I've posted before that while I like the LRA bipod (well built, sturdy and solid, etc.) I'm disappointed that I can only get 6 degrees of upward angle on shots from my DTA HTI and that the leg extensions are backordered and lots of folks can't get a hold of the folks at LRA. On the other hand, if you call EI for questions about their products, you may get a call back from Dale the proprietor himself, as I did last week.
I just received an Elite Iron Revolution bipod today and all I can say is WOW. This thing is AWESOME. The pictures speak for themselves, but I will put some comparison data below. Much of it is referenced to the DTA HTI, but that's the rig I compared it on. ALso, I have not shot from it yet.
Weight: The EI is stated to be 2# and I'm gonna guess that's true even though I don't have a scale right here. I'm also gonna guess that the LRA is 8 oz lighter as it is advertised. If weight is your main concern, the LRA wins hands down. Aluminum and composites versus steel. Make your own inferences about durability, it's too soon to tell about that.
Upward shot angle: The LRA allows a 6-degree incline shot on a DTA HTI, when mounted at the front of the fore end. The EI allows a 10-degree incline shot. Hands down, EI is the winner. You can install leg extensions on the LRA (leg extension kit $85), but mine have been backoredered for almost a year at Eurooptic. Had they come in, I may not have ordered the EI Revolution. But I'm glad I did.
Cant: The EI has infinite cant, you can spin it in a 360-degree circle. This allows you to position the notched legs in different positions and still level the rifle in the bipod by securing the raceway with the nut in infinite positions. The LRA is limited to 10 degrees left and right. If you have the legs on the LRA more than one notch different, you are not going to be able to level the rifle - not so with the EI.
Leg positions: The EI limits the legs to 90-degrees straight down, and 0-degrees forward and +180-degrees rearward. It does not allow the legs to go to the negative 90-degree position (i.e., the +270-degree position), - that is, there are not locking positions every 90-degrees, they only go 180 degees (from 0-degrees foreward, to 90-degrees down, to 180-degrees back towards the breech). I'm not sure why this is, it would be nice if it had a locking position every 90-degrees (or every 45-degrees), which would allow you to increase the bipod height even further in the +270-degree position (by rotating the rifle in the raceway upside down 180 degrees), even though the center of gravity of the gun would be above the bipod mounting point if you did that. (Indeed, this is my only real criticism of the Revolution bipod. If it allowed the legs to be rotated 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees, I would consider the bipod PERFECT.) On the HTI, I can put the legs forward, parallel to the barrel for storage, but not backward because the side Picatinny rails on the HTI get in the way. If I removed the DTA HTI side rail mounts, I could position the legs backwards towards the breech parallel to the barrel for storage backwards too. On the LRA, you can position the legs 90 degrees down and also at 22 and 45 and zero (0) degrees forward towards the muzzle. I'm still not sure why a person would want the legs 22 or 45 degrees forwards, but the LRA does allow you to do it. Given these limitations, like the EI Revolution, you are forced to position the legs forward towards the muzzle on the LRA for transportation (unless you mount it "backwards").
Attachment: The EI slides longitudinally down a picatinny rail and has two set screws which go in the Picatinny slots and pull the mount vertically down against the rail for mounting. In contrast, the LRA has one hex screw which clamps the bipod sideways horizontally across the rail. Both are very stable, but require a hex key for removal. The LRA has a Quick Detach mechanism as an option ($60). The EI has no QD mechanism option. On the other hand, the EI does not add width to the rig, and it can be transported in a hard sided case with the bipod attached. Not so with the LRA which widens the rig with bipod attached such that it will not fit in a hard case - you have to remove it for transport.
ETA: I just realized - if you want to remove the EI bipod for transport and you don't have a tool, you can unscrew the front part of the ring that secures the bipod legs to the raceway and remove the bipod from the raceway and attached mount, with no tools!
ETA: For storage in your gun safe, the EI is also far superior because it doesn not require so much lateral space.
Stability: Both are SUPER solid and stable and allow loading the bipod. The EI comes with claw feet and the LRA comes with rubber feet. Depends on your needs. Seems like the EI might be more suited to field use and the LRA more suited to bench use (adapted from F-Class).
Aesthetics: Both are quality pieces of equipment and look cool as hell on the rig. Again, personal preference. And both are made in USA.
Cost: The LRA is $450, plus $60 for the QD and $85 for the leg extensions = $595. The EI Revolution is $625. If you are going to transport the bipod with the gun in a hard case and you need to make shots over 6-degrees in a vertical incline, and you don't want to carry a tool with you, the cost is basically the same. If you are going to shoot from a bench on the flats and not remove the bipod for transport in a hard case, you save $175 with the LRA basic model with no options compared to the EI.
Overall, for my needs, which require transport and field use, the EI is the HANDS DOWN winner. And that includes my gestalt that the EI is just BADASS, as subjective as that may be. Now I just need to decide if I should keep the LRA for another rig (which one? not obvious at this point), or sell it. Offers?
