Do bipods change POI?

[pharmfisher]

I have a Tikka t3x in 6.5 creedmoor that is really accurate shooting off front/back bags. I mainly whitetail hunt out of a treestand, so a bipod isn't necessary. But I was thinking it may be nice to toss a bipod on for practice or if I sit in a permanent box blind where I could use one. But do they usually shift POI? I know that it's possibly a problem, but in your experience do they usually shift POI?

 

[kpk]

Not with a decent stock. If it's a flimsy tupperware stock that twists and hits the barrel it may cause some issues.

 

[pharmfisher]

Not with a decent stock. If it's a flimsy tupperware stock that twists and hits the barrel it may cause some issues.

Yea, unfortunately for now it's the factory stock. Waiting to see what that rokstock lite looks like !

 

[justinspicher]

I haven’t noticed any POI changes on my Ruger ranch stock and using a bipod.

 

[Article 4]

NO - in fact a good bipod on a good stock should improve any seen POI shift through making a more reliable and repeatable platform from which to shoot

 

[Gorp2007]

Yea, unfortunately for now it's the factory stock. Waiting to see what that rokstock lite looks like !

A little sandpaper and a can-do attitude can get you enough clearance to eliminate bipod concerns on a factory Tikka stock. I believe the industry standard is enough clearance for at least one dead cat.

 

[Article 4]

A little sandpaper and a can-do attitude can get you enough clearance to eliminate bipod concerns on a factory Tikka stock. I believe the industry standard is enough clearance for at least one dead cat.

There is a trade off for everything and most know I am not a fan of very light or super light rifles for anything other than the toughest and highest altitude hunting applications.
With anything is a "lite" I am always going to be a little less sure about reliable and repeatable performance.

 

[Gorp2007]

OP, I’ll clarify my earlier post a little bit. I’d borrow someone else’s bipod and see if your Tikka’s POI shifts. If it doesn’t, all your fears wash away and you’re good to go. If it does shift, a little sandpaper can help you eliminate the possibility of stock contact causing the issues.

Either way, sometimes a bipod can cause shifts based on how aggressively the shooter is loading them and how stiff the stock might be. No one can do better than tell you “maybe,” so your best bet is to go out and find out for yourself and your rifle.

Or just lean into the backpack and rear bag school of shooting.

 

[TaperPin]

Just like any shooting position, good consistent technique has to be used with a light rifle or it’s not hard to get a poi shift, usually lower if too much preload is used, or higher if the legs hop on a hard surface. It’s no different from shooting over a pack and getting poi changes from putting more shoulder pressure on the stock, or resting the forend directly on a hard surface.

What that good technique is also depends somewhat on the construction of the tripod. Most hunting rifles will recoil 1/4” to 3/8” before the bullet leaves the barrel - whatever the bipod does during that distance is transferred to the stock. My Harris models have stiff vertical legs and on a hard surface it seems to open up groups 1/2 moa vertically, but on soft dirt there’s no change - in my case it has nothing to do with the forend contacting the barrel. Other makes and models have much more forgiving designs and shooters can be much mess careful about preventing hop. Many people put a little forward load on the legs, and that allows a little more rifle movement before the feet on the legs move.

Simply shoot with and without the bipod to test your technique. I think of the surface that is being shot off of and pad it slightly if hop is likely.

I have have no idea why, but two very similar rifles can react differently to bipods - maybe it’s forend stiffness, or something else. Every couple years I give bipods another try and usually go back to shooting off a pack.

 

[Shortschaf]

Generally my experience has been NO.
They do not intrisically change your rifle's zero.

But I have seen the following also:

• Overloading the bipod can change impact and reduce precision
• Even slightly loading the bipod can change impact, but not reduce precision
• mounting a bipod in a flimsy location can reduce precision

Being that you're dealing with a 6.5 creed that isnt super light, I don't think you'll have much affect at all. Lightweight magnums exacerbate the above points

 

[justin davis]

I get a different POI from shooting with a bipod to shooting using a tripod. I suspect maybe it just me and not the rifle. But I get a different poi

 

[S-3 ranch]

My m70 wood stock rifles never had a problem
my ultra light savage plastic stock yes poi changes when I hunker down on the stock

 

[skipper907]

Yes you can see a poi shift with a bipod. One if you are using a factory stock. The stock has point molded in to make contact with the barrel
Also your rifle will just recoil a little differently with the bipod and change a grouping

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

 

[Macintosh]

Assuming that you have floated the barrel so loading the bipod doesnt cause differing pressure on the barrel…I’d bet its not the bipod itself changing poi, its your body position causing the gun to recoil differently than it does from other positions such as a bench, tripod, etc.