Bipod and benchrest shooting

[Pastor Dave]

If I add a bipod to the front of my model 12 Savage in the Talo "Tiger Shark" laminated stock, will that prevent me from using my Caldwell "The Rock" front rest as I have been doing?? Has anyone ever used the bipod for front support, and using an adjustable rest for the back of the stock for benchrest shooting? I'm curious if this would work??? Thanks! Best regards and blessings, Pastor Dave

[Pastor Dave]

If I put a bipod on my Savage Model 12 in the Talo Tiger Shark laminated stock, can I still use my front rest (Caldwell The Rock)? Has anyone ever used an adjustable rest on the back of the gun and bipod in front? Thanks, let me know.

[Jimeg]

Check out a Harris bipod. It takes about 30 seconds to attach (or remove) from the sling stud.

[thomae]

I am not a benchrest shooter, but I believe it would get in my way as I tried to shoot.

Are you talking about benchrest competition shooting, or simply shooting your rifle from a bench? There is a big difference.

If you are shooting benchrest competition, look around and see what others are doing. There is likely a reason they do things the way they do.

[GaCop]

As I stated in your other posting, I believe the wide feet would hinder accurate shooting using it under the butt stock. Opt for a good rabbit ear rear bag instead.

[hombre243]

If I put a bipod on my Savage Model 12 in the Talo Tiger Shark laminated stock, can I still use my front rest (Caldwell The Rock)? Has anyone ever used an adjustable rest on the back of the gun and bipod in front? Thanks, let me know.

I have used my bipod on the bench but abandoned that idea because I was getting a lot of bounce and the recoil torqued the rifle (Savage 11 V/T in .308) completely off target. I have not used it on the ground. I had the "Rock, Jr", a smaller version of the Rock and sold it to a friend who needed a rest...I had just purchased a Gorilla bag. Piece of crap after the zipper broke. But if you can use the Caldwell on the bench, that would be my choice.

I am considering getting a new Caldwell. So far I have been more satisfied with that rest than any other.

[Fotheringill]

It will NOT be a good idea and free recoil will be a thing of the past even if you can get the front rest open enough to accept the rifle with bipod. As above, look into a Harris bipod and just take it off when going benchrest.

[Stockrex]

bugholes from bipods, it can be done....
http://www.accurateshooter.com/shooting-skills/bugholes-from-bipod/

[acridsaint]

Thank you for a very informative article.


bugholes from bipods, it can be done....
http://www.accurateshooter.com/shooting-skills/bugholes-from-bipod/

[Robinhood]

Some of us might think a rear bag is adjustable.

[hombre243]

If I put a bipod on my Savage Model 12 in the Talo Tiger Shark laminated stock, can I still use my front rest (Caldwell The Rock)? Has anyone ever used an adjustable rest on the back of the gun and bipod in front? Thanks, let me know.

Dave, the Caldwell is probably too narrow to allow easy use if the bipod is on the forend of the rifle. The recoil could damage the soft cushion on the rest too. Using the Caldwell on the butt end would probably not be comfortable because (as mentioned by another member) the feet of the rest...as well as its overall bulk would make it uncomfortable to get wrapped into your rifle.

Best advice: If you use the Caldwell on the front, you should remove the bipod. If you try to use the Caldwell on the butt end, let us know how it works.

[yobuck]

A rabbit ear bag is adjustable, but it's (manually) adjustable. Develop a shooting style from the bench that allows for using it
and you will find it's all you need. I personaly would remove the bipod before using the front rest as has been suggested.

[Berger.Fan222]

It is possible to shoot pretty good groups from the bench with a bipod. The more the gun moves before the bullet leaves the barrel, the harder it is and the more attention to detail is needed.

I prefer to train young shooters with a Harris type bipod attached all the time, because in most real field uses, the bipod will be there whether it gets used or not. To me, bench shooting and contests are all practice for more necessary field applications, so the introduction and use of equipment that is likely unavailable for those more necessary field applications is either reinforcing the wrong skill set or failing to build the right one.

[jonbearman]

Using a bipod for benchrest is like using a ping pong paddle for baseball. It just isn't done in that genre. It sounds like you might be interested in f-class as they use bipods but on the ground not on a bench hence the name bench rest meaning shooting from a decent front rest with the proper bag to fit your stock and a rear bag like the bumble bee bags from protector. Benchrest accuracy comes from doing your shooting off the underside of your stock in proper bags and stock tape to allow the rifle to move gracefully in the bags and doing it the same everytime like how you hold the rifle during the firing process. Then comes trigger control, you have to squeeze the trigger the same everytime . I could go on and on but I see you haven't had a chance to respond to the posts yet. The Caldwell is a beginner rest of poor quality, a hart rest or Sinclair rest and on and on. If you haven't bought the rest yet, take time to go over to accurateshooter.com to ask benchresters questions and you will get lots of them. The tigershark is cool looking but not conducive to real benchrest shooting styles. Consistency is the name of the game.