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A stabilizing experience

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A stabilizing experience

Old 05-14-2006, 02:12 PM
  #1  
Boone & Crockett
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Default A stabilizing experience

It has been awhile since I had the time and motivation to sit down and really play with some stabilizer combinations on my bow. Many folks, myself included, make the mistake of assuming that one effective stabilizer combination will work on all bows. In one sense there may be some truth to that as some stabilizer combinations work much better than others at dampening noise and vibration. But, on the other hand, many folks totally forget that stabilizers were originally intended for help in optimizing bow balance and stabilizing the aiming process.

As per a discussion on a thread in the bowhunting forum I decided to play around with a few different stabilizer combinations we have down at the shop. Some were older models originally designed for conventional dual cam bows while others were more recently introduced. I attempted to find a combination that not only provided noise/vibration reduction but also aided in balancing my setup. After several shooting sessions over several days I came to a rather unsettling conclusion....I actually was shooting more accurately with no stabilizer at all rather than with any combination I could put together!

I found that revelation particularly troubling because I have always operated under the assumption that stabilizers, in general, could only improve accuracy when set up to match your bow and arrow combination. What I found, at least in this particular situation, was that even a well balanced stabilizer setup may not necessarily improve accuracy. Now, before I get slammed for that last comment I will note that I have a suspicion this may have something to do with target panic and/or general fatigue but I will leave further comment on that issue aside until I hear if anyone else has had a similar experience.

Comments?
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Old 05-14-2006, 03:10 PM
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Default RE: A stabilizing experience

I have never thought that the stabilizer made a huge difference in accuracy, but then I am not at a skill level to really know, I guess. With the Mcpherson I have now, the combo of the frequency ridged riser and the 2" of reflex it has means that it is hard to put more than an S-coil in the front mount without it feeling front heavy. I would say it shoots well with no stabilizer, but the shooting is certainly not as pleasant or quiet without it. Then again, I remember an MQ1 with that fat factory grip that wouldn't stop throwing left/right fliers until I had enough front stabilzer to make it really roll forward badly. I have to experiment some more, but I just got a (forgive me Frank!) used Q2 XL that seems to be easily tuned. I have only shot it out to 20 yards so far, but it will stack broadhead arrows with field pts. easily, with or without the stabilizer on.

Now, I'm not about to knock anyone who can shoot better than I can, but whenever I've seen you shoot, it never looked like TP was part of the equation. For me at least, when I am "experimenting" or "testing", it is hard to put that aside in my brain, and every shot seems to mean too much, resulting in too much thinking and too many mistakes. I don't shoot my best until I've settled on something, and "just shoot." I would suspect the accuracy differences you wrote about may be related to fatigue, too much thinking, too much forward roll (this is with the Old Glory, right?)or possibly just bad luck or chance. If you can afford the time, you might get very different results if you left a particular combo on the bow for a few days or a week at a time, and based conclusions on a much bigger # of shots. Don't know when you would find the time to do such a test, but it may give you different results.
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Old 05-14-2006, 03:43 PM
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Default RE: A stabilizing experience

Frank,

Not surprised by your findings at all.
I feel, I could shoot my Mach 8, Red Man, andSuper Nova pretty well without a stabilizer as they hold steady and balancegreatwithout one.
My Bowman bows are completely different.
With their forward pivoting swivel grip, a stabilizer is a "must have" to get them to balance properly.


Sag.
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Old 05-14-2006, 03:46 PM
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Default RE: A stabilizing experience

Curious to know what the combo's were?
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Old 05-15-2006, 06:21 AM
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Default RE: A stabilizing experience

Now, I'm not about to knock anyone who can shoot better than I can, but whenever I've seen you shoot, it never looked like TP was part of the equation. For me at least, when I am "experimenting" or "testing", it is hard to put that aside in my brain, and every shot seems to mean too much, resulting in too much thinking and too many mistakes. I don't shoot my best until I've settled on something, and "just shoot." I would suspect the accuracy differences you wrote about may be related to fatigue, too much thinking, too much forward roll (this is with the Old Glory, right?)or possibly just bad luck or chance. If you can afford the time, you might get very different results if you left a particular combo on the bow for a few days or a week at a time, and based conclusions on a much bigger # of shots. Don't know when you would find the time to do such a test, but it may give you different results.
Jeff,

I have my good days and my bad days just like everyone else. The last year or so I have really been struggling to get the utmost accuracy (that I have come to expect) out of my bows. At first I wanted to chalk it up to a differing cam style and/or something tuning related. But now I am not so sure.

