Leapers UTG Tactical OP-2 Bipod Review Model TL-BP88

Leapers Bipod Review, UTG Bipod Review, OP-2 Review, TL-BP88 Review
Last month I reviewed one of UTG's bipods.  You can see that review by going to this link, Leapers UTG Tactical OP-1 Bipod Review Model TL-BP78.  In that review, I compared the UTG OP-1 to another manufactures bipod since I had one that was nearly identical in height.  I also showed the bipod installed on my FNAR rifle.  After that review, I performed a review of the UTG Foldabpe Foregrip since I own three of these grips.  During the grip review, I installed the OP-1 bipod on my Ruger 10/22 and really like the way the bipod and grip nested on the quad rail.  Since my son also has a Ruger 10/22, the same quad rail, and the same foldable foregrip, it just seemed like the fatherly thing to do was to set him up with a bipod on his rifle.  Instead of putting the exact same bipod on his rifle, I ended up going with UTG's slightly taller bipod.  I chose a taller bipod because it provided for a new product to review.  Therefore, this is a review of the Leapers UTG Tactical OP-2 Bipod.  Since the OP-1 and OP-2 are basically the same bipods except for height, you need to take a look at the OP-1 Review and see how it compared to another manufactures bipod.

You can find the Leapers UTG Tactical OP-2 Bipod at CheaperThanDirt.com for $21.97 plus S&H.  The photo below is the bipod in the box.

The next photo is of what comes inside the box.  The bipod itself comes fully assembled.  The adapter that converts the sling swivel stud to a rail mount is also fully assembled, but I have shown it disassembled below.

The next photos show the outside of the box in more detail and the basic marketing data on the bipod.

The next couple of photos show the OP-1 and OP-2 bipods together.  The first photo is with them fully collapsed and the second photo shows them fully extended.  The only real difference I can see between these two bipods is with the leg tube lengths and the spring sizes.  Everything else seems to be the same, which I would have expected.

OP-1                                         OP-2

I checked the OP-2 bipod to verify it's fully collapsed and extended heights.  My simplistic methods checked out to be as advertised, 8.3" to 12.7".

The bipod assembly weighed in at 13.35 ounces.

The adapter assemble weighed in at 2.27 ounces

Just so you can see the parts a little better, I included another photo of the adapter assembly.  There is the rail plate, swivel stud attachment, cross pin and thumb nut. 

The only issue I found with the bipod was that the cross pin threads seemed to be poorly machined with a slight taper as shown below.  Is this a deal breaker?  No, because the cross pin actually gets captured by the slots in the rail plate and the thumb nut.

The adapter installs on a rifle with the following pictorial steps.  Slide the swivel stud attachment over the swivel stud.

Install the cross pin

Slide the rail plate over the swivel stud attachment.

Tighten the thumb nut firmly to prevent the rail plate from moving.  Also, there is a rubber pad between the rail plate and your stock.  The edge of the rubber is visible below.

Last, attach the bipod like any other normal rail mounted accessory.

Bottom Line: 

I'm pleased with the overall value you get with Leapers UTG Tactical OP-2 Bipod.  I'm not sure how long CheaperThanDirt.com can continue their low pricing, but at about $22 plus S&H, I think this bipod is a deal.  Even at the higher Internet prices (low $30s) it is still cheaper than some others on the market.  The threads were not perfect on the cross pin, but had no impact on the performance of this bipod.  I also checked my OP-1 and the threads were OK on that cross pin.

Just for kicks, I am showing the photo of my Ruger 10/22 (folding stock) as well as my son's.  We have been tricking them out and enjoying it.

Update 12/24/10:

I added the photo below to show the bipod in the closed position.