Finally, the packaging and the presentation of the EI bipod are on par with Apple and the iPhone. Very classy.
I just received an Elite Iron Revolution bipod today and all I can say is WOW. This thing is AWESOME. The pictures speak for themselves, but I will put some comparison data below. Much of it is referenced to the DTA HTI, but that's the rig I compared it on. ALso, I have not shot from it yet.
Weight: The EI is stated to be 2# and I'm gonna guess that's true even though I don't have a scale right here. I'm also gonna guess that the LRA is 8 oz lighter as it is advertised. If weight is your main concern, the LRA wins hands down. Aluminum and composites versus steel. Make your own inferences about durability, it's too soon to tell about that.
Upward shot angle: The LRA allows a 6-degree incline shot on a DTA HTI, when mounted at the front of the fore end. The EI allows a 10-degree incline shot. Hands down, EI is the winner. You can install leg extensions on the LRA (leg extension kit $85), but mine have been backoredered for almost a year at Eurooptic. Had they come in, I may not have ordered the EI Revolution. But I'm glad I did.
Cant: The EI has infinite cant, you can spin it in a 360-degree circle. This allows you to position the notched legs in different positions and still level the rifle in the bipod by securing the raceway with the nut in infinite positions. The LRA is limited to 10 degrees left and right. If you have the legs on the LRA more than one notch different, you are not going to be able to level the rifle - not so with the EI.
Leg positions: The EI limits the legs to 90-degrees straight down, and 0-degrees forward and +180-degrees rearward. It does not allow the legs to go to the negative 90-degree position (i.e., the +270-degree position), - that is, there are not locking positions every 90-degrees, they only go 180 degees (from 0-degrees foreward, to 90-degrees down, to 180-degrees back towards the breech). I'm not sure why this is, it would be nice if it had a locking position every 90-degrees (or every 45-degrees), which would allow you to increase the bipod height even further in the +270-degree position (by rotating the rifle in the raceway upside down 180 degrees), even though the center of gravity of the gun would be above the bipod mounting point if you did that. (Indeed, this is my only real criticism of the Revolution bipod. If it allowed the legs to be rotated 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees, I would consider the bipod PERFECT.) On the HTI, I can put the legs forward, parallel to the barrel for storage, but not backward because the side Picatinny rails on the HTI get in the way. If I removed the DTA HTI side rail mounts, I could position the legs backwards towards the breech parallel to the barrel for storage backwards too. On the LRA, you can position the legs 90 degrees down and also at 22 and 45 and zero (0) degrees forward towards the muzzle. I'm still not sure why a person would want the legs 22 or 45 degrees forwards, but the LRA does allow you to do it. Given these limitations, like the EI Revolution, you are forced to position the legs forward towards the muzzle on the LRA for transportation (unless you mount it "backwards").
Attachment: The EI slides longitudinally down a picatinny rail and has two set screws which go in the Picatinny slots and pull the mount vertically down against the rail for mounting. In contrast, the LRA has one hex screw which clamps the bipod sideways horizontally across the rail. Both are very stable, but require a hex key for removal. The LRA has a Quick Detach mechanism as an option ($60). The EI has no QD mechanism option. On the other hand, the EI does not add width to the rig, and it can be transported in a hard sided case with the bipod attached. Not so with the LRA which widens the rig with bipod attached such that it will not fit in a hard case - you have to remove it for transport.
ETA: I just realized - if you want to remove the EI bipod for transport and you don't have a tool, you can unscrew the front part of the ring that secures the bipod legs to the raceway and remove the bipod from the raceway and attached mount, with no tools!
ETA: For storage in your gun safe, the EI is also far superior because it doesn not require so much lateral space.
Stability: Both are SUPER solid and stable and allow loading the bipod. The EI comes with claw feet and the LRA comes with rubber feet. Depends on your needs. Seems like the EI might be more suited to field use and the LRA more suited to bench use (adapted from F-Class).
Aesthetics: Both are quality pieces of equipment and look cool as hell on the rig. Again, personal preference. And both are made in USA.
Cost: The LRA is $450, plus $60 for the QD and $85 for the leg extensions = $595. The EI Revolution is $625. If you are going to transport the bipod with the gun in a hard case and you need to make shots over 6-degrees in a vertical incline, and you don't want to carry a tool with you, the cost is basically the same. If you are going to shoot from a bench on the flats and not remove the bipod for transport in a hard case, you save $175 with the LRA basic model with no options compared to the EI.
Overall, for my needs, which require transport and field use, the EI is the HANDS DOWN winner. And that includes my gestalt that the EI is just BADASS, as subjective as that may be. Now I just need to decide if I should keep the LRA for another rig (which one? not obvious at this point), or sell it. Offers?
Finally, the packaging and the presentation of the EI bipod are on par with Apple and the iPhone. Very classy.
Last edited:
