Do most BR competion shooters use a rest with joy stick or with out ?

[NDAR15MAN]

I am just getting started in this long range shooting. Just been a hunter all my life. I found out the hard way this weekend that F class shooting will not be for me. At 59 years old and knee replacement on both knees the last 24 months I cannot pick my self up off the ground. Did a experiment last week in back yard. No can do. So looks like it will be all bench rest shooting and maybe not even competion because I don’t even think I will be able to pull the targets when it is my turn. So looks like prairie dog hunting , shooting gongs long range on some farmers / ranchers property and local rifle ranges 100 to 600 yards. Question ..... Do most competition Bench rest shooters use a rest with joy stick or one with out ? Wondering. I think for my kind of shooting above rest with out joy stick would work the best for my kind of shooting ! Your thoughts.... thanks. Marty

 

[expiper]

once you get used to a joy stick it is the only way to go,,,,a used Hart/Sinclair/Bald Eagle with a Shadetree joy stik top is way cheaper than a SEB or Farley and works just as good,,,Roger

 

[Ringostar]

Benchrest doesn't involve pull and mark targets like is done in F class. You shouldn't have a problem competing.

 

[Stan Taylor]

We'll at most matches I go to it is about 50/50 as far as joystick versus traditional rest welcome aboard hope you get to join all your friends an enjoy the learning of long range..

 

[newbieshooter]

Benchrest doesn't involve pull and mark targets like is done in F class. You shouldn't have a problem competing.

For the few LR BR matches I've attended, we had to work the pits - pulling and marking shots on targets during the sight in period.

There were extra persons available in the pits for shooters unable to perform pit duty....

 

[alinwa]

I am just getting started in this long range shooting. Just been a hunter all my life. I found out the hard way this weekend that F class shooting will not be for me. At 59 years old and knee replacement on both knees the last 24 months I cannot pick my self up off the ground. Did a experiment last week in back yard. No can do. So looks like it will be all bench rest shooting and maybe not even competion because I don’t even think I will be able to pull the targets when it is my turn. So looks like prairie dog hunting , shooting gongs long range on some farmers / ranchers property and local rifle ranges 100 to 600 yards. Question ..... Do most competition Bench rest shooters use a rest with joy stick or one with out ? Wondering. I think for my kind of shooting above rest with out joy stick would work the best for my kind of shooting ! Your thoughts.... thanks. Marty

I've shot both 100-200 Group BR and 600 BR with guys in wheelchairs..... you CAN do Bench Rest. IMO just get out there and DO IT for starters, Ch'oot What'cha' Brung or even just stand around and watch (bring a spotting scope and 'pod if you do this) and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Far as the rest??? IMO you get'cherself a modest Sinclair or Bald Eagle front and 2-3 bunny/rabbit ear rear bags (Edgewood/Protektor style, NOT cheapos! the rear bag is IMPORTANT!!) and you'll never not use it..... even if you do graduate to a joystick some day.

This is an aside, and probably TMI cuz you didn't ask...... but IMO it is very valuable to learn how, and more properly WHY, to use/understand the importance of the rear bag. The BackSack doesn't get it's fair share of attention nowadays.... (did I mention, It's IMPORTANT!??) .......and with an Olde Schoole front you've got a better chance of learning how to navigate the rear.


my opinion


TIFWIW


So I'ma' vote for no joystick.

Obviously, if budget isn't a factor, just get both

 

[NDAR15MAN]

yes just shooting my Sightron 10-50x60 moa-2 i can really tell how important rear bag is. i can see my heart beat in scope at 18 power and above. i think the rear bag could be more important then front rest. thanks for your help guys. Marty

 

[6MMsteve]

yes just shooting my Sightron 10-50x60 moa-2 i can really tell how important rear bag is. i can see my heart beat in scope at 18 power and above. i think the rear bag could be more important then front rest. thanks for your help guys. Marty

Marty you need to shoot BR it's fun, easy to do, but not easy to win, but you will have fun and meet good people, go ahead and shoot the 1000yd BR matches it's fun till you start buying barrels and building guns and spending money, but if you win a relay and place in a match it's all worth it, there are lots of people that have never even won a relay

 

[6MMsteve]

yes just shooting my Sightron 10-50x60 moa-2 i can really tell how important rear bag is. i can see my heart beat in scope at 18 power and above. i think the rear bag could be more important then front rest. thanks for your help guys. Marty

get a rudder or something like a guide attached underneath your stock front and back then get the appropriate bag, go to a shoot and maybe someone will let you try a rifle or shoot one in a match someone always has a spare Bench gun and I'm sure they will gladly let you fire away, I know If I was at a match and had a spare gun I would not hesitate to loan it to someone who wants to sling some lead down the course, get the feel for it

 

[Mega]

Marty,

When I first went down the path of Long Range Shooting and a Scope of higher power than say 20x I suffered the Heart Beat Syndrome. I spoke with a friend who is one of Australia's top benchrest shooters. International best as well. The first thing he said to me was "Relax", especially relax my right hand (trigger hand) and take all pressure off the stock. I took his advice and practiced a lot. Now using a March 8-80x56mm even on near maximum settings (under good conditions) my result is "What Heart Beat"... It's gone completely and my results improved to a standard to up with the best of the best. The other thing is No Cheek Weld, the hardest part was keeping my cheek off or just barely touching the stock. It's now all second nature same as getting a sight picture through the scope. Just sit, look, get ready and shoot.

