Columbus, Ohio SWAT sniper Mike Plumb got into position behind his Steyr SSG PII rifle.

Officer Plumb set up in a prone position with his rifle and used his bipod to steady his shot.

He focused intently on a suicidal man named Doug Conley.

Conley sat 82 yards away on a white plastic lawn chair in the middle of an intersection.

He held a .38 revolver to his head, threatening to commit suicide.

Police responded by blocking off the street and opening negotiations with Conley.

But two hours later, tensions and temperatures were high.

Conley was still sitting there with the revolver in his hand, and negotiations were breaking down.

When negotiations finally stalled, Lt. Peter Tobin gave permission to fire with one caveat.

SWAT Officer Plumb was told not to injure the suicidal man.

In other words, Plumb had to shoot the small .38 revolver out of Conley’s hand…

Without causing any harm to Conley himself.

Plumb carefully aimed for the tiny revolver.

And when Conley dropped the .38 revolver between his legs, Plumb fired.

The revolver exploded inside Conley’s hands, leaving him completely untouched.

Conley stared at it, now in three pieces, on the ground.

He only had time to look up and act as if nothing had happened before being tackled to the ground by police.

His only comment when he was arrested was “That was a good shot.”

The sniper shot was dubbed “the shot seen around the country” and replayed on newscasts across the nation.

Now, any military or police sniper will tell you that a bipod is an important piece of sniper gear.

A bipod is an attachment to a weapon (usually a rifle) that helps support and steady it.

It provides significant stability along two axes of motion.

Bipods allow the shooter to rest the weapon on the ground.

This reduces fatigue and increases accuracy and stability.

Bipods can be fixed or adjusted in length, and some have a tilting point allowing the weapon to tilt left or right.

Here are the pros of using a bipod…

Better accuracy: Bipods provide better stability when shooting.

Your rifle does not wobble about when you are aiming at your target.

Instead of putting your elbow on the ground for stability, or pressing on your shoulder, the bipod stabilizes the weapon.

Provides support: Imagine having to press that rifle on your shoulder all the time.

With time you become fatigued, especially if it is a larger weapon.

This fatigue can reduce your accuracy and efficiency.

A bipod can alleviate this.

Ideal for long distances: A bipod increases your accuracy when shooting greater distances.

They are a good bet for distances above 200 yards.

And there are various types and sizes of bipods so you can find one that fits your shooting position.

As useful as they are, here are a few cons of using a bipod… 

Hard to follow up: If you miss your target, and it changes direction abruptly, it can difficult to make a follow-up shot.

This happens when the bipod gets stuck on the ground where it was placed.

And by the time you sort this out, your target will be long gone.

Can be bulky: Having extra loads to carry around, apart from your rifle might not be a fun thing.

Bipods come with storage bags, and you have to carry them along with you, wherever you go.

Some take time to assemble and set up.

Not useful for short distances: With a threat appearing from nowhere at close range, a bipod could be an impediment.

You need an immediate change of gun direction to then pull the trigger.

Trying to find the best location to place your bipod could cost you time.

Now, you may not own a sniper rifle…

But you can use a bipod on many different rifles, including your AR-15.

And because the AR-15 is one of the most popular long guns, here are the top three bipods I would check out.

Harris Bipod Solid Base 1A2-25C: The Harris bipod is designed to be the tallest version in its range.

It is 13.5 to 27 inches in variable height.

It’s very sturdy, and it has been claimed to handle the recoil from rounds such as .308 Winchester with no issues.

This bipod is made in the U.S. with heat-treated steel and super hard alloys, giving you a solid foundation for your AR-15 rifle.

It also has a black anodized finish to give it extra durability and corrosion resistance.

It connects using swivel studs, so if you don’t have one in place, you may need to purchase a separate adapter.

Either way, you won’t have to worry about the bipod slipping as there are quality rubber-tipped bases on each leg to keep it firmly in position.

The Harris bipod sells for $120 new.

UTG Tactical Bipod: The UTG tactical bipod comes with rubberized feet that will increase its stability.

This will help on a lot of different surfaces, such as gravel, dirt, or even wet rocks.

The bipod has a heavy-duty metal construction that makes it more durable than other models.

It comes with both a Picatinny rail and a swivel stud mounting base, so you can use this combination to attach your rifle to it directly.

The swivel stud uses a threaded pin to attach to the rifle’s original stud.

The bipod allows the rifle to rest at a height of 8 – 12.4 inches, so you can use it while shooting prone or seated.

The legs can be locked in place using a thumbwheel, and the rubberized feet will keep the bipod stable on slippery surfaces.

The UTG Tactical Bipod sells for around $50.

AccuShot Atlas: If you’re looking for a state-of-the-art bipod, you should look at the AccuShot Atlas.

This bipod has a very strong build, and it can withstand anything you throw at it.

The bipod can be attached to any 3 groove Picatinny rail.

This bipod uses stainless steel legs that can be adjusted to five different steps.

The lowest height is 4.75”, and the highest is 9”.

The legs are very sturdy, and you can lean on them when shooting.

Despite its sturdiness, the bipod is lightweight.

This will allow you to carry the bipod every time you go to the range without any kind of problems.

This bipod can pivot smoothly in a narrow radius.

You can acquire your targets faster without interfering with the rifle’s height.

The AccuShot Atlas starts around $200 depending on the specific model you choose.

Whether you are a hunter or even just a homeowner, bipods can help you a great deal.

They can help you enjoy shooting more, and help increase your accuracy while eliminating fatigue.