non centershot canting angle?

[gb]

For a non centershot right hand bow, is there some angle to which the top limb can be canted right, that will result in the arrow being aligned center shot laterally and pointing at a spot on the target directly above the intended point of impact?    I hope I have worded the question I am trying to ask correctly.

[Terry Green]

IMO, canting has nothing to do with whether a bow is center shot or not......canting is just a position the bow is held in if that's your style or if the shot dictates.....its not a matter of center shot.

[McDave]

There probably is, but it would vary depending on how the bow and arrow were tuned.  It is possible to tune a non-centershot bow such that the arrow bends around the riser and heads in the direction the bow, rather than the arrow, is pointing.  My non-centershot bows group to the left, which I assume yours do also, based on your question.  I'll have to experiment with canting to see if it effects where the arrow hits, since I normally shoot with some "normal" degree of cant, and just hold to the right on longer shots, when I use gap.  I can see your point, that more canting should bring the point more on target.  But it may take more canting than I would want to use (180 degrees?) before it would eliminate the left grouping.  I suppose, following your reasoning, that we might eliminate the left grouping only to replace it with high grouping?

[gb]

Mr Green, please forgive my novice's ignorance, but I don't know what IMO stands for. Respectfully, gb

[McDave]

IMO = In my opinion

Check out  http://www.gaarde.org/acronyms/  for a list of about a million more of these clever internet abbreviations.

[gb]

Thank you Mr. McDave, and the answer to the question at the end of your first reply is yes.  With my bow, there seems to be a given angle for each type of arrow used, where only adjustments in elevation are required with changing distance. This angle varies from about 30 to 45 degrees.

[laddy]

Howard Hill varied the cant of his bow to match the distance and whether the shot was uphill or down.  sounds to me like you already have it figured out pretty much the same as Hill did years ago.

[Orion]

If the arrow is well tuned to the bow, it should fly to the target regardless of the cant.  For example, Gene Wensel shot Woody by reverse canting his bow.  

However, canting the bow will align the arrow under the shooter's eye, which is what I think you are talking about.  How much to cant to reach perfect alignment depends on the shooting style, head position, etc. of the shooter, but you can arrive at it through trial and error pretty quickly.

Larry:  I've never read that about Howard Hill.  Where did he say that?  I've read all his books.  Then again, my memory isn't what it used to be.

[jacobsladder]

just some added info.... alot of rh shooters tend to cant more than necessary to compensate for overly stiff arrows that fly left...especially on bows that arent cut to center...

[laddy]

John Schulz, Hittin' 'em video. for Orion.  jladder, I agree.  Most longbow shooters tend to go over spine and selfbows require less spine yet, but you always hear those that say they get perfect flight with 20 pounds over spine, with different variables possible, i guess.  I wouldn't throw out the spine charts out on that over spining advice. They seem to work for me, I always give in to lighter spine unwillingly, but I  must admit that I am shooting underspine on two of my bows, it is what they need.

[jacobsladder]

laddy....expecially if the bow is d shaped and cut shy of center... i think there is a tendency to shoot to stiff of an arrow.... for those that say they are getting perfect arrow flight...they probably arent shooting far enough back to really watch was there arrow does in flight....

[aromakr]

Let me jump in hear and say, there is a lot of truth about guy's shooting too stiff an arrow. This is one of the draw backs to bareshaft tuning as bareshafting will usually result in an arrow  that tunes with a shaft length and point weight that is stiffer than needed when fletched. Learn to calculate spine so bare shafting is not necessary.
Bob