Finger grooves on your grip: Opinions?

[Two Arrows]

Any thoughts about finger grooves on your risers? Like 'em, hate 'em, don't care? Do you think they help you?

I recentley traded for a bow that has them. My hand does not even come close to fitting the grooves. My buddy thinks I should send it to the bowyer to have the grip redone. I think otherwise. The first groove fits my index finger, and that's all I'm really gripping the bow with anyway, so I think that that is all that matters. Any opinions?

[BD]

I talked about this with a very reputable bowyer recently and he said the grooves do not help in the least and that they were completely cosmetic.

BD

[fatman]

I recently bought a Selway 2-piece longbow, with finger grooves...doesn't seem to matter much.  Like you say, I tend to shoot off the "web" between thumb & index...none of my other bows have them, don't seem to notice when switching back and forth....

$.02

[Dave2old]

Shrews have a thumb shelf, or "groove," and it feels great. Don't know if it helps accuracy, but the little Classic Hunter shoots darts.

[Holm-Made]

I think one or maybe two grooves feels the best.  My ring finger and pinkie finger just get all smashed togather when I grip a bow anyway.  Chad

[The Vanilla Gorilla]

The only bows I really "grip" are my longbows, and I think it wouldn't be bad if it were MY GRIP, and not just a couple of grooves sanded into the riser. ('Custom' pistol grips come to mind. They can make a pistol feel like an extension of your hand, or they can make it feel cheap and sloppy.)

Agree with Chad about maybe one or two grooves, just for consistant placement of the grip.

Cam

[joe skipp]

All Mikuta bows come with a thumb rest which I feel gives positive hand placement every time. Finger grooves...never did like them.

[buckracks7]

I don't think it makes a difference. Just put a rubber Sure Grip on it.

[Blackhawk]

Finger grooves on a bow are like an appendix.  

They "may" have a purpose, but most of us can get along just fine without it.

I've owned a couple with grooves (Morrison and Border) and the grooves were only in the way.  They look fine to me, but I can do without it.

[BobT]

I don't know if they help anything or not but the grooves on my Zipper fit me like a glove!

Bob

[Ray Hammond]

I can't speak for anyone else, but my Zipper has finger grooves in it...and I shoot it so well its scary.

Why I keep fooling with other bows I don't know. I'm a killin' machine with that Zipper.

Ive had grooves in a longbow that did not help.

I think Bob Thompson knew what he was doing.

[BRITTMAN]

I had a Bears Paw recurve custom built for me that had finger groves and worked great . The bowyer had me trace my hand , ask me how I liked to grip a bow , and what style grip I liked . When I got the bow it fit really well .


mike

[ChuckC]

I don't grip the bow like that.  My hand is more open with just the thumb and top finger or two touching, so finger groves would not help at all.

ChuckC

[bbassi]

I've got a second hand Morrison w/ groves that fit so well it's like it was made for me. Does it help my shooting? Probably not, but dam it feels "right" when I hold and draw it.

[Ray Hammond]

Anything that aids in repeatable hand placement on a bow riser is a "help". I grip the bow softly, but i lay those fingers across the back of the riser...no asbell two finger for me, as I shoot a heavy bow and believe the additional stability of that form of gripping is helpful in stabilizing things.

When I shot every day....not too long ago, I could shoot the wings off a gnats axx. I've picked the zipper back up...every time I do that my shooting improves measurably. I'm not laying it down again.

[pdk25]

Ray,
Don't let that ACS get lonely.

[Two Arrows]

Thanks for the comments guys. I have had several Fedora's with the thumb rest and also a Toelke Whip also with a thumb rest and really like that type of grip. I currently have a Big East and my hand fits the same each and every time.

But now that I am shooting this Centaur with the finger grooves, which I believe is a fantastic shooter, but I really have no use for the grooves due to my grip style. Didn't know if anyone thought they really helped or not.

[Arrow Slinga]

I have 2 Morrison's one with groves and one without both are great shooters but I prefer the grip with the groves.Fits like a glove, same grip every time.

[Stumpknocker]

Grooves are groovy.  I had Bob put them on my Shawnee and I absolutely love them.  Consistent hand placement and I love the way they feel. They look pretty neat, too.  Tge

[b.glass]

don't like em.