The GAP 3under vs split

[the rifleman]

Was reading the 3 vs split post.  I have been shooting 3 under for the past year and it has enabled me to hit closer to the target with regard to up and down.  My left and right has opened up with this style and I suspect it has to do with release using 3 under.  Last night out of curiousity I tried split again--my arrows hit high---but wow were they closer together.  I was getting a much cleaner release and my bow was quieter.  My problem is that I now have an 18 inch gap from arrow point to where it hits at 20 yards (vs 8 inch gap with 3 under).  I am not committed to becoming a gap shooter, but am afraid that this difference will always result in high misses (especially in a hunting situation).  I wear glasses and have tried to get my anchor up as high as I can, but still have this huge gap with split.  I really feel that the benefits of the accuracy and better release with split are where its at for me but am I fighting a losing battle with this big of a gap?  I feel I need to pick a style and stick with it---3 under=closer to the target but bigger groups---split = much better groups but very high misses.

[reddogge]

I've shot split since 1955 and your gap isn't that off the mark with your anchor. I anchor with the middle finger near my corner of the mouth and the first finger is jammed under my cheekbone and I have a point on of 35 yards, not too long for hunting or 3-D. I have gone to a longer arrow 30"-30.5" for my 27.5" draw which decreased my point on by 10 yards.

You just get used to those kind of gaps by shooting a lot. I rarely have a fly over anymore since going to the longer arrow.

[McDave]

It is possible that you are torquing the string or the bow more when you shoot 3 under than when you shoot split.  This will cause left/right misses, particularly if you're using a recurve.  The tips of a recurve are more flexible than the tips of a longbow, and a slight torque will cause them to bend one way or the other, throwing the arrow to one side or the other.

A lot of times torquing is a result of simply not being aware that you're doing it.  Become aware of how the bow is pressing against your hand at full draw: all the pressure of your hand against the bow should be straight forward with no sideways pressure exerted by your thumb or fingers against the handle.  Become aware of how the string is pressing against your fingers at full draw: all the pressure of your fingers should be straight back, without any sideways twisting pressure against the string.  

This is difficult to feel; it may feel natural to torque the string if you've gotten used to doing it.  Usually a RH shooter wants to torque the string in a counter-clockwise direction, rotating the bow to a more vertical position.  You can identify if this is a problem by opening up your bow hand at full draw and seeing whether the bow wants to move to a more vertical position. Ideally, you would eliminate this by relaxing your string hand so it follows the cant of the bow.  If you can't relax your string hand that much, then try twisting your string hand clockwise and see what effect it has on arrow flight.  It could be that when it feels like you're putting a clockwise torque on the string, you're really just taking the torque out of it.  The only effective long-term solution is to relax your string hand, but there will be times when your string hand tenses up, but you can't feel the tension.  If you start missing left and you can correct it by putting what feels like a clockwise torque on the string, or if the bow wants to stand up when you open your bow hand at full draw, then at least you've identified the problem and can work on relaxing your string hand.

There is nothing inherent in 3 under that should increase your left/right spread.