I started with a basic front rest but it wasn't long before I wanted better. I went to modifying my Caldwell with a SEA Coaxial and never liked it so bit the bullet and bought a Farley. Never looked
back, it's chalk n cheese. The SEA/Caldwell sits in my shed gathering dust basically. The Farley is just so neat to use with the suggested Joy Stock between two fingers and the base of my hand on the bench to keep it steady and allow very fine adjustments. My trigger hand I would hardly feel the contact with the stock and it rests on the front of my "Big Foot" rear bag.

I shoot Benchrest only, I have a spinal injury and like you mentioned, if I lay down on the ground I am in pain yet alone getting back up unassisted.

 

[CaptainMal]

For BR shooting you not only do not need a joystick rest but it can be a handicap. The darn things not set up properly can move. This is especially true of the cheaper ones that are still quite expensive. Using even the good ones means a hand on the joystick which means complete control of the rear bag cannot be done with your non-trigger hand, unless you come with three arms.

For F class where you do the same as BR but have to lay on the ground (because the ranges are too cheap to build benches???), the joystick is good. That way you do not have to reach way up and fiddle with the rest adjustments while that arm and elbow is trying to hold you up off the mat.

You can shoot F class if you wish with a regular rest like the Sinclair BR models. They are good and work at a world class level at a beer-class price. Just buy a drummer stool to take to the bench so you can adjust the height and make BR fun and easy to do.

I am giving in to relative and friend pressure to shoot a few F Class matches starting this winter. Going to use a new mat given to me. Shortened one of my stocks to make it easier to function laying down and am using my JB conventional rest with bottom plate. All I now need is to figure out how to get back up when done, maybe a pillow to help my neck while shooting or taking a nap on that mat.

 

[Mega]

Why would you need to touch the rear bag at all...?? Don't understand sorry. Once the rear bag is set with the front rest to track correctly it isn't touched and is so heavy (10kg) it can't move or well, it shouldn't unless it's filled with fairy dust.

 

[JMayo]

I like bench rest shooting. I have a cart to haul/hold all my stuff when setting up and taking down at relay change. No fetching or scoring targets.
I have a bad leg and back. No f class for me.
USB is what I've been shooting 600 & 1k. There is UBR also 1,2,3 hundred, I think.
Also my local club has center fire at 100 shooting dots.
Allot of fun in bench rest that many "older" ppl can and do have fun at.
North Carolina is where I'm at.

 

[CaptainMal]

Why would you need to touch the rear bag at all...?? Don't understand sorry. Once the rear bag is set with the front rest to track correctly it isn't touched and is so heavy (10kg) it can't move or well, it shouldn't unless it's filled with fairy dust.

You must tune and shoot "free recoil". No way will I deal with that mess but some like it.

I tune with a teeny bit of contact between shoulder and butt. No rear bag can compensate for those minor and changing inputs. Only my thumb and forefinger can deal with the changes needed to hold the perfect zero. I adjust the front rest if needed but mostly make the final adjustments between my fingers. I have Wheeler tracking plates and Bostrom ones. Never, with the many special Edgewood bags I have made for each rifle I use, is the rear bag a "set and forget" proposition.

I also enjoy the way I shoot with my minimal contact to reinforce the issue that I am needed in addition to just an equipment shoot.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

If your stock is tracking well Id bet you will like a knob rest better. The joy sticks are not as precise, and actually slow me down. If the stock doesnt track or your holding off like in f-class or prone the joysticks are nice. The sinclair is on sale right now and it will take you to the top. Its a great rest.

 

[GSPV]

There are, broadly, two kinds of short range benchrest. Group and Score.

I’m here to tell you that a joystick rest of some kind is greatly beneficial to score shooting.

 

[BartsBullets]

There are, broadly, two kinds of short range benchrest. Group and Score.

I’m here to tell you that a joystick rest of some kind is greatly beneficial to score shooting.

And Group!

Bart

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

There are, broadly, two kinds of short range benchrest. Group and Score.

I’m here to tell you that a joystick rest of some kind is greatly beneficial to score shooting.

Absolutely! A joystick rest rest covers just about any shooting discipline well and is much better where a lot of movement is required, IMHO.

Very few score shooters use anything else and a good portion, if not the majority of group shooters do as well. They work well but take about one match to get use to. The biggest variable to me, is that I see lots that are not what I consider to be adjusted properly. If it's not, you'll likely have a less than ideal experience with one. You have to play with it to get it set just to your feel and gun weight. Once set to my liking, I have absolutely no reservations in saying that there is no way I'd go back to twisting knobs or bag squeezing.

If adjusted properly, it should be smooth and very precise. The SEB is like butter, but is honestly better than it has to be for the job. The Farley is very good. I sold mine and went back to an inexpensive Shadetree top simply because its much cheaper and my scores didn't improve with the Farley or a SEB vs the Shadetree. There are things that I prefer about the SEB and Farley but I'm not one to spend money on things that don't make me shoot any better. I've built a couple of prototype coax rest tops that worked quite well too. It gave me enough info to know where/what I needed to improve upon and what is as good or better than the other models that are currently popular. It's mostly about geometry, quality bearings and very good tolerances but is not rocket surgery, building a very good coax front rest. I will very likely campaign my own design soon. We'll see how it goes.

 

[Chris Covell]

I will still stand behind the JJ.

 

[Jeff A]

I'm sorry to add to the confusion but I had a Joystick and sold it. I'm now shooting Long Range Benchrest and using a
Sinclair Competition rest in addition to some Edgewood bags. Take a look at the first video you come to on the left side of the following page: https://www.wheeleraccuracy.com/rifle-components
This is an amazing video that shows that if the rest, gun and bags are right you can have a very stable shooting platform. The shooter is not too bad either.