Sidepods (side-rail-mounted bipods)

[dbooksta]

I want to put "sidepods" on my heavy rifle's side rails. The only options I can find:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc">[*]Tango-Down/Vltor ModPod -- apparently too flimsy[*]RND -- awfully pricey[*]CAA SBP -- <span style="font-weight: bold">any comments?</span>[/list]
Any others out there?

 

[Jeepocabra]

Re: Sidepods (side-rail-mounted bipods)

A Harris and an adaptor. But why?

Never mind I misunderstood the question. You don't want a gangster style rifle shooting aid.

 

[KNIGHT11B4]

Re: Sidepods (side-rail-mounted bipods)

He means bipods that attach to the side rails, one leg at the 3 and one at the 9 o'clock.

Not gangster pods.

 

[ORD]

Re: Sidepods (side-rail-mounted bipods)

+1 on why?!?!?

Buy an Atlas of your liking or a Harris with a pod loc and a rail adapter and be done with it!!

 

[dbooksta]

Re: Sidepods (side-rail-mounted bipods)

Why? Because if you have side rails it makes more sense than a bottom-mounted bipod. For example, I like a flat bottom rail when I'm shooting off a rest or a bag, or off-hand.

 

[gstaylorg]

Re: Sidepods (side-rail-mounted bipods)

http://www.lraccuracy.com/

 

[dbooksta]

Re: Sidepods (side-rail-mounted bipods)

Finally got my hands on a CAA SBPS. Cool design, OK execution: The pods remove from mounting studs and lock forward, backward, and at 90 degrees. Two shortcomings:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc">[*]Some forward-to-backward play when locked in place (but absolutely solid side-to-side)[*]Very limited leg extension -- < 2" on the shorties shown here.[/list]
Overall not bad for under $140.

Here's a top view of my DTA with one of the legs stowed forward and the other removed so you can see the mounting stud:


Side view:
<a href="http://emptormaven.com/img/DTA_Cover_SBPS_Silenced_IOR_front-quarter.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">

</a>
Top view:

<a href="http://emptormaven.com/img/DTA_Cover_SBPS_Silenced_IOR_top-view.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">

</a>

 

[jvencius]

Re: Sidepods (side-rail-mounted bipods)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ORD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">+1 on why?!?!?

Buy an Atlas of your liking or a Harris with a pod loc and a rail adapter and be done with it!!</div></div>

I was thinking about the same idea for my McRee chassis. The barrel+brake will be so stumpy when I get them back from Mark @ Short Action Customs that a forward-stowed bipod might get in the way of the (eventual) can that'll be hanging off the muzzle. But, if I were able to hang bipod legs off Picatinny rail segments at the 3 and 9 o'clock points on my chassis, I could stow the bipod legs rearward if I wanted or forward with no worries about contacting a can.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: Sidepods (side-rail-mounted bipods)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dbooksta</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Why? Because if you have side rails it makes more sense than a bottom-mounted bipod. For example, I like a flat bottom rail when I'm shooting off a rest or a bag, or off-hand. </div></div>

But since you have little to no way to quickly adjust for cant you are SOL if you are actually attempting to provide rapid, precision, long range fire.

If you need to ride the bags or don't like a cheese grater in your palm, then you best "all around" solution is a quality bipod mounted on a short rail at the front of the forend and a smooth tube after that.

This is one of the reasons I run a Badger stabilizer on my AR10. I have a stud for my bipod and the rest is smooth. It rides a rest, barricade or hand real nice.

 

[Zion4]

Re: Sidepods (side-rail-mounted bipods)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dbooksta</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Finally got my hands on a CAA SBPS. Cool design, OK execution: The pods remove from mounting studs and lock forward, backward, and at 90 degrees. Two shortcomings:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc">[*]Some forward-to-backward play when locked in place (but absolutely solid side-to-side)[*]Very limited leg extension -- < 2" on the shorties shown here.[/list]
Overall not bad for under $140.

