Shooting a bow Cut to Center…hitting right.

[Oliverstacy]

I have a question on shooting a bow cut to center and a bow not cut to center and the differences between the two. I shoot Beman MFX and Easton Axis skinny carbons.

I'm right handed for the record...

I draw 29.5” and shoot 30.5” arrows. 400 spine for all bows close to 58 lbs and 500s for the Savannah.

To date I have only shot bows that were not cut to center and I shoot them fairly well…for the most part I can pick them up (any of them) and within a dozen arrows I’m shooting nice groups with them. I really like this and it allows me to shoot all of them without a ton of effort.

Now I have just started shooting my 60”Kanati longbow that IS cut to center and I’m hitting a consistent 6-8” right of center…good tight groups but they’re just to the right. I thought I had a week spine on the arrows I was using so I lowered my point weight to try to compensate for what I thought was a week spine. I was amazed that I could take 50 grains off the front and not notice one bit of difference in arrow flight…all were right and straight in the target. Arrow flight seems to be very good!

Is this a thing my body will adjust to if I shoot just this bow…I like consistency and would shoot just this bow but I’m afraid that I’ll zero my body for this bow and shoot the rest to the left when I go to shoot them.

Is this also a reason that people ask if a bow is cut to center?

Thanks,

Josh

[BWD]

Have you tried building out your side plate?

[Winterhawk1960]

Originally posted by BWD:
Have you tried building out your side plate?

Josh,

Like posted above.......build out your sideplate and you will be fine. I went to Lowe's and bought a roll of double-sided carpet tape. Pretty thin stuff that is sticky on both sides. Just keep adding layers until your hitting where your looking.

I also use it to attach any new strikeplates or sideplates that need it. A lifetime supply can be had for under $10.

Winterhawk1960

[ishoot4thrills]

Excellent advice above!

[chopx2]

I third the motion...the small diameter arrows with the centershot make your arrows act weaker in spine.

[Don Batten]

use a hard leather side plate instead of a soft material will also help. good advice above too. DB

[Orion]

Yep.  Building out the side plate will likely resolve the problem.  So will an arrow with more spine.  Taking off 50 grains just isn't enough.  

Another thing that could explain part and maybe all of the arrows impacting to the right is that you haven't adjusted your bow arm hold. If you don't move your bow arm a little to the left with the cut to center bow, you in effect are pointing the arrow more to the right before the shot, vis-a-vis a bow not cut to center.  Usually, the brain makes this adjustment after a few arrows, but not always. That's one of the reasons some folks have difficulty switching back and forth from longbows (not cut to center) and recurves (cut to center or past center).  Try this.  When you draw the bow, and think you are on target, look down the arrow to see where it's pointing.  If it's pointing to the right of the intended target, you need to move your bow arm to the left to bring it in line.  Consciously doing this a few times should train your mind to bring you back on target.  Of course, as others have said, building out the side plate will accomplish the same thing and you won't need to make the mental adjustment.  Good luck.

[xtrema312]

Have you tried a bare shaft?  Tight groups how far out?  Also check your grip.  Are you getting a straight ahead bow move?  I had a bow that did just that.  Bare shaft confirmed that they spine looked close.  When I changed my grip the bow shot straight.  It was a real light bow like that, and those, for me, can be hard to tell what they are doing on the shot.  I was turning the bow a little at the release.

[Overspined]

I think it is a grip issue or maybe spine. It can be tough to guage spine issues with carbon fletched because they recover so darn fast. Try holding the bow a few different ways and get into it more/move to the outside etc. Although 50gr off of a tip of a carbon will likely not do much for your flight so try a makeshift build out on the shelf and lighter head...

I can switch from a center cut longbow to my hill bows without a glitch with well tuned arrows. I sight the same and hit the same place so just play until you get it. Good luck

[Oliverstacy]

All...thanks for the advice!  I'm still playing around with it; just don't have a lot of time at this point to really tinker with it. I was gone last week and this week has been interesting at best.  It is super smooth and it has no stack…just eases into full draw without much effort!

I really don't want to build the rest/side plate out much if I don’t have to because it defeats the purpose of the cut to center I would think.  But if I wanted to use the same arrows and hit the same way I could see why you would want to do that.

If I use a larger diameter carbon would it act different?  I don’ t mind going with a larger diameter shaft or even maybe wood on this one…can’t believe I just said that!

Okay if I wanted to shoot wood arrows what would be a good starting point?  I draw 29.5” and I’m currently shooting a 30.5” arrow.  The weight would be about 58 lbs at that draw and I’d want to shoot around 150 grain heads.

Josh

[ChuckC]

umm aim a bit to the left ?
ChuckC

[moebow]

Arrows hitting right for a right hander --- assuming relatively good spine match --- is the bow hand too deep into the grip.  Try moving your hand to the left a little on the grip (clock-wise).

For what it's worth, arrows hitting to the left for a right hander is string hand not getting the arrow nock under the eye, or a pluck on release.

[Oliverstacy]

I'm going to try a different grip...I can play around with the way I hold it a lot cheaper then changing arrows.

It's a work in progress...I really like this bow!

Josh

[beachbowhunter]

The centercut has made them too weak. Carbons are far more sensitive to length than tip weight. You still have an inch of play in the shaft length. I would bet that 1/4 to 1/2 inch shorter shaft length would work.

[RC]

I would take the arrow tuning advise these fellas have provided or build out the shelf. I would never adjust my grip or any other part of my shooting form to suit a bow.Personally I will not own a bow long that does`nt shoot where I`m looking after I`ve matched arrows to it and adjusted the side plate.Your form is the basis of your sucess...don`t change it if works for you on your other bows.RC

[30coupe]

Josh,

It all depends on what you want to do. I had the same issue with my Orion, which is apparently cut a bit past center. My arrows may have also been a bit on the weak side as well, but I didn't want to buy new shafts, so I built out the side plate a bit. I just use a bit of leather under a leather side plate. Now she hits in the same spot as my Kanati. All is good! I love both bows and can pick up either and hit the same spot with ease.

[Skipmaster1]

I have the same problem when changing from my longbows to my recurves when shooting the same weight with the same arrows. I hit 4" left with the recurves. After shooting a bit my brain adjusts but I don't like not being able to just pick them up and shoot and I like having one set of arrows for bows in the same weight range, so I just build out the side plates. Now I have no problems.

[Jeff Hren-Renegade]

Never had a problem switching. I shot to the right at first but it didn't take very long & i was back on target.
  If I'm shooting to far right or left I start by moving my brace highth A Inch or so & It usually corrects it.