U.S.A. –-(Ammoland.com)- Bipods are a very personal choice for shooters. Some prefer the tried and true Harris style bipods while others go for something a bit out of the norm. While there isn’t anything wrong with the old school Harris bipods, there are some shooting sports like F-Class or Extreme Long Range Shooting that the tried and true Harris isn’t ideal for.
My first experience with the Accu-Tac FC series bipods was at an extreme long range shoot where Brad Stair, Charlie Melton, and other guys from a team that Ritter & Stark had put together. The objective of the shoot was to break the world record for a factory rifle shooting factory .338 Lapua Magnum ammo. During that particular shoot, I was able to land a hit on a 40″x40″ steel plate at 2,600 yards twice out of 5 shots taken with a Ritter & Stark SX-1 MTR and the Accu-Tac FC series bipod.
Features & First Impressions
When the Accu-Tac FC-5 QD was delivered, I was elated to see that the bipod comes in a very nice box that would have protected the bipod even if it were dropped from the Empire State Building. While that isn’t something that impacts the performance of a product, I love seeing companies take pride in how they deliver the product to the consumer.
The bipod is made from 6061 T6 aluminum, has a height adjustment that ranges from 5″ to 8.5″ and the stance ranges from 15″ to 17.5″. Accu-Tac finishes the bipod with a Type III hard coat anodizing, the whole package weighs in at 26.5 ounces.
The Accu-Tac line of bipods all features the same notched leg system that allows the shooter to adjust not only the height of the front of the rifle but also adjust the rifle cant in rough increments.
The legs are kept in place with spring-loaded latches that interface with ratchet cutouts on the retractable legs.
While the Accu-Tac FC-5 QD doesn’t have a tilt feature built-in, it does have a panning head that allows for roughly 45-degrees of travel. The QD attachment on the bipod requires the panning head to be turned to the extreme limit in order to open the lever enough to remove or install the bipod.
Once you get the rifle on target, you can lock the bipod in place by tightening the locking lever.
If rubber feet aren’t your jam, Accu-Tac also offers spiked feet that allow you to load the heck out of the bipod when shooting on softer surfaces.
Unlike the old Harris style bipods, the entire Accu-Tac bipod line uses the same pull to unlock hinges that allow you to set the angle of the legs to 5 different angles.
Range Time
While I have been using the Accu-Tac FC-5 QD bipod for the last six months when zeroing rifles, all of the images I have on hand are from the ELR shoot in New Mexico.
So why is the FC-5 QD preferable to the more traditional bipods? Simply put, the bipod not only provides a wider footprint without raising the rifle too much but it also places the apex of the bipod legs above the barrel rather than just below it.
As long as I don’t need to make tilt adjustments, the Accu-Tac has been my go-to bipod. With the spiked feet, I can really load the bipod for recoil management and the FC-5 QD offers a ton more stability than the Atlas bipod I normally favor. More stability means tighter groups and less left performance left untapped due to a slightly unstable position.
The FC-5 QD bipod is capable of handling most standard and magnum caliber rifles with ease thanks to its overbuilt construction. Even with a 14-pound rifle and optic mounted on top of the bipod, it felt stable as a rock.
Conclusion
The only thing that would make this the perfect bipod is the inclusion of a tilt feature to help level the rifle out a bit more. While the HD-50 bipod from Accu-Tac adds that feature, it is a bit chunkier than the FC-5 QD.
Overall I am very happy with the Accu-Tac FC-5 QD and will continue to use it when I need the most accuracy possible out of a rifle both at shorter zeroing ranges and when shooting extreme long range.
The Accu-Tac FC-5 QD carries an MSRP of $430 if you would like to know more, visit the Accu-Tac website.
About Patrick R.
Patrick is a firearms enthusiast that values the quest for not only the best possible gear setup but also pragmatic ways to improve his shooting skills across a wide range of disciplines. He values truthful, honest information above all else and had committed to cutting through marketing fluff to deliver the truth. You can find the rest of his work on FirearmRack.com as well as on the YouTube channel Firearm Rack or Instagram at @thepatrickroberts.