Anyone have a "problem" bow?

[MI_Bowhunter]

Anyone have a bow that they just can't shoot comfortably?

I have a longbow that I picked up from the classifieds (Kota Prairie Nomad). I absolutely love the look and feel of this bow but when I shoot it I always feel like I'm fighting the bow to get a good shot.

With my other recurves and longbows I can just pick them up and shoot without really even thinking about it but with this one I can't.  Specifically it hits my arm, high near the elbow.  I'm not looking for shooting advice, I've already tried many, many, many ideas from the shooters forum and other boards.   It's really frustrating me because I don't have this issue with any other bow I've shot.

Has anyone else had a similar issue with a bow? Is it worth fighting it or should I accept the fact that there might be something in the design of the bow/grip that is incompatable with me and try a different bow?

[vermonster13]

If you have others you shoot fine why not concentrate on those and just accept that some bows just don't fit? Grip is everything on some bows.

[buckeye_hunter]

I only have one bow and it has a palm swell grip.  It kills my elbow to shoot it, but it is all I have.  I struggle to be consistent with it and I have to be on top of my game to shoot it well.

That said, I will stop shooting it/fighting it as soon as I can afford a new bow with a high wrist grip.  When shooting a high wrist I am much more accurate and the bow feels more comfortable for me with no pain.

In the future, if a bow doesn't feel right and shoot well, I'm not fooling with it.

My opinion is to GET RID OF IT! I think it will cause more problems than it is worth.

JMO,
-Charlie

[olderndirt]

I have a Martin Savannah like that ... nothing wrong with the bow ... I just can't shoot it with any consistency.  Wish I could because it's a really sweet bow, but it's going to have to find a new home!

[RC]

I`ve had a few bows like that over the years. Probably nothing wrong with them I just could not shoot them.Being the hard head I am I would try and try ,loose confidence,get mad and finally bite the bullet and go back to old reliable. Now, I know within a few shots if it won`t work I don`t fight it and that bow is sold or traded. RC

[MI_Bowhunter]

Thanks for the feedback guys.    I guess I'm just hard headed and hate to admit defeat.    

[Orion]

Have you've messed around with the brace height?

[mike g]

Mike....
   I know you said you already herd all of the advice concerning shootin....
   Butt from the way you said that the string hits high on your Arm....I would say your Grip not the bows is at fault....
   Try gripping the bow like we do with Howard Hill longbows....Rotate the big Knuckel closet to your hand clock wish and out untill it's center with the bow grip....
   It wont hurt to try it......

[Gil]

Most of the really fine and expensive bows on the classifieds have the same issues with their owners as you have.The bows are great but they just dont fit the owner.
Gil

[Big Dave]

I had a flat bow that a friend made for me that I always hit my arm when I shoot it. He also made me a regular longbow with the same grip and I never hit myself with. I also couldn't seem to shoot the flatbow nearly as good as the longbow.  :D    :D

[gilf]

I had that problem with a Pronghorn I got. A lot of the people I know shoot Herb Meland bows and swear by them but I just couldn't get on with it. For me it was almost certainly to do with the grip in some way.

It was a lovely bow but I just didn't get on with it.

[Dave Lay]

I am pretty much in line with RC, I am so dang hard headed and just wont accept "defeat", I have a longbow that I have really struggled with,its a dang nice bow, I just can not get it tuned, I am pretty picky about arrow flight and this one is killing me! I think its the grip as vermonster said, I have sold it and it is like a dang boomerang, somehow i keep getting it back, think it is haunting me.. any way I am giving it to a friend today.. let him deal with it.. and I can shoot my other bows and be happy!!

[Chris Wilson]

I traded for a short flatbow a few years back that ended up being like that.  Me and that bow just never got on the same page.  I went back to an old standby bow that's always shot great and sold the flatbow to a friend.  It shoots great for him, go figure.

[MI_Bowhunter]

Mike G, I tried the grip and it helps a little but doesn't eliminate the problem for me.

I've set the bow aside for now.   I'll probably put it back in the classifieds.   As VM13 said, I'll just focus on the ones I do shoot well rather then wasting my time fighting with this one.

Thanks again for all your feedback.

[laddy]

I always promise myself that when I get a new bow that I don't change something on it.  In your case I would have gotten the file and sand paper out the first day.

[BRITTMAN]

Yep I have the same problem with alot of bows. Theres only a few that I can just pick it up a shoot but I have traded them away . What Im trying to do is change my form to fit the bow so we'll see how that works .


Mike

[tim roberts]

Every bow I have is a problem bow!  Problem is not enough time to shoot em!

[Burnsie]

I am too hard headed as well. I have a bow that is my best looker by far.  I love the feel and looks of it, but I can't shoot it worth a darn. I hang onto to it because I am determined to make it work.  Meanwhile I can pick up my old plain jane 50's style recurve any day and shot lights out.
Burnsie

[Raminshooter]

Had a couple of bows just like...could never really get them "tuned" right. Not to perfection, just tuned to shoot really well. Finally took the fast flight off of them both and Wow! they both shoot great now!

[MI_Bowhunter]

Originally posted by Raminshooter:
Had a couple of bows just like...could never really get them "tuned" right. Not to perfection, just tuned to shoot really well. Finally took the fast flight off of them both and Wow! they both shoot great now!

I changed the strings but I stayed with the FF.    I may try a dacron string.    DOH! why didn't I think of that?