Does anyone have experience with bipods having a bad effect on accuracy using a free floated barrel. I am using a Harris bipod on a 308 with an 18" fluted bull barrel. Bipod attaches to free float handguard. It seems that I am more accurate shooting from sand bags, but when I shot recently with the bipod my group opened up. I could see a bipod effecting accuracy of a non-floated setup, but am not understanding how it could effect a floated barrel. Any ideas? Is it just me?
If you are using iron sights with the front site mounted to the rail, I could see that possibly having an effect on accuracy.
If you are using a scope, maybe the bipod provides less resistance to movement, both laterally and vertically. AKA the gun pivots more easily on the bipod, while sandbags most likely offer a more stable mount.
If that is the case you may need to work on finding your natural point of aim. When you do find your natual point of aim you will notice that your sights/crosshairs just rise and fall with your breathing with minimal to no lateral movement.
Are you shooting prone or from a bench? Are you loading the bipod?
It is very possible that it could you have to understand how much the structure integrity is lost on the M16 upper when its a M4 type also the M16 barrel nut for never meant for that kind of stress it only has a small amount of threaded surface area as well.
That’s said no one can argue with how accurate the AR can be so I doubt its a problem with well designed free floats and good tempered forgings
Bags and packs are more stable the bipods and monopods. Additionally, unless you are loading the bipod, the jump off of a hard surface may be affecting your follow through.
I also think it is more likely that the bipod is less stable than bags. If it was an issue with barrel harmonics caused by applying pressure to the barrel somehow it would shift POI but shouldn’t cause the group to open up (provided that the pressure was consistent, which it should be with a bipod).
Just make sure your scope is solid. I had one fluke where my reticle was moving, and when shooting from Bipod, it took more of a beating so it moved more. Drove my self crazy trying to figure it out.
We do what we call a prefire checklist which includes checking all the screws and making sure they are witnessed marked. I tend to agree with ruf. If you’re shooting off a hard surface with rubber bi pod feet, you get a fun little bounce when the weapon recoils. We’ve seen that happen at our place a lot with both gas guns and bolt guns. On regular grass/ dirt, you bed the legs in a little bit (move them back and forth to make sure they’re not on a rock or hard earth) to negate that. Shoot off various surfaces (bed the legs when possible) to test this. Shoot off the bag as well and see what happens. Personally, I shoot off the bag. Good luck
Additionally, how you mount the gun with a bipod can affect whether the upper and lower play will affect follow through, and the consistancy of it can affect poi (if you are holding onto just the lower and buttstock for example).
I have seen the same thing. I am more accurate with my Rem 700 PSS when shooting off sandbags than shooting off my bipod. If you preload the bipod, that helps your accuracy.