# Recurve shooting far to the right - why?



## martha j (May 11, 2009)

are you shooting right or left hand,,, you arrows are over spined regardless.imho


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## horseman308 (Apr 17, 2006)

I think your first bullet point is the correct one. Your arrows are WAY too stiff and are probably hitting the riser as you release. At 30# draw (which is a great starting weight, BTW...well done, as most people moving to trad from compound go way too high), you need something closer to 600 spine arrows. Normally, a new shooter in trad should really focus more on technique than gear, but in think this is a case where you need arrows more suited to the bow to have enough success that it will be rewarding.

Also, remove the rubber things and use a tab or glove. Most will say a tab, and I'd agree unless - like me - you just really don't like them.

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## Smokedinpa (Mar 1, 2015)

Yep too stiff.


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## Jhfabian1 (Jan 19, 2019)

Carbon arrows can be tough to tune on some recurves. If you want to test for too stiff spine put on a heavier tip. If it's spine your arrow should come left a bit. You can also go to a box store, Walmart, and grab a few different spined arrows for a couple bucks and see if anything changes. And explain your aiming particulars. Both eyes open, one eye open, side of the string your eye is on, left /right eye dominant. And you might want to move into about 10 yards, open both eyes and forget about your sight. eyeball down the shaft and shoot a few times to see if the arrows are hitting where you would expect. If they are, I would say that you have a flaw in your sighting execution. Good luck.


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## pnutbutter (Dec 30, 2018)

Thanks, everyone. All very helpful!

Re: how I'm shooting, it's right handed with my right eye open (left eye closed). My right eye is slightly to the left of bow string. I am right eye dominant.

Re: the spine strength, the arrow charts I found seem to say that my arrow are not to stiff. With a draw weight of about 30 pounds and an arrow length of 32" with 100 grain field point, says I should use a 400 spine arrow and 3 Rivers Archery says I should use a 400 or maybe 500 spine. So... I'm confused!


(The forum software says I haven't made enough posts to include links to those arrow spine charts - but I promise they say what I said they do!)


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## Jim Casto Jr (Aug 20, 2002)

Even out of spine arrows should fly down the middle (bare shafts, not so much). My guess is, you're way out of alignment (form) and/or you may not have the arrow set properly for shooting fingers. The tip of your arrow should be slightly outside the center line of the bow to start with. You should set your nocking point about 1/2" above center to start with too.


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## martha j (May 11, 2009)

you just go right ahead with the spine charts then,,,,they can't be wrong because they are written down in black & white,,some times in color to.


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## horseman308 (Apr 17, 2006)

I wonder if your reading spine charts intense for compound bows? When shooting finger release, we need more flexible arrows in order to get enough paradox to get around the bow. That's not nearly as much of an issue with a release and riser cut way past center (like most compounds).

If your bow is marked 30#, that's probably 30#at 28". At a 30 inch draw, your still only pulling about 34#. Despite what some spine charts say, that really isn't that much and 400 shafts are too stiff. You could add another 100g or so by going with heavier tips or brass inserts. But I'd go up at least a spine. 

As a reference, I shoot a 29" draw and my main bow is 44# at 29". I need 150g tips and 50g inserts on 500 spine Beman shafts cut to 30" to fly well. I pull get more kinetic energy at your draw, but that still not gonna be enough to make up the difference. 

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## Bender (Dec 6, 2006)

We see this mistake like Every. Single. Day. The charts and calculators are nothing but rather primitive simulators. Even the best of them frequently have no relation to reality. yet people take them as the be all, end all of setting up bow and arrow configurations.

You just used the chart and haven't even examined actually TUNING your configuration have you?

Anyway, read this:

https://www.fenderarchery.com/blogs/archery-info/basic-tuning

Then this:

https://www.fenderarchery.com/blogs/archery-info/advanced-tuning

Then perform at least some initial tuning. I would bet money that your initial results from following an actual tuning process indicate, (drum roll please) that your arrows are too stiff.

