I was on the phone with my good pal Mark Bansner—custom gunmaker and Head Honcho at Bansner & Co.—discussing the specifications of a new stock he was building for my Winchester Model 70 Classic Stainless, when I’d almost forgotten one of the most important features. We’d discussed cheek pieces, recoil pads, color scheme and materials, but I realized what I’d missed before we hung up: I wanted the Spartan Precision Magnaswitch installed at the forend. When that old .300 Winchester came back from Mark’s Pennsylvania shop—albeit in a nearly unrecognizable guise—I immediately reinstalled my Leupold VX-5HD 2-10x42, and snapped the Javelin Pro-Hunt bipod into the magnetic socket to sight the rifle in.
Let’s face the facts, while the vast majority of our hunting shots—and as a New York woods hunter, I include myself in this statement—are inside of 100 to 150 yards. But the optics, cartridge and bullet technology have increased to the point where a well-practiced marksman can confidently take shots at three times that distance; it will however require some aids, and I highly suggest you take advantage of them. Just recently, I used a carbon fiber tripod to set up on an aoudad ram a helluva ways away, and wouldn’t have even considered taking that shot if I didn’t have that piece of gear.
Enter Spartan Precision Equipment, a UK-based company who make some excellent shooting aids—primarily bipods and tripods. I have tried a good number of bipods and tripods over the years, from the spring-loaded models which seemed to make a ton of noise in the woods to the adjustable lightweight aluminum tripods that were more in tune with traditional African shooting sticks, and I wasn’t really satisfied with any of them. However, Spartan’s lineup is a game-changer, allowing for the quick adaptation from regular rifle to bipod or tripod very quickly, giving the shooter the steadiness required to precisely place the shot. Spartan uses a magnetic socket to quickly attach and detach their products, allowing the bipod or tripod to attach to the forend of the rifle without encumbering the rifle while carrying it. And, their bipods are wonderfully light.
I have a pair of Spartan’s Javelin line of bipods—specifically the Javelin Pro-Hunt and the Javelin Lite, which serve my needs very well. The lighter of the two is the Javelin Lite, tipping the scales at a mere 5.3 ounces, yet offering the rigidity of the 7075 aluminum combined with the carbon fiber. The legs are fixed in length at 8¾ inches, yet offer the rotation at the rifle/bipod joint, but the install/removal process needs nothing more than magnetic pull. Those legs screw into the base, and fold down to a 9x2½-inch footprint, fitting neatly in a pocket. The legs culminate in a rubber foot; underneath those feet is a small carbide tip to offer a more secure grip on whatever surface you may be leaning upon. So the Javelin Lite is a great option for those who have the opportunity to utilize the prone position on relatively flat, level surfaces. It is unobtrusive when carrying in a pocket, yet when the pressure is on, the Javelin Lite assuredly helps to make the shot.
The Javelin Pro-Hunt is just a wee bit heavier, weighing in at 7.6 ounces, but gives the advantage of adjusting from 7 inches to 9½ inches with just the depression of the thumb tabs on the legs. Folding into an 8x2½-inch footprint, the Pro-Hunt is a bit more flexible, making the strange shot angles so frequent in the field just that much easier. I find that the seemingly-small adjustments of the Pro-Hunt make it completely worthwhile, especially when you drop down in the myriad different field positions. Either way, this pair of lightweight bipods make the hunter’s life considerably easier, as no looks good in the “I missed” trophy photo.
Last, yet undeniably not least, is the Ascent Tripod from Spartan Precision Equipment. While I like and use the rifle clamp/cradle design, having the Davros Pro Gen 2 and the socket in the rifle’s forend makes for one quick and convenient setup. The tripod itself is multi-purpose; it can be used with a spotting scope, binocular or rifle, it can get down as low as 11 inches—acting like a bipod on steroids—or the legs can be extended to 50 inches. And if that wasn't enough, each of the extendable legs can be unscrewed to be used as a trekking pole. The legs can be set to four different angles, making those awkward setups that much easier, and the tripod comes with a hook under the head, in order to hang a weight to add further stabilization. Weighing in at 1½ ounces over 3 pounds, this might just be one of those items which could make or break a hunt in the mountains, where a long shot might be the only possible opportunity at that Dall sheep or Coues deer. Like the bipods, the rubber feet hide a carbide point which can give the needed purchase on differing surfaces. Whoever designed this tripod did an excellent job; it’s a serious piece of gear.
Now while Bansner was kind enough to put the Javelin socket in the forend of my rifle, there are simple adapters available for purchase which allow you to use this system without any permanent modification to your rifle. The Classic Rifle Adapter replaces the front sling swivel, simply screwing into the original hole, while giving the Javelin socket and an attachment point for your sling. If you should choose to return your rifle to its original configuration, with the turn of a screw the modification is undone.
The Javelin line is not inexpensive, with the simple Javelin Lite carrying a price tag of $100, the ProHunt bipod coming in at $340, and the combination of the Ascent Tripod and Davros Pro Gen 2 setting you back a total of $1,350 dollars. But when one compares those prices to the cost of an airline ticket, combined with the drawn tag, the cost of the hunt, tips to the guide and all that jazz, it doesn’t seem unwarranted, especially if it prevents you from coming home haunted with a miss.
