Rigby/RUAG Bipod System

There’s little doubt that the Harris bipod in all its forms is the most popular design on the planet; certainly if all the copies are anything to go by. The benchmark for me is their BRS (Bench Rest Swivel) Reasonably compact and light with a working height of 6-9” it has a cant (roll) facility that compensates for uneven ground and individually sprung legs and a simple, QD facility. So anything new needs to bear these features in mind and offer some form of alternative build.

Getting Heavy

The John Rigby & Co Gunmakers Ltd bipod is a no compromise design and certainly bigger and heavier than anything else out there. Less rifle mounting kit the unit ways a hefty 2 lbs 9oz, which is over twice that of a BRS. The build is solid with a large aluminium yoke that drops the barrel line nearer the hinge point. The legs are steel with sprung extensions, release catches and textured rubber feet, they pull out and rotate to lock and can be stowed backwards or forwards as suits. Wider, aluminium (claw) feet are an option.

The design offers lockable cant and swivel facilities, plus mounting options – QD sling stud, Picatinny, Accuracy International (AI) spigot and Anschutz-type rail. The design consists of three assemblies - a vertical mounting pillar that attaches to the forend, a cant/swivel block which the leg assembly slides into. Cant is controlled by a clutch lever at the front and swivel by a knurled, screw-up wheel underneath. Fully closed and measuring from the hinge point you have a minimum height of 8”, which increases to 11” in four increments.

Ugly But…

The Rigby is one big and ugly looking design and they describe it as tactical, target and varmint-orientated, where weight and size are of less importance. However, putting 2 ½ lbs+ on an already heavy rifle is a big consideration. Likewise I could never imagine using it on a hunting rifle! In use I did appreciate the fact the bore line sits lower in relation to the bipod and the width between the hinge points makes for greater stability.  Deploying and stowing the legs is not easy as you have to pull them against serious spring tension. The lockable cant is useful and so to a lesser degree is the swivel facility, which offers the potential of tracking moving targets. Both are easy to access from prone, however, I think they need springs to maintain tension as they can slack of if not checked for tightness; certainly the swivel.

• Name Rigby Bipod

• Price £353.15

• Conversion Kits £144 to £227

• Claw feet £54.60 (pair)

• Contact: RUAG Ammotec UK Ltd, 01579 362319 www.johnrigbylondon.com

• For: Good stability and flexibility of adjustment

• Against: Too big, too heavy and too expensive

• Verdict: What does it really offer over the Harris?