Sights, D-loop, release on a recurve
Equipment
Why are sights, d-loop, peep, and release not used on a recurve bow?
Many people use releases and sights with recurves.
'Olympic' bow shooters use sights. Using a release at 40 pounds of draw/hold at anchor is different from a compound with 80% let-off. Not many do it.
In 3-D using sights and/or release may kick you out of 'traditional' classes and into hunter or open classes, shooting against compound users. No advantage!
Then again, if you shoot a recurve with short stab, sights and a tab you can compete in 'hunter fingers' and likely be the only shooter in that class ;-)
Yeah Dana, kind of like a man who identifies as a woman to compete in woman sports. :)
Olympic shooters don’t use releases or peeps because they’re not allowed to.
That’s the only reason I can think of, though; if you’re not competing and it appeals to you, why not?? Honestly, I think a lot of people switching over to recurve from compound would learn an awful lot faster if they kept shooting with their peep and pins for a while as they establish a consistent anchor point. Besides, then if you know exactly where you were aiming when you let go of the string , you can figure out that it really is your form that needs work.
Nothing dumber than trying to avoid knowing exactly where you’re aiming as you try to learn how to make an arrow go…. WHERE YOU AIMED IT.
Cor, I agree re the sights. Not so sure about releases while holding 50 pounds at anchor.
After I cut 8 tendons in the back of my hand, I use a release when shooting my recurves.
What of it?
Wow, hope you regained full use of that. Do you find the release easy or difficult to use at your draw weight?
Inshart,
You're ignorant of the difference between gender and shooting categories. In gender, DNA is the law of nature defining the difference. In shooting categories, there are differences defined by gear, and as newer gear is developed it may again re-define categories. Your comparison is flawed and seems to suggest you have an axe to grind.
cnelk,
I thank God you can still shoot.
Leather Wall would disagree...... =D
Releases have been used for hundreds if not thousands of years. Thumb rings, hinge and many others types. There is really not much that hasnt been done when shooting a recurve. Shawn
I use a single pin on my recurve
I'd rather just go instinctive on that one Paul......
Im pulling 55lbs with my Bear Grizzly. I can hold it as long as I need to with no issues.
Shooting a recurve with a release has made me a better compound shooter - i.e. form stays good
My Dad used to use a thumb tab release made of leather after his arthritis got so bad. It was a strap w/buckel that went around the hand, you wrapped the tab around the string and he held it in place with his thumb.
That was before he went full mechanical just a few years before he passed on. I have no idea where he bought it from.
I’m right handed. A little more to the story.
I had ordered a new bow and it came in 2 days after my injury. All I could do was look at it for 3-4 months.
Finally I couldn’t take it anymore and I fashioned up a neoprene gun sling to my release, so when I slipped my arm thru, I could pull my bow using my elbow. All I had to do was touch the trigger with my finger.
It worked great.
Glad to see you worked something out.
55 pounds with a release. Ok, good to know.
Guys roll over the cams on #70+ bows with releases all the time. No reason that it shouldn’t work at anchor with #55…. is there??
I don’t think anyone is voicing any opposition to the idea, other than pointing out that competitive class distinctions may or may not allow them.
So “what of it?”…. Great big bag o’ Nothin’. I think Dana was just wondering IF it could be done…. And it seems like you have your heart set on an argument where there is none to be had.
FWIW, isn’t the sling around the elbow a pretty well established training aid? I was thinking to purchase or cobble one together specifically to help beginners learn which muscles to draw with, since there seems to be such an overwhelming tendency to try to pull with the bicep. Just makes sense.
And may I say that I’m glad that you found a way through a pretty horrific injury. Hope you’re able to shoot your recurves again.
BK, I'm glad you found a way through your injury. I've had hand/tendon problems myself but nothing like yours. Inspiring, sir. And as pointed out above, rolling cams is not the same as holding and releasing full poundage, I'm glad to learn it's do-able.
I broke a finger a few days before season opened a few years ago and used a d loop and release so I could hunt opening day. I didn't use sights but have nothing against people who need them. I went back to fingers when I healed enough. Oh and I did get a 4x5 buck while using my release set up. I found that it did make my bow a lot louder.
Do whatever you want. Release , sights, or no release or sights. Accuracy is the end goal, doesn't matter how you get there!
Back in the b/4 compounds many used sights. I shot my 1st indoor 300 round with a Chek-it-site, 4x scope & 38# 70" American Pro Supreme (a few in fact b/4 x ring was invented). I also managed a near perfect Field (548) a perfect animal (560) & an out door PAA 300 round (295) at the NFAA 2 day Great Lakes sectionals held at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin in 1970 with fingers and same tackle. Releases started in the mid 70s (ledges & rope spikes) along with Compounds becoming the craze. A few used releases with recurves but not many (I had a shop/lanes from 1964 thru 1982). Sights on recurves started to become common in the late 60s. Today, you would be in different class & for sure your anchor would change. Pics of those early sights that are reponsible for some amazing feats in thos early days.
A friend of mine was the original owner of Bighorn bows with Fred Asbell.. years later nerve problems caused him to switch to a release which he used with his recurve…
Is it common no but I’d think it’s done when needed.
Some years back, I got enamored with recurves. I practiced a lot and could shoot them well. But, when hunting, bad things happened. I finally put on a sight and a peep sight and used a release (no string loop). I killed a buck using that combo on my Black Widow. I now no longer have the sight on the BW, but no longer hunt with it. I use the compound to be humane and break out one of the 6 trad bows I own to shoot at targets a few times a year.
When i was struggling with a recurve years ago, I played with a release. It acrewed up my alignment and being connected to the bow.
I kept at it working on form, alignment, form and now I shoot a stickbow decent…on most days anyway- grin.
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jddbowhunter got it right
“I use the compound to be humane…”
I really wish people wouldn’t post things like that. It’s pretty clear if you go back up a few lines that you, personally, were having some issues/bad luck with trad gear, and I’m sincerely sorry to hear that… But there is nothing that is any more or less “humane“ about a compound vs LB/Recurve; It’s just as most people can shoot well enough with sights and a release to kind of even out most of the other risk factors (windage, hang time, animal reaction) and be just as effective from a good chunk farther away.
Because if a stickbow is “less humane” than a compound, then where does your compound stack up to crossbows & firearms?
Just not helpful to put things in those terms. And when a stickbow kill goes south… it’s not due to a Fault in the equipment…. Not even if you tried to use a mechanical. Still a sub-optimal decision by the Operator…
