Recurve help

[CanvasGear]

Don't know of any "PRO's" in the trad category competing,  but indoors is 18M for multicolor and 20 yards for blueface.... and if you are consistently grouping at 3"'s then you need to get out there and compete.  Outdoors (3D) you can and will be shooting much longer than that not much further than 50 yards at the State and below levels.  However for other outdoor shoots such as Field and Safari you would be shooting out to 101 yards (Safari) and 80 in the Field.  We need more trad guys out here in the WSAA and NFAA competing!  Lots compete at the local club levels but only a handful at the State level.   We get a pretty good showing at the National levels but could always use more.  Get involved with your local archery club and join the WSAA and NFAA!

Although I dont have a clue what any of that means it does sound fun. I get bad target panic over about 50 yards with my compound and rely heavily on a range finder. Ive seen the competitions on tv and noticed they dont use range finders. Indoor wouldnt be something I'd be interested in. Me and crowds dont get along in enclosed spaces. 3d looked fun, maybe I'd have less target panic if I knew a miss wouldnt hurt anything. My 3d's in the yard are against a fence so trashing the neighbors fence and arrows always seems to get me shaking. 101 yards really?! I thought 60 was long.

CG

[Hornseeker]

There are a lot of different types of shoots…  But one popular competition is the NFAA 300 Round, which is shot at 20 yards. The bulls-eye is like 2.94 inches or something like that… not sure, but very close to 3 inches. You shoot 5 arrows, 12 times at it.


I’m not trying to be a smart ass,  but the best shooters in the world, of all time, don’t put “all their arrows” in the center, not trad guys. Compounders do…  compounders shoot a 300 and the winner is figured by how many X’s you hit. Trad guys shoot between 250 and 285 points to win national tournaments.

You are saying that a lot of your arrows go in a 3 inch group…but not all of them. Well, that is GREAT shooting, and if your buddy can outshoot you...he is a greater shot! I am a decent shot and when I'm really doin good, I can keep "most" of my arrows in a 3" group at 20 yards.... but that with 5 years of a LOT of practice and study!! SO, I stand by that you are a natural and with some more practice you really ought to be one hell of a trad shot over time!!! Keep us posted!

[Hornseeker]

I thought 60 was long

60 IS LONG! Its just that 101 is HELLELONG!

[NWWABOWHNTR]

I thought 60 was long

60 IS LONG! Its just that 101 is HELLELONG!

LOL  Yep and it is what I like to refer to as a "Hail Mary" for us Trad guys.... down at the 3D Nationals in Redding you shoot at Bigfoot at 101 yards,  slightly quartered and of course in a canyon where the wind seems to whip sideways.... Just a clue aim at the crook in the branch several feet above his head and then add a litle more....    Not all shots are long distance though,  here is there target layout with yardages....

[CanvasGear]

Ok I got my bow. My buddy helped me set it up identical to his. 7.5" brace height, bear hair rest and plastic plate with knock at .5". My arrows for the compound are 26" and the tip comes up onto the shelf with my recurve. I need to get some longer arrows. How far past the shelf should they be for broadheads?

Its obvious that a bow of the same make and model are not the same. I cant shoot mine worth a damn but went back to my buddies I shot great, so something needs to change. With vanes mine hits the plate his does not. With feathers its much better but still getting some fishtailing.

I was shooting bare handed, well that was a big stupid mistake my ring finger is still numb. Now the glove vs tab question. The goal is to hunt with this bow so Id gladly take whatever advice I can get. Seems to me the glove is there and ready. On the other hand, can the tab be used with gloves keeping your hands warm?

I assume I need some string silencers because the bow does have that little string twang. Do I just get the fuzzy balls? Should I get the ones that protect the tips also?

Tuning questions! My understanding is that fishtailing up and down is a brace height problem. Is this correct? Fishtailing left and right is to stiff of arrow. Is this correct?

An observation I had was shooting three fingers under felt alot more natural than two under one over. The arrow flight was wierd with three under, the arrow seemed to curve down. Can the bow be tuned to shoot three under or do you have to have a custom or adjustable tiller setting?


Thats about it for now I'm sure I'll come up with more as time goes on.

