Ok, whats the trick to a tab?

[2bird]

I have been trying on and off over the past 5 years to shoot a tab, the only experience I get from a tab is pain.

I have tried trimming it 1/16" at a time, as soon as my face stops getting beat to a bloody wreck my fingers start getting tore up. I tried wearing a super thin glove under the tab but that didnt work.

Right now I shoot a Neet glove but would love to experience the "accuracy of a tab". So far I have tried a black widow 3 under tab, a bunch of cheap tabs and a few homemade tabs...

Anyone have the same issue?

[bigbadjon]

If your fingers are getting that sore more than likely you are drawing your bow out of line.  If your string is loaded equally across your fingers you will feel little discomfort.

[2bird]

hmm, in order for my face to stop being abused i have had to trim my tabs to just below my first knuckles. Could that be a issue?

[fnshtr]

I shoot the BW leather tab and have no issues... as far as bothering my fingers or face. "bigbadjohn" makes a good point. It is very easy to torque the string and not realize it. That WILL make your fingers sore.

I also shoot a Damascus glove and prefer it when hunting. The tab seems to shoot more accurately, but I got tired of fumbling around with it when using binoculars and fishing stuff from my pockets.

Good luck!

[DennyK]

Watch Arne Moes shooting videos. They are on YouTube and titled the  The Moebow1's. Hope they help.

[bigbadjon]

How rigid is the material your tab is made of? I generally leave my tab to the end of my finger tips as I don't want the string touching any part of my skin. What material is your tab made out of and what type of attachment does it use? Also is the string slapping your face or is the tab?

[ron w]

If your getting your face beat up you have more issues than your tab. You should not be whacking your self in the face upon release. Black Widow tabs are the best I have used......never had to trim one!

[2bird]

The tab is what slaps my face, until i trim it then my finger get sore. i use a deep hook and the tab is   between my face and the string.

Jon, the black widow tab is super thick rigid leather, i have also tried calf hair tabs, thin soft leather tabs and a tab made of mouse pad (my face was fine with that tab but my finger took a beating.

My form is pretty good, and my bare shafts impact with my fletched arrows out to 20-30 yards so i don't think i am torquing the string or at least not with a glove, i might be with a tab though. i need to turn the camera on and see if there is a difference with a tab vs glove.

[moebow]

Also, don't let the string "roll" off your fingers.  It should be there and then be gone. No creeping or allowing it to move or creep forward on the fingers.

Yep, turn on the camera and let us see.

Arne

[BOWMARKS]

Originally posted by 2bird:
hmm, in order for my face to stop being abused i have had to trim my tabs to just below my first knuckles. Could that be a issue?

I never seen anyone with such a short tab,I would say that is the issue.
Surprized you still have skin on your fingers.

[2bird]

Ok I will try to get the camera out tomorrow, I was tuning my bow today however I did shoot a few with my black widow tab and a homemade one.. A few months ago I really started putting a lot of work into back tension and my overall release, now I think I pretty much have it down pat for the most part. So basically it was 50/50 half the time I had face/finger pain and the other half I didn't, maybe some of it was/is form related?  Both tabs are thick leather, are there any tabs out there that are made of soft material but still over a good amount of perfection?

[2bird]

Arne, maybe you can answer this for me. Technically whats the key component that makes the tab more accurate then a glove. Are there national level shooters using a glove (thats what i'm training to be) and can some people just not shoot a tab? Thanks

[moebow]

2b,

I am not aware of any national level team shooters that use a glove -- referring to target style (Olympic type) shooters.  There are high proficiency 3D and field shooters that might use a glove so I guess that part of your question is "it depends."

To me, the glove restricts the fingers by encasing the fingers in a tube of leather that restricts both the setting of the fingers on the string and finger movement upon release. (deep hook and relaxed hand release)  But again, that depends on your definition of a deep hook and how you have learned to release the string.

I would suggest though that if your goal is shooting on a national level with fingers, that you learn to use a tab.  Getting perilously close to too much "target" discussion but, there is no reference to shooting gloves in any of the USA Archery training that I have ever seen.

Arne

[2bird]

Ok thanks Arne.