Thread: Javelin MK11 - Bipod

I recently purchased a Javelin MK II Bipod and have now had an opportunity to field test it a couple of times so I thought I'd offer up a few thoughts:

First, these bipods are ridiculously expensive ($470-ish) so the big questions is - are they worth it? Well... naturally that question is subjective because it depends on how you value such things. If you want a top quality, lightweight bipod then the answer is yes, they're totally worth it. If you don't care what you hang off the front of the stock then yeah, nah, buy a cheap Chinese knock-off of a Harris for $60. As I'm doing more alpine hunting than bush hunting (and I'm getting old and tired.... sorry - old, GRUMPY and tired...) the idea of carrying less weight up the hills is appealing. Am I really saving much weight....? No, probably not as much as I'd hoped. But something is better than nothing.

In the box you get a Bipod, a curved mounting Adapter, a couple of screws and an Allan Key. Installation took 5 minutes. There is alternative to using the Adapter which is pretty swishy - the "Gunsmith Insert" - and I'll probably end up going that way in future. There are a number of videos online detailing the installation so I won't blab on about it here.



In the field I've been carrying the bipod hooked over my belt. It stayed put and was easy to access at a moments notice. I like the idea of a pouch on the sling and you can now buy these ready to go. When walking through scrub and crap the fact the bipod isn't mounted up front means less to tangle on. It also means less weight out forward so balance is retained when you want to shoot but have no need for the bipod. I like that - especially if using a suppressor as the balance is already forward enough. When you need to take that long shot with the bipod, you place it in the Adapter (retained by the magnet) and you're good to go.

The feet are adjustable in length - rotate the legs a couple of turns, pull to desired length, tighten. Done. I found that you don't have to get too fussy with the height adjustment on uneven ground because the bipod has quite a good amount of side to side angular adjustment. One of the best features of the Javelin is the ability to track a moving animal with out having to move the feet. The Adapter allows a good range of rotation from left to right so it's very easy to follow an animal that is moving across the scope.




So was it worth the money? Mmmmm... probably not.
Do I like it? Yes, definitely. Loving it in fact.
Would I buy another one? Yep, I think I would.
Best suited to: Those who like to hunt the tops or enjoy the challenge of long-range shots.