# Shooting a recurve: arrow rest vs off the shelf



## Dartwick (Oct 28, 2019)

1 The rest gives better clearance than the shelf.

2 If you shoot off the a shelf with no padding - the rest will provide better damping. 



Thats all. The shelf itself provides no advantage except possibly simplicity.


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## NxNW (Mar 3, 2015)

Shooting off the shelf with something like a Bear Hair rest is inexpensive, can't go out of adjustment, and has traditional appeal. This option will necessitate the use of feathers in order to get good arrow flight and feathers are not as durable nor weather-resistant as vanes.

Finger shooting rests range from simple inexpensive stick-ons, to moderately priced plunger/flippper set-ups, all the way to high-dollar competition rests. All but the least expensive should be fully adjustable and will produce excellent arrow flight with feathers or vanes. 

It really boils down to what you want to achieve and how much you want to spend. Decisions, decisions.


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## V137 (Jan 23, 2018)

Extra tuning ability vs simplicity. I think either way is fine. I do both depending in the riser I'm using, and really the riser should dictate what you do and what's best for your bow set up. If you're new to tuning a traditional bow then off the shelf may be the best way to start out - if your riser is good for off the shelf shooting

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk


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## vincenthanna (Feb 25, 2020)

For my takedown recurve I shoot off a flipper style rest. My groups have tightened up. For my one piece recurve I shoot off the self while using a bear hair rest. That particular bow has a small sight window and I can see better with less clutter by shooting right off the shelf. My groups are tight with this bow. With some traditional bows the riser is cut to be shot off the shelf. If it is a modern bow and you know the manufacturer call them and ask as they designed and built the bow. My Galaxy Sage Elite take down can be shoot either way. My Kota one piece was designed to be a shelf shooter.


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## woof156 (Apr 3, 2018)

I am much more accurate shooting off a wire rest with a plunger, easier to get tight groups. I like shooting off the shelf on my 3D bow because it is simple nothing to break or get out of adjustment. A lot of shooters are quite accurate shooting off the shelf so it is a matter of putting the time in to learn to shoot with what you have.


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## bltefft (Sep 16, 2015)

I used to shoot off the rest, but now all my bows are shot off the shelf. Can't really say I shoot any more accurately, but it is a lot simpler.


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## Beendare (Jan 31, 2006)

Of course the rest is more forgiving and tune-able...plus you can use Vanes

You can get good arrow flight off the shelf....but less forgiving.

_____


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## EthanJM (Jun 11, 2012)

I just shoot off the shelf, I never bothered to put a pad on either. I love the simplicity. Half my archery years were longbow shooting off the knuckle, and I enjoy that a lot too. A shelf is as complex as I want to go. Personal taste.


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## Easykeeper (Jan 2, 2003)

I shoot my recurves off the shelf, but then the shelf is properly shaped. Narrow side to side and curved front to back, shaped so the arrow makes contact right above the deepest part of the grip.

A flat and wide shelf may well call for a rest.

I'm a hunter so that influences my choice, I like the reliability. On a target bow, I'd definitely go with a rest and plunger.


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## CJG---)-> (Dec 29, 2018)

Some additional resources: 

https://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5436115&p=1107804667#post1107804667

https://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4247618&p=1094073362#post1094073362

https://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3141273&p=1080825945#post1080825945

https://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2174966&p=1069261611#post1069261611

https://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1617516&p=1062409561#post1062409561

https://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5906019&p=1112625603#post1112625603

https://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5799439&p=1111572289#post1111572289

https://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5869767&p=1112269275#post1112269275

https://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5900431&p=1112569009#post1112569009

https://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4608153&p=1098687617#post1098687617

https://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4600761&p=1098591713#post1098591713

https://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3021482&p=1079291954#post1079291954


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## Oryguncannaseur (Jan 12, 2020)

I started with a flipper rest on my target one piece bow and broke it a year into use. Now 8 bows later, and half of them for hunting, I found it more practical for a padded shelf on all of them. Don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with an elevated rest. To each his own. I just didn't recognize any different arrow flight on the shelf vs flipper. And you don't get the draw back arrow friction noise. Big no no when hunting these sneaky blacktails in my neck of the woods. 
But of course their was a learning curve when I went to off the shelf. 
In the end, its all what you're comfortable with and suits your needs.


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## camperjim (Oct 22, 2016)

I see lots of really, really bad arrow flight with archers shooting off the shelf. I have tried it and found it difficult and really prone to giving bad results with a poor release or a slight issue with something like nocking point height. My original Wing Gull bow came with a simple brush rest. I still have the original on the bow. My other stickbows also have brush rests. I even have one on my Hoyt Gold Medalist. They last forever. In fact I have never had one wear out, fall off or otherwise fail. They even work well if you want to shoot vanes in wet weather. To me a brush rest seems "traditional" certainly more so than risers made of exotic endangered rain forest hardwoods.


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## Charlie Wehmeie (Aug 26, 2005)

For hunting I find it easier to keep a arrow on a shelf vs, elevated rest. Moving around to get into shooting position and maybe even shacking a bit LOL.


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## Toxalot (Nov 17, 2019)

Shooting off the shelf is more nostalgia related than a real thing when talking traditional archery. Archers were going to elevated rests even in the 1950's, and by 1970 most were using them, and for good reason. They give better clearance, minimum contact, are more simple to use than a shelf, and much easier to setup if needed in the field. I've been using them since 1967 and have no plans on changing.


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## Dahlphotog (Jul 14, 2020)

Off the shelf has a really pure feeling to me, nothing in the way


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## Toxalot (Nov 17, 2019)

I will add this as well, I see alot of shooters shooting off the shelf and getting "not very good" arrow flight. If you want to talk "keep it simple", then a stick on rest like the Hoyt Super Rest at $2.50 each, will be as simple as you can get. Easily replaceable in the field if needed...which is rare anyway, and there is no need to retune if you do replace it. I"ve been shooting simple stick on rests since 1967. If you just love shooting off the shelf, good for you, but understand you lose both efficiency and performance by doing it if shooting a rug type rest, and likely aren't getting the ultimate arrow flight that you could.


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## pipcount (Oct 9, 2012)

Hoyt Super Rest for me. Simple, havent broken one in last 4 years, with likely 5k arrows each on 4 different rigs. Considering someday making some feather rests, as "more traditional", but have not yet done so, Hoyts are so simple. I have had a couple of real experienced archers (40+ yrs shooting) tell me something like "When I switched from shooting off a shelf to a hoyt super rest my groupings improved."


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## lwr308 (May 22, 2018)

A rest improved my groups.


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## Hiboy77! (Jul 20, 2020)

I have only used a flip style stick on tab. I have often thought of going off the shelf...hhmmmm more thoughts


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## Cowellsam (Aug 2, 2020)

I've had the best luck with the NAP centerest flipper. Easy to tune!


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## RWGreen (Nov 4, 2018)

A feather rest is your friend.


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## JusAguy (Mar 9, 2017)

Cowellsam said:


> I've had the best luck with the NAP centerest flipper. Easy to tune!


I also use a NAP Center Rest 'flipper' (not the wire variant). I upgraded from the stick-on rest and it completely changed my world! 

I don't have many bows... In fact, i only have one. It's a Southwest Archery Spyder XL and i really like how the NAP Center Rest performs on it. 

That simple rest just plain works for me. In my experience it is whisper quiet - when i asked others, no one has ever mentioned hearing the arrow slide over/across it either. 

I'm confident with my gear - as simple as it is - and i know it's accuracy potential surpasses my skill level.


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