CG

[Ray]

Arrow length.

http://www.bowproshop.com/arrow-length.html



Sounds like perhaps your arrows are not spined correctly or the nock point is incorrect, if you are experiencing fishtailing. Brace height issues in general should not be the source of fishtailing.

I shoot a glove. That's just a personal thing. But when I hunt I shoot bare handed..

Yes, if it's making noise get silencers. They can be picked up for about 5-6 dollars. Some are even cheaper. Silencers do not protect the tips. At least not any which I have ever seen.

[quadrafire]

Hey canvas. Look at hornseekers post #8 and go to the site he listed. It is VERY informative on tuning.

[Ray]

I agree, that is a good link --> http://bowmaker.net/tuning.htm

[CanvasGear]

Thanks for the help. I ended up with Easton Legacy 2018 arrows and 140g FP's. Also figured out the problem with shooting. My buddies bow is older and has a thinner grip. Mine is going to need some work with a rasp but until I get that done a finger sling (shoe string) and a  wide open grip cured the problems.

Thanks
CG

[Snapshot]

CG
There isn't a rule for how far past the back of the bow the arrow tip should be when at full draw; just make sure you have enough length to keep the the back of the broadhead from coming into contact with your hand or the bow.
The nock position on the string is what you adjust if the arrow porpoises (up and down motion early in its' flight); don't just assume that .5" above 90 degrees is going to be perfect for you; play around with it until the porpoising stops.
Adjusting brace height can correct fishtailing (side to side arrow motion early in flight) but only if the arrow is nearly matched to the bow. A number of other things also have to be considered; arrow spine, arrow length and point weight; if you change any one of them on a given arrow you will change the way it comes off of the bow. For example if a set of arrow shafts are too stiff with 125 grain points and you have already cut them to length, try more weight up front; a heavier tip will in essence soften up the spine. Another example; two identically spined arrows that have the same point weight but are of different lengths will not shoot the same. The shorter one will be stiffer coming off the bow.
I have a hunting partner who was having trouble getting a particular bow to give him good arrow flight; until he turned the cock feather toward the strike plate. No more trouble with arrow flight on that bow!
Once you find the magic combination make notes for that bow on the exact brace height, nock point position and arrow specifications that work for it. Then it will be easier to tune when you make a new dozen arrows or have to replace the bowstring.
Cat whisker silencers are hard to beat for simplicity of use; you can slide them to different locations until you find the sweet spot for them. They are waterproof, too. That being said I like musk ox wool best.
You need to get to Moses Lake in April for the Rock Shoot. You can learn more in a weekend of rubbing shoulders with a couple hundred hard core traditional shooters than anywhere.

[CanvasGear]

Thanks Ive ordered a bunch of different tips. Once I figured out the why's it seems very simple. The archers pardox I mean. Now that Ive shot a few hundred arrows its starting to all make sense. I did end up going cock feather in for the time being until the tips show up, that made a huge difference. Shot my compound last night and notice that shooting the recurve is actually helping with my form in general. Should be a fun hobby.

CG

[Snapshot]

If I may be so bold, CG, it can be a fun "LIFESTYLE". Enjoy it.

[Hornseeker]

Snapshot pretty much covered it all CG.... Good Luck and keep us posted...

Question....if your  buddies bow is the same as yours,and it shoots perfectly for you, why dont you get the SAME exact arrow setup as him....ONly word of caution would be that even though they are supposed to be the same, the poundage could be off some and pay attentionto the center shot of each.

E

[CanvasGear]

Question....if your  buddies bow is the same as yours,and it shoots perfectly for you, why dont you get the SAME exact arrow setup as him....ONly word of caution would be that even though they are supposed to be the same, the poundage could be off some and pay attentionto the center shot of each.

E

My buddies bow is quite abit different once we started looking and measuring. We are both shooting the same arrows. Both are cheap Samick Sage bows. His came with good string mine came with a dacron. His handle is more hand fitted for lack of better words. Mine is sort of blocky with to many squared off edges.
My string has twice as many twist to get the same brace height. His is 50lbs at 27" mine is 48. My shelf cut out is 1/16" deeper, pretty sure that creates some issues.
I guess the made in china bows are not made to any real exact specs.

CG

[Hornseeker]

Cheap bows in general are not made to real exact specs... that is for sure. But...the bow should be shootable... just keep playing, you'll get it.