Review: Is the Spartan Precision Equipment’s Javelin bipod the ultimate bipod system?

This bipod is part of a modular system that includes a tripod for standing shots and all manner of accessories to suit

I’ve seen a few products from Spartan Precision Equipment reviewed in our sister magazine, Sporting Rifle, and the guys there told me just how impressed with them they were. It’s clear that Spartan set out to make their products to be the best of the best, with no compromises at all, and the Javlin bipod they sent me to review is a good example of that. It was a clean sheet of paper design, with no concessions made to honour older designs, no matter how popular they are. They also proudly use the finest materials from top-quality aluminium alloys, to carbon-fibre, which explains why their products weigh so little.

The bipod employs Spartan’s unique and patented mounting system that features a metal female connector that bolts on in place of your sling swivel stud, and incorporates a loop for your sling swivel. The spigot at top of the bipod has a powerful magnet to hold it firmly in place once inserted. In a quite different approach to other bipods, the legs do not fold, relying on the instant removal facility for convenience. Once detached, you can drop the bipod into your rucksack or carry it in one of the belt loop carriers offered by Spartan. Just out of interest, I fitted the bipod and shook the unloaded rifle as hard as I could to see if it would fall out and unsurprisingly, it stayed stubbornly fixed in place.

Flexibility

The socket is machined to create a simple and rugged mechanism that locks the bipod solidly when fitted in one direction, and allows panning when fitted the other way. Just in front of this, there a hand-adjustable friction control for cant adjustments, allowing you to lock it solid or set some friction so that you can correct the rifle’s attitude whilst on aim. This is absolutely vital for long-range accuracy, and as hunting happens out in the countryside and not on a hard-standing, it’s a very necessary feature. The lever is neat and compact and can be lifted out of engagement and repositioned, to clear your stock with the tips of the fingers.

All of these features add flexibility and deliver different types of support to suit the hunting situation in which you find yourself. The standard legs extend from 6½ to 9½” and there is a selection of longer legs offered to cover pretty much every hunting scenario you could imagine. The longest ones are almost 20” so will get you up and over long grass or crops. Swapping legs takes just seconds with their twist-lock mechanism, so changes could even be made in the field if you choose.

Fitted case

To ensure that you can get proper support on every surface, the feet have hard spikes made from tungsten carbide, which are covered in rubber boots, so they can be adapted to work on everything from concrete to ice with equal security.

This bipod is part of a modular system that includes a tripod for standing shots and all manner of accessories to suit. I noted a Picatinny rail adaptor that I thought would be useful for the Weihrauch HW110K we have in on test, which is the one you’ll see in the picture. Fitting took seconds and I can see this being well suited to many of the so-called tactical rifles that are on sale today.

Fitting the mounting plate is made easy by the selection of rubber wedges supplied that conform to the shape of the rifle’s fore end. There’s also a choice of bolts from a conventional wood screw to fine-thread machine screws, in the stylish carrying case supplied with every bipod. The fitted cases are lovely things that match the quality of the products they so strongly protect.

This is an extraordinary piece of engineering designed and made by hunters who travel to far flung places to hunt in the toughest conditions. At just 150 grammes you hardly know you’re carrying it, but it’s a strong and stable as any bipod on sale today. Of course it’s expensive, but it’s built like part of a formula one car and is a joy to handle and use. If you own your dream rifle and need a bipod of the same quality, then the name ‘Spartan’ should be at the top of your shopping list.

Standard Javelin bipod £255

Leather holster £30

Longer legs £39 to £69

Picatinny adapter £40

Tel: 0208 0900 585

Website: javelinbipod.co.uk