Shooting Rest Question...

[R.Morehouse]

I have a rest that works pretty well. It is a home shop copy of the Sinclair Comp. made out of mostly aluminum. I am thinking of going with a joy-stick type but I really don't know why. When you use a joy-stick rest do you get it on target then let go of the stick to take the shot? If you maintain contact with the stick is that now another potential point of unwanted input into your system? Is the joy-stick mostly used to increase the speed of adjustment during a string. I see rests like the 21Century, Randolph, Sinclair ect. that have no joy stick....These seem to be of high quality and still selling along side the joy-stick rests....Is it just down to mostly personal choice with one being as good as the other or is there a decided advantage to get better accuracy from the joy-stick......Thank's for putting up with all this. I have a Seb scheduled to be here next August. I like the looks of the Randolph and am use to the way my existing one works....I just definitely need an up-grade.......Thank's for your input.....Rick

 

[dkhunt14]

It is something you have to get used to. I played with a SEB a couple weeks ago and I didn't like it. It got better the more I played with it. Maybe I would of had to change tensions and the weight but sisnce it wasn't mine I didn't want to change it. Matt

 

[coford]

I have had my Seb for about a year now and you couldn't pry it from my hands with a crow bar! I had several good quality conventional rest prior to the Seb but always thought there had to be something better - I was right - the joystick type rest works better for me and my shooting style. I mainly shoot F Class and the change in rests gained me 3 to 5 points a match. I attribute most of that to two things: not having to squeeze the rear bag and not having to get out of position to fight the windage and elevation adjustments on my rest.

I do not continue to hold the knob after I acquire the sight picture I want but I know some very good shooters that do hold on. It took me all of one match to completely master the joystick and I've never wanted to go back to my other rests.

I have a buddy that has a Farley and he gets along great with it also and his shooting has improved since he got it. Your results may vary - but I have not met anyone with a Seb that wanted to sell it and I can't say that about any other rest.

 

[Lbart]

I have had my Seb for about a year now and you couldn't pry it from my hands with a crow bar!

Rick,
I agree with Gonzos...I would not part with my SEB NEO. Unlike him I keep my hand on the joy stick. Lightly, but I do touch it at all times. The rest moves so smooth all it takes is a light touch. I have used SEB's for the last 5 years. I have used a total 5 different ones in major matches and they all performed perfectly. I don't even have to think about using it. It just goes where I want it to almost automatically.

 

[R.Morehouse]

Thank's for the input. I AM looking forward to being able to use my new Seb in late 2015. Until then I will make do with the one I have. Or if I can shake the money tree hard enough I may be able to pop for a slight up-grade until that time comes.... :-\

 

[7stubby]

You never know, one might show up for sale on here. Thats how I picked mine up. Took me 2 months to finally get one. Getting it early is worth something.

 

[kapt]

I have a Farley that took me about a month to really warm up to.. I would NEVER NEVER go back now though..

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I may be an exception. I loved my Farley from day one. But that was before I got my gun to track. Make your bags fit and make your stock perfect. When the gun tracks, I prefer the Sinclair, it is actually faster because the adjustment needed are so small you over-adjust with the Farley.
JMO

 

[RMiller]

Im with zfastmalibu.

If your rifle tracks and it should, you dont need or want a joystick front rest IMO.
A well tracking rifle will be faster than any rifle that doesnt track and requires movment of your rest to get back on target. I use to have windage on my front rest and have gone to no windage. I dont want anything to be able to move. My rifles must track or I wont shoot them.

Ryan

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I'm a huge fan of the joystick style rests, but it matters a lot what type of shooting you're doing. In score, it's almost a necessity, IMHO. There's a lot more moving around the target than in group. That said, while it's not as much a necessity in group, I wouldn't go back for any reason I can imagine. If the rest isn't adjusted properly, you probably won't like it. Properly adjusted, I hold the joystick while shooting and it works wonderfully for me. Yes, IMO, the biggest advantage is speed. That means a ton though, in switchy conditions. I must be all thumbs and just can't knob twist any more...or maybe it's that I've gotten so comfortable not having to, with a joystick rest. If you're a good bag squeezer, you can navigate the target and move very quickly, too. I simply feel that method introduces variables that aren't good for accuracy, consistently.--Mike ezell

 

[Raythemanroe]

This may sound stupid to some folks, I just started using a Shadetree stick and like it. I set the rest up so the stick is all the way down and adjust vertical with my screw and windage with the stick. I do this so I'm not holding it while squeezing the trigger and adding any unnecessary input. I like it better then my windage top because it gets the controls back by my hand and I don't need to get out of position to adjust if needed..


Ray

 

[RMiller]

I'm a huge fan of the joystick style rests, but it matters a lot what type of shooting you're doing. In score, it's almost a necessity, IMHO. There's a lot more moving around the target than in group. That said, while it's not as much a necessity in group, I wouldn't go back for any reason I can imagine. If the rest isn't adjusted properly, you probably won't like it. Properly adjusted, I hold the joystick while shooting and it works wonderfully for me. Yes, IMO, the biggest advantage is speed. That means a ton though, in switchy conditions. I must be all thumbs and just can't knob twist any more...or maybe it's that I've gotten so comfortable not having to, with a joystick rest. If you're a good bag squeezer, you can navigate the target and move very quickly, too. I simply feel that method introduces variables that aren't good for accuracy, consistently.--Mike ezell

I sometimes forget that everyone isn't shooting group. Yes in score shooting I can see an advantage in using a joystick rest.

 

[artbosco]

Joy sticks are a different ball game. Try a bunch of different ones at matches if you can. I got on a SEB one day that was extremely impressive since in the past I was never enamored with joy sticks. They need to be properly adjusted to function flawlessly. Good Luck.

 

[Road_Clam]

Here's my hand made rest. Hefty sob. add a rubber mat under my rest and it's NOT moving ! I don't squeeze the rear bag, but I lay my hand on the top of my rear bag and partially rest my stock on the top of my wrist and pinch the stock with my fingers and thumb. It's a different method than most shooters use but it feels ergonomically comfortable for me, thus I shoot better. I tried a high end joystick rest and it just felt too odd me.