Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: mountain lion on July 28, 2013, 03:56:00 PM
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This might sound silly but can shooting multiple bows cause you to not shoot accurate with any of them. I was wandering because of the different grips and cast and stuff. I have one recurve and two longbows and I like to shoot them all and it's hard for me to pick and shoot just one. But my accuracy has went down hill, I just figured I would ask and see what everyone thought. Thanks!!
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For some people for sure. The old saying, "beware of the man with only one gun" does have a lot of truth to it.
I know people who shoot a different bow every day and shoot better than most. For me it's best to have that "go to" bow that I shoot most, though I can play around with others here and there.
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It's conceivable, but for example I shoot three longarms regularly. There's my wife's Marlin .22 bolt-action, her grandmother's Sears and Roebuck .22 semiauto, and my Sears and Roebuck Model 300 semiauto shotgun, which I can honestly say I love the most of all. Each one has a specific way I should hold it and a specific way to treat it to achieve maximum accuracy, but as I have practiced long hours with each, each on is an old, familiar friend when I take it in hand to fire.
What has this to do with trad archery? How much time do you spend with each bow? Is it enough time to get it firing perfectly then moving on, or do you hop between bows constantly? If it's the latter, a bit of continuity might help a lot.
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I've always been a one-bow man, so it's never been an issue - but there are a lot of guys who shoot multiple bows well, and even multiple arrow setups on each bow.
I imagine the difference in the grip is more important than the cast, but YMMV.
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I don't shoot one single bow for more than a week at a time. Because I love them all but I suppose I should just pick one and stick with it. When I started shooting trad archery I had a bob lee recurve and that's all I had and I shot it well, then I discovered other bows and started shooting them all and now I don't shoot as well.
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Can you eat just one Lays potato chip?
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Lion.
I answered your other post too but shooting different bows should not affect your shot. IF you do the same thing with each type of bow, you might have a very short period of adjustment but overall, IF you do the same thing with each bow, the shot should be the same. Try NOT to change your form just because the bow/bow grip is slightly different.
A bow is a bow, your form should remain the same.
Arne
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I agree with Arne. You shn't experience more than a short "re-break-in" time with each new bow--I'm talking shooting 4 or 5 arrows max. That's how quickly you shd be able to shoot w/ accuracy when switching. I cycle through about 12 different bows, left and right hand both. Takes a couple minutes to adapt. The biggest challenge is switching between longbows and recurves, particularly if the recurves are center cut.
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I don't think shooting multiple bows really effects one's accuracy much as long as the bows you shoot are all familiar to you. Like halfseminole said if you don't shoot any of them long enough to get familiar with any particular one of them then how can you expect to shoot it accurately. I agree with moebow form is form but every bow is a little different, and usually do to the grip requires just a very small change in shooting style. I shoot different bows all the time, but I do have one main bow. I usually just shoot some of my others when I want to shoot something different, but I am very familiar with all my bows.
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I feel if you have good form you can shoot many different bows.It's rare for me if I shoot the same bow two weeks in a row.I like shooting many different bows.
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Have never figured out how to shoot 2 bows at the same time. The crossing strings and slapping limbs make a mess. :bigsmyl:
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If I switch from LB, or R&D to Recurve which has a different handle, it takes time to adjust. For that reason, I do not switch back and forth. IMO most bowhunters will find they shoot one style, better than another. Fred Asbell has written about this topic several times. I agree with him. John Schulz said, the same thing.
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The biggest problem with shooting multiple bows, I am finally down to only 13, and only dealing on three or four right now, is that I am always broke when the best deals come up...before I start hunting I settle on one or two bows and stick to that right up until I decide to add more...it all comes down to this...since I am not hunting for subsistence if I am not completely confident I can make a clean kill the arrow never leaves the string...I have one bow that I always shoot well and if I really want a particular animal I will always have that bow in my hands
DDave
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I have a post similar on page 2 or 3...I shoot my longbow with the swing draw for accuracy but need to shoot my recurves using the push/pull method.
I tried swing draw with the recurve...no...but knowing how I have to shoot both bows, my accuracy is there.
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I think cast more than anything else is the real issue. Your body/mind learn how an arrow flies from a particular bow as you shoot it over and over. Change that significantly and you might have issues. 150 fps from a selfbow and 200 fps from your ILF will have drastically different trajectories.
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Just one for me during bow season. When the season is over I will switch around with my other bows for a couple months. I'm not multi talented!
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I agree that cast, or trajectory, is the main difficulty when switching between bows. I shoot many different bows and build my arrows so that the gpp are as close as possible thus keeping the trajectory relatively the same. Good form is good form. Let the grip tell you how it should be held and all will be good. Life is too short to shoot only one bow!
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No problems for me at all. I can switch to any of my bows with no problems with accuracy. I shoot from 50# to 70# all the time.
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I usually shoot better for a while when I shoot a new bow.
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Well I only have one bow at this time.
Butt at one time I had two bows, My Howard Hill and Rash Mnt. bow a Recurve and I could shoot them both pretty good....
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:biglaugh: Boy I hope not........
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I personally think it is a problem. Each bow has it's own 'personality' and your brain has to adapt to that bow. Arrow speed and site picture come to mind. If you shoot the two bows lots you will be able to adapt.... but when it is crunch time and the big one is in front of you....and your brain is already mush.. you will be better off if you're shooting a bow that you have practiced with.. lots....
Joe
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I usually need a brief adjustment period but nothing dramatic. However, as hunting season approaches, I tend to stick with the bow I intend to hunt with.
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I switch between :thumbsup: same speed. After a half dz :archer2: arrows I'm right in the groove with what ever bow I'm shooting that day.