When shooting fingers vs shooting compound with a release tuning is exactly the same, except for all the parts that are totally different. The lateral forces applied to the string from it getting past the fingers are then transferred to the arrow and have a HUGE impact on arrow flight and tuning.


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## woof156 (Apr 3, 2018)

As others have said arrow spine is too low, the charts I read say pretty much 500 at least but putting a 140- tip plus insert would help and probably go with 500 or even 600 if you want to stay with the 100 gr pts. But I wonder if it has to do with release- a serious pluck will throw the string left and the arrow right, or movement of the bow hand at release ---at 20 yds it only takes a deflection of about 1 degree to cast the arrow close to 10- 12 inches to the right.


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## Jhfabian1 (Jan 19, 2019)

woof156 said:


> As others have said arrow spine is too low, the charts I read say pretty much 500 at least but putting a 140- tip plus insert would help and probably go with 500 or even 600 if you want to stay with the 100 gr pts. But I wonder if it has to do with release- a serious pluck will throw the string left and the arrow right, or movement of the bow hand at release ---at 20 yds it only takes a deflection of about 1 degree to cast the arrow close to 10- 12 inches to the right.


With this suggestion I would take a release and hook it on the string and see if the arrow flight changes. It can help diagnose if your fingers are causing the problem.


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## Bowmania (Jan 3, 2003)

The simple solution is to ask your coach. He'll be able to see you in person - we can't.

Bowmania


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## grantmac (May 31, 2007)

The string should be a blur just to the right of the arrow for a right hand shooter, this will place the string just to the right of the eye.
32" 400 may not tune perfect but they should still hit down the middle.


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## Bill 2311 (Jun 24, 2005)

The downside of carbon is that they are so sensitive to changes in length.
I would also encourage you to start over with new shafts, in full length.
LAS will sell you singles. Buy one or two in .600 and .500 spine.


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## Nick728 (Oct 19, 2014)

There a lot of variables to consider but the first thing to consider is arrow spine. Try a 600 or 700 with a 100g point. Bare shaft and tune to find your group and adjust accordingly. Personally I like a light thin carbon shaft but a heavier aluminum is less sensitive to minor changes.
I shoot about the same DW & DL as you do. I was shooting Axis 600 with 100 g points @ 38# to 45# & found Carbon One 660 or 730's with 100 to 110 g points fly better, flatter & faster between 33 & 37#. Under 32# 800 is the way to go. Axis Black makes a 700 spine if Axis is prefered. Axis fly better, for me, with 85g to 100g points, add the insert weight brings it up accordingly. Heavier points don't work well for me. I play with feather length until I'm happy. 
I don't hunt anymore so my setup is for 3D. 
Nick


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## mbettis2420 (Apr 19, 2019)

Lots of good info....thanks as well


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## woof156 (Apr 3, 2018)

Another thing about arrow spine. what is listed on the label varies from arrow to arrow-- cheaper arrows tend to have more variation. e.g. a 500 spine arrow may really be .570 or .535 or? More expensive arrows tend to be more consistent. How different would a .570 arrow shoot than a .610 in a given bow?? and that is static spine not dynamic. I've shot 500-700 spine arrows from bows 36-40 lbs and have not noticed a whole lot of difference out to 30 yds. My release and bow hand errors seem to make a much bigger difference-- but I am not competing at any serious level either so????


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## Jim Casto Jr (Aug 20, 2002)

pnutbutter,

IMHO, you're a long way from being concerned about spine and tuning. First things first. Work on your form (alignment), get the bow set up as suggested and shoot for a while. Once you get the arrows flying to the mark at 10 to 20 yards, and get more comfortable, then you can concern yourself tuning. 

I'll repeat what I said earlier... even an out of spine arrow will fly down the middle--bare shafts, not so much.


