Need Bow Critique

blgoode

blgoode

Joined
Oct 3, 2003
Messages
7,047
Okay fellas!!! I need some advice from you guys with more experience.

I acquired a new to me 2008 Diamond "The Rock" and got a few hrs of practice in.

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Seems like I spent the majority of today adjusting the sights to no avail. I think I am trying to hard. SO

I said screw it and got the sight where I thought was good enough at 15 yards considering every movement and shot has a different point of impact as its not a friggin GUN and my body isnt used to this!!!

So........

This is where I stopped for today, This is at 20 yards and a small game of "Ring around the posies" and hit the bee in the top left.

I started looking past the sight and more at the target and not trying so hard.

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Well, How am I doing? Good enough to stop worrying with the sight for a while and simply shoot?
 
I am an instinctive archer and don't use sights (bare recurve), so I can't offer usable advice on those. But I can tell you that you need to get used to using those particular muscles. And work on a consistant hold. If your hold isn't consistant, neither will your shots be, sights or no sights.

Do warm up/muscle stretching before you begin a session. Practice the draw itself more. Use the exact same anchor point every time. Practice holding at full draw. Shooting arrows before you get these down may be fun and entertaining, but it isn't helping your technique, IMHO. When you do shoot, aim for one spot, not six different ones. That lets you see how much your anchor and release varies.

Now maybe an archer who is used to a bow with sights and training wheels can offer you some good advice!:D
 
Thanks Codger!!

I was not aiming for one spot trying to save arrows but I see what ya mean :)
 
blgoode said:
Thanks Codger!!

I was not aiming for one spot trying to save arrows but I see what ya mean :)
Click to expand...

Yes, I've ruined quite a few of those myself. Shoot fewer before you retrieve, or set up two targets side by side. Arrows are not cheap. At least not the last time I had a matched set built. Also, construct a way to detect bent arrows. Shops have jigs to check true and straighten them, so don't trash the ones that get slight bends.

ETA: I have two sets of arrows made... one set for practice, one for hunting. They are exactly the same except the color of fletches. That way I know my hunting arrows are true. Welcome to a hobby you can sink a pile of money into quickly!
 
that's a very nice bow you scored yourself there mate. i use a Fred Bear Showdown compound with sights myself, only been into archery since ~April (bought the bow for christmas and couldn't get out to the range due to bad weather until April)

basically, +1 on what Codger_64's being saying.

the main thing for consistent shooting with a bow is your form on the draw and release.

with a compound, you MUST keep the bow perfectly vertical. if it's slanting a little, you're accuracy will suffer badly.

it takes a while to get the hang of it, but once you find a comfortable anchor point, practise making sure you always anchor yourself the same way.

sights take some getting used to. you need to decide if you'll centre the pin in the peep or centre the sight-ring itself in the peep. either method is fine, but you have to be consistent.

when sighting in, i fire three arrows at the same spot on the target. if all three are reasonably grouped (all inside 1" @ 30 yards is my personal benchmark), then i can start adjusting the sights ("chase the arrows" is the rule. so if you're shooting high and to the left, move that pin up and to the left).

anyways, here's some of my early attempts at around 30 yards, i'm pretty happy with this kind of shooting. fyi: the outer ring is about 6" diameter, the inner dot is a little over an inch across.
lr30msr18283.jpg


one thing i'm loving about my archery at the moment is that i'm visibly improving every time i get out and throw some arrows.

edit: check and see if there's an archery club anywhere in your area. if there is, head on down and soak up all the advice that will be slung your way.
 
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Here is my last attempt for this evening. I'm sore so I did something useful today :)

In nit enough light as I'd like at 15 yards. I really couldn't see the black and red dots that great but I knew about where they were. Picture took great even though I had to use the light on my sights :)

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Here is what I used to make my arrow tester. I got the idea from watching my bowyer test and straighten my arrows. Attach two of these double roller cabinet latches about eight inches to a foot apart on a board (edge of 2x4 or 1x4), then clamp it in your vise. Roll the arrow and note any wobble. Mark the bend with a sharpie, then press out the bend and retest.

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or you could just use Carbon arrows instead of alloy ones :)

carbon fibre has the nice property that it won't "bend". it's either straight, or it's splinters, but it's never "bent".
 
Do you knock at the same point? Meaning, if you use a mechanical release do you pull back to the same spot on your face? You might want to buy a kisser button or use the corner of your thumb in the corner of your mouth as a consistency increaser. Also, do you look through the peep site right? Has somebody adjusted the bow for you? Release the same way everytime also. Do you use a knocking loop or the brass knocks on your string?
 
one other small point, i'd look at finding a safer place to set up your practise target.

some kind of backstop if you miss the target completely is great even if only for peace-of-mind.
 
