Editing Bipod

{{Short description|A tool used to mount devices, most notably guns}}
[[File:FN MAG white background.jpg|thumb|Most [[general-purpose machine gun]]s, such as this [[FN_MAG#Bipod_and_tripod|FN MAG]], have a bipod to increase accuracy for the full-automatic fire mode light machine gun fire support role.]] 
[[File:5 Podhale Battalion - mortar.JPG|thumb|[[Polish Army|Polish]] LM-60D 60mm [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]] with an adjustable bipod, with a baseplate as the third point of support.]]

A '''bipod''' is a V-shaped portable attachment that helps support and steady a device, usually a [[weapon]] such as a [[long gun]] or a [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]. The term comes from the [[Latin]] [[prefix]] {{lang|la|bi-}} and [[Greek language|Greek]] [[root (linguistics)|root]] {{lang|el-latn|pod}}, meaning "two" and "foot" respectively.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bipod-Definition and More|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bipod|access-date=10 February 2012}}</ref>

Bipods are designed to support the weight of the weapon's [[forearm (firearm component)|front portion]] and [[gun barrel|barrel]], and provide significant stability against unwanted side-to-side movements (i.e. [[cant (shooting)|canting]]) while allowing free movements [[wikt:pivot|pivot]]ing around the transverse [[axis of rotation|axis]] ([[pitch (aviation)|pitching]]).  Most modern bipods have foldable and/or [[telescoping (mechanics)|telescoping]] legs, and allow some limited movements around the vertical axis ([[panning (camera)|panning]]) and even the longitudinal axis ([[roll (flight)|tilting]]).

A bipod by itself, with only two supporting legs, is not completely stable and needs to be reinforced by at least one more point of support to be steady, especially against the horizontal [[shearing force]] from [[recoil]]s. This third point of support is typically the [[buttstock]] that is firmly pushed/braced against the shooter's body, but can also be a [[weapon mount#Baseplate|baseplate]] (in [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s), sometimes with additional support from a [[monopod]] or a [[bean bag]].

== Firearms ==
[[File:Sako TRG folding stock + Zeiss 3-12x56 SSG P.JPG|thumb|A [[Sako TRG]] [[sniper rifle]] on its standard factory bipod and it's [[monopod]] beneath the rifle's butt]]
[[File:PK machine gun.jpg|thumb|The right bipod leg of the [[PK_machine_gun#Accessories|PK]] [[general-purpose machine gun|GPMG]] accommodates links of a cleaning rod]]

{{main|Weapon mount}}
Bipods are commonly used on [[rifle]]s and [[machine gun]]s to provide a forward rest and reduce unwanted motion. They are also seen on other long-barreled weapons. Bipods permit operators to easily rest a weapon on objects, such the ground or a wall, reducing fatigue and increasing accuracy and stability. Bipods can be of fixed or adjustable length. Some can be tilted and also have their tilting point close to the barrel's central axis, allowing the weapon to tilt left and right.{{clarification needed|date=November 2023}}<!-- it's not entirely clear why this is useful --> Some designs also allow the weapon to be rotated side-to-side. There are three ways for bipods to be folded: away from the shooter, towards the shooter, or into a vertical foregrip.

=== History ===
The first known use of bipods on firearms can be traced back to [[hand cannon]]s of the [[12th century]], which were cast iron barrels laid on top of short poles.<ref>[https://blklblbipod.com/two-legs-are-better-than-one-the-evolution-and-history-of-bipods/ BLK LBL Bipod | Two legs are better than one–the evolution and history of bipods]</ref>

Bipods on rifles are first known to have been used in an improvised fashion during the mid-19th century, particularly by [[American frontier|frontiersmen]] hunting [[American bison]] and other wild animals. For example, the painting "The Long Shot" by [[Howard Terpning]]<ref>[http://www.artcountrycanada.com/images/terpning-long%20shot.jpg The painting "The Long Shot" by Howard Terpning]</ref> shows native American hunters shooting a rifle with an improvised bipod consisting of two crossed arrows.

During the 20th century, use of dedicated bipods increased, and was seen on different types of rifles during wars. For example the [[Lewis gun]] (1914) was fitted with an adjustable bipod.<ref>[http://www.nfldww1.com/3/weapons.html Weapons History - Lewis Gun]</ref> The technology became more advanced, with hinged legs and even extendable or retractable legs. The Brixia M1923 machine gun used a bipod that could also be used as a harness allowing the user to move around firing the weapon handling only the spade grips.

One of the first companies to manufacture commercially successful bipods was Harris Engineering, Inc founded in 1979 in [[Barlow, Kentucky]] by Gerald Harris, Margaret Harris, and Susan Wilkerson. Before starting the company, Gerald had applied for a patent on the bipod.<ref>[https://patents.google.com/patent/US3327422A/en US3327422A - Bipod for attachment to a firearm - Google Patents]</ref> In 2019, their successful Harris Bipods have been produced for nearly forty years, and have remained relatively unchanged.

Recent advances in manufacture of bipods include use of lightweight materials such as aluminium, carbon fiber and titanium, use of different quick attachment and detachment mechanisms (Picatinny, M-LOK, etc. or even magnets<ref>[https://www.gunmart.net/shooting-accessories/equipment/bipods/steinert-neopod-bipod Steinert NeoPod Bipod | Bipod Reviews | Gun Mart]</ref>) and various types of feet materials such as rubber, metal, or a "basket" designed to stop the bipod from sinking into soft surfaces such as fine sand or deep snow (inspired by [[ski pole]]s and [[snowshoe]]s).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://missioncriticaldesigns.com/s-s-b-p/ |title=Soft Surface Bipod Platform (SSBP) by Mission Critical Designs |access-date=2019-07-18 |archive-date=2019-06-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626231004/http://missioncriticaldesigns.com/s-s-b-p/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Mounting standards ===
There are several mounting standards for attaching a bipod to a rifle, of which some well known are [[sling swivel stud|swivel stud]], [[Picatinny rail|Picatinny]], [[M-LOK]] and Versa Pod spigot mount. Starting in the late 2010s, the [[Tripod head#Arca-Swiss style|Arca-Swiss style]] also gained popularity in shooting competitions such as the [[Precision Rifle Series]] since the rail allows for stepless adjustment.<ref>[https://precisionrifleblog.com/2018/02/17/shot-show-2018-really-right-stuffs-new-products/ SHOT Show 2018: Really Right Stuff's New Products - PrecisionRifleBlog.com]</ref>

== See also ==
{{Wiktionary|Bipod}}
*[[Tripod]]
*[[Monopod]]
*[[Shear legs]] - large bipods used for lifting items
*[[Shooting sticks (weapon mount)]]

== References ==
<references />

{{Firearm accessories mounting standards}}

[[Category:Firearm components]]