Anyone shoot off the hand??

[Willrett]

I'm looking at several low end bows and I have found a site (dark knight armory) that has several different bows. I want one of each type (eventually) so I can figure out what I want to spend the big bucks on. The different styles they have are long, recurve, flat, horse, yumi, and short. From 35# upto 130#. Some have shelves some don't which got me thinking about trying it.

So does anyone here shoot off the hand or ever tried it? Do you recommend any special type of glove? Does it take awhile to get used to?

Thanks everyone.

[broketooth]

i shoot off the hand, ive been doing this for a while now. ive been warned about watching for the fletchings cutting my hands upon release, but this is not or ever will be an issue for me. ive been a carpenter for 20 yrs , so my hands are very tough from yrs of hard work, haven't had any issues yet. all i can say is try it and see how it works out for you, just be careful and good luck

[paradocs]

I cut the floppy rest off my Sheepeater and shoot off my bare hand; no issues as long as I shoot cock feather out....tried once with cock feather in; won't do that again.

[arrowslinger22]

Works for me too, I make sure I have the fletching glued on the front of each feather and the spine is correct.  Bows without cut out rests need more attention to arrow spine than those that are cut to center.  Not a big problem, but something to be aware of.

[Tom Leemans]

Just use a Ferret's Floppy Arrarest(TM). That's close enough to shooting off the hand AND you won't cut your hand. I've been using one since he invented them, except I use a slightly softer leather, so I can feel the arrow on my knuckle. It's just stiff enough right next to the arrow plate to keep the arrow on the rest, as long as I don't bump it off. I'll never put anything else on my bows.

[TheFatboy]

When shooting with thumb ring, I do  

[Flesner]

Put a drop of glue on the leading point of the feathers and you will not have problems with cutting your hand.
I often shoot off my hand when hunting with a selfbow. I shoot just as well (or poorly!!) either way.

[Grant Young]

Willret- I've shot this way for my life in archery- at least since my teens. I've never had any problems with it hurting my hand. I only shoot otherwise conventional recurves with the shelf cut way down so I couldn't offer much insight into horsebows, selfbows, or other types.  Grant

[Hackbow]

I'm not a fan. I've managed to cut myself multiple times a year for many years. My current bow has a shelf that sits close to the hand and I even built it up a little after cutting myself.

[Dick in Seattle]

I love shooting off the hand.  My first bow as a kid was built for that.  I had a Howard Hill built that way for myself.  Now that I'm building my own, I build about every third bow that way.  I do put a very thin piece of leather in the wrap to provide a specific hand and arrow placement reference.  I like to use a bow hand glove... a very light leather golf glove, gives a nice grip and feel.  One of the things I like is that these bows are ambidextrous.  I can share them with leftie friends.

 

 

[Coop]

I used to on all my selfbows until I was left a feather sticking in my hand once, lol. The front edge must have been lifted on it and when it passed over my hand the arrow went and the feather stayed,   .

[Ray Borbon]

Definitely have shot off the hand. One of my bows is setup that way. Just seemed ok to me after the first dozen arrows. I don't use anything special but my hands. No gloves.

[4est trekker]

I do both...off hand and off of a shelf/floppy rest.  I always wrap/bind the front of the fletchings so they can't come loose.

[Pat B]

I prefer to shoot off of my hand. I wrap the forward end of the fletching to make a smooth transition there. I also use a floppy rest mostly for hand protection and as a locator.
 If your arrows are properly spined and your release is true the arrow shouldn't touch the bow or your hand after release.

[A Step]

Might want to wrap the beginning of the feathers with dental floss. When I started doing it the cuts were no longer an issue.

[trashwood]

I am with Pat B.  

rusty