Finally tuned arrows to new longbow

[butcherboy]

After posting pics of my new Stalker Coyote, I finally had time to start tuning a new arrow. Took a while but it finally tuned with a 400 fmj cut to 29 1/2”, 300 grain up front. 45# @ 28” drawing to 29”.

Also, almost completely changed my shooting style. I’ve been shooting 3 under with a tab for while. Always want to cut my dang ring finger off at the first knuckle to keep it from dragging on the string. Throws my shot off more times than I can count. So, I started shooting two under with a tab. Wow! What a difference that made! My groups tightened right up. Now just need to trim my tab so only the leather for the top two fingers will be on the string. I hate shooting with gloves so I’m not even considering that.

 

[butcherboy]

30 yds today after dialing everything in and shooting two under. The piece of foam is about 4” in diameter.

 

[Rob5589]

Looking good! The ring finger is also my problem. I have to put the sting on the pad or I will cause nock hi or low issues. I also found a thicker tab helps a ton.

 

[butcherboy]

I put the string on the pad of my ring finger too. I have a huge callous there and it’s mostly numb. Lol That finger also drags with my carpel tunnel from over 30 years of commercial meat processing. Two under just may be my ticket. Wonder how many others do this? I was consider shooting with my thumb but that was really painful with my Carpel Tunnel.

 

[mattflint]

Same as mentioned. My ring finger is on the pad with very little load or I play hell.
Looks like you are getting along well with the bow. That’s awesome

 

[oldgoat]

I've seen 2 finger tabs before, think on the Bateman website maybe, think you have to call them to order.

http://www.ewbateman.com/FingerTabs.htm

 

[Rob5589]

Do you think you could end up with issues with your index and middle if you drop the ring? I'm thinking more pressure on less surface area???

 

[butcherboy]

It actually didn’t feel like I had much more pressure on those two fingers. I’ve been trying to draw and anchor more with two and very little pressure on the ring finger. Worked ok but this dang ring finger just constantly drags. I really have to make a conscious effort to open my hand instead of the string just slipping out of my fingers so that finger doesn’t drag. With the two fingers I can draw with a deep hook and the string lays right in the first joint of both fingers. The string drags a little bit on the bottom of my tab where my third finger was but it’s nothing like my finger dragging. I’ll just trim my tab where that finger usually was. I’ve been shooting one made Shatterproof Archery and I really like it.

 

[GLB]

Awesome getting the new bow dialed in. Just a thought on the 2 under. First if it works it works but be careful that it does not add tension in your string hand forearm.

This will usually show up when shooting a lot or drawing the bow cold ( like setting in a tree stand or blind all day)

Dragging the ring finger is a common problem for a lot people and I have to be conscious of it when I grip the string.

What has helped me is to mount my index and middle finder on the string to form the hook. I then lay my ring finger lightly on the string. This helps me put most of the pressure on the top two fingers and with the ring finger helping to keep my wrist straight and forearm relaxed.

 

[Beendare]

Del

 

[butcherboy]

Thanks for all the advice guys! I’m still playing around with it some but definitely like the 2 under. I’ll watch for any issues with my forearm but it’s hard to tell with my Carpel Tunnel/tendinitis. It doesn’t hurt at all while shooting or even the next day after. What hurts is all this dang meat processing!

I believe it’s cut 1/8” past center but I will have to check to make sure. I know his recurve riser and the ILF riser is cut past center more than his longbows.

 

[butcherboy]

I checked the specs today and South’s longbows are cut 1/8” past center and his recurves are cut 3/16” past center. Definitely will be shooting 2 under after my shooting today. I was really zeroed in at 30 yds.

 

[butcherboy]

Last two shots of the day and I was starting to get a little tired and rolling the string off my fingers.

 

[butcherboy]

Here’s how I was addressing the string with a full tab

 

[butcherboy]

Trimmed tab

 

[butcherboy]

Full tab vs. trimmed tab

 

[butcherboy]

Its funny that I’ve been shooting for years and am just now refining everything to get my shot process so much better and more accurate. My other struggle was starting my pre aim/gap before I draw. I would set my gap, draw and anchor but through the whole process My gap would be way off and I would end up way below my intended gap. This would make me have to raise my bow arm up to put the point where I wanted it. Its really hard for me to raise up for some reason and I would always shoot low. Now, I put the arrow tip above my target before I draw. Then, I draw down to my anchor and into my back tension. I’m now closer to my intended gap and can move down much easier than having to go up. I’ve been working on this for a while now and it works great for me.

Last thing, I’ve tried the whole back tension thing and then expanding into a controlled release. That messed me up more than anything else. I’m just not wired that way. I have back tension and lock that in then when I release I don’t expand, I just relax my hand and let the string slip out. Sorry this is long guys, I’ve been burned out for a while now and haven’t been too excited about my shooting till I ordered my new bow a few months ago. I was even considering selling my other bows and buying a wheel bow but not now. I’m back in the game!

 

[Kevin Dill]

I'm glad you're finding accuracy and enthusiasm.

Over the years I think I've learned one semi-constant: My brain and psyche will never stop trying to discover ways to interrupt and degrade my accuracy. Just when I figure 'it' out and things are going well, some gremlin will appear. Or, the thing that once worked so well for me seems to lose its shine. It's like a reverse-workaround, with my unconscious brain determined to find a way to throw off my shooting. In many ways, I think the path to ongoing accuracy is to never stop looking for improvement at the level of self.

The 2-under thing is great. I did it for a couple years and thought my accuracy was good...for a while. The problem was doing it with 60+ pound bows (my normal) and the stress it put on fingers, tendons and ligaments in the hand. Without realizing it, I began doing subtle things because my hand really didn't like the finger strain over time. My accuracy slipped and I changed back to 3 fingers (under) with an immediate improvement in feel and accuracy.

My answer to the 3rd finger drag is to simply practice (consciously) maintaining vertical finger alignment to the string. If I rotate (torque) my draw hand with 3rd finger pressure, it pulls the string laterally which obviously produces a string correction and likely oscillation at release. The other thing I work on is wrist angle (or hopefully a lack of). I don't want my release hand tilted up or down...but rather straight in line with my forearm. A tilted or angled wrist is a weaker, inconsistent wrist prone to irregularities. I adjust top-to-bottom finger pressure through elbow height. A very high elbow translates to increased pressure at the 3rd finger with more drag. I like to feel some pressure on my 3rd, but not more than maybe 25-30% of the load.

Good thread. Congrats on your new bow and great results.

 

[butcherboy]

Thanks for all the great advice everyone. I’ll definitely work on my wrist movement and making sure my elbow isn’t too high. Sometimes I get too many things going on in my brain during the shot process and it gets me frustrated when I get one thing right but now something else gets messed up! Lol I mostly try now to draw and anchor where it feels the best and most comfortable without thinking too much about it and then helps a lot.

I don’t shoot heavy bows anymore and I think that was one of the causes of me creating bad habits that caused my frustration and losing my drive. My worst was a recurve I had. 60# @27” and I was drawing it to 29”. That was miserable.