glob3006

How much doe's a bow string affect accuracy??? I bought a Reflex Grizzly in January and it has shot great. Until recently??? I seem to be all over the map???
This bow has the original manufacturers string. How good could it be and should I upgrade. I'll guess I've put about 700 shots through it since Jan.
For info.....I shoot this bow with:
NAP q-tune 1000 w/flip up holder.
Easton axis400 with 100grn. field points.
Loop and release.
Copper John Dead Nuts

I've eaten so much Elk I think I'm starting to grow antler's

Glob

elknut1

A good bowstring is noticeably different to one of the stock cheaper versions. Why your having trouble with yours after 700 shots is hard to say exactly.

Did your string nock or string loop slip up or down? Did your sight move around on you? Are you nocking ( corner of mouth) differently from shot to shot? If you cut a couple of strands or your string has really stretched then that could defenitely affect accuracy. Also if you have a peep sight, check to see it hasn't slid up or down!

I've used stock strings in the past and got by with little problems on my old hoyt. But ever since biting the bullet & spending a little more on a high quality strings, I wish I had done it sooner!! <grin>

The string I use now I guranttee you'll not have problems with, plus, it's tough & doesn't stretch!!! It's quieter & faster reacting for a little better speed. It's from Prostring! The email address if intereted [email protected]

It's a small buisness owned by a guy named Shel. He's a great guy. My last string & cables were 63.00, money well spent!! Hope this helps!! ElkNut1

Turk_man

I posted a question in the technical forum about string makers, there`s a number of great ones in the post.

glob3006

Thanks elknut I'll check'em out
I did have new peep installed and the window seems bigger to than the old one??????

Elkcrazy8

Peep size should not make a diffference as your eye will still find center. A new string takes 300-400 shots to stretch in. At this point your bow will most likely go out of tune if it was tuned right of the bat. A high quality pre stretched string such as the one elknut talks about will not stretch, however I will allow 100-150 shots for the string to seat before tuning. i will not tune the bow until I have exceeded these numbers. You can use any number of tuning methods to get the bow back on at this point and you should notice an improvement in your shooting. What you describe is exactly what I would expect your bow to do. If the sting continues to stretch, you might experience the same effect later. There is much controversy over tuning methods. If I am using a factory string that I do not know if it will stretch or not, the method that I use(bare shaft tuning) can be done anytime anywhere to check my bows tune by carrying a bare shaft in my quiver.

ShatoDavis

The size of the appature in your peep can and will effect accuracy if your anchor point is unconsistant. I shot competition archery for many years, though I do not any longer, and choice of peeps was a very real concern. I would recomend that you use a kisser button in combination with your peep, this will ensure that you anchor in the same place each shot.

Strings can and do lose there accuracy. If you started with a quality string 700 shots shouldn't cause a loss of accuracy.I've shot many thousands of arrows without changing strings. I would purchase a high quality string such as a Zebra string or comparable.

It is important that your bow is properly tuned. Its not a difficult thing to do. You should make sure that your tiller is correct. that is the distance from your riser to your string. It should measure the same at the top and bottom of your riser. On a single cam bow it is important that you not measure to your bowstring as the numbers will differ. I like to stretch a piece of kite string from axle to axle and use that to measure.

Once your tiller is correct,you should paper tune your bow to your arrows. you need to shoot it through a piece of newspaper. Your intentions is to make as close to a bullet hole as possible, no tears up or down, left or right. To accomplish this you will need to adjust your rest up or down left or right to ensure that the arrow is "center shooting".

None of these steps will help if you are using poor form. Make certain that you are not slapping your release. You should strive for surprise releases. You should be concentrating on the target when the bow releases. If you are thinking about the release then you're doing it wrong. Make sure that you follow through. Hold your form until the arrow hits its mark. Don't move your bow to the side so you can watch your arrow. Dont grip your bow, thats the easiest way to cause errant shots. gripping the bow causes a melody of errors ranging from pumping the grip to torqueing the release. To achieve extreme accuracy with a bow takes dedication and a lot of correct practice. I say correct practice because if you are practicing bad habits its not a good thing.

I remember practicing for the nationals one year. I was shooting 200 arrows a day. The problem was I wasn't improving. I had a friend who was a competitive shooter as well watch my form. He said I was pulling away from the shots. So all that time I had been practicing a bad habit. And as you probably know bad habits are the toughest to break. I hope that some of this info. will be helpful. Good luck!

glob3006

Thanks guys !!
I also posted this in the bowhunting forum under technical ( I needed advice b-4 this wk'nd)
And I decided to really calulate how many shots I have through the bow ..........It's more like 1,900 since Jan. So I'm going to take the bow in and have a custom string/cables installed with a new smaller diam. peep. I willalso have them re-tune cam timing. Just over 2 months til bow season.I'd better get it right!!!!!!

