Arguments for/against traditional/coax rests.

[zanemoseley]

I don't currently shoot much long range but do have a Savage BR in 6br with a Rempel bipod I carried over from a Tikka 308. I'm getting excited about a new local range that is going to have electronic target matches next year, I plan on making it to a few F class matches. Since my 6br will be in the open class anyway I'm considering going to a full front rest soon.

I'm curious what the current pros/cons are for a traditional rest like the Sinclair or JJ versus something like a Seb Neo or mini. I know a lot comes down to personal preference but I'm looking at objective arguments for one versus the other. At the top level of competition what is the mix of one versus the other?

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Obviously, speed is the advantage of a coax type of rest. Properly adjusted, and I simply don't see a down side to them vs a standard windage adjustable type rest.

That said, there seem to be several coax rests out there that are not what I consider to be properly adjusted.

 

[ShootDots]

When I started in F-Open I used a VERY OLD Sinclair BR rest. It worked just fine! However, I did not. The constant reaching up to the windage screw on the front part of the rest became so time consuming and the R-E-A-C-H-I-N-G brought on fatigue by the middle of the second match. Attempting to make fast shots in a certain wind condition was not possible. Having said all that, going to the SEB was a God-Send! But if you are not going ALL OUT for competition, the 1000 bucks is a lot to spend..

 

[zanemoseley]

Well the new Seb mini looks rock solid and costs $700 which is a bit more friendly on the wallet compared to the Neo, I could also sell the Rempel with adapters for close to half that. So really its about the same price as the Sinclair traditional rest, it just has that pesky wait.

 

[Bob L.]

When I started in F-Open I used a VERY OLD Sinclair BR rest. It worked just fine! However, I did not. The constant reaching up to the windage screw on the front part of the rest became so time consuming and the R-E-A-C-H-I-N-G brought on fatigue by the middle of the second match. Attempting to make fast shots in a certain wind condition was not possible. Having said all that, going to the SEB was a God-Send! But if you are not going ALL OUT for competition, the 1000 bucks is a lot to spend..

I found the same thing going from a Sinclair Competition to the SEB NEO. Reaching for the mariner's wheel required me to come out of position ( I always seemed to run out of speed screw adjustment). My scores improved immediately with the NEO. I also changed to SEB rear bag recently and it has helped as well.

 

[Richard Coody]

used a sinclair for years. when i switched to the mini everything improved. try it. you will like it. getting one might be your problem but selling it if you don't like it will be no problem

 

[brxbrad]

If you don't want to throw down $1000+ for the mac-daddy of rests I understand. I put it off from the time SEB released the Neo till about 3 months ago. I started with a cheap Midway rest then moved to the Caldwell BR. From there I bought a Bullets.com Slingshot. I was trying to save money.......ha ha ha. We spend thousands on our rifles, bullets, brass, primers, loading equipment, shooting mats, wagons to put all of it in, motel rooms, steak dinners, drive hours to get there, then shoot poorly and go home pissed off all because we short cut our support equipment. Well I finally came to my senses and took the plunge and bought the SEB Neo. I haven't sat down and totaled what I spent before the SEB but after buying the rests and all the "additions" necessary to shoot off and stabilize them, and now after owning a SEB, I'm still asking myself "What was I thinking and why did I wait so long?" If you going to be a serious shooter don't waste your time and money on the lesser equipment.

 

[rardoin]

I found the same thing going from a Sinclair Competition to the SEB NEO. Reaching for the mariner's wheel required me to come out of position ( I always seemed to run out of speed screw adjustment). My scores improved immediately with the NEO. I also changed to SEB rear bag recently and it has helped as well.

Darn it Bob.....quit buying equipment; if you keep getting better we will petition the NRA for a new classification- Supreme High Master. You have been a LASER beam this year!

