For NEO rest owners & in the list - any possible improvements that I could do?

seblambang

seblambang

seb
Hi Guys,

Do you have idea on what thing(s) I could improve to the upcoming NEO rest?

Probably with the range of travel/moa, the top/bag configuration, the base, etc?

Your inputs will be much appreciated.

I am considering to change / remove the bottom plate & modify the cutout on the carriage unit - that way the coaxial unit would be more neater on the bottom area (without bottom plate anymore), would reduce the height at the lowest setting by a bit (not much though), and access to the up-lift springs can be done from the top.
This maybe not a significant improvement but maybe worth the effort & don't add to the cost.

Do you ever need a lower (or higher) setup with your current rest, shooting down/up hill or so?
Do you need ever a heavier or lighter rest, or more stable base?
Do you ever need a wider MOA travel?
Do you like the bent joystick?
Do you like the current rest top & bag configuration?
Do you ever need a longer or shorter fore-end stopper? & do you use it most of the time?
Do you prefer the counterweight over the uplift springs? or vice versa?

Thank you in advance,
seb.
 
the only thing I found on my rest that need improvement is the screws, even though they are shiny and pretty they are just to soft and are easily damaged.
using hardened steel screws and possibly put threaded inlays in the top instead of threading the aluminum would be great improvement.

(the screws that hold the bags, fore-end stopper and everything else on the top )
 
Seb NEO rest

Seb,
Do you have a front bag block and level available with the rest? I am scheduled for the rest delivery in June 2013 and if you don't have a block available I will need to order from another vendor.
Regards,

Joe McNeill
SW Arkansas
 
dansig said:
the only thing I found on my rest that need improvement is the screws, even though they are shiny and pretty they are just to soft and are easily damaged.
using hardened steel screws and possibly put threaded inlays in the top instead of threading the aluminum would be great improvement.

(the screws that hold the bags, fore-end stopper and everything else on the top )
Click to expand...

Dan, thanks for the feedback! I will see if I could find the screws & inserts locally?....seb.
 
Joe McNeill said:
Seb,
Do you have a front bag block and level available with the rest? I am scheduled for the rest delivery in June 2013 and if you don't have a block available I will need to order from another vendor.
Regards,

Joe McNeill
SW Arkansas
Click to expand...

Joe, I did make some with wood block (2.25" x 3" by about 1.5" thick with the leveler in the center) but didn't make it anymore since I have added the leveler on the top.
Maybe better to get the bag block from another vendor.
seb.
 
Seb,

Got to use my Ratigan SEB for the first time at a match. First off, I want to say that it is wonderfully smooth, easily adjustable (bag tension, movement tension, Height). Overall...this is a wonderfull rest, I have Harts, Sinclair, Farleys and a Completely Stainless SEB (Pauls rest) and this is a hands down superior rest to anything else on the market.

Here is my rest setup:

Ratigan Rest:
-Hardened points
-One Piece Bag
-Springs removed
-Counter Weight

Options:
-Loading block

Here are some things you might look into:

1. The base is a little lite for me. The wife and I can raise the rear leg easily when the rifle bumps the front stop. Needs more weight back there.

2. The optional rear flush leg would be better if it had a knob on top that a person could hand tighten against the base, instead of the recessed allen head leg. When packing to leave on sunday, I had to hunt down my large allen wrench to remove the leg so I could pack it in vehicle. Since everyone normally packs up their loading gear before the last match, it makes it hard sometimes to dig the allen back out. This is more of an inconvience that will probably go away once I get used to packing the rest up after a match.

3. My last comment is on the loading block. Great design. One thing I did run into is the piece that has the groove milled in it should be shorter and the groove milled closer to the pivot point. With the forend stop in the middle of it's adjustment and the loading block groove all the way back, the block was right at the action opening. If I wanted to move the foreend stop out, the end of the cases in the loading block would be past the front of the opening of the action. This is with a scoville type stock, which has a long forend anyway.

