How do You shoot a hinge?

[Leaflet]

Bought a Carter Honey yesterday because I can’t get the wrist release to function the way I want it.As in struggling with using only my back instead of using my finger and my back.

There are several ways to fire a hinge,at least how to go about getting it to rotate,so I thought I’d ask you guys how you do it,so that perhaps I can start out with the “correct”way.If there is one.

Pulling with my arms,nothing happens,as in it does not release.

Trying to actively pull with my back makes everything unstable,but that might change with practice.

Actively rotating my hand by pulling with my ring finger feels like it causes to much movement in my release hand.

What feels best right now is keeping an even pressure and just relaxing my hand which causes it to rotate.

Bought it yesterday and I am new to shooting with a compound and a release so what feels right to me now might be way off of what I should be doing.

 

[Zac]

First of all there is no correct way. Secondly the type of draw stop and bow model impact the activation. Levi states that pulling through doesn't work with a really hard back wall. This is due to what you are experiencing. Hoyt has a fairly spongy back wall, thus alot of Hoyt shooters are comfortable pulling through the shot. Levi simply rolls through it. Braden rolls through with his pinky finger on a 4 finger version. Both of them shoot Mathews. Chance simply relaxes his index finger. Dudley does the same. If you are unable to activate it, you are most likely death gripping the hinge. It needs to sit in the middle of your fingers, not closer to the palm. If you are having difficulty drawing out on the tips of your fingers you need a larger peg. Ultraview has large replacement pegs for all models. Other activation methods are relaxation of the entire hand, as well as the thumb pinky method. I believe Chris Schaff uses the latter method. After anchoring, you squeeze your hand together so that your thumb pad touches your pinky pad. The release should activate upon contact. The relaxation method is very simple. Just relax your hand and allow the release to move through your palm. I would try them all. I like pulling through the shot because it can be difficult to relax your hand, or index finger when you have an animal in front of you.

 

[Leaflet]

Ah yes,i did not think of my reaction to an animal.Good thing to keep in mind.

 

[Page Master]

Ah yes,i did not think of my reaction to an animal.Good thing to keep in mind.

Careful with relaxing, you would be surprised how many people end up sending their release through their hand/riser. When I am shooting my hinge, I remove my thumb from the post and touch it to my pinky. Next I start pulling with my shoulders, you should feel it in your lower shoulder, I.E. the bottom/inside edge of your shoulder blade.

The motion will be the same as if your elbow could go straight back in a line from the arrow tip, through your forearm to your elbow and further on. if your hand is in a weird angle on your face/anchor point and it is not firing, the hinge may need a different angle to activate. Try several hand angles to see which activates best.

 

[wapitibob]

There are multiple ways as noted above. More importantly, every mfg uses different geometry in the release body. I also have a Carter honey and it does not rotate naturally for me, neither does the TruBall sweet spot. The Scott ascent does rotate naturally for me, so I relax when I anchor to set the click then just aim and it goes off by itself. You will need to experiment and find what works best for you.

 

[Brendan]

For me what works the best to is to focus on pulling through the shot with the bigger muscles of the back, but feeling like I'm focusing the bulk of the pulling pressure on my middle finger as opposed to the index finger (mine is a 2 finger hinge). For me - that relaxes the hand and the index finger enough to get the release to fire a surprise shot, and mine is set pretty slow.

Also, in terms of staying stable, I really need to make sure I maintain good form in the front arm, front shoulder, and keep a relaxed / dead bow hand.

 

[stonewall]

I continue to pull through the shot while relaxing my entire hand. early on i sent the release a few times as stated above...was fortunate though in that nothing bad came of it. i tried to emulate Jesse Broadwater when I was learning the hinge....having said that, it's been a couple years now, and I may well have deviated from whatever he does. and only this year, have I been consistently executing a surprise shot...in the past I often ripped through the hinge with my target panic issues

you might play with the settings on your hinge to find what works for you. I keep two of the same in my bag, one set way cold and one like i like it...the idea is to keep me honest

 

[406unltd]

I shoot it hot and two finger
I draw with thumb and index
As I come to anchor I let off thumb peg
Level bubble
Pin on target
Even out pressure between index and middle digit
Increase pressure slightly on middle digit and pull with that finger till release fires.
This is most likely incorrect but it’s what I’m comfortable with.

 

[Jimbob]

A click really helps me feel confident with a hinge. I started this spring with it and shot my mountain goat in august using it, very happy.

