Rest ?
 

What is the difference or advantage of shooting with a flipper style rest vs shooting off the shelf of you bow. Thanks!

Hatchet Jack

RE: Rest ?
 

For me, it seems shelf rest, you might need slight less spine for archers paradox and to clear the rest cleanly.

When I started shooting off a shelf, I was amazed how straight a shot a guy can get. Usually bows I see with a rest cutout or ability to put a flipper on, are closer to centerline, and spine is not near as critical.

RE: Rest ?
 

Jack,
I perfer an elevated rest "NEET PRO REST "HEAVY", I shot off the shelf for at least 90% of the time, till about 3 years ago I tried an elevated rest and I love it, arrows are easier to tune, better flight all around. Its a personal thing I guess.
Tj

RE: Rest ?
 

Who sells the NPR?

Hatchet Jack

RE: Rest ?
 

Add 'better accuracy' onto that and you've got the whole thing in a nutshell. Many of the old timers are astounded that shooting off the shelf is popular again because - many, many years ago - they proved beyond a shadow of doubt that shooting with an elevated rest is more accurate.

The deal is, the emphasis has been on instinctive shooting since the rebirth of traditional archery. (Emphasized almost to the point of foolishness, IMO.) Shooting off the shelf is supposed to be more conducive to instinctive shooting because it puts the arrow down close to the hand. Point the hand and the arrow follows.

Elevated rests are like 3-under release... If you use one, the purists have decided you must be using a gap system and, therefore, are not considered to be 'trad'. LOL

I've got a 1967 vintage Wing Presentation II recurve. Pre-compound, in other words, so it's gotta be trad. Right? Built-in flipper rest. NO SHELF at all. Shoots beautifully.

Then, going back the other way, the number one advantages to shooting off the shelf are simplicity, durability and dependability. The rest is permanently fixed in place. It ain't gonna move and it ain't gonna break unless the bow does. Pretty handy when hunting, especially in weather that's cold enough to cause a brass monkey to be concerned. :)

RE: Rest ?
 

I sorta agree arthur, but why does ashbell, ferg and others try to tell us it makes no difference as long as your spine lets you get around the riser? I have seen some amazing shots from longbows that were way off center.

RE: Rest ?
 

Well, getting arrow spine right is pretty much the single most important part of tuning your bow. So I reckon I'm taking it for granted that one has the proper arrow spine to start with. It should be a non-issue when talking about the difference in relative accuracy of a rest vs the shelf.

And, naturally, we're mostly talking recurves here because putting an elevated rest on a longbow is kinda.... creepy.[:'(];) That's what makes an amazing shot with a longbow even more amazing. :)

It only takes a small observation and a tiny bit of contemplation to ferret out the reasoning in this matter. If shooting off the shelf is as accurate as shooting off an elevated rest, then you'd see many Olympic archers shooting off the shelf. They don't. NONE of them.

I mostly shoot my hunting bows off the shelf - or off my knuckle with my selfbows. I like the advantages it has for hunting and because, as you say, one can shoot extremely well that way. If I was out to bust pop a 300 on an indoor round though, I guarantee ya I'd be using an elevated rest. The improvement is a matter of degree. If you can shoot a 3" group at 20 yards from the shelf, you might do a 2" group with a flipper.

Just speaking for myself, I agree with the old timers. Back when I was competing seriously, my field archery target scores were a good bit higher and a lot more consistent when using a rest than they were when I shot off the shelf.

RE: Rest ?
 

I could listen to you guys all day. You are the best. I think I will leave the flipper rest on my Great Plains recurve for now. THANKS!!

Hatchet Jack

RE: Rest ?
 

JACK,
You can get the NPR from 3-rivers
Tj