What makes a bow accurate?

[Roverrich]

So I'm on this quest towards Archery nirvana. I used to shoot a compound years ago and two years ago bought a recurve. I've since then been buying/trying different bows trying to find "The One". I seem to like them all, but some seem to be more "accurate" and consistent than others.

This got me to thinking (scary), what makes one bow more accurate than another? I can pick up one bow and be much more consistent and accurate than another one of similar style but from a different bowyer. Is the accuracy something intrinsic to the bow or more to me and what fits me better? Inquiring minds would like your collective opinions. Thanks.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

The archer makes the bow accurate, some bows just fit better for some people.

[Whip]

It is what fits you better.  The grip is paramount, and finding one that suits you will go a long way toward improving your accuracy.  Another major factor is having arrows that are tuned to the bow.  Find a bow that fits your personal style, and match arrows to it, and just about any bow is capable of being supremely accurate.

[Rick Richard]

I think it is a combination of both. You have to start with something that is of good quality, however the remainder is how well it "fits".  If you have a good "fit", then that  instills confidence....resulting in improved accuracy.

[RunninWild77]

Whatever fits you best, granted some bows are better made than others but I wouldnt say that this bow is a better "shooter" than that bow, maybe the bow fits my "style" better. Good Luck in finding "your" bow!!!!  

[Blackhawk]

I think there are number of factors that can be present in most all the bows that have been around a while.  Cyclic-Rivers hit on to the real answer...fit.  Bows tend to be individual choices, and most of the reasons for choosing a particular bow is subjective.  

I tend to be like you and am continually looking for "the one".  That's a big part of the fun in archery for me.

Originally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
The archer makes the bow accurate, some bows just fit better for some people.

This^^^^

Bisch

[LongStick64]

The answer is individual to the archer. My Nirvana bow will never be yours. To put it in perspective no two bows that may look the same, made by the same bowyer with the same woods are not perfectly equal. That is the nature of the wood, which means your search will be endless. In reality many bows will fit your need and many will perform more than capably if you do your job.
For me I am more comfortable with a simple longbow, but again that's me.

[Yellow Dog]

Design and grip. The grip has to fit so you don't think about it. It's all about the grip. A grip is a very personal thing, what works for you might not work for me. If the grip is right---just point and shoot, you'll know when you put a few arrows through it. A grip can vary on bows from the same bowyer, they freehand them and each can have subtle differences.

[gonefishing600]

Byron Ferguson says the arrow is the most important. Who am I to argue with such a great archer.

[manitou1]

Confidence!!!

Like stated above, if the grip fits and arrows are tuned, the shooter will be more confident in the equipment.

[BOWMARKS]

Originally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
The archer makes the bow accurate, some bows just fit better for some people.

Another item that makes a great difference is are you tuning your arrows to the bow or shooting the same ones from them all????

[McDave]

There is a reason that longbows and recurves are in different classes in tournaments, which is because recurve shooters generally turn in higher scores than longbow shooters.  The same could be said of long target recurves compared with short hunting recurves.  Or, straight-limbed Hill style longbows compared with reflex/deflex longbows with contoured grips.  Of course, if a person works hard enough, and is talented enough, like Howard Hill, then he may quite possibly outshoot people in classes that normally turn in higher scores, because there is more difference among archers than there is among bows.  Many people stay with a class of bows that might be considered more difficult to shoot simply because they like them better, for similar reasons that they chose archery over rifle shooting to start with.

But within a general category of bows, my experience is that you will find some bows that you will be able to shoot better than other bows.  Other people will have different opinions, fortunately for the many fine bowyers out there.  However, I think most everyone would agree that if you picked one good bow in a weight range that fit you and stuck with that bow, you would end up shooting better than if you tried a lot of bows looking for "nirvana," as you put it.  But what's the fun in that?

[A.S.]

Originally posted by Whip:
It is what fits you better.  The grip is paramount, and finding one that suits you will go a long way toward improving your accuracy.  Another major factor is having arrows that are tuned to the bow.  Find a bow that fits your personal style, and match arrows to it, and just about any bow is capable of being supremely accurate.

Dittos!!  I used to work at a pretty ritzy Trap&Skeet club. I saw some of the top shooters in the world. Some shot Remingtons, and some shot $15,000 Perrazis.

The manager at the club liked to say, "If you can break them with a $10 gun, the shoot a $10 gun".

It's all about what fits you and what you WANT to shoot.

[BDann]

The one using it!

[Kris]

Too many things to list but I am of the opinion that yourself has as much or more to do with it than anything. I also agree with everything said above.  

As far as the bow goes, I'm sure the Koreans, who have likely spent millions of dollars on R&D for bow design and technology, might have something to say about it.  A good technical read just recently posted by Bill Carlson can be found here  http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~archery/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Fundamentals-of-the-Design-of-Olympic-Recurve-Bows.pdf

Good topic

Kris

[SERGIO VENNERI]

The SHOOTER, Always the Shooter!

[David Mitchell]

Originally posted by SERGIO VENNERI:
The SHOOTER, Always the Shooter!

I agree totally.

[Shawn Leonard]

I kind of agree that the arrow is the most important. If the arrow is matched perfectly to the archer and the bow, accuracy comes much easier. A good grip and a well tuned arrow makes the best archer. Shawn

[Friend]

It is the nature of the beast, as humans, that we debate, quibble and expend much energy over a possible 1 to 2 % edge; when in fact, over 90% of what is actually available to improve upon lies quietly -patiently waiting for many of us to address our own shooting inadequacies.

The personal grip requirement is paramount and not far beyond that, much of what improves accuracy may never be accurately ascertained due to our own less than optimum shot execution.