Hovis
 
Hovis, glad to hear that you like your new rest, and thanks for the feedback!

1. Your rest will be much more stable when the long leg set in the front, you can pin your rifle/stock hard against the stopper & can make a quicker shot/string - the down side is when you shoot on a narrow/short bench. If you set your rest with the long leg at the rear you need to be careful when pushing the rifle/stock forward against the stop to avoid the issue.
I wouldn't recommend which one to use, it depends on the situation & the bench size & your preference.
I would probably make heavier, or modified base in the future.

2. The downside to make the short screw/leg with 'knob' is it could interfere with the joystick operation in the lowest travel. But I will check if I could get a good/better solution.

3. With the flexible adjustment of the cartridge holder you don't have to set the leverage parallel with the leg. The holder is more "universal" in its current length, it can be used either for point blank or long range rifle with extra long stock. But your feedback is good, I will consult with Mike about it.

seb.
 
Seb,

I shot our Nationals over the past week, so while it is fresh in mind, here are some ideas:

1. Forend stop needs to go a little lower. I have a new Leonard stock, and the bottom of the stock comes below the rubber rings on the stop.
2. Make the retaining plates for the front bag ends out of stainless instead of aluminium as it is too easy to bend when tightening the screws.
3. The cartridge holder cuts down on travel. Is there a way to mount this in another way?

But overall, I still love my NEO. It managed to help me make Top 10 in 3 out of 4 classes at the Nationals, so I love it!

Rob Carnell
Sydney, Australia
 
Last edited:
Rob Carnell said:
Seb,

I shot our Nationals over the past week, so while it is fresh in mind, here are some ideas:

1. Forend stop needs to go a little lower. I have a new Leonard stock, and the bottom of the stock comes below the rubber rings on the stop.

Rob Carnell
Sydney, Australia
Click to expand...

there is a very small screw under the forend stopper that you can adjust to lower the stopper, I had the same problem until I found that screw.. it's hidden in a tiny hole near the hinges on the forend stopper.
 
dansig said:
there is a very small screw under the forend stopper that you can adjust to lower the stopper, I had the same problem until I found that screw.. it's hidden in a tiny hole near the hinges on the forend stopper.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that, I will check.

But I am pretty sure mine only has a lock ring on top. Mine was one of the first batch made so this may have changed on later models.

I am the Australian agent for these.

Rob Carnell
Sydney, Australia
 
Thanks for following up SEB.

I have tried the leg of the base to the front but with my long forend scoville's/Scarbough stocks, the barrel does not stick out past the leg so I cannot get the muzzle past the end/edge of the bench in this configuration.

I'll play with the cartriage holder more this weekend and see what I can come up with. I do like the design of it and how it mounts, very innovative and nice.

I did some measuring as it comes to the short point, if you made a knob that is 3/8" , the angle between the joystick and top of knob shouldn't interfere except at the the lowest settings of the top (which is rare).

I do want to that rests are like everything else, there is personnal preferences that come into play. I have two of these new Ratigan NEO rests and I wouldn't sell them for twice what I paid. The adjustments (stock tension, co-axial tension,etc) are very easy to adjust and the range of adjustment is large. The fit and finish is superb.

Keep up the good work.

Hovis
 
Hi Rob, thanks for the feedback!
Dan is correct with the stopper adjustment. If yours the gen-1 rest I don't think it has the adjustment screw for tilting the stopper up or down. --- I know that you have machining skill, made your own action etc so it should be very easy for you to make a thread hole & put a small set screw on the base of stopper to be able to adjust the height. --- Sorry I don't have a photo showing the detail but if you check the gen-2 rests I'm sure you would say that's 'piece of cake' to make by yourself.
Thanks for your input #2.
#3. Is yours the new one or the old one?