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## Hank D Thoreau (Dec 9, 2008)

First of all, you are a couple of inches off at 20 yards with a pin. That is pretty good shooting. You are pulling 30 pounds at 30 inches with 32 inch 400 spine shafts. The effective spine of those shaft is going to be about 600 when adjusted for length (using the ratio of cubes rule).

I pull 32.5 pounds at 32 inches and can shoot either a 500 or 600 spine 32 inch shafts depending on how I setup the arrows and my bow. I am getting a lot more energy at 32.5 inches so I would not expect you to be shooting stiffer shafts than I am. It depends on how you shoot and how you bow is setup so it is possible that the 400's are not that far off. Add a plunger and you can easily move the arrows two inches.

It is not a bad thing to keep shooting those shafts. You can put a stiff arrow on the center line if you shoot it well. I shoot stiff all the time when doing light bow practice. It is a good test of your execution.


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## woof156 (Apr 3, 2018)

Hank D Thoreau said:


> The effective spine of those shaft is going to be about 600 when adjusted for length (using the ratio of cubes rule).
> .


Hank-- l love math and physics can' t say they love me back but FMI what is the ratio of cubes rule for arrows... ?


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## Hank D Thoreau (Dec 9, 2008)

woof156

The method is described in the first post of the thread I am linking to. I also validated the formula with a spine meter. Those results are in the same post.

The relationship comes the mechanics of a bendable tube. I am not practiced enough at math any longer to be able to derive the formula myself.

https://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5413769


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## woof156 (Apr 3, 2018)

Hank D Thoreau said:


> woof156
> 
> The method is described in the first post of the thread I am linking to. I also validated the formula with a spine meter. Those results are in the same post.
> 
> ...


Thanks


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## hcorrigall (Apr 1, 2009)

I am sure this is one of the reasons that people do not stay with archery and shooting recurves. So much conflicting advice,so who does he follow??


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## Jim Casto Jr (Aug 20, 2002)

hcorrigall said:


> I am sure this is one of the reasons that people do not stay with archery and shooting recurves. So much conflicting advice,so who does he follow??


Boy... ain't that the truth. :embara:


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## Corene1 (Apr 27, 2014)

So many little variables that could cause the right arrows since you are right handed. What riser is it, is it cut past center? if so and you just have a stick on rest the arrow will be far right of centerline with no way to move it back to center without a plunger. What side of the arrow is the string blur on. It should be just on the right side of the arrow when at full draw. I would get rid of the rubber finger protectors on the string and go to a tab or glove. You could be collapsing the bow arm on release sending arrows to the right. Make sure the bow arm is pushing through the shot. Some people just peek when they shoot to see the arrow fly. Without actually seeing the bow and how it is set up and not seeing you shoot there will be tons of answers. Since you are already into archery , do you have any friends that shoot recurves, They could help with watching what you do as well as basic bow set up.


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## grantmac (May 31, 2007)

It's not so much conflicting advice as it is many possible reasons. This trad stuff is complex.


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## Macdoc18 (Dec 28, 2012)

some say to keep the string blur at the right edge of the riser. Be consistent with this


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## Mike Lawless (Sep 6, 2017)

hcorrigall said:


> I am sure this is one of the reasons that people do not stay with archery and shooting recurves. So much conflicting advice,so who does he follow??


Trial and error. Once the shooter is shooting consistently, then its trial and error to keep what works, and discard that which does not. IF, the shooter doesn't get discouraged and give up. As you say, its a big reason they do not stay. The reality is that recurves are not for those seeking instant gratification.


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## reddogge (Jul 21, 2009)

I'm betting it's a combination of too heavy spine and arrow center shot not aligned correctly to begin with. A picture of your bow propped up from the rear with an arrow on it like Jim Casto's photo would help.


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## lameduck (Jul 24, 2019)

I try to make all things work together:
- get to center shot as close as possible
- match the arrow spine to the bow draw weight as close as possible
- try to make the release consistent for every shot
- set up the bow to be more forgiving of the slightest imperfection in the release

So far, I've been happy with the results.


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