I don't know about the "feel right" factor. If I'm the automatic rifleman and I'm rushing foward alternately with other fire teams, I would want the bipod extended so that everytime I prone out my fire is relatively more accurate than it would be with it up (taking into account weapon weight, my fatigue, stress over getting shot at ;D, the damned Iraqi summer heat, etc.)
Re. the animations. I believe it's only a matter of time before someone comes out with an animated M60 or M240. If you the minigun on BAS' "Littlebird", the barrels rotate when firing!
I did not think we would ever see an animated gun when the Vulcan (M113 with Vulcan...) came out. There are some enterprising blokes out here in the community who are right now working on an animation editor!...Just a matter of time before we get our animated MGs, and matching soldier animations.
I just wish the terrain and objects (think window sill, sandpags, my buddy's dead carcass) would support bipods/tripods. Perhaps there is some sort of 3d/graphic or config.cpp "work-around" for that, in that the bipods/tripods, when extended take on whatever properties allow any other moving object, e.g. tank, soldier, etc. to not sink.
Just a matter of time, my friend.