Leapers UTG Tactical OP-1 Bipod Review Model TL-BP78

Leapers Bipod Review, UTG Bipod Review, OP-1 Review, TL-BP78 Review
The next item I reviewed is the Leapers UTG (Under The Gun) Tactical OP-1 Bipod.  I currently own several taller bipods, but I wanted a bipod that keeps a lower profile when shooting from a bench.  I have been pleased with the many other UTG products I own and feel this would be another good item to review.  My initial examination of their new bipods indicates another potential successful product.  You can take a look at all of the Leapers UTG bipods by looking at this link.  You can find this bipod at CheaperThanDirt.com today for  $21.97 plus S&H.  Other places on the web have it for as high as $34.

The next couple of photos show what you get when you purchase the bipod.

The next photos show you what is on the outside of the box.

The last marketing photo I want to show is of two pages from their Owner's Manual.  It provides some basic views and features of the bipod.  Remember, you can always click on a photo to bring up a higher resolution image.

One of the first things I liked with this bipod is that you can use it with either a swivel stud or picatinny rail and you don't have to purchase an additional adapter.  The adapter is included.  I also liked the concept of the picatinny rail configuration as the standard configuration and the adapter is needed to convert it to a swivel stud.  Most of my tactical/plinking rifles already have rails and this means I can install the adapter on my hunting rifle.  I believe this will allow fewer adapter moves in the future.

The adapter is actually 4 pieces as shown below.

Locking Nut                Swivel Stud Adaptor          Locking Pin

Swivel Stud Mount - The area where the mount touches the stock is covered with a layer of rubber to prevent damage to your stock.

You slide the swivel stud adaptor over your swivel stud, then screw the locking pin in place.  Since the locking pin will be captured inside the locking nut, I think finger tight is sufficient for the locking pin.

Next you place the swivel stud mount over the  swivel stud adapter.

Last, you screw the locking nut tight against the swivel stud mount which secures the mount on the stock.  I actually found this to be very quick to install.  As you can see, this is not rocket science, but is is a good way to secure the adapter.  So far, this looks like good engineering by UTG.

Once the adapter is installed on your rifle, installing the bipod is simple.  Also, you still have a swivel stud remaining for your sling.

While doing this review, I remembered that my son's Ruger Charger came with a bipod similar to this size.  If I were to purchase his bipod today, it would cost over double that of this UTG bipod.  I decided to add a couple of photos so you can compare them directly.  I'm really struggling with why there is such a cost difference between these two bipods.  Overall complexity and number of parts is similar.

Other Manufacturer Top, UTG Bottom

Other Manufacturer                        UTB OP-1

The next several photos are of more detail on the specific components in the UTG OP-1 bipod.

The nut used to tighten the rail clamp can not be turned off.  This is a good thing because it prevents the possibility of dropping and loosing parts.

The thumb wheel shown below can be used to adjust the leg length to any intermediate position between full in and full out.  By pressing the bent piece of metal, the section of bipod leg will pop right back in if it is at it's fully out position.

I decided to confirm the heights stated on the box.  The box stated that the range of the bipod was from 6.1" to 7.9" measured to the bottom of the picatinny rail interface.  My actual measurements were 6.1" to 7.6".  Clearly it is not 7.9", but I don't think this is a big deal.

Now for the weight. The bipod weighs 0.724 lbs and the adapter weights 0.138 lbs.

Next I mounted the bipod on my FNAR lower rail and adjusted the legs from fully retracted to fully extended.  I also rotated the rifle some to see the top pivot flex.  The top interface of the bipod is pretty stiff on the top portion of the bipod, but when you attach it to a rifle, it will flex easily.  It is not designed with a lot of pivot rotation, but it does have some.

Bottom Line: 
When you consider the fact that you also get an adapter which allows you to use it on both a swivel stud and picatinny rail, this is a real bargain.  I paid $10 for a single adapter for one of my Harris Bipods.  I don't see how UTG can make a bipod like this for the price.  I think UTG should update their literature to reflect the full out height of 7.6", not 7.9", but this is not a big deal.  Would I recommend this product?  Without a doubt.

Update 12/24/10:
I added the photo below to show the bipod when in the closed position.