Bipod for an FAL?

[mountain_cowboy]

Okay, I have a Dan Coonan Fal, without the bipod attachment on the barrel. I have tried installing a sling stud in the holes of the handguard for a Harris bipod, but the stud pushes up on the barrel and screws up accuracy.
What's the best way to attach a bipod to this FAL? Can I retrofit it for the standard FAL bipod? Do those barrel-attached bipods hinder accuracy? Thanks.

 

[DMK]

My STG58 barrel has special ridges machined on the barrel. This held the bipod in place, but allowed it to rotate for an uneven surface. From your pic, it doesn't appear that you have those ridges to hold the bipod in place, so a surplus FAL bipod would slide up and down on the barrel. Perhaps you could find and aftermarket bipod to clamp on there.

As far as accuracy effects, yes it would definately affect accuracy. How much would be a guess. The pressure should certainly push your shots up and anything clamped onto your barrel will effect harmonics possibly opening up your groups.

Now, it can't be all that bad though. Austrian STG58s had bipods attached to the barrel and I can't imagine they'd have kept them on there if it made them shoot terrible. I don't think they got too upset if they got 4moa groups with them though.

Here you can see the three ridges machined into the STG58 barrel on my FAL

 

[Wllm. Legrand]

Bipod makes little difference in accuracy in the FAL. I shot at a local FAL shoot this summer with one of mine that happens to have the bipod on it..it scored highest at 600 meters (not using the bipod, only having it attached).

It's a friggin' battle rifle. All due respect, the "harmonics" that are important on long range shooting don't amount to a hill of beans with a "minute of iron-site" battle rifle. The same goes for the sling, unless you hunker down on the thing in some horrendous manner. I use the sling on the FAL in "hasty sling" mode and it doesn't create a discernable effect.

 

[hksw]

Only thing I can think of is to try one of those handguards with integral rails on them ans attach a pod that way.

Above is DSA's version.

 

[hso]

If your barrel doesn't have the bipod cuts then you've little choice about bipods. You can clamp a nasty folding bipod to the barrel or you can spend a buttload on a forend rail system to attach a bipod to. Or, you can get your gun rebarreled with a bipod cut barrel.

I wouldn't worry too much about accuracy considering it's a FAL and you don't have a 'target' heavy barrel on it.

 

[GunnySkox]

I've seen bipod mounting systems that attach to sling-swivel studs, and have another one attached between/behind the bipod's legs. If your sling is attached up front by a standard swivel, would it be possible to use that?

http://www.harrisbipods.com/

~GnSx