Yet another grip question.

[jonsimoneau]

This is more of a recurve thing. But I've seen guys who only grip the bow using their pointer finger and their thumb. Just 2 fingers actually touching the bow. I've also seen guys who grip it with their thumb and then their first 2 fingers touching the face of the bow at a 45 degree angle. All things being equal which one is more accurate? Seems to me the less contact with the bow the better. So if a guy can figure out how to do it by only using 2 fingers touching the bow as opposed to three he should be better off? Any thoughts?

[Tradcat]

I have the same question! I'll be curious at the thoughts of those who chime in

[reddogge]

It's a personal choice but grip style influences how you grip it. It would be hard to use two fingers on a low grip but easy on a high grip.

[McDave]

I use the thumb and forefinger method, since I have a tendency to torque the bow otherwise.  The other fingers touch the bow handle, but they're just along for the ride.

To make this work, I find a place where I can pull the weight of the bow back against the web between my thumb and forefinger, so that the bow doesn't need any other support to be held at full draw.  In other words, I can open my hand at full draw and the bow won't go anywhere.  The only purpose of the thumb and forefinger hold is to keep the bow from flying out of my hand when I shoot it.

I never ask for a high grip; I don't think I've ever shot a bow that has one.  I just ask for whatever the normal grip is that the bowyer makes.  I don't shoot with a high grip like Fred Asbell does.  Some of the weight of the bow rests on the meaty part of my hand between my thumb and lifeline, but I make sure the force vector of the bow is centered at the bottom of the V between my thumb and forefinger.

Rod Jenkins taught me that.  He shoots where it is hot and muggy, and doesn't use anything to improve his grip on the bow when his hand gets slick with sweat.

Not all bows are amenable to being gripped like that.  If I get one that's not, it doesn't stay on my rack very long.

[nhbuck1]

Now can you use the thumb and forefinger method on a longbow? I'm confused on how many fingers should be on the riser while gripping, I know the compound says 2 with rest tucked wouldn't this be the same?

[McDave]

I think it depends on the longbow.  Longbows with shaped grips seem to be amenable to the thumb and forefinger method.  I have a Schaffer longbow and a Toelke longbow that I grip that way.  I don't know about straight handled Hill style longbows; maybe somebody else will answer that.

[nhbuck1]

what about recurves? i notice people grip with the whole hand is theis wrong i dont get it?

[McDave]

Grip is a very personal thing. Some grips work for some people and not for others. A full handed grip would be fine as long as you don't torque the bow.

[slowbowjoe]

My (limited) experience says the bow will tell you what grip it likes.

[nhbuck1]

how will it tell you joe? can you please explain

[katman]

First thing I do with a new bow with a different grip is close bale shooting finding where to put the pressure point to make the bow not twist with an open hand at full draw, as McDave said, and jump straight to target on release. Then start bow and arrow tuning.

[Firstlight]

I think McDave summed it up pretty well.

On my LB I have thumb + index and middle finger lightly touching the bow, so it won't fly out upon release.  Hand at 45 degrees.  Which is what I do for the recurve.  The fingers are doing nothing else, just relaxed with no tension.

As McDave stated (this to applies to me):  "To make this work, I find a place where I can pull the weight of the bow back against the web between my thumb and forefinger, so that the bow doesn't need any other support to be held at full draw. In other words,** I can open my hand at full draw and the bow won't go anywhere. The only purpose of the thumb and forefinger hold is to keep the bow from flying out of my hand when I shoot it."

Search out Moebow's youtube videos on the subject, he has some good ones on grip.

...gripping this way should eliminate any torque.

[nhbuck1]

so just draw the bow with an open hand then lightly rest fingers

[McDave]

Once you find the right place to grip the bow, you probably don't want to actually draw the bow with an open hand, but your grip should be secure enough that you could open your hand at full draw if you want to without the bow going anywhere.  You find the "right place" by experimenting at a close range in front of a blank bale, and changing your grip very slightly every few shots until your own body tells you that you've found it.

[olddogrib]

I think it would shock most people to discover what differences relatively tiny changes in grip will produce.  IMHO the question is not so much how many fingers but whether those fingers are imparting any influence to the riser at release, i.e. imperceptibly rocking it forward or backward against the pressure point of the bow hand enough to cause shot to shot inconsistency.  I have a Jager Best 2.0 medium wrist that I consider to be a great grip and focuses the pressure where it needs to be. Nonetheless, I would still occasionally get a slight nock low bobble on release. I'd chased this unsuccessfully with nock height, but I found out by accident that when I lifted the meaty base of the thumb slightly and focused the pressure of the bow hand entirely at the base of the thumb/index finger the bobble went away and bare shafts flew like darts. I've got a high wrist coming to prove my theory. I think this is unique for every bow..I've also seen some you could go from open handed to a full "death grip" choke with little noticeable impact.

[Darryl R.]

The way you grip has a tremendous effect on arrow flight and consistency.  

One way to find what works best for your individual style is to make 6 bareshafts that match your hunting arrows.

Shoot the bareshafts for a grouping and you'll easily see how a minor change in the pressure points of your grip affects the arrow impact point and the flight of the arrow.  You can even create false weak or stiff spine reads by changing your grip pressure.  For me personally, I found that the thumb and forefinger only provides me with the most consistent bareshaft flight and the point of impact goes where I'm looking.

Your mileage may vary.

The best way to check is shoot many groups of bareshafts only and see how the arrows behave to minor changes in your grip.

[TSP]

Good alignment from the arrow through to the draw elbow will allow your grip to figure itself out for any given bow.  Resist overthinking it...keep it simple.

[YosemiteSam]

If you're not already familiar with the concept of the artillery hold in shooting spring piston air rifles, I suggest you check it out.  As I understand it, the same concept applies in archery.  It's less a function in the specific grip and more a function of how the bow reacts after the shot.  The more consistent you allow the bow to jump after the shot, the more consistent the shot will be.  Pellets typically travel at about 700 fps and even slight details can alter the shot before the pellet has time to leave the barrel.  Bows are shooting less than 200 fps and "offhand" so the effect is even more pronounced.  Grip it however you want.  Just do it as little as possible and as consistently as possible.

While experimenting with a thumb ring, I had the string slip out a few times.  Both the bow and the arrow launched about 10' from where I stood.  I definitely botched the shot but it was interesting to see just how little grip I put on the bow during my draw sequence.  I reckon I've messed up a fair amount of shots just grabbing it mid-shot during the recoil.

[longbow fanatic 1]

As previously stated, I shoot thumb and index finger touching. I also curl my remaining fingers next to the side of the bow grip, so I minimize torquing the bow.

[kenneth butler]

My straight grip Hill bow seems to require a firm hold. For re-curves the fingers are just curled around lightly enough to keep from dropping it. The bows tend to find where they want to rest in my hand with a little tension on the string then curl the fingers around the grip.  Ken