shots, they are used when you have time to set up the shot. So if it's a non swivel type then you just adjust the legs to a different length. I have uses for bi-pods but haven't found a good set for hunting yet the 6"-9" are only good for prone and bench shooting, and the 13.5"-27" are too tall for prone and too short for sitting for my use.

I really don't like the bi-pod for most hunting unless it is pronghorn, and I use a pair of Stoney Point shooting sticks for most of my hunting. They set up faster and they offer an easier way to maintain a level sight picture and allow a wide ark for tracking your target. I also use a BogPod tripod for my daughter when shooting from a blind.
 
I've used the longest Harris for sitting shots but I'm not a big guy. Since much of my coyote hunting is done with an AR, I've switched to shooting sticks. BTW They're even harder to shift positions than a mounted bipod.
 
I don't have bipods on my hunting rifles, mainly because of the local vegetation. If I lay down, I'm effectively limited to about 30 yards.

I can see that they'd be useful in some parts of the US, and I certainly see their application in some situations, but hunting isn't one of them, at least locally. On the other hand, locally, I'm always close to an expedient rest, and I've used a backpack in limited situations.
 
I can't recall a hunting situation where I would have lain prone. Stickers and such kept me from it on the one and only time where the prone position would have been helpful.
 
I use a long (18 to 30 inch ?) Harris bipod for hunts such as Pronghorn out west. When you have a chance to set up for the shot, a bipod will help greatly. My last Pronghorn hunt, I happened to climb up on a small Mesa and spooked one. It ran 400 yards, stopped and turned sideways to look at me. I had time to set up, from a sitting position, and nailed it. Measured with a good range finder at 429 yards. No way I would have made that shot, or even attempted it without a bipod. Good clean shot too, both lungs and heart. Now for quick shots such as whitetail in thick Wisconsin woods, no need for a bipod. I’ve also used that long bipod for coyote hunting, mostly because I can sit, don’t like laying in the snow. The long bipod can “twist” a bit and give you a little room of adjustments side to side, were as the short ones will not.
 
I can't recall a hunting situation where I would have lain prone.
Click to expand...

Me neither.

If they could rotate and adjust to a height for a seated position, they might be useful to me.

If they are mainly for shooting from prone/bench, they aren't. Where I hunt for deer, often deep woods and marshes, all I would see is brush/grass if I was to be prone.

In fact, even being seated is an issue sometimes if it's early season.
 
Where I'm stuck is in considering a winchester coyote light with it's broad/wide forestock made for a bipod.

I have always used vanguard scout shooting sticks and I'm not sure that would work well for that rifle.

So then I consider the Tikka T3 again but I've read that can have ejection problems and doesn't feed from the top.

I'm suffering major indecision.
 
Draw an imaginary vertical line from the halfway point east-to-west of North Dakota at the Canadian border, down to the half-way point east-to-west of Texas at the Mexican border. If you live/hunt East of this ever-increasing-as-you-go-east precip line (or if you live West of the Sierra/Nevadas or Oregon/Washington desert), then teats on a boar hog are more useful to you than a 13" or shorter bipod on a rifle, for hunting, 99.97% of the time. There is simply no place from which to shoot where there's no vegetation blocking your bullet path. Worse than dead weight - because it's dead weight that makes your rifle front-heavy and unweildy. Putting a lump of lead of the same weight in your fanny pack would be preferable, because it'd be easier to carry. No brainer.

If you live/hunt West of that line, but east of the Sierra-Nevadas / temperate PNW, then such a bipod stuck to a rifle (13" or less), is STILL useless as teats on a boar hog 93-98% of the time, roughly, depending upon where you live and hunt - has to be pretty desert-y, and/or with a lot of bluffs/hills, for them to ever help.... Still, I'd say no personally.

