I have had the hardest time dialing in a bow I got earlier in the year and finally think I've narrowed it down to a few 1/8 inches in a particular arrow. Yet another bow with similar specs shot a variety of arrows, different stiffnesses and lengths. Both are 54" Shrew and Thunderchild.
I suspect I have a bad release and the bow that shoots everything is 6lbs pull heavier than the picky one. Could that be the reason?
Perturbed in Georgia......
I will follow this one....have a bow that is driving me nuts!!!
it's the nature of all three beasts - the bow, the arrow AND you. some matches were made in heaven - those are the bows and arrows we treasure. others were made for divorce court. :D
as simple as the sticks and string appear to be, there is more to it all than meets the eye ...
QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
there is more to it all than meets the eye ...
Transformers...but seriously center shot of the bow has a lot to do with arrow and bow harmony.
overall bow design, your style, arrow shelf, limb width.. I have alot of bows and have observed the same..a few are pretty finicky but most are pretty forgiving ...I like to hunt with the bows that seem to be the most forgiving...and speed is not in that factor..I see alot of people emphasizing fast bows...as long as the kinetic energy is there,,,and the bow is quiet..speed is not as important..I know that alot of people will argue with me but thats my opinion..
I think Rob summed it up quite well. I have found the longer you shoot the bow the more it will come around and will be a pleasure to shoot. Just give it time.
It helps to have a lot of different shafts, points, and a chop saw can be handy. A full vocabulary may make you feel better. :biglaugh:
QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
it's the nature of all three beasts - the bow, the arrow AND you. some matches were made in heaven - those are the bows and arrows we treasure. others were made for divorce court. :D
as simple as the sticks and string appear to be, there is more to it all than meets the eye ... [/QUOTE
X2
I think it mostly has to do with the way the shelf is cut.
QuoteOriginally posted by KentuckyTJ:
I think it mostly has to do with the way the shelf is cut.
That's what I was gonna say, Tom.
The easiest and most forgiving bow to tune is one with a flipper rest and plunger. :readit:
Shelf, and tillering are what I've heard. It seems inconvenient, but having different arrows helps. Flipper rest and plunger makes some people upset...they don't consider it "traditional". I couldn't care less, whatever helps you get there...just don't try to come down to Texas and use it in a TBOT 3D shoot, they get real upset!
Some bow materials like carbon limbs can be a bit more difficult. I like to play with many factors to get a bow to shoot the way I like it. This could be in the arrow spine, brace height, arrow shelf or plate. I have even found playing with different strings can make a difference. It is fun trying to figure it and it keeps me practicing even after 40 years of shooting.
The more variables you put in to the equation, the more variations in performance you are going to get. If all bows in question where the same, then the variation would me minimal. Different limb materials have different cast. Different bow manufactures cut there risers different in relation to the center of the bow. Bow strings, are they all the same material and same number of strands ? All this will affect arrow flight, and paradox.
If one piece of the equation is different from one bow to the next, than you will have to change either the shaft length, or tip weight to compensate for that difference.
Just my opinion I could be wrong.
Ya, plungers have only been around for 50 years or so, I guess they are not traditional. LOL What was I thinking.
If I ever end up in texas I will stay clear of the Trad Police at the TBOT 3D shoot. (Dont tell them there is a division called RU for such un "trad" gizmos :scared: )
Sharptop, The bow that is closer to centershot will be more forgiving of arrow spine.
FWIW a 54" bow can be a little more tricky to come off the string cleanly.
two words- finger pinch
Speaking strictly for myself, I think if a bow is cut 3/16" past center, it will shoot a variety of differently spined arrows and point weights very easily and never be picky.
Thats the difference between a well designed bow from an ok designed bow.
A bow that is real particular about arrows will be particular slight variations of from, grip draw length and release etc. I dump bows like that.
I had a 42@28" 66" BW target bow that shot Bear 308s,I think that was a 2016, with commanding authority and shot them faster at any draw than a 52 pound longbow I had, which would really not shoot them at all, what really got me was when even another 60 pound longbow would not shoot the 308 unless I hung 200 grains on the end. The BW target bow shot the ones with 200 grains up front just as well and faster than the 60 pound longbow. This was a bow from the late 60s early 70s beautiful Brazilian rosewood riser. At 29" draw it put those 308s with 125 field points, according to a chrono at a shoot, out at 202 fps. This bow also zipped target arrows out at unreal speeds as well, it just did not seem to care what was in it. I wish my Bear takedowns and my longbows could that, the only reason I did not hunt with it and that target style was that I could not get deer to stand still where I was pointing the bow, I shot indoor 290s consistently with it, so it was an accurate bow.
Longstick gave the correct answer,. If the centershot is a true centershot or close, the shelf shaped right and the bow is tillered and timed correctly the bow will handle a wide variety of spines and weights well. If the bow is cut to center or before center. a little out of sync and tiller it can be tuned but it is way more finiky.
Many trad bows are cut before center. the owners pride themselves in spending days and months getting the exact arrow to shoot out of those bows. Its part of the game for them and part of the fun.
However Peter Keyheys, Longstick 64 gave the right answer in my opinion. Its how the bow is built and designed.
God bless you all and Merry Christmas, Steve
I would lean towards the design factor,
Frm my experience,w/ heavy amount of preload,bows are more sensative to shooting form and finger pressure on the string.It seems to me there is a couple ways to check a bow of this design.
W/ a recurve,one can take a unstrung bow and lay it on a flat surface to see how far the tips set past the riser.Also, I'll try to twist the tip of the limb as well.I know this makes a super smooth and fast shooting bow but they can be sensative as well.
W/ longbows and I truely beleive people have the most problem w/,the bows w/ alot of r&d can be very challenging to shoot consistant.Again,I'm full aware of the speed and draw cycle benefits,along w/ shortening the legnth of the bow but there are some trade offs that don't work well w/ us shooting form challenged shooters.
When I see those big swooping limbs and when strung the one limb will collaspe w/ pressure on the other.That tells me that one needs to be well practiced when compared to shooting a longbow of more moderate design.
Fast bows are nice but untamed bows aren't.