I will try to take some videos showing the rest setup/ configurations, the internal parts & their function, how to fix any problems with the SEB/NEO/MAX, including the accessories such as the cartridge holder & timer holder, explain how the counterweight works & how to tune it for specific rifle weight, Etc - and put the videos in my website or youtube.

Too bad that I couldn't make it to the Nats! But I'll be there again in Oz for the WBC in Sept.

Cheers,
seb.
 
Hi Hovis, remember that the long leg has two thread holes, one on the very end tip & one about 2" apart towards to the center of the rest. If you put the leveling screw on the 2nd thread hole (closer to the center) you might be able to past your muzzle out of the front edge of the bench.
Let me know your finding.

Cheers,
seb.
 
Neo Features Wanted

Hi Seb!
I have been an avid supporter of Your rests since I got my first one direct from You in Indonesia back in 2006! It's primary use has been Nbrsa and IBS 100& 200 yd matches. I was fortunate enough to win a lot of trophys and plaques with it in 2007, 2008, & 2009! Back in2007 I installed a counterweight on it using a barrel cut off and it made it much smoother! I wasn't giving up anything to anybody for short range benchrest matches. I took a couple years off competitive shooting but was still building and shooting high class varmint rifles. That shooting brought out some weak points in my Seb gen 1 rest. First since not all of my varmint rifles have a 3" flat forearm the 3" front bag didn't work too well! and Second The lack of adequate Verticle gross adjustment was a hinderence.

I read about Your Neos Rest and that sounded perfect so I emailed You in January 2012 to try to buy a Neos from You direct. You told me You were no longer selling them direct and introduced me to Ernie Bishop who by the way is a great guy and represents You well! After some conversations with Ernie, I finally got put on his Neos waiting list in March 2012. I checked with Ernie in November 2012 about expected delivery and was surprised to learn that I might be able to receive a New Max Rest before I could a Neos. I told Ernie to go ahead and put me on the Max List.

Well guess what I just got my new Max Rest! WOW Seb! It's a huge piece of jewelry!! Beautiful Design, Workmanship, and Finish! I do have a couple of comments/suggestions
First: Even though I only filled the bottom bag to 60-70% the forward stop was too low and You would have to set the adjustment angle stop (item#52) such that arm was stopping at about 30 degrees up for it to wrk as a stop at all! The fix was easy, I put a 1/4" spacer under the fore end stopper (item#48)
Second: The counterbalance coil springs (item#33) are too strong for my intended use of rest. (The heaviest rifles I own are 17 LB LR BenchRest Lights and 95% of my shooting will be done with 10 and 13 LB Rifles) I backed the tensions off and determined the the current counterbalance coil springs (item#33) seem to balance a 20# Rifle and this is without even installing the counterweight (item#53) - MY Suggestion; Send Ernie some weaker counterbalance coil springs (item#33) that would balance with a 10-13 LB Rifle!

I've stayed on Ernie's Neos wait list since I really think the Gen 2 Neos will fit my needs better than the Max and a Doctor friend of mine that I built a 20 LB 338 Lapua and a 32 LB 50 BMG for, may want to buy my Max.
That brings up the configuration I would want for a new Gen 2 Neos. I am now aware of the Mike Ratigan Configuration changes and I want one of them with my Neos. That is the mod to remove the balance spring and to just send with it the counter weight rod with weight for 10 to 13 LB Rifles! The other Ratigan mods aren't for me! Don't want to give up the flexibility that the 3 piece front bag gives me. Don't know what problem Mike has with your beautifully made o-ring front stop and most of all; Don't know why you would want to change the Leveling Screw Points! The Leveling Screw Points! on my origional Seb Rest have been pounded into concrete benches where allowed and used with Superfeet where pounding in isn't allowed and they're still in great shape with no problems!

Keep Up the Good Work Seb!!!
Thanks!
Esten Spears
 
Thank you sir for your support & feedback!

I think you're right with the stopper & springs. Will do your suggestions.

You will get your rests exactly like your specs.

ATB,
seb.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top