SEB NEO modification suggestion

[Jefferson]

a newish 1000 yard probably ibs competitor with a seb neo rest, love it

but with a 4.1 inch stock it is difficult to spread the ears wide enough, was wondering if there was enough interest to get SEB to make a new and improved model of the NEO,

in other words, is there NOW a market for the wider fore ends so that the neo can be upgraded to accommodate stocks up to say 5.1 inches wide,

yes it could be called the max but here is the issue

MAX 45 LBS NEO 22 LBS and I am getting older and so is everyone else, and I think it would be somewhat easy to design a new rest with a slightly wider footprint to get the new stocks into the front bag,

the feature to change the stock width from gun to gun instantly is great with the 3 piece bag set up would be the cats meow

just asking packing stuff up hill is tougher each year and to drag a 45 pound rest and a 25 pound rear bag just gets old in a hurry

add 125 bucks to the price and keep the weight down to a 25 pound limit and let us sell them

what would be the demand,

make mine fancy please,

Jeff

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I think you can get the MAX with an aluminum base. That may be the ticket...

 

[seb]

Jeff,

Not to oversimplify a thing but if the MAX is not your choice, you can probably "push" your NEO "to/over the limit" by removing the side tension screws to accept a 4.1" stock.

CTC between posts of the NEO is 200 mm (approx 7.874"), there is 175 mm space between the posts... side plate and side bag assembly is about 30 mm thick on each side (side plate 15mm thick + side bag must be over 13mm thick) x 2... minus 105 mm (4.1") stock width... it still has about 10 mm free space for side to side movement. *(Even 6 mm side to side movement in the top will give you over than 2X the size of the target @ 1,000 yds).

You know "the downside" though, you will need to give enough/proper side tension on your stock by squeezing the side plate assembly IN and then lock the side plates...not by the side tension screws provided, anymore.

Not a bad thing or ideal anyway, just worth to try. Never done/tried it myself but in theory...it's do-able.
And I believe it wouldn't affect your groups at all, that way.

All the best,
seb
www.sebrests.com

 

[Jefferson]

Sorry for taking so long to respond. I have known SEB since 2005 at the worlds short range BR at Kelblys range. He, Paul Schmid and Ernie are great to deal with at all times. Also, it is not my wish to discuss or compel SEB to talk about his business model, sales and projections for future table mounted front rests. It was hoped to get some feedback of interest in 4 to 6 inch gunstocks for use on a bench for 600 to 1000 yard usage. Here are my thoughts.

Not sure what the orders are like for the MAX going forward. But a possibility (and not a certainty) is guys and gals are choosing the MAX for use with stocks greater than 3 inches and less than 6.5 inches. So 4, 5 and 6 inch stocks to be used from a cement type bench and shooting distances greater than 200 yards. Maybe or maybe not and I do not care either way more competitors are NOT USING 8 INCH STOCKS WITH 100 POUND GUNS MUCH ANYMORE OR AT LEAST OR NOT BUILDING THEM A LOT. My concern due to a health issue that arose just before I was notified my MAX was in a couple of years ago was the weight of the MAX, nothing else. Even though with the footprint of the max making it a little less user friendly for narrow benches on some short range facilities it still can be done with a taller stool.

It would seem that in speaking with dozens of guys in Canada and the northwest USA a lot of NON-COMPETITORS use a NEO due to weight alone. Quite a few guys I know (about 30) have said they would like a MAX and may build a heavy gun (not to compete with) but just use at the range for personal enjoyment.

It would then seem reasonable to just make a NEO a little wider to accomodate the 6 inch stocks with a WEIGHT OF 60 POUNDS FOR THE COMPLETE GUN without having to buy a MAX rest that weighs 50 pounds. Maybe the weight savings would only be under 10 pounds so not a bit deal just suck it up and buy the max, OK I get it and have started that process once again.

My thought was to have a discussion about the future of 600-1000 yard bench type shooting in a non-competitive environment where there may be hundreds of shooters in north america and elsewhere that may buy a MEDIUM WEIGHT AND FOOTPRINT REST. That is all I was trying to achieve, as the MAX is heavy and maybe to heavy for me.

The sales for SEB may not change much HOWEVER THERE MAY BE HUNDREDS OF GUYS WISHING TO BUILD A 30 POUND RIFLE TO USE AT THE LOCAL BENCH WITH A 4 OR 5 OR 6 INCH STOCK THAT MAY NOT NEED THE MAX WEIGHT LIMIT OF 100 POUND GUN, NOR WISH TO PACK THE 50 POUND MAX REST 150 YARDS TO THE FIRING LINE AT THEIR LOCAL RANGE.

Capital letters for emphasis not internet yelling,

I was hoping to get some feedback in order to guide Ernie and Seb into THINKING of a new product, so then there would be 4 models, a neo, a neo br Rattigan, a neo plus, and a max. for example

Please accept my apologies if I have offended seb or ernie in any way as that is not my intent, after all a MAX SE is in my future I think as this idea may not get off the ground.

 

[seb]

Hi Jeff,

I didn't realize that it's you! Howdy!!!

You make me think. Thank you!

I will make you one if you want, just inform me.

My thoughts:
I can modify the MAX to be more light, say to about 25 lbs.
I can make a custom skeleton or different base shape/config.
I can also make "slimmer" coaxial unit.
I can use S/S pipe with reasonable specs for the posts (current posts are heavy...or just to drill them).

But due to my workload, it wouldn't be this year my friend.

I might probably make some?

Cheers,
seb

 

[Jefferson]

I am glad you are thinking, haha

was thinking myself that I could call one of the 1000 yard organization guys as I know most of the nbrsa and some of the ibs and see if they could do a survey of their members to find out if there is a demand for such a rest however they wold probably just not have the time or the money to send out a survey (e-mail addresses?) I will ask some of them their thoughts anyway.

sure in the next year or two make one up and I can pay you for it,

just thinking the market is also the shooter who wants to experiment but not compete. and wondering out loud if the choice for the MAX was driven on ability to adjust the front bag width to accommodate the 6 inch stocks rather than the 8 inch stocks and 80 pound guns (not being critical of the MAX it is a work of art and a engineering marvel just thinking of why most would buy as there cannot be a market for 75 and over pound guns) as I think a lot of guys who are serious may shoot a couple of light (17 pound) guns in both light and heavy and see which one is working that weekend. and the guys are getting older, that said I missed out on a really nice heavy gun stock a MAXI-TRACKER with nice paint last week. story of my life when a good deal and a nice item comes up for grabs I am always the second guy to respond.

no hurry this is just an idea, and not trying to make you work harder as you and your staff and family (including ernie) have done wonders for the world wide shooting community.

later and thanks Jeff (I was one of the last guys cut from the Canadian F-class rifle team in FTR so I may not see you at the worlds in Ottawa next year if you go but our paths will cross, maybe Australia or Europe someday)

 

[SEB-USA]

We are always looking for good input.
I appreciate your thoughts.
E