OHbowhntr

I tend to disagree to some extent as many of those older bows don't have the same centerrest cut-out, and are not nearly as well made/designed as much of the newer stuff, the grips are much bulkier, causing archers to tend to over-torque the bow, and if the strings haven't been replaced, that thing may be a shot away from a disaster. I think putting a release in his hand, would likely shrink those groups to 3.5-4" almost instantly, but some of those OLDER bows just aren't really very good shooters. Not saying the bow the OP is shooting is unshootable, but there were some bows made 15-20yrs. ago that are JUNK. In comparison, I believe an entry level modern bow is superior to anything made 15yrs. ago as far as feel, consistency, and overall shootability. Again, I'm not saying older bows cannot be shot, because I have a 99 Hoyt that is still a good shooter, but if don't hold a candle to the newer 2005-2007 bows I own or have owned, and they're all similarly spec'd bows, 36-39" ATA, and 7-7.5" BH's.

Stonewall,
Welcome Back to archery!!!!! As far as accuracy goes, you will be able to shoot a bit better as you practice more, but I believe there is a big advantage to be gained by using a release vs. fingers, which should help shrink your groups a bit as the actual "release" of the string will become far more consistent. As far as the bow being the cause in inaccuracy, I wouldn't say it's ONLY the bow, but I would say that a bow upgrade could gain you great advantages, especially at longer distances. I'm not saying you NEED to go buy a new bow, but do yourself a favor and go hit a shop and shoot a few bows, especially the "new" parallel limb bows, and see what an amazing difference in feel you experience. Also, a decent Stabilizer may help a little as well, and make sure you check those strings over. If you do decide you're "in the market," check out Archerytalk.com classifieds, it's probably the BEST place on line to look for a used bow at a good price. I picked up a bow just yesterday that was almost $500 off of it's original sticker and it's still NEW in box. Now I have to decide whether I want to keep it as my back-up bow or my primary, or just sell it or one of my stable bows after making some comparisons. Also having a string loop installed will help your accuracy as well, once you get that release. Just some random thoughts on a varied spectrum, I hope some of it makes sense and helps.