Whenever I have trouble getting it to go off its because I'm not pulling into the back wall (shooting a Mathews).

I'm using a Tru fire sear with the thumb peg removed. I draw with pressure on index finger and middle finger. Find my anchor and get on target, simultaneously add pressure with ring finger and make sure I'm pulling my elbow straight back, at this point I hear the click. The pin is now floating where I want to hit and I maintain back pressure and relax my index finger. I have it set hot so I barely relax that finger and it's gone. If I am not pulling through the shot though it will not go off and I will have to do an exaggerated relaxing and rotating of the hand to get it to fire, these are my bad shots.

This method keeps me from creeping forward and keeps me very solid while aiming. There is basically no movement at my ring finger just a slight release or pressure there.

 

[theleo91386]

I've never gotten the hang of activating my Honey 2 by relaxing my hand. My process is come to full draw, anchor, release the safety, touch my thumb to my index finger, then slowly squeeze with my outer fingers.

If you have a beard, practicing your letdown a little can be nearly as important as figuring out how to activate the hinge.

 

[Marble]

I shoot with a click. Hoyt Axius. I rotate to the click, then pull with the outside of my hand and try to imagine touching my elbow to my butt. Keeps my elbow and arm aligned and seems to not place torque on to the string.


Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

 

[Leaflet]

Lots of good info here,thanks.
Testing out various methods,not sure where I’ll land.

Funny that the simplest release can be fired in more ways than any other.

 

[Zac]

I only shoot a tension activated release at the range. I only pull out my hinge for hunting. I think it is important to always be executing and not simply holding, or aiming. People get really lazy habits with a hinge, then when they are in a hunting situation they are death gripping their hinge and their mind is wondering why the shot doesn't break. I want my muscle memory to be in a constant state of tension. Hunting comes down to a few fleeting moments, and you want to be executing when that moment comes. Not waiting.

 

[mfllood3800]

Many don't completely know how to use back muscles to activate shot while also keeping the bow arm operating correctly at the same time.. They are so focused on the back muscles, and tension, and pulling pulling pulling, while trying to keep the bow arm steady on target, they fail to notice their bow arm shoulder is collapsing in the shot process voiding the release arm back tension execution. Meaning- their bow arm shoulder is creeping up and back at same time. A hinge is a process that demands a lot of discipline, that's why practicing is key to get the consistency, but consistency with correct form. When you notice, and you will, that you have some shots that go off easy while others take for ever or you struggle to get them to finally fire, you have a break down in your form.

If you are using a hinge and you rely on rotation it to fire it, maybe switch to a thumb button type or a different hinge. I actually prefer a 2 finger hinge to keep the rotation part out of it and rely on pulling thru the shot. The only rotation i do is to ensure my middle finger has the correct amount of pressure to engage the click. The idea of a hinge is to not manipulate it or know when it fires. If you have to set it so soft in order to fire it, or rely on rotating the hinge to get it to go off, there are other issues to address first.

Some folks have tried flexing their bi-cep, while at full draw. This simulates elbow movement similar to using back tension, without rotating release. the rear elbow, on release arm, if too low will require more effort. try raising that elbow at anchor as it will engage the back muscles sooner and more directly.

It's hard for any of us to answer fully your needs without seeing what's going on.
At the end of the day, find a release and an execution process that is repeatable and enjoy archery.

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

I pretty much do exactly what 406 said above, mine is set hot, i anchor with equal pressure on index and middle once I start to float the pin I pull through with my middle finger. I have tried a clicker and it F’d me up big time, I like no click and on the spicy side.

 

[mfllood3800]

I pretty much do exactly what 406 said above, mine is set hot, i anchor with equal pressure on index and middle once I start to float the pin I pull through with my middle finger. I have tried a clicker and it F’d me up big time, I like no click and on the spicy side.

My click goes off as I am just getting into anchor. I would not like a release that had the click set up too late and just before the shot. The click is part of my routine and keeps me consistent in my execution process. I do not use it to tell me my bow is ready to fire.

 

[Gumbo]

Hunting comes down to a few fleeting moments, and you want to be executing when that moment comes. Not waiting.

^^^^ This is the absolute truth for me. I shoot a hinge and am currently pulling through with my shoulder with a relaxed release hand and strong front shoulder. I just shot my first deer with it and it was exactly what the doc ordered. No trigger to hammer, and thinking 'Pull, Pull, Pull' kept my head in the game until the shot broke. Time to dump the thumb releases!

 

[All American Boy]

Dehydrated beer.