The UTG Recon Flex Bipod mounts to the sides of a rifle forend with the included M-Lok screws. A solid bipod, the Flex is well made and reasonably priced,
Firearms Instructors, and anyone who uses a firearm for recreation or as part of their duties recognize the value of having a stable platform when firing their weapon. As a Firearms Instructor for over 26 years, and a Marksman on my department Critical Response Unit, I find that a stable platform is one of the most important part of the process when I’m preparing to fire. The best platform for a rifle in my opinion is either resting the forend on an immoveable object, or a bipod.
My department recently switched to Daniel Defense rifles, the DDM4V7, for patrol use. Although this review is not about the Daniel Defense rifles, it very well could be as I am extremely impressed with them but that may be for a later date.
The DDM4 V7 is a standard AR-15 variant, and comes equipped with an M-Lok forend for mounting. My previous patrol rifle was a Colt 6940, which utilizes the M1913, or Picatinny mounting system.
My previous patrol rifle for the last several years was equipped with a Grip Pod, which mounted to the bottom M1913 rail. Without adding additional parts, I was not able to utilize the Grip Pod. As my duties as a Police Officer and Marksman sometimes place me in situations where I may need a stable platform for my rifle for extended periods of time, I began looking for something to fill this void.
I then came across the UTG Recon Flex M-Lok bipod by Leapers. When I received the Recon Flex, the first thing I noticed was it appeared to be very lightweight, which was important so as not to unbalance the rifle too much. I didn’t weigh it, but it felt to be about a pound. The description said it was made with aircraft grade aluminum, and was anodized.
It is equipped with large rubber feet, to prevent slippage. Although it is lightweight, it seemed pretty Skookum to me. It came in a very small box, with a small slip of paper for directions. Since I’ve used M-Lok for other applications, I didn’t really even need the directions.
The Recon Flex came with all mounting hardware, including an Allen Wrench. Mounting was a snap, and took all of about one minute. If a person has ever mounted anything with M-Lok, they already know how to mount this bipod.
The bipod mounts to both sides of the forend at the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions. The hardest part of the mounting was determining where exactly I wanted the bipod to rest. I decided to mount it about halfway down the forend to allow it to swing forward and backward.
The Bipod has five pre-cut positive locking positions in a half moon shape, which allows the user to rotate the bipod legs forward and backward for different positions. The legs of the bipod also have five pre-cut notches in the legs for different heights, but the user can also rotate a locking wheel in between the notches to get the perfect height for their rifle. Shortening the legs requires depressing a lever and pushing it back in.
Movement of the legs forward and backward is accomplished by pulling down on a locking ring, and moving the leg to one of the pre-cut locking positions. The legs move independently, and can be rotated 180 degrees forward and backward. The lug mating with the locking positions is pretty beefy, and the locking positions are pretty deep.
There are two sizes for the Recon Flex; 5.7 inch to 8 inch, and 8 inch to 11.8 inch. I chose the shorter bipod, as the barrel for my rifle is 16 inches and I wanted the bipod to rest in the forward position when not in use. I did find that fully extending the bipod with a standard 30 round magazine inserted, the shorter length doesn’t allow the shooter to access elevated targets from a prone position, as the magazine is less than an inch from the ground. I could use a shorter magazine if needed though.
I’ve been using this bipod now for about three months, and shoot several times per month. The bipod has been moved forward and backward countless times, and still looks new. It is still as tight as the day I first mounted it. I’ve also used the left leg as a foregrip with no issues.
Since the legs move independently, you can also adjust them for uneven surfaces, or only deploy one side if terrain or cover restricts the movement.
I did have one issue with the bipod early on though. When first evaluating it, I yanked one of the legs very hard to see how much it could take, and actually pulled it out. I discovered that the legs are held in by a rubber O-ring. I saw the O-ring hit the ground, so it wasn’t lost. Putting it back together was easy, as there is a notch that the O-ring rests in on the extended leg. Once I put it back in the notch, it was pushed back into the housing and seated. Since then I’ve had no issues with it, and I’ve pulled the legs out very hard many times.
All in all, I’m very happy with this bipod, and recommend it for anyone having an M-Lok forend on their rifle and needing a steady platform for shooting.
Pros-
Reasonably priced, around $55.00 with shipping.
Low profile, rotates out of the way when not needed.
Lightweight, but strong.
Cons-
One issue with overextending leg.
Not spring loaded, legs have to be extended individually.
by George Kelley
George has been a Police Officer in Southwest Washington State for over 26 years. He served in the United States Marine Corps as a Military Police Officer/K-9 Handler. He’s currently assigned to the Department Critical Response Unit as a Marksman/Observer, Firearms Instructor, Armorer, Field Training Officer, and Motorcycle Officer.
He spends his spare time outdoors, hunting, fishing, and camping with his family.
Photos by author