Bow length and finger pinch

[Arctic Hunter]

I’m looking to get another black widow. I have had several 58”, 60”, and 62” widows, and shot the 60/62’s well, but always had annoying pain in my ring finger after shooting a lot (split finger).  I always attributed it to the cost of doing business and taped it up, but lately I’ve been considering that I might be better off with a 64” bow with my 30” draw.

Has anybody around that draw length seen much benefit from going to a 64” recurve? I know they have the test drive thing, I’m just curious what others thoughts are.

[Terry Green]

I'll post this evening, and we'll end this for ya.

I don't know your draw length, but I doubt its your bow.

I'll be back later.

 

[The Whittler]

Maybe high elbow?

[McDave]

The PMA is the BW bow best suited for longer draw lengths, and a 30” draw length is right in the middle of the recommended range for a 64” PMA.  So I think with your DL, you would like shooting a 64” bow better than the other lengths you mentioned shooting.

As far as your finger pain is concerned, that might not completely solve your problem.  You could be dragging your ring finger when you release the string, or may even have some arthritis in that finger.  It's a good idea to get rid of the pain first before you start trying different things, because if the inflammation is chronic it could keep coming back no matter what you do.  Maybe try a two-finger hold or shoot lefty for a while until the pain goes away?

[Terry Green]

Sorry I missed your draw length.

I'll be back with more later, till then, start with this......

https://www.tradgang.com/tgsmf/index.php?topic=175231.msg2955835;topicseen#msg2955835

[Orion]

Yep.  A 64-inch bow will reduce finger pinch.  As already suggested, you may also be shooting with too high a draw arm elbow.  Regardless, the longer bow for your draw length is still a good idea. 

[Arctic Hunter]

Sorry I missed your draw length.

I'll be back with more later, till then, start with this......

https://www.tradgang.com/tgsmf/index.php?topic=175231.msg2955835;topicseen#msg2955835

Thanks Terry, I’ll give this a try.

Appreciate the help thus far. I never went to a 64” bow before because 90% of the hunting I did was out of tree stands and a 60” PSA worked well. But I’m all spot and stalk these days. Thinking I might see if the longer bow doesn’t get in the way as much as I thought it might.

[Terry Green]

Yes, too high of a drawing elbow can be an issue if your alignment is out of whack somewhere.  I'll be back again to talk about that. In the meantime can you post some photos or video clips of you shooting?

[Archie]

I shoot a 64" PMA and a 66" Widow longbow, and my draw length is about 30 1/2" now after breaking my shoulder a couple of years ago.  After trying out a lot of different short bows over the years, I came across a couple of Steve Gorr's Cascade bows, the ones in my signature, and have been shooting them exclusively since I got them.  I am amazed at how well they shoot, and while I feel a bit of finger pinch on the 52" bow, the 56" bow doesn't give me any.  I used to have a high elbow and a big callous on my ring finger but the shorter bows have caused me to get my draw more into alignment, and that's probably helped with the finger pinch.   There's something about how different bows are engineered that opens some up more than others at full draw.  I haven't found a BW bow shorter than 60" that felt good at my draw length.

[Arctic Hunter]

I feel like my alignment is pretty good. I keep solid back tension and hold at full draw for 2-3 seconds. I  anchor with the pointer finger in the corner of my mouth, so I have a pretty low anchor. But my elbow being high is probably something I should definitely check.  I’ll see if I can get a picture when I get out to the range soon.