Magpul Bipod

As a company, Magpul have always been innovators; they probably offer the largest range of tactical-type furniture and accessories for not only AR15s but other more practical-type rifles and shotguns too. Plus, they are famous for their P-Mags, and adding to this is a rather tasty bipod, that will gladden the hearts of most shooters in the UK, as they are equally well suited to rimfire and centrefire AR15-types, as they are to hunting and longer range rifles.

Looking good

The build is a combination of Mil-spec hard anodised 6061 T-6 aluminium and injection-moulded polymer. The outer (extendable) legs with round rubber feet and yoke are synthetic, the inner legs are metal, along with the pan/cant adjuster and mount. You get a choice of two colours, black and flat dark earth (FDE); always a favourite and a choice of three mounting systems; M-Lok, Picatinny and A.R.M.S 17S, this last one is not so relevant for our market. On test, is the Picatinny/FDR version.

The build is sleek and clean with none of the external springs etc. of the Harris and its clones we are perhaps more used to and all-up weight is a pleasing 11oz. When stowed, the pod is 2.2” deep and 3.3” wide; so, not that bulky or obtrusive or heavy on the gun. The metal Picatinny mount fits by twin cross screws that clamp through the rail with slot heads. This attaches to a vertical, threaded shaft that passes down through the yoke with a larger, knurled wheel at its base. This assembly cleverly and simply combines both pan and cant facilities.

Pan and cant

In pan (traverse) mode, you get 40⁰ in total with 20 left and 20 right. Cant (tilt) offers a full roll of 50⁰ (25 left and right). Adjustment is easy, just slacken off the wheel and set up as required, clever is the fact that you can lock the pan centrally (0⁰), yet still adjust the cant; it’s simple, as you do not tension it all the way to achieve this.

Depending on your needs, the bipod can be positioned with the legs forward (under barrel) or rear (under forend). When up, they are retained by a small amount of spring tension and fold down without anything having to be pressed; so, just reach forward and pull down. Once deployed, they lock by individually sprung buttons either side of the hinge points on the yoke.

7-Positions

Unsurprisingly, the legs are heightadjustable with press in buttons at the tops of the polymer extendable sections, with fully closed and six positions to fully open. The buttons have to be operated for each height increment, as they lock in each cut-out. Measuring from the base of the Picatinny clamp, total adjustment is from 7.5 to 10.5”. Each of the six positions adds ½” of height when measured with them deployed. The rubber feet work well on most surfaces, yet Magpul says that they can be removed by drifting out the roll pins in the base and they will also accept most Atlas-pattern bipod replaceable feet too.

In use, the bipod worked well, it’s easy to fit and the combined pan and cant function is most practical, as is the single and easy operation manner of how it’s tensioned. Legs are secure when stowed yet fold down easily and snap into their locked position securely and are easy to adjust for height. There is a tad of twist and flex, but that’s to be expected with the build style, however in the aim it’s easy enough to maintain a stable firing position. Even at minimum extension with my 22 AR I could use a 25-round magazine without any height problems. Overall, I was generally impressed with the build, design and practicality of what the Magpul offers. Though not as cheap as a Harris-type, they are certainly cheaper and lighter than the likes of the Atlas, Tier One and similar makes.