I would like to spend $150 or less on everything I need to attach it. Any recommendations? Only bipod I know of is Harris and they have many to choose from. I will be doing mostly long distance shooting from a bench and prone.
It would be a little over your budget, but I run a Tango Down bipod on the Fulton picatinny rail on my M1A. I think Anchor Zero Six hit it on the head for your budget. Either way, I would recommend the front picatinny rail adaptor. It may take some fitting to get the rail just right, but it is rock solid when it is on the rifle.
Tango down is nice, but out of my price range. When I bought my m1a, I never thought I would get close to $4000 in rifle, scope, accessories, etc. I hope I never need to sell it, I will never get the money back. Which of the harris ones would you recommend? Botach tac, has 10% off most all items, and I have had good luck with them.
Get the harris 6-9 swivel it will work for what you need. As for mounting i'm not a fan of clamping anything on the barrel or gas cylinder. When I mounted my bipod I got a sling stud from brownells that screws into wook and put the stud behind the front sling swivel. It worked well.
I have a versa pod rail on one of my M1A's. The other I just took a piece of Picatinny rail and machined it to fit over the sling mount and reattached with machine screws, $10 instead of $72. I like the Harris 6-9" with podloc.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Anchor Zero Six</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Fulton Armory makes a rail adapter that attaches to the front sling mounting holes. For your budget a Harris with a pic rail adapter would work. </div></div>
If you have the synthetic stock Harris makes a sling stud that fits throught the weep hole in the front end of the stock ( may be on the wood, not sure). It is the #2R and takes a little bit to hollow out the stock a bit and trim the bolt to fit under the piston. Once locked in attach the bipod like any other and it is good to go.