How would one know if a 6-9” bipod is needed as opposed to something taller? Where would a wide body be beneficial over a narrow one?
It really is going to depend on what shooting position you are in. If you are mostly shooting from the bench, a 6"-9" should work fine with the bipod's legs in the 90° position. It also depends on how high or low the shooting bench is. A bench built to your height would be preferable or having one with adjustable legs is a plus. Another issue is the type of chair you will be using. I use a drum stool with a wide range of height adjustment.
Now if you shoot in the prone position, especially in hunting environments, a taller bipod might work better for you. You don't want to be too low that your head and eye position is not in line with your scope. Another issue in the prone position is tall grass/vegetation in the way or really uneven ground. A taller bipod would be a plus in this situation.
I have several bipods (2 Harris, 2 Atlas, 1 Accu-Tac BR-4 Gen 2, and 1 Accu-Tac WB-4 on the way). I don't use the Harris Bipods anymore except on my Huntsman Regal because it has a sling stud and it is hard to mount a picatinny rail on the forend. I find myself leaning towards Accu-Tac more but I still like my Atlas bipods because of the light weight. In regards to sturdiness, Accu-Tac is my go to, hands down.
Atlas is easier to deploy the legs from the stowed position. Accu-Tac is easier to adjust the height on the legs compared to Atlas but is harder to deploy the legs from the stowed position without grabbing the forend of the gun for leverage. What I like about the Atlas is that it has a longer range of height adjustment compared to the Accu-Tac. In regards to a wider base, it definitely helps if the top of the legs are higher or in line with the center of the bipod mount. Just my experience.
@Peskadot671 Agree with you 100%
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