Author Topic: bipod mounted to barrel (Read 932 times)

bigbuck270 · « **on:** January 16, 2004, 04:05:50 AM »

I just bought a used 15" barrel and it came with a harris bipod. The bipod is mounted to the barrel with a special clamp. Is this bad? I always thought it needed to be mounted to the forearm. Will mounting it to the barrel widen my groups since the barrel is not free floating any more?
Where do most of you mount your bipods?

jhalcott · « **Reply #1 on:** January 16, 2004, 06:09:03 AM »

I had an Uncle Mikes sling swivel barrel band on a barrel . the sling got wrapped up with a sand bag and removed the band suddenly and unexpectedly..I usually attach the sling the forearm, this allows the sling and forearm to be used on several barrels.
Will your set up affect accuracy, short answer,MAYBE ! If it is a hard kicker, probably.Try a few shots with a sling attached and the fore arm on bags. Then a few without the sling.you'll get the answer real fast. jh

HL · « **Reply #2 on:** January 16, 2004, 08:03:58 AM »

I also have the swivel band on my 15" barrel and have noticed no difference in accuracy or point of impact with it on or off. I shoot off the bags with it off and put it on for hunting. I checked it out several times at the shooting range to make sure there was no difference.

This goes for my 22 hornet all the way up to my 375JDJ.

Good Shooting,

HL

KYODE · « **Reply #3 on:** January 16, 2004, 08:26:57 AM »

i've seen the big clamps you mention, with a bi-pod attached. besides being uglier than, who knows what. it would have to affect barrel vibration during firing, and i doubt it would help accuracy at all.

Hopalong7 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 16, 2004, 09:08:34 AM »

My son had a Harris Bi-pod w/ that barrel mount. I agree w/ Kyode, it was double coyote ugly, however it did shoot good. He claims to have out shot me with it but I don't remember that part. It would change the POI but once sighted in it would group quite well. His was on a 7-30Waters. He left it on for a period of years and then removed it and the blue was badly worn and had rusted considerably. GOOD SHOOTIN', Walt

Ladobe · « **Reply #5 on:** January 16, 2004, 03:06:45 PM »

Ditto KYODE... it will effect barrel harmonics and so at the very least change POI, if not open or string groups of a very precise barrel. Been know for over 3 decades the best place to support a Contender just using the factory forend standoffs (and so Encore too) is under the forend close to the front of the trigger guard - and the grip butt NOT on a solid support (yeah I know Don Bower and his system too). Using a solidly supported, so called "free floated" forend with a bipod stud out front is just as good though, and is the system I use on all of mine now days. Just another opinion, but both ways have worked on my Contenders for 34 years.

Ladobe

flyfisher · « **Reply #6 on:** January 17, 2004, 05:53:23 AM »

I purchased the Harris Universal barrel clamp and installed it on my 14" .222 Rem. barrel for the purpose of hunting groundhogs. There is definitely a POI shift between shooting on bags with the forearm and with the bipod and barrel clamp. I have also had problems holding tight patterns with the clamp and bipod. After installing a swivel stud in the forearm and attaching the bipod, I have found much better results, especially in the tight group area. I took the clamp off of the barrel about 2 years ago and have yet to reinstall it (and it is doubtful that it will ever be reinstalled)

bigbuck270 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 20, 2004, 02:10:57 AM »

Thanks for the info. I guess the problem I have is in mounting the bipod to the forend. My forend is curved and the base of the bipod is flat. So where is the best place to mount the pod? Does it need to be shimmed? I am also unsure what the "Don Bower" way is, could you enlighten me?
Thanks again.

mainehunt · « **Reply #8 on:** January 20, 2004, 02:30:44 AM »

Wasn't the first post asking about BIPODS??, Not slings. Am I missing something?

Bigbuck270,
I think you should mount the bipod on the forearm. Having it mounted to the barrel defeats the purpose of having a free-floated barrel.
Good luck, MH

jhalcott · « **Reply #9 on:** January 20, 2004, 05:58:48 PM »

You aren't missing any thing Maine, the harris bipod is used as a sling attachment as well as a bipod rest. Quite an ingenious rig!

hkg3k · « **Reply #10 on:** January 20, 2004, 11:23:07 PM »

Before Thomson forends could be had with a swivel stud (and before I installed one in my walnut forend) many moons ago, I had a super 16 in 7x30waters. Sweet shooing rig. Before I started learning about accuracy do's and dont's, I mounted a harris adapter clamp (and actually still have it) to the 16" 7x30 bbl close to the forend as possible.

I can't remember a POI shift, but it certainly makes sense it would. What I do remember is the gun shot At Least as tight with the clamp on as off. Go figure. That 7x30 rig is now gone, but I would never mount the clamp/bipod to the bbl again. I would find a way to mount to the forend.

bigbuck270 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 21, 2004, 03:18:39 AM »

Thanks for the help. I am attempting to build a forend that will accept the harris.

mainehunt · « **Reply #12 on:** January 21, 2004, 07:37:21 AM »

jhalcott,

I understand how they attach and all, but having a sling on the barrel doesn't bother me as much as having a bipod on the barrel. I think that is what bigbuck270 is asking.

My thinking is this. Why free float a barrel and then rest the barrel on the bipod? It defeats the purpose.

MH

jhalcott · « **Reply #13 on:** January 21, 2004, 01:24:33 PM »

yes mainer it does, BUT back then all I had was a stock factory gun.
NOW I know a little more. I have bipods attached to several hand guns and some rifles.The pods won't allow holster carry ,so I sling the hand guns for carrying. I hope this is not taken as a flame just explaining the sling thing. jh