Some of your comments may hold some truth though. As I mentioned I have a feeling that either I may be developing a shoulder issue and/or I have some form of target panic related to the weight of the bow. Though not heavy by any standard the longer riser of the Old Glory makes it heavier than many of the shortie bows I had been shooting predominantly for years. Related to this though I mentioned the excellent balance that this bow exhibits....which brings me to Sag's comments.

Sag,

I do feel that the bow is exceptionally well balanced and that this is a factor in my findings...probably the primary factor in my opinion. I guess it is somewhat amusing in that this is the first bow that I have actually tried this with. So often I just attach all of my add-on accessories and then proceed to sight-in and tune the bow. That makes sense to an extent but leaves little room for getting a true feel for how the bow naturally reacts during the shot. I wonder what else I am missing out on by going through the same routine with each bow I own. It is too easy to just fall into the same complacent pattern of behavior.

Curious to know what the combo's were?

Nodog,

I was using several combinations of the Sims lineup of stabilizers...Enhancer 2000, regular Enhancer, modular and S-coil along with some Doinker models in various lengths, an older Bomar powder-filled model, two Cobra hyrdaulics, two Vibracheckrubber/silicone models, an Xring Silicone and two older style aluminum models with the lead weight on an extension.
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Old 05-15-2006, 08:31 AM
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Default RE: A stabilizing experience

Hello Frank
Over the last few years I have found essentially the same thing you're saying as I have only had stabilizers on for any noise left over. I have used the S Coil since it came out and at 5 oz it is perfect for me on all my bows. I dont need that 5 oz for balance or stabilization. Mind you, I am not on the tourneytrail and I am a bowhunter first and foremost. If I had a fancy rig for spots or whatever I can see maybe the need for one.
I am perfectly happy with the SCoil and can effectively shoot the animals where I want DRT.


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Old 05-15-2006, 09:54 AM
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Default RE: A stabilizing experience

I've set up and shot different bows with long stabilizers and truthfully, I don't see any accuracy difference. I really don't even see much difference in extended sight bars. Granted I'm not a super accurate shot to begin with, but they really don't help my shooting. The set up I like the best for hunting on my bows is a Simms S-Coil with a 4 inch extension off a Doinker stabilizer, a little length and a lot of rubber for vibration killing control
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Old 05-15-2006, 10:14 AM
  #8  
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Default RE: A stabilizing experience

Jerry,

Nice to hear from you. It has been awhile though I have seen your posts occasionally over on the other site. As silly as it may sound I did not try just the S-coil by itself on the bow. I was using it in conjuction with other Sims models. I am going to have to try it though. What I ended up with, for now, is just a single module from the modular and a small regular enhancer attached to the front. It takes out just a tad of the low vibration in the handle but does not really affect the bow's balance in my hand.

WWAG,

Interesting comments. I do not consider myself a "super accurate" shot either but was always under the impression that the difference between no stabilizer and a longer one (8-10 inches) would have been fairly dramatic. It isn't the case for me at this time with this particular bow and, in fact, is just the opposite. As strange as it may sound I am actually getting tighter groups with no stabilizer or the small combination I mentioned above.
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Old 05-15-2006, 10:32 AM
  #9  
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Default RE: A stabilizing experience

Frank.

Back in 03I was shooting in a tourney when my multi rod 12" stab started to come apart on me without me noticing

My scores dropped dramaticly, after a lot of head scratching and going over the bow I found the stab was the problem so I took it off and proceeded to throw it into the woods.

I only had 7 targets to go so instead of going back to the truck for the back up stab I shot the last 7 with no stab and finished with 6 11's and 1 10.

Now that I have moved to open class I brought a 24" stab it did help stabilizing the bow it is real hard to tourque the bow with a long stab, my shooting partner had a 26" KK stab but did not like it because it did not put enough weight on his had so I tried it on my Con. it worked even better than the 24" stab so he ain't getting it back

But I do agree with you on the fact that most smaller stabs do very little for me accuracy and stabilizing wise and only have one on my hunting bow to keep the wrist sling in place
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Old 05-15-2006, 02:07 PM
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Default RE: A stabilizing experience

Russ,

So what you are saying is that the benefits of a shorter (under 12 inches) stabilizerdoes very little in terms of improving accuracy versus not having a stabilizer at all?

The experience you related earlier in your post of shooting with a long stabilizer vs. non at all seems to run right along with what I am suggesting yet you are planning to go with the 26 inch model in the future. Out of curiousity, why?
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