Bill

Elkcrazy8

glob, good move, there is a common agreance with all these posts. The agreance is in a higher quality string. I put a winners choice on my competition bow and ended up with one on my hunting bow also. I was able to shoot out the factory string on my targetpro-tec in 5 months, I tuned 3x in that period of time as the string stretched and changed my nock point. Shato brings up a good point about tiller. I have found that group size is effected greatly by tiller. Factory strings will be as accurate as higher ends strings when tuned, however keeping them there is another story. I want my bow to be tinker free, so I can concentrate on shooting alone. If you are fighting your bow all the time, you are thinking of something other than aiming.Aiming is the only thing that you should be thinking about. I will shoot several nights a week without sights at all. I am programming the shot into my head, so that I don't even need to think about it. The surprise release that Shato talks about is very important. When I first started getting coaching, that would have to be the single most imortant thing that took my shooting to the next level. I learned that by going to a pure backtension release. It was hard at first, but now it comes as second nature. It is good to switch up releases to keep from knowing when the shot will go off. I have several with different spring tensions to keep me from anticipating the shot. Many years ago I had target panic so bad, that half the arrows would end up either over or under the target. I went from there all the way to taking a state title andplacing in the top 6 in the NW triple crown last year,by learning the unanticipated release. Shato's advice is good advice. For hunting, I still like to use the caliper release, however I have made some improvements to my scott lil bitty goose. I extended the trigger and rotate my hand in the fashion I would with a back tension release to make the bow fire with back tension instead of "pulling" the trigger. I can accelerate the shot if needed in a pinch to get a good shot on a bull. The info that has been given, falls into he shooters triangle that I use to shoot. One point is personal image, one is conscience mind, and the other is thesubconscience mind. The subconscience can take on multiple tasks, while the conscience mindcan take on only one at a time. That one thing should be the aiming. All other items must be must take place in the subconscience mind. Then last but not least, picture yourself making the shot and groom your confidence( self image). If all three come together, your shooting will take on a new meaning. Kisser buttons are good and I shot one for a long time. I got rid of it for target shooting as I wanted all the speed I could muster( like a couple feet per second would help?) I use a referance point on my face, along with the string touching my nose. And last but not least, the peep. So I have 3 reference points. I was never good at pin gapping, so I learned to put the pin on the top and bottom of mypeep for my half yardages. 5 pins became 15 pins with this method, so peep size became an issue by using this aiming method. I have not seen any differnce in size and accuracywith the peep, as long as you have good anchor points. A kisser might be the answer. I shoot a large peep on my hunting rig, but shoot a small one on a scoped lens to help clarify the picture. Get that new string and practice and you should be back in the game.

glob3006

An update on what I've found.( and thanks for all the info!!!!!!!!).
Went to the bow shop and talked to the owner, ( instead of the guy who said all is good last week)
Any way he looked at my form,anchor point, release,string etc.He tuned the cams. but they were only slightly out . Changed the peep.Said the string was in very good shape.( I wax alot). My anchor point was too far back as I was anchoring the middle knuckle of my index finger to my ear/jawbone. This was making me reach for the trigger. This is were I didn't like the change.He thought I needed to drop my draw length to 26" from 27" which loses me about 8 ft ps.( I'm only shooting a 60# bow)
We also decided on an adjustable release. Which I like. I could not strap my other one in a position on my wrist that it would not eventually slip forward thus making my draw lenghtlonger.
With these chages I am now anchoring with my "hand knuckle" at the jaw bone with the string touching the tip of my nose. I do think I will need a "kisser" though.
Wants me to shoot it for a week and then we'll talk string.

Thank guy's !!!!!!!!!
Bill

Elkcrazy8

Sounds like you are anchoring about where I do. I bought the scott lil bitty goose and kept changing the length of the string until I got the perfect fit. I like to pull hard off the wall and am not able to do it without having the proper draw length. Proper draw length is very important. I will spend alot of time adjusting to the proper fit.It sounds like you may be on the road to better shooting. Kudos for getting ready now. I have seen too many people wait til the last minute and want everything right now. If and when you get a new string, I would still look into a higher quality string. You wont be sorry. Let us know how them groups are!!!!!!!!!!!!!