When it comes to a rifle accessory that I can’t live without, it is hands down a bipod. Plain and simple, a bipod makes you a better shooter. If something can make me a better shooter, you can bet that I will have it on my rifle.

There are definitely some situations when you might not need a bipod (hunting thick timber comes to mind), but I like to always have a bipod on my rifle for those “just in case” moments. And bipods are getting better and better all the time, with most bipods also getting lighter, while still being ultra stable.

What goes into a quality hunting bipod

There are a ton of options out there for rifle bipods. Some are okay, some are great, and some are just about perfect.

We carry a bunch of great bipod brands in the GOHUNT Gear Shop:

In my opinion, a quality bipod has to have a few key pieces:

Swivel design with a locking lever

A rifle bipod for hunting, in my opinion, needs to be able to cant from side to side to get the gun level (having a bubble level on your riflescope is key). Once the gun is level, I then need to lock the bipod down tight. When I say lock it down tight, I want the ability to remove any play in the bipod for a solid base, but still have the ability to adjust the tension quickly if I need to pick the gun up and move it. This is one of the biggest reasons for using the Rugged Ridge Outdoor Gear Extreme Bipod on my hunting rifles for a lot of years. Note: Many of the photos here are from the Gen 1 version, and as of this article's refresh, there is now a Gen 3 version!

Leg Length Adjustment

A bipod has to allow for multiple length adjustments.

I’ve used other bipods in the past, but I was always frustrated at the pre-determined length the legs clicked out to. On those bipods, for me, the pre-determined length was almost always not the right position I needed. I haven’t seen a spot in the mountains that is perfectly level, but to get around this, you can always just adjust one bipod leg to a different length if needed.

These examples are why I like a bipod leg design that is fluid in length and allows for quick adjustment of a leg if needed. Then, with that fluid length adjustment, I’m also able to lock that length in place with one quick motion.

For simplicity’s sake, some people might prefer how quick it is to just pull a bipod leg and have it lock into small adjustments. So, depending on your use case, like everything, there are pros and cons to each that you need to consider. If you like a leg design like this, take a look at the Harris SBRM 6 to 9 inch or even the Harris S-LM 9 to 13 inch. Both of those give you the ability to swivel and have locking leg lengths.

Add More Length If Needed

Another great feature of a bipod is to add more length if needed. 90% of the time for my style of hunting a 7 to 10” bipod is perfect. But if you ever were to need more length, leg extensions are a great option.

Rugged Ridge makes this easy with two different leg extension options. You are able to get 5.5 inch or 17.5 inch extensions. Note: these extensions will only work with the Gen 2 bipod version due to different threads.

More on the length of a hunting bipod later...

Ability to shoot steep uphill shots and downhill shots

Most bipods on the market can be used for both downhill and uphill shots. But a feature I really like having is the ability to rotate the bipod around for an uphill shot, which then allows the claw feet to come into contact with the ground a little more solidly. This is all achieved by the ball-and-socket design that a bipod like Rugged Ridge has. Or you could also use this feature with the bipod in a normal position when shooting steep downhill shots off a cliff.

There haven’t been many situations where I’ve had to flip my bipod around to take a steep uphill shot, but I have that feature if I ever need it.

Able to attach to a Picatinny rail or Arca-Swiss rail

This might just be a personal preference of mine, but I prefer a bipod that attaches to my gun with either a Picatinny or Arca-Swiss rail.

I typically install a 4” picatinny rail on my rifles and muzzleloaders, or I'll add some sort of Arca-Swiss rail (I prefer a full-length Arca-Swiss rail, or you could get by with a 4" version).

This allows me some flexibility in where I place my bipod and also gives me the freedom to add a pic rail mount for my Magnetospeed Chronograph.

If you prefer a bipod that attaches to a sling stud in the stock, then by all means go that route. Either method works great.

So the Big Question: What Size Bipod Should You Get?

This is probably the most common question when it comes to rifle bipods. What size bipod should you get? And just like everything, there are personal preferences and pros and cons to all of them.

While there are certain bipods out there that offer a ton of length adjustments, when they get on the taller side, you are sacrificing stability to a degree. They might work great for close shots, but those legs, when in a longer position, will start to flex. A lot of this is due to the legs having to be a smaller diameter to allow the extra leg sections to stack inside one another. But it's great to have that option if needed.

For example, several years ago, while black bear hunting, I was anticipating a bear coming out onto a hillside that would have required a very steep uphill shot. From the position we were glassing from, the only real option was to try a taller bipod. So I asked Chris Neville if I could toss his bipod onto my gun to practice dry-firing a bit before the bears started moving. I swapped the bipod over, and while it could have worked, I just wasn’t comfortable with the amount of flex in the legs and the movement. So, right then and there, it was determined that if a bear came out in this area, we would try to find a better spot to shoot from. Also, in this situation, I tried to see what shooting off my backpack placed vertically would be like, but I didn’t feel that was a great option either.

A bipod is meant to help me stay extra steady and closer to the ground. Which is why for most of my hunts, I use a bipod that goes from 7 to 10 inches. If I need something taller, most likely, I won’t be taking a further shot and can lay my gun on my backpack.

This exact scenario happened on a past mule deer hunt. The snow was so deep that using my Harris bipod was impossible. So I just tossed my backpack down and still made the shot count.

Also, figuring out what size bipod you need could come down to comfort and your body type, too. For example, if you have a deeper upper body/chest, it might be uncomfortable trying to get really low in a 7-10” bipod.

7-10” bipods for hunting

10-14” bipods for hunting

12-27” bipods for hunting

Now to throw a curveball…

Let’s say you don’t have a bipod, but you want the ability to shoot off something to be more stable. This could either be for shooting while seated or standing up. For these situations, there’s a device that can be attached to a tripod that can make you very steady and allow you to take a comfortable shot that might not have been previously possible. That product is a Triclawps Solo Rifle Saddle and Tripod Mount plate. To use this, you will also need to attach a tripod plate to the bottom that fits your particular tripod head.

Attaching your rifle is very simple. Just place your rifle stock in the clamp and tighten it down. Then from there, you will use your tripod head to get set up on an animal, then lock the head down. This is also a great tool for kids or anyone who might need a solid shooting platform.

And one more curveball, if you absolutely don’t want a bipod, you could always use shooting sticks.

In conclusion

There are definitely times when a bipod isn’t needed, and you could lay your gun across a backpack or even on a log or tree. I’ve done that plenty of times. I’d rather have a bipod and not need it than need it and not have it.

If you’re going to use a bipod on your hunting rifle, I can’t stress enough how important it is to practice shooting off a bipod and even tossing in some hunting-type situations in your practice. Learning how to use all the functions on a bipod and practicing with it will definitely increase your accuracy while hunting this coming year.

One little hint, the GOHUNT Gear Shop will be carrying Atlas bipods this spring!