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The problem I've seen with some shooting more than one bow who have poor accuracy has more to do with the arrows they insist on shooting. I tried to explain they may need a get properly tuned arrows for each bow or atleast find out what bows shoot the arrows best and then get arrows for the bows that they cant hit the broad side of a barn with. We are talking a 5-10 pound difference in some with the same spine arrow, shooting both longbows and recurves.
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Biggest problem is my back...pocket where my wallet is :)
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Originally posted by moebow:
Lion.
I answered your other post too but shooting different bows should not affect your shot. IF you do the same thing with each type of bow, you might have a very short period of adjustment but overall, IF you do the same thing with each bow, the shot should be the same. Try NOT to change your form just because the bow/bow grip is slightly different.
A bow is a bow, your form should remain the same.
Arne
This is absolutely spot on! :thumbsup:
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When Arne speaks we should all listen
DDave
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Originally posted by Sam McMichael:
I usually need a brief adjustment period but nothing dramatic. However, as hunting season approaches, I tend to stick with the bow I intend to hunt with.
I have four bows I switch around with all the time. I shoot each of them well because I've had them awhile. After a dozen arrows I'm good to go.
Around Labor Day I decide on which bow I will hunt with in the upcoming deer season. I will shoot no other bow or arrow until the season is over.
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I shoot 3 different recurves and two longbows regularly, no problem for me, course all the recurves are Schafer Silvertips and the longbows are Cari-Bows the bows range from 62#-54# at my draw, same arrow out of all of them, AD Hammerhead lites and yes all of the bows are tuned to that arrow, but I can shoot AD Trads also.
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Not for me. But all my bows are Hills/Hill-style. That's as close to shooting the same bow as you can get and still be shooting different bows.
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I believe that shooting multiple bows is fun any maybe necessary for some of us "trad junkies". I also believe if some one wants to be the very best that they can be, they will only shoot one bow. By shooting only one bow your brain will align with your muscle memory for better and more precise aiming.
I agree 100% that using the same proper form is the only way to be consistent with any bow. I have found in my case that the grip design has the most to do with me being consistent among various bows. I do shoot and love to shoot different bows. I do try to keep all of my bows in the same required arrow dynamic spine range, along with the same gpp range.
I think that if you're going to shoot multiple bows, they should be tuned to preform as close to the same as possible.
I have found that the string used on different bows can be a great equalizer. What I mean is I can put a "skinny string" (Rick B)on my 47" Journeyman and it will shoot the exact same arrow as my 50# Journeyman with a 16 strand string.
Side plates and rest used can also be used to make a lighter bow shoot the same as a heavier bow or vise versa.
Brace height can be added or taken away to make minute changes in your arrow flight.
I have been called anal with my tuning but it's what I like to do. I know I'm long winded but I hope this helps to answer your question my friend.
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I shoot different bows all the time. It usually takes me a couple shots to remember the little differences that they have. But what is important to me is that they shoot the same arrow great. rat'
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I had two identical longbows. When shooting them instinctively at close range, I could not tell them apart. However, when I backed up the differences started to show up. By concentrating on secondary aiming I could tell the differences. The real problem with mixing bows comes after someone has grooved in one bow so well that they know what it will do without thinking about how they are aiming too much. When that happens some sort of aiming will have to occur to cope with the differences. Changing back and forth from a high gripped center shot recurve with a low gripped side shot longbow is a more drastic change in both form and sighting. I love shooting my left hand recurve in the spring and summer, but I have to unload it and it put away by August and get back to only shooting the longbow I will be hunting with.
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I build bows, lots and lots of them. I shoot at least 5-6 a week, rarely the same batch each week. It doesn't seem to bother me much, or my shooting. I still have my "days" as everybody has.
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It caused me some problems! I have been shooting/learning my Hill for about a year now. Yesterday I disided to give my recurves some love.... I was aweful, I mean it was terriable how poor I was shooting. I couldn't put all 6 arrows on a paper plate at 15 steps. I'm no crack shot but I'm a lot better then that! So I went inside and got my Hill and after about a dozen arrows latter I felt normal again.
Now my bow hand is sore as heck.... gotta be the funky recurve grip :dunno:
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Not for me either. It takes 2-3 days of shooting and I'm in the groove with that bow. Good luck
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I only get in trouble when shooting at longer ranges and when the drawweight differs more then 3 to 4 lbs.
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Originally posted by riverrat 2:
I shoot different bows all the time. It usually takes me a couple shots to remember the little differences that they have. But what is important to me is that they shoot the same arrow great. rat'
Same here. Might hunt with one in the morning and hunt with another in the after noon. But I shoot four of my bows all the time so I know what they do.
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I differ in some thoughts on this subject as I also own eleven bows. When I have them all tuned right I have very little trubble going from one bow to another, but I have one bow that I love above the others and have not shot the others sence Storm (my bow) came along. Once and a while I have a fling for about an hour then it's right back to Storm. Stay with the one you love the most. If you have'nt found that one keep looking.
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In 2006 I wanted to see just how good I could get with a bow. I shot nothing except my Hummingbird recurve for several months. In my quest for accuracy I also realized aluminum arrows were much better than the wood I had been shooting for 20 years.
Regular practice with one bow and good matching arrows was quite an eye opener for me. I shot better than I thought I was capable of. I even had my best year ever on groudhogs with a total of 36, two dozen more than a typical summer.
In spite of the enjoyment I got from shooting really well I missed shooting my other bows. Nothing reboots my mind like a peaceful walk in my stumping woods with a longbow and back quiver full of wood arrows. I eventually called my experiment a success and went back to regularly switching bows at will.
Shooting only one bow will definately help with your accuracy, but it is just so incredibly boring!