I've never used an attached bipod, but I'm going on an elk hunt and wanted to give one a try. I was leaning toward a Harris, but I'm not sure which size to get for shooting prone. I'm about 5'10.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank!!

Harris and Versapod are OK but the best one is made by Atlas.

Harris with the swivel facility and ideally with the notched legs.

I like the swivel to get the rifle upright. I like the notched legs as they seem less likely to slip.

I've used two different Harris bipods extensively in the Kalahari and on the shooting range and also in the mountains a few times.

There are others, but they work very well for me.

T-B-D,

Today, just about any of the sling stud attachable bipods are as good as the spendy Harris; but then again Harris has also earned an enviable reputation - it's your decision.

The more features such as swiveling also add a degree of wobble factor to a perfectly steady hold; so beware of what options you wish for and ultimately decide on.

They do add bulk, weight and noise factor clinking about with a sling to a rifle and this is a real consideration IMO if you're carrying it; versus on a vehicle or horseback.

Also, the smaller (read=lower) 9"-11" bipods may not be your best choice; I've found the medium height(s) for sitting are in many cases (also just a tad heavier & bulkier) a better option to get a solid sitting position above terrain, grass & rocks in open plains shooting as opposed to prone.

Be sure to sight-in your rifle with it attached and from the position you expect to use it.

Good Luck with your choice.

I now noticed that you mention your height; probably to assist in the height to choose? I've been unable to get comfortable sitting wih a Harris, so if that is your intention you may consider a set of bipod or tripod sticks like Stoney Point and others make.

With a bipod you are quite limited if there is foliage in the way. I use the 6-9 and 9-12" models as I recall. I probably prefer the 9-12 for all around use. If you are really skinny a 6-9 may be preferred. The closer to the ground I can get the more stable I am.

Interesting that the people pushing bi-pods don't even live in the USA or specifically Western USA where elk are mostly hunted. Let me state again that bi-pods in the mountains are a pain in the ass. Heavy, clumsy, noisy and slow make them a poor choice in my opinion. Also, in snow they are prone to freezing up. Good shooting sticks or shooting over a pack are my personal choice for me and my clients. Use what ever make you happy, but I have been there and done that.

I always carry 2 bipods in western South Dakota. I spend a lot of time watching groups of does from the opposite side of the draw waiting for bucks to show and a lot of times I am 200 to 400 yards away. If I have flat area to rest I will use the 9" to 13" and if I am laying over the crest or have the downhill in front of me I have to use the tall one. In both cases I use the Harris with the pivot. The pivot is useful because the ground is seldom level and smooth. The Harris required because I have had the cheaper versions that have had nuts fall off or springs break or leg locks malfunction. I probably shoot 60% of my deer with a bi-pod.

quote:

Originally posted by DIs:
Interesting that the people pushing bi-pods don't even live in the USA or specifically Western USA where elk are mostly hunted. Let me state again that bi-pods in the mountains are a pain in the ass. Heavy, clumsy, noisy and slow make them a poor choice in my opinion. Also, in snow they are prone to freezing up. Good shooting sticks or shooting over a pack are my personal choice for me and my clients. Use what ever make you happy, but I have been there and done that.

Bingo!
I must add to your post and say I don't even like shooting sticks! A tree, rock, brush, mound or pack is the best rest going. I've killed countless elk and never been wanting.
I took a friend hunting elk this year and relented by letting him take his sticks. Bad mistake! He got an elk but only after the sticks were left in camp.
Just my 2 cents,
Zeke

My best advise would be to toss all the bipods in the world and learn to shoot..Hunting elk with a bipod in Idaho is just added weight and we have plenty of boulders and trees for a rest. In fact everywhere I've hunted on this planet mother naturer afforded some kind of rest, and that keeps my rifles lean and mean and pretty and handy and pointable and great for snap shooting, on all those other things that a bipod doesn't afford!

But hey, I'm just speaking for myself, and hold no ill will to those millions of buckaroos that haunt the game fields of the world each year.

I'm with Ray. After trying to use Harris bipods on a rifle a couple of years ago I quickly removed them. Just my opinion, but while these type of bipods work well for bench work, they are awkward and add too much weight to a hunting rifle. Especially if you are elk hunting in the mountains of CO or elsewhere. I now use my backpack or my lightweight Bipod Shooting Sticks in the field (CO elk hunting or deer hunting on the flatlands of OK, TX and SD).

Bipods are useful if you practice with them, and run through the setup of them in the field. You have to practice with them to understand their pros and cons.

I have seen guys fiddle with them only to watch the deer or elk walk off. Myself included before I had more experience using them.

For bedded or feeding animals at longer range where you need a solid rest, you won't find a better rest. Even for a quick shot where you don't have other rests, you can deploy the legs, and be on your animal very quickly. My elk this year fell in that category.

That said, they add weight, and add a level of complication. They snag on brush and tree limbs, and can make godawful noises on occasion.

I have a Harris swivel top. Their longest model, which I can't remember the dimensions of.

I use them when I think it might be needed. Mostly for elk in big sagebrush flats where longer shots are normal. Usually, I have time to setup and wait for the elk to emerge from the timber. Then pick my elk and shoot it. I also take them antelope hunting. They don't go on back country hunts, or on rugged mountain hunts.

I don't use them everywhere, but find them a useful tool under certain conditions.

Jeremy

I have used bipods for many years in areas that do not have many natural rests and require longer shots. In open elk areas the bipods is either attached to the rifle or in my day pack. Some guys apparently do not know how to use them but they are a valuable piece of equipment in the right circumstances. I have been on many elk hunts and have taken at least 40 elk over the years.

The Harris bipod that extends long enough for a solid sitting position is my favorite. It is usually hard to go prone in elk country but when the legs are in their shortest position his bipod is just about perfect.

To each his own and if they work for you, all the better...The best I will do is a monopod, and I use it more as a walking stick to balance my old legs or steady my binocs, than anything else. I'm a hunter and not a long ranged shooter.

All that said we use horses to hunt elk and deer so I pack a flat rifle like a Savage 99 in .308 with a 3X Leupold most of the time and I have almost always been able to find a rest, even if its just a sage brush or rock.