Thanks guys for the topic.
Im using carbon arrows but I'll still have them checked.

I have a D loop knock spot with a kisser button. I could be doing worse I guess considering I have had 6 serious attempts at practice. I have learned alot by listening to BowCast podcast go over their practice fundamentals. Its a start :)
 
sambo. said:
one other small point, i'd look at finding a safer place to set up your practise target.

some kind of backstop if you miss the target completely is great even if only for peace-of-mind.
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Agreed. Im shooting into my building as a backstop but a packing blanket hung up might work. What do you think about the backing blanket?
 
blgoode said:
Agreed. Im shooting into my building as a backstop but a packing blanket hung up might work. What do you think about the backing blanket?
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i'm lucky enough to have a very large and seemingly purpose-made mound of dirt to sit my practise target in front of. but then again, my range is near a dam on a mates 20,000 Ha property.

i've heard of people using a packing-blanket type setup as a backdrop and from what i hear, they can work quite well.

from what i understand of the concept, you string a rope up horizontally and sling the blanket over that so it's double thickness with a gap between the layers and space behind the blankets so they can swing a little when the arrow hits 'em.

while they'll probably be great for field-tips (target points), i rekon any decently sharp broadhead would probably punch clean through it.

another option you may wish to consider is to head to your local supermarket and get some bales of compressed cardboard out of their box compactor and build a backstop wall out of those. if possible, ask for bales that are only at ~1/2 to 2/3rds compression rather than fully packed down (they are like shooting into concrete when fully compressed). i use a cardboard bale wrapped in cling film as my target. you want to be shooting into the sides of the bale with the edges of the cardboard facing you rather than into the top/bottom with the flat side of the cardboard towards you.

once you've shot out one side, rotate it and keep going. when it's completely shot out, take it to the tip and get another one. best of all: they're FREE!! and i've never had a supermarket complain about someone volunteering to take away some of their trash.

don't underestimate the power of modern bows. i did the math on my bow and it's delivering more kinetic energy to the target than a .22 rifle.
 
A stack of hay bales is what I use, but I don't live where you do. A couple of moving quilts hung loose on a frame like a swingset would likely stop target points.
 
Don't worry to much about your pins being dialed in right now. Until you get to the point where you are consistently hitting the same spot, you will just chase your tail around.

You are using muscles you have probably never used before. Don't over do it. As much fun as it is to keep shooting, your form suffers because of the fatigue.
Until you build up the muscles, don't be afraid to turn down the poundage, it makes it a lot easier.
Shoot less, and really take your time checking your stance, and anchor point.
Make sure you are not torquing the bow with your hand when you hold it.
Keep your bow hand relaxed.

Was the bow set up at a knowledgeable shop, and is the draw length correct for you. If not, it can make a huge difference.

The main thing is to keep it fun. There will always be days that things don't go as well as you would like, but don't get discouraged, It happens to everyone
 
i am also getting used to my first compound. a piece of advice a friend told me was to drop all the pins except the one i am siting in. once im happy with my 20yrd pin and used to siting on it, i will bring up the 40ryd pin and work on that one. and hopefully it will make siting more instictual.
 
blgoode said:
Okay fellas!!! I need some advice from you guys with more experience.

I acquired a new to me 2008 Diamond "The Rock" and got a few hrs of practice in.

c360115d.jpg


Seems like I spent the majority of today adjusting the sights to no avail. I think I am trying to hard. SO

I said screw it and got the sight where I thought was good enough at 15 yards considering every movement and shot has a different point of impact as its not a friggin GUN and my body isnt used to this!!!

So........

This is where I stopped for today, This is at 20 yards and a small game of "Ring around the posies" and hit the bee in the top left.

I started looking past the sight and more at the target and not trying so hard.

837ee640.jpg


6ee8a4ed.jpg



Well, How am I doing? Good enough to stop worrying with the sight for a while and simply shoot?
Click to expand...

looking good keep practicing. those diamonds are made by Bowtech.. great bows for the money.. good choice:thumbup:.. if you are practicing with field tips you need to see if your broadheads have the same POI. so check that too before you hunt. i practice with BH's only.. expensive yes, but i am pretty darn accurate too.

practice out to 30-35yds.. focus on 10-30.. anything over 30 is a bit risky unless your arrow is butt nasty fast. i like to use the tips that glow. if you get some practice with them too. they weight just a tad more than regular.

keep in mind your accuracy may not be bc of the sight. it maybe bc you are not consitant with your anchor points. being consistant with your anchor points are a MUST.. do not vary them or you will never be consistantly accurate.

bend with your hips not your legs or back when shooting from a stand.
 
Spent some time at the range today and this was my best group of the session.

Distance is 20 yards and after this set of 3 the next 4 sets of 3 at least 1 arrow was in the black tape in the center. Not too shabby :)

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