off the shelf vs off a rest

MTArrowLauncher · April 25, 2011, 07:10:00 PM

What's the differance, as far as accuracy etc. Benifits of each?

centaur · April 25, 2011, 08:10:00 PM

JMHO, but elevated rests don't seem to offer any advantage on trad bows, at least if you are 'instinctive' in your shooting style. Getting the arrow on the shelf puts it closer to the hand, and makes canting easier. Fred Asbell has written a good bit on this subject, and I go along with his opinion. Your mileage may vary.

Steve O · April 25, 2011, 08:26:00 PM

My mileage varies. Every bow I have put a rest on (mine or a friends) has had improved arrow flight and easier/wider range in tuning.

It takes about 2 shots to adjust to the rest and that half inch it raises your arrow off your hand doesn't do diddly to hurt your shooting.

Added bonus is being able to hunt with vanes if you want.

No rests on my longbows and I am about 50/50 shelf vs. rest on my recurves.

paperenginner · April 25, 2011, 08:33:00 PM

Clearly you can shoot off of both but for me a big reason I went from my compound to tradtional was to reduce the items that can fail on my bow in the field. The way I see it, a rest is just something else that can fail. Remove the rest and you have the simple stick and string.

Some say you are more accurate as you put the arrow closer to your hand but I think it is more practice than equipment. That is proven by the guy that is deadly with a sling shot. Every sling shot that I have seen puts the rock higher above your hand than a rest puts your arrow. I would say try both and shoot what is comfortable.

reddogge · April 25, 2011, 08:34:00 PM

I have a lot of bows and I generally leave what was on them when I received them. I will shoot rug rests, velcro rest, feather rest, flipper rest. I generally get good flight with all but the flipper is a surprise, perfect flight every time.

The Whittler · April 25, 2011, 08:43:00 PM

Years ago I received a 2nd hand Black Widow and was shooting off the shelf. While I was shooting the rest had came off and I did not notice until I had shot 5 or 6 arrows.

It still shot good. So in a hunting situation I know I can still get off a shot without a problem. I think that's a very good reason to shoot off the shelf.

illianabowhntr67 · April 25, 2011, 09:14:00 PM

Put a weather rest on my kodiak hunter and removed it don't notice any difference how it shoots.

weezy · April 25, 2011, 09:20:00 PM

I tried both and then decided on what I liked the best. Everyone is different.

ti-guy · April 25, 2011, 09:27:00 PM

On the shelf the arrow is closer to your pointing hand,I own a samick recurve that is not made and conceived to shoot off the shelf,I use it for bow fishing with an elevated rest

DesertDude · April 25, 2011, 09:36:00 PM

I'm with Steve-O

benny · April 25, 2011, 09:42:00 PM

Steve-O or DesertDude...What type of rest do you use? Just would like to try myself.

Thanks
Benny

Steve O · April 25, 2011, 09:50:00 PM

Bear Weatherest covered with moleskin is a Cheap, silent, and deadly way to start. Some take that flipper part and cut it in half (heigth wise) to make it a bit more flexible.

I like the Hoyt Hunter rest, the arm is already a little more flexible.

April 25, 2011, 10:04:00 PM

On one of my wife's recurves I ended putting a feather rest from three rivers on it because it was not getting perfect arrow flight. The improvement was dramatic. I have a 52" pearson that I was having the occasional flip on me, I added the feather rest and completely fixed the problem of my sometimes less than perfect release tossing the arrow around. A little forgiveness never hurts, however some longbows are not designed and tillered to tolerate an elevated arrow rest.

illianabowhntr67 · April 25, 2011, 10:28:00 PM

Afterthought.Maybe with what you fellers offersed I will give it another try might not have given it a fair shake.If I'm not mistaken Barry Wensel shoots a modified rest.

Steve O · April 25, 2011, 10:56:00 PM

Yes, Barry shoots one, you can see how he modified it if you look close.

Paul Schafer used one and Dave Windauer shoots them, on his longbows no less (gasp!)

Look at this joker...bamboo shafts and an elevated rest

These are just friends that know a rest will work in the field, but I do trust them, and have personally used Bear and Hoyt rests with no issues in some pretty rough and wet terrain. I have complete confidence in them on my hunting bows in the roughest terrain or weather.

They work on easy hunts too:

copperhead95 · April 25, 2011, 10:58:00 PM

me personally, i find it easier and less of a hassle to shoot off the shlf but its personal preference.

Bill Carlsen · April 26, 2011, 09:43:00 AM

Been shooting a long time. Here's what has worked for me. Back in the 50's up until I shot compounds for a while i shot off an elevated rest. When I got back into recurves the new "traditional' way to do it right was off the shelf. I did that. Over the years my accuracy was never what it was when I shot an elevated rest and I found getting broadheads to fly was very broadhead specific. When I put an elevated rest back on the recurve my speed, accuracy and tunability went way up and my wound rate on animals went way down...the way it used to be. I can shoot any broadhead I want and by adding a plunger I can fine tune the arrow to the bow with extreme preciseness.

bigbadjon · April 26, 2011, 09:56:00 AM

I shoot both ways, but to be honest a rest is typically superior in accuracy. As far as the arrow sitting closer to your hand aiding instinctive shooting, I say it is a myth. Shooting instictively is about alignment, elevation allegedly takes care of itself.

straitera · April 26, 2011, 10:03:00 AM

Like the arrow closer to the hand. But, I do make my own feather rests which are just slightly higher than the leather rest itself. I get faster quieter arrows.

Uncle Buck · April 26, 2011, 10:21:00 AM

I used to shoot a flipper rest and a three pin sight on my recurve. I was deadly in practice, but in the field things would always go wrong. I have had them fall off when it was freezing cold and I had a unique talent for losing the little plastic tube on the wire arm. Now I only shoot off the shelf, just one less thing that can go wrong. Got rid of the sight too.