Now, having said that, a bipod or tripod that is TALL - one which can stretch out to at least 20-24", or preferably even more (adjustable up to at least 36", let's say) - well that's a horse of a totally different color - very very very useful... However, such a tall bipod or tripod does not need to be, and SHOULD NOT be, *attached* to one's rifle, in my opinion, but employed once you set up your ambush spot or stalk to your shot point. I guess a tall bipod or tripod COULD be attached to your rifle, if you're never gonna take a snap shot - I could see that, perhaps.

It's rather comical to me trying to imagine some of these tactical guys who have never hunted -from the entire midwest/south/east part of the country -- finally getting out to try to hunt big game with their heavy tactical rifles made even heavier by a bipod, trying to get down on the ground to wait for game or shoot game... Not only is there no way to take a shot from prone, due to plants, you'd never NEED to take a shot, because you'd never SEE the game yourself from the prone position.

However, if one wants to lie there on the ground letting the ticks crawl up on you and watch the sticks and weeds for hours on end during hunting season - well, it's a free country - more power to ya! :)
 
Last edited:
I haven't heard of a Tikka T3 having ejection problems. You cannot easily load single rounds into the rifle, but it can be done. You can't reload through the top, which doesn't matter as there is a detachable magazine for that task.

Having a sako style extractor, extraction is generally considered to be better that that of other rifles, as a common mod for Remingtons in a Sako extractor.

I have a Harris S (swivel), I would have to have a bipod that can't swivel, it'd be fine for the bench, but on uneven ground it'd be a PITA.
I got the 6-9 inch one, but I should have got the 9-13 as I barely ever use it on its lowest setting. I'd recommend the notched legs as well, as it's a lot quicker and easier that that thumb screw locking ones.
It's a very good bipod, it's nice and light weight, quick to deploy, spring loaded legs can be handy. But it doesn't pan which can be a bit annoying, but not the end of the world and it doesn't lean back and forward like a versa pod does, which would be good to load the rifle for recoil, an minor being adjustments with a rear bag can be done buy moving the rifle back or forwards.

I have a versa pod too which I do like. But the Harris is a lot light, probably half the weight. The Harris seems to have wider set feet which helps a lot with stability. Its very quick to fully remove the Harris, and the sling swivel on the back of the Harris is in a better place to attach a sling I believe.
 
I occasionally use a bipod on my deer rifle. But I have never used it for actual shooting. I use it as a stand to keep it off the ground or out of the snow while field dressing.
 
"I use it as a stand to keep it off the ground or out of the snow while field dressing."

Well, now there you go - never thought of that..... so I take back 'useless as teats on a boar hog' - at least there's something they are good for!
 
I don't really see the point on a hunting rifle. Hunting there's better thing to rest the gun on, shooting sticks, tree limb, etc. and all that weight out front certainly isn't going to help you take a shot off hand.
 
I don't really see the point on a hunting rifle. Hunting there's better thing to rest the gun on, shooting sticks, tree limb, etc. and all that weight out front certainly isn't going to help you take a shot off hand.
Click to expand...

ThisiswhatI'msayin.... and THAT sage advice, gents, is from someone in a very dry, desert-y area!! Multiply by 10 in the east.
 
Thanks Dremel. One of my shooting buddies puts Harris bipods on all his rifles (think he just likes the look). A couple weeks ago he missed an easy shot on a yote' with his 22-250 because the bipod was catching on stuff nearby and he just couldn't get it off with enough time to still get the gun to his shoulder for a good shot. Keep in mind we are high desert here (our state flower is sage brush) but even without water it grows! If you see a BIG coyote his back might be about the level or a little lower than the tops of the sage. We also have lots mountains and foothills with some pretty large draws so I suppose if you had a good hide up high you MIGHT get some use out of bipod, but we'd be talking at least 400yds (getting into the threshold of what I consider an unethical shot at big game, deer, elk, etc) with our winds.
 
I have found bipods to be very useful, for varmint hunting, both east and west of any line you care to draw.

Are they good in all terrain? no
Are they useful hunting deer or other big game? Usually not. Although I have used them to keep the rifle out of the mud & snow, as mentioned. ;)

They are most useful holding up the front end of an automatic rifle or light machine gun, though...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top