 

[LHSmith]

From what I have seen in SR BR, despite the advantage of faster target acquisition, some shooters find that they just get better scores with their original non-coaxial rest. Many have found that it is difficult to hold the joy stick steady perhaps due to arthritis or cramping. FWIW, I believe Tony Boyer does not hold on to the joy stick when firing.

 

[Shynloco]

Zane,
I still shoot off the tradition style Sinclair BR Rest.....but then I don't compete either anymore and do it strictly for pleasure. But I had the opportunity to shoot off a NEO a few weeks ago and found out what I was missing. To answer your question in two words, "TARGET ACQUISITION" regardless of conditions. That joy stick makes life MUCH easier, especially in windy condition. Simply, there's no comparison in my book. And when you're on the CLOCK, the speed at which you acquire your target simply reduces that worrisome feeling of running out of time or rushing your shots.

Alex

 

[R.Morehouse]

Joy stick will help also if your rifle does not track......

I have 3 rests....I have a Viper custom that is rock solid that i use for LR-BR....A JJ Loh that is an amazing piece of machinery and adjusts/ tracks perfectly for point blank group shooting and most recently a Farley CoAx 2 with upgrades for 30cal score shooting. The Farley is also perfect for what i need it to do....Smooth and as precise as the Seb II i sold a few years back before i decided to shoot score. Each one of my rests works better for me than the other would for my intended use. If i had to choose one of them to use for everything i am pretty sure it would be the Farley because of the many ways you can adjust it for different weight guns and applications.

Regards
Rick

 

[Kyle Schultz]

I've been thinking about this very issue for a while as I'm starting to gradually transition from F-Class to more benchrest-styled shooting.

I currently use a Neo for F-Class shooting. IMO, it can't be beat. While the stick makes hold offs easy, the Neo's biggest attribute I believe is it's large range of vertical adjustment. We generally are shooting off uneven ground and no 2 firing lines are identical. It is easy to get the Neo dialed in.

I've recently been shooting 100/200Y VFS matches. I'm still using my Neo. As these matches are shot off a bench, a wide vertical adjustment capability is not so critical. However, because the 6 individual targets (1 sighter and 5 record) are offset about 6" up/down-left/right, the joystick makes it quick and easy to move from 1 target to the other. I've not had to tried it but it would seem it would require a lot of knob twisting on a non-coax rest to accomplish that same movement. In a match that only lasts 7 minutes, that could be a issue.

It seems to me that non-coax rests shine in group benchrest shooting. Here, assuming your gun precisely returns to the previous POA each and every time, (If not, contact Alex Wheeler), all you might possibly worry care about are small, minute tweaks. And since you can independently each axis, those corrections can be more precise.

One final consideration is the ability to swap tops. While F-Class rules are locked in at 3" forearms, BR rules allow wider forearms. If you want to use the same rest for both disciplines, you need to think about how you're going to handle those differences.

I would love to hear other opinions. Good luck!

 

[jr600yd]

+1 for the Farley

 

[butchlambert]

I kid my customers that all FClass shooters have short arms. Seriously, it is nice to not have to get out of position to adjust your rest. That is an advantage as well as getting back on target quickly. When the conditions are changing quickly, it is good to get back on target right now.
www.shadetreeea.com
With our early short joystick.

We've also eliminated the lock nuts on the tension screws and have nylon tipped setscrews from the bottom to bear on the tension screws. We've also changed to fine thread screws to make fine adjustments easy if needed. We have also added delrin buttons with springs to allow a 22-25lb rifle to be used if necessary.

 

[Bob L.]

Darn it Bob.....quit buying equipment; if you keep getting better we will petition the NRA for a new classification- Supreme High Master. You have been a LASER beam this year!

Thanks, Robin, but you have shot pretty darn well yourself!

 

[zanemoseley]

Well you guys twisted my arm, I put myself on the wait list for the Seb Mini. I'm gonna wait until I get to shoot the Mini before selling the Rempel. The Rempel is a beast of a bipod but if I'm shooting in Open class I might as well take advantage of of a stationary rest.