# Does using fingers require a stiffer or weaker arrow?



## Windrover (Jan 6, 2012)

Two tuning methods are [popular. One is get a arrow a little weak and long and trim to tune. (Gold Tip). The other is get an arrow a little stiff and add point weight to tune. Each method has advantages and disadvantages. Gap shooters won't want to trim arrows and hunters may be committed to a point weight equal to their broadheads.
In any case the arrow manufacturers don't seem to have a good handle on fingers spine selection probably because the variation in bows is so broad today and few people shoot fingers.


----------



## Harperman (Sep 3, 2006)

In my experience, Fingers requires a stiffer arrow, but nothing crazy.....I also drop a finger off the string, and probably shoot with close to 75% of the holding weight on one finger, my middle finger....This changes things a bit, for me personally.....Your results may vary....Take Care....Jim


----------



## b0w_bender (Apr 30, 2006)

I think this also has to do with how the manufacturer set up their tune charts. With a compound and release you get very little string movement so you can shoot a really weak arrow because there isn't a lot of shear pressure. So in some cases I think the arrow manufactures charts are on the weak side. However because the string/nock have very little movement you can often tune a bow with a really stiff arrow too. In other words the window of acceptability with a compound and release is quite large. So this may have to do with how each manufacturer sets up their chart stiff or weak. 

I shoot Beman arrows on my hunting rig and their charts recommended that I should be right on the line of 340\400 but in most cases it recommended 340's however in order to get them to bare shaft properly I had to use the 400's an inch longer and a 125 grain point. So at least on the Beman charts I've found that I had to shade to the weaker side to get good arrow flight.


----------



## Fran49829 (Mar 30, 2003)

I'm talking about compound fingers and my bows are really old. They are supposed to have a letoff of 65% but using my pull gauge they actually are closer to 51% letoff. Maybe I should err towards the weaker side. I use a bow and peep sight so longer arrows don't hurt. My 45/60 carbon express arrows with 145 gr points hit the target nock right at 5 yards which I believe means they are stiff.


----------



## instinktivfling (Mar 13, 2012)

Stiffer


----------



## eagleman55 (Sep 9, 2005)

when you say you shoot with one finger, the middle finger, I assume you shoot split finger. have you tried three under to draw and then using your index finger only to release. I am currently shooting a compound bare bow with three under and have just started trying to draw with three and then release with back tension while holding just the index finger. I think I get a better release with just one finger on the compound. I tried it with my recurve but was only able to hold and release with two fingers rather than three. too much pressure to hold it with one finger.


----------



## Astroguy (Oct 11, 2013)

Fingers shooting requires a stiffer spline. Most of my 60 # bows shot best with a 2213 for finger shooting. I could use a 2114 with a rope release on the same bow with a prong rest. The reason is that a finger shot bowstring rolls around the fingers , while a d loop is in direct line. The arrow setup on the arrow rest for a finger shooter is not inline, it is slightly outside to adjust for the string rolling off the fingers. this require 1step stiffer splined arrow for best performance.

You could also lighten point weight from 125 to 100 grains to create a stiffer arrow and / or drop bow weight 3 lbs.


----------



## turkster (Jul 12, 2006)

For 3d i use a light speed 500 100 gr tip 3 in feathers, for huntin 400 lightspeed 100 gr slick trick 3 i feathers, spots 2315 85 gr nibs 3 in feathers. won medals and killed stuff. all works for me. dont know all the science but took lot diff arrows,broadheads, rests,wont change much now.


----------



## 893301 (Sep 17, 2018)

Fran49829 said:


> Goldtip says to select a weaker arrow when using fingers and both Carbon Express and Easton say to use a stiffer arrow when using fingers. Who is right?
> 
> Gold Tip: Compound Bows - With Finger Release
> When shooting finger release, start by selecting an arrow 2 boxes to the weaker side (to the left). Start with the arrow 1" longer than you selected and cut it down 1/4 " at a time until you have a perfectly tuned shaft using the bare shaft tuning method outlined in the back of the Gold Tip product catalog and the Arrow University section of the Gold Tip website (www.goldtip.com)
> ...


I use 400 for 50# and 340 for 60#


----------



## Since1985Tx (Jan 19, 2021)

eagleman55 said:


> when you say you shoot with one finger, the middle finger, I assume you shoot split finger. have you tried three under to draw and then using your index finger only to release. I am currently shooting a compound bare bow with three under and have just started trying to draw with three and then release with back tension while holding just the index finger. I think I get a better release with just one finger on the compound. I tried it with my recurve but was only able to hold and release with two fingers rather than three. too much pressure to hold it with one finger.


_Don't believe any of the above BS!!! ....Split finger.....(Index finger above and middle and ring finger below) releasing/relaxing all at the same/correct time....(with a tab) to be anywhere near successful and accurate....
Don't believe in one finger ""plucking"" the string when releasing....This is finger shooting with a compound bow, sights, etc correct?_


----------



## rsarns (Sep 23, 2008)

Since1985Tx said:


> _Don't believe any of the above BS!!! ....Split finger.....(Index finger above and middle and ring finger below) releasing/relaxing all at the same/correct time....(with a tab) to be anywhere near successful and accurate....
> Don't believe in one finger ""plucking"" the string when releasing....This is finger shooting with a compound bow, sights, etc correct?_


Not all use a sight. Lots shoot Barebow. Your response is rude by the way. One of the best ever in the USA draws with two fingers under and drops one finger. Of course he is only a world champion.


----------



## jerrytee (Feb 5, 2005)

Fran49829 said:


> I'm talking about compound fingers and my bows are really old. They are supposed to have a letoff of 65% but using my pull gauge they actually are closer to 51% letoff. Maybe I should err towards the weaker side. I use a bow and peep sight so longer arrows don't hurt. My 45/60 carbon express arrows with 145 gr points hit the target nock right at 5 yards which I believe means they are stiff.


Oneida Pro Eagle set to around 58lbs peak draw 29.5 inch arrow 2315 's 180 grain point bare shaft tune at 20yds . First time shot 3 arrows, two fletched one bare shaft. All three arrows touching in the target perfect tune I should have left it at that But I thought ' just check again' . First arrow fletched , in the X second arrow bare shaft , Robin Hooded the first . I should have left well enough alone.
You need to bareshaft tune at 20yds .Never mind where the nocks are you don't score the nocks it the points that count


----------

