Bipods are probably the most underutilized piece of helpful shooting gear, a tool that should be in your toolbox. But like all tools, you need to pick the appropriate one for the job. Normal size bipods, 6-10 inches, cover a lot of gaps. But sometimes, you are forced into a less than ideal shooting position, and for that, you need something else. Fortunately, that tool now exists.

SPECS   

Type: Field Model 

• Height: 6.75 in. – 29 in.
• Weight: 23.9 oz.
• MSRP: $200
• Manufacturer: Swagger Bipods

SPECS

• Type: Tree Stand/Blind Model
• Height: 9.75 in. – 41.25 in.
• Weight: 25.78 oz.
• MSRP: $220
• Manufacturer: Swagger Bipods

In the past, your options for a support in kneeling or standing positions were pretty much limited to two options. One was shooting sticks, which have a nasty habit of folding on you when you need them. They are better than nothing, but they also are not the most stable option. The second option was a camera tripod, preferably with a special adaptor on top of it to hold your rifle. This presents the problems of bulkiness to carry, the speed of employment and price.
 
 
 
 
 
Last week, I got my hands on an oversized set of bipods, known as Swagger bipods.
These bad boys extend all the way out to 41.25 inches for the blind model, and 29 inches for the field model. The locking mechanism for the legs is a twist lock, offering an endless variety of selectable heights. Each leg is three sections, that lock independently, making employment a cinch.
The bipods attach easily, securely mounting to either an existing sling swivel or a rail. The body of the Swagger matches the contour of your stock, and the legs house inside the plastic body of the unit. Folded away for transport, they don’t extend past the barrel of normal sized guns. To use them, simply pull out on the Bungie loaded legs, and they snap into place in a different position. The top of the legs is a coil spring, which gives the system more flex than a normal bipod, or shooting sticks. It also makes tracking a moving target a breeze.
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The author’s group without the bipod.

For testing, I tried the Swagger in a couple of less than ideal shooting positions. Like most shooters, I am sure I don’t practice standing and kneeling positions enough. That reflected in my test. I shot a five-round group on a bullseye standing and kneeling, first without the bipods. The result was suboptimal. I think I can kiss an invitation to Camp Perry goodbye. Adding the bipods into the equation, my group sizes shrank by half. That is a pretty solid endorsement in my book. The idea of using bipods while standing, secured against your hips, is a bit unorthodox. But it does work, and work well. I did the same thing last week with a 6.5 Creedmoor, and it worked out great.
If your hunting grounds often require you to shoot relatively high positions or down angle shots, this is a tool you need. Perfect for either the blind or the field, Swagger bipods are worth taking a look at.
For more information about Swagger bipods, click here.

The author’s group shrank by half with a bipod.

To read about more tips and tactics about utilizing packs and bipods, click here.