Here's a top view of my DTA with one of the legs stowed forward and the other removed so you can see the mounting stud:


Side view:
<a href="http://emptormaven.com/img/DTA_Cover_SBPS_Silenced_IOR_front-quarter.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">

</a>
Top view:

<a href="http://emptormaven.com/img/DTA_Cover_SBPS_Silenced_IOR_top-view.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">

</a> </div></div>

I appreciate the visual clarification. When I first saw the thread I thought the OP meant something like what this guy has:

<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/q362H-xg0ZA"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/q362H-xg0ZA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>

 

[TLong]

Re: Sidepods (side-rail-mounted bipods)

dbooksta....that is one sexy muh fur. Those DTA's are growing on me with the quickness.

 

[Arbiter]

Re: Sidepods (side-rail-mounted bipods)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LoneWolfUSMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dbooksta</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Why? Because if you have side rails it makes more sense than a bottom-mounted bipod. For example, I like a flat bottom rail when I'm shooting off a rest or a bag, or off-hand. </div></div>

But since you have little to no way to quickly adjust for cant you are SOL if you are actually attempting to provide rapid, precision, long range fire.

If you need to ride the bags or don't like a cheese grater in your palm, then you best "all around" solution is a quality bipod mounted on a short rail at the front of the forend and a smooth tube after that.

This is one of the reasons I run a Badger stabilizer on my AR10. I have a stud for my bipod and the rest is smooth. It rides a rest, barricade or hand real nice.</div></div>

This.

Siderail-mounted bipods are essentially just for range warriors to slap onto their latest AR build and plink with at 25 yards. They don't have much real use beyond that, sad to say. From an aesthetic and logistical standpoint they're nice, but unfortunately I haven't seen anyone who's figured out a way to make them useful and practical.

 

[X-fan]

Re: Sidepods (side-rail-mounted bipods)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Arbiter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Siderail-mounted bipods are essentially just for range warriors to slap onto their latest AR build and plink with at 25 yards. They don't have much real use beyond that, sad to say. From an aesthetic and logistical standpoint they're nice, but unfortunately I haven't seen anyone who's figured out a way to make them useful and practical. </div></div>

Well...the side mount definitely has a lower center of gravity which definitely has merit. A integrated pivot would make more stable choice on uneven ground...perhaps in time.
The reality is most of us shoot from level platforms or at least level fields so for that guy the price it might be a better choice than a Harris. Hard to know unless you try it.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: Sidepods (side-rail-mounted bipods)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: X-fan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Well...the side mount definitely has a lower center of gravity which definitely has merit. A integrated pivot would make more stable choice on uneven ground...perhaps in time.</div></div>

It's already here, you just have to know where to look.

http://lraccuracy.com/

 

[dbooksta]

Re: Sidepods (side-rail-mounted bipods)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LoneWolfUSMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">But since you have little to no way to quickly adjust for cant you are SOL if you are actually attempting to provide rapid, precision, long range fire.

If you need to ride the bags or don't like a cheese grater in your palm, then you best "all around" solution is a quality bipod mounted on a short rail at the front of the forend and a smooth tube after that.

This is one of the reasons I run a Badger stabilizer on my AR10. I have a stud for my bipod and the rest is smooth. It rides a rest, barricade or hand real nice. </div></div>

If you have to quickly adjust for cant shouldn't you be shooting off of bags? Granted I don't have much tactical experience, but I do have one Harris bipod with adjustable cant and by the time I add that degree of freedom into the rifle system I don't see what benefit the bipod is offering over a bag.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: Sidepods (side-rail-mounted bipods)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dbooksta</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
If you have to quickly adjust for cant shouldn't you be shooting off of bags? Granted I don't have much tactical experience, but I do have one Harris bipod with adjustable cant and by the time I add that degree of freedom into the rifle system I don't see what benefit the bipod is offering over a bag. </div></div>

I don't want this to come off as condescending, but to see the value of a cant adjustable bipod you need to get out and shoot in a larger variety of environments.

If we totally forget about combat use and just stick with competition, the world isn't flat. Firing lines have holes, obstacles and time limits. A high quality bipod when properly utilized is absolutely faster than a bag. They are usually lighter too. This is why you see the majority of tactical competition shooters running a bipod. It is also why almost without fail when you ask "what Harris bipod" the answer will be a 6-9 or 9-12 swivel model. You will rarely ever see someone recommend a non-swivel.

The problem that a large number of shooters get into is locking that bipod down. You need to keep it just tight enough that it will stay where you want it. There is no need to lock it.