Swagger Bipod Hunter 42 Full Review

I spend a great deal of time behind the scope of a rifle hunting various game – everything from big game like elk, to small game coyotes and other predators. I’ve had shooting stick or trigger sticks in the past, but they don’t always accommodate all the shots that I need to take. This last year on Thanksgiving I missed a coyote because my shooting sticks got stuck in the sand when I tried to spin on a dog, so I had to freehand shoot my heavy bolt action, 22-250 with thermal scope. Needless to say, I missed and was frustrated. Fast forward to Black Friday morning, I decided it was time to pull the trigger on a Swagger Bipod, so I found a deal on Optics Planet and got it on the way to my house.

Coyote Hunting with Swagger Bipod on Ruger American on rocky side hill.

I purchased the Swagger primarily for my nighttime, thermal equipped 22-250 since it weighs about 17lbs, but with the plans to use it on my AR-15 and elk/deer rifles as well if need be. It showed up, I slapped it on my 22-250 and gave it a whirl. I liked that it allowed the mobility I needed from a seated position, as well as the option that it gave me to shoot from a standing position while supporting the front of the rifle on with my hips by kicking the legs back in. After a quick run through to ensure it worked as it should, I was out the door, headed out in the darkness in pursuit of the Wiley Coyote! Overall, the bipod worked pretty efficiently on my bolt gun. It allowed me to sit down comfortably, scan and shoot quickly. One major plus, was the ability to shoot standing supported. Night hunting predators can be a lot of work. One must be constantly moving and scanning through the thermal scope to ensure a surprise visit of a dog, cat or other animal doesn’t end up in your lap, so I spend a great deal of time standing in the darkness, spinning and scanning each sector. The ability to support the weight of the rifle/scope with my hips was a huge advantage and didn’t wear me out as quickly, as I had previously had to support the weight with just my arms, which can get tiring after a bit, making shooting precision shots more difficult with fatigued shoulders and arms.

Swagger on my thermal equipped Savage 22-250 used for night hunting

Standing, supporting rifle with the leg or hip by bringing bipod legs back in

I had a late season tag for both elk and deer, so I changed this bipod over to my Ruger American 6.5 Creedmore to help take better shots at distance if need be. The removal and install of the bipod isn’t too bad, but takes a few minutes and you will need a pair of pliers or a multi tool to loosen and tighten the sling swivel studs. I liked that I was able to adjust the Hunter 42 from being used in a prone position, to sitting and standing. It allowed for a lot of shooting options in an area where natural shooting rests were lacking. During the mid-day, I used my Swagger equipped Creedmore to hunt coyotes in the Arizona desert, with uneven terrain. The ability to position the legs in different lengths, angles and positions was awesome and I was able to use less discretion while picking spots to sit, call and shoot from.

Swagger Hunter 42 Bipod on Bolt Action Rifle, no extension

Using electrical tape to hold bipod securely without special AR-15 rifle adapter

Moving into the New Year, my deer and elk tags had ended, so I went back to focusing on predator hunting, this time in the daylight with an AR-15 rifle. I had noticed that they had a picatiny rail adapter that was sold separately (that I didn’t purchase), but I had a bipod sling swivel stud I had threaded into my handguard, figuring it would work the same as a bolt action rifle stock. It did not. I was disappointed that the rear of the bipod did not sit tight or securely on my AR-15. I felt that for the price of the bipod (MSRP $209), it should come with and adapter for an AR style rifle without having to purchase separately. Good thing I don’t care about looking “cool,” so I grabbed me some electrical tape and taped the back end securely around my handguard and was good to go. It only cost me a cent or two to hold it in place, the tape worked great for days, and so I have no intention of purchasing the AR adapter, especially since the bipod was quite expensive as is.

Twisting, locking mechanism to secure legs while extended

Overall it is a pretty good bipod, although I feel like the twisting motion of the legs to secure them while pulling them out longer, sometimes doesn’t hold securely all that well. Occasionally the leg will collapse on one side or the other, which is very inconvenient and can be frustrating, especially while I’m looking through the scope. Sure, I can say that I should have secured it tighter, and I should have, but if I crank down on them, it is very difficult to loosing back up to collapse the legs. I think there could be a better option, maybe like a Harris or something to hold it, but I understand if it has predetermined “locking points,” it cannot be fully capable of being completely customizable as a shooting platform. For now, I guess it is as good as we are going to get, and it gets the job done. I know my hunting buddies who also have purchased a Swagger have voiced the same concerns as I just have with similar issues.

Overall it is a great option for shooting, especially predator hunting where a person will be seated for the most part.

Recap:

Ø Pros:

o Adjustable, fully customizable shooting platform

o Sturdy

o Supports Standing shots

o Can rotate/spin back and forth

o Shoot prone, seated, and standing

o Perfect for heavy rifles

o Legs positioned any combination of directions and angles

Ø Cons:

o Fairly heavy for a bipod, not optimal for backcountry backpacking