SEB MAX Coaxial Front Rest — Field Test by Sam Hall

[haiku url=”http://accurateshooter.net/Video/samhallmax.mp3″]Click PLAY to hear Sam TALK about SEB MAX coaxial joystick rest.

“It’s a keeper” — that’s what Sam Hall, 4-time IBS 600-yard Shooter of the Year, told us after he test-drove the new SEB MAX coaxial front rest. Over the past two months, Sam has been testing the new SEB MAX with his competition benchrest rifles, with a variety of forearm widths from three inches to eight inches, and weights from 17 to 61 pounds. Did Sam like the SEB MAX? He did indeed — in fact he was so impressed with the MAX rest that he is selling his current front rest and he will be using the SEB MAX for both LG and HG matches.

In designing the SEB MAX rest, Sebastian (“Seb”) Lambang set out to build a rest that would handle true heavy guns up to 45kg and also adapt to lighter rifles with a variety of forearm widths. This was quite a challenge, but he pulled it off. The SEB MAX quickly adapts to fit narrow, medium, and wide forearms, with a simple adjustment of the side plates on the three-piece front bag. You can change from 3″ to 5″ to 8″ width in seconds. If you prefer a conventional one-piece front sand-bag, SEB offers one-piece bags sized to fit various forearm widths from 2.5″ to 8″.

The SEB MAX also adapts to different rifle weights through the use of a front counter-weight for the heavy big boomers. With a standard 17-lb Light Gun, you can run the MAX with no counterweight. The joystick control movement is very smooth and with the internal springs tuned right, you can shoot with your hand off the joystick. When you want to switch to a true Heavy Gun, simply attach the counterweight arm to the front of the gun. SEB can supply custom counter-weight “donuts” tuned to your specific Heavy Gun. Sam Hall reviews the features of the SEB MAX in the video below.

Watch SEB MAX Video Review (Part 1 — Light Gun)

Does the SEB MAX retain its smooth movement even with a true Heavy Gun on the front bags? Absolutely. Sam reports that “When shooting my 61-pounder, with the counter-weight in place, the joystick movement is smooth and predictable — it feels just like the Light Gun”.

To prove how well the counter-balancer works with a true Heavy Gun, Sam put his 61-lb Maxi-Tracker on the SEB MAX, attached the appropriate counterweight, and then shot a group at 600 yards without touching the joystick during a four-shot string. To Sam’s amazement, the gun produced a 4-shot group under 1.5″. Sam says: “That was in mid-day with some mirage. That’s about the best this gun can do in those conditions. It was impressive to be able to run a string with a 61-pounder and not touch the joystick.” You can see this in the Part 2 Video below.

Watch SEB MAX Video Review (Part 2 — Heavy Gun)

Superior Build Quality, Unique Versatility, and Outstanding Performance
Sam had high praise for the workmanship, fit, and finish of the SEB MAX: “This rest is a work of art. I’m not easily impressed by most products, but this is one fine machine.” Sam added that the SEB MAX is not just pretty — everything functions very well: “The sideplates have quick-release handles so you can change widths quickly. The course elevation control is very smooth and easy to use. With the course elevation locked, there is plenty of vertical travel (elevation) and plenty of side-to-side travel with just the joystick.” Sam was also impressed with how well the 61-pounder tracked on the SEB MAX: “I’ve been playing with it… and the gun seems to track perfect.”

Sam also praised the micro-fiber fabric SEB uses for both the three-piece and conventional one-piece front bags: “This micro-fiber is great. You don’t need to use any silicon or powder or anything to slick it up, yet the forearm slides on it better than anything I’ve ever seen.”

Sam likes the modular construction of the SEB MAX. Sam found that, when he was just shooting a Light Gun, he could remove the rear foot, making the rest easier to move around. Like the SEB NEO rest, the MAX rest breaks down into flat modules so it packs more compactly for shipping.

SEB MAX rests are currently in the final stages of production. Price for the USA market has not yet been set. You can get on the pre-order waiting list by contacting Ernie Bishop in Gillette, Wyoming. Call (307) 257-7431, or email ernieemily [at] yahoo.com. For other markets consult dealer list on www.SebCoax.com.

Weight: The MAX weighs approximately 18.4 kg (40.5 lbs) without the counter-weight, with bags empty. Sam’s rest with full bags and counter-weight is about 45 pounds.

Rest Size: Side to side footprint (center to center of leveling screws) is approximately 13.78″. Dimension from back to front is about 14.17″.