# Arrow length question for Trad/Barebow shooters



## mholz (Sep 7, 2005)

Are you shooting "split finger" or "three under"?


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

krejcik -

That really has to be your call. The guys who do really well ain't shooting "instinctively". Certainly shooting a longer, "heavy" arrow with huge feathers and anchoring close to the eye (3 under) is an option, as is shooting what you have and shooting pure point of aim. Naturally the latter may prove problematic if you're shooting a Vegas or 5 spot NFAA target.

Viper1 out.


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## krejcik (Feb 24, 2009)

I am shooting 3 under.


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## Greysides (Jun 10, 2009)

krejcik said:


> I am shooting 3 under.


Why don't you stringwalk?


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## krejcik (Feb 24, 2009)

Viper1 said:


> krejcik -
> 
> That really has to be your call. The guys who do really well ain't shooting "instinctively". Certainly shooting a longer, "heavy" arrow with huge feathers and anchoring close to the eye (3 under) is an option, as is shooting what you have and shooting pure point of aim. Naturally the latter may prove problematic if you're shooting a Vegas or 5 spot NFAA target.
> 
> Viper1 out.


Sorry Viper1, I'm not exactly understanding what you are saying.


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## krejcik (Feb 24, 2009)

Greysides said:


> Why don't you stringwalk?


From what I am told, for what I am shooting, I can't. I thought traditional had to maintain the fingers touching the nock.


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## Greysides (Jun 10, 2009)

krejcik said:


> From what I am told, for what I am shooting, I can't. I thought traditional had to maintain the fingers touching the nock.


Sorry. Yes, you're probably right for some of the definitions. However for FITA 18m it should be allowed as that's what I do in the barebow class.


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## Greysides (Jun 10, 2009)

I suppose you could try gapping using the riser window i.e. put yellow spot halfway down riser window.
Not as accurate as stringwalking if it were allowed.


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## krejcik (Feb 24, 2009)

Yes, same on me for not really reading up on the rules. I am just starting to compete.


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## Floxter (Sep 13, 2002)

Any marks on the riser that could be construed as an aiming point are prohibited in all the shooting styles mentioned earlier.


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Okay, here's what I'm doing. It's a little Unorthodox, but then again, so am I... 

For NFAA rounds, I am WELL below the paper because I have to touch the nock with my index finger. Last Saturday, I shot in the Texas Gander Mtn. open, winning the "traditional" class. I set up my 2315 Platinum Plus shafts from my barebow rig (Luxor 27" with weights) and was shooting about 43# at 31.5" (my draw length with barebow is a full inch shorter than when I shoot Oly. style). 

Anyway, even with the heavier arrows, my point was well below the paper. I was a good foot below the target face. How I managed to shoot a decent score is still a mystery to me. I just focus on the X and release when the sight picture looks right. I am DEFINITELY not focusing on the arrow point. It is just in my peripheral vision. This is one reason I feel I'm not able to score real well on the NFAA round. If I shot that round more than once a year, I would definitely work out a better system. Probably full length arrows with heavier points. That would get me on the paper at least.

Now, when I shoot NAA/Fita barebow, I am allowed to string walk and I take advantage of that by crawling down the string about 3/4". However, unlike most string walkers, I'm still using a glove. I have problems using a tab that I won't get into... And I just prefer the feel of a glove. So instead of using marks on the tab or stitching, I use the marks that God gave me on the back of my thumb. I just put the tip of my thumb against the bottom of the nock, then use one of the creases on my thumb knuckle as a reference point. I slide my index finger down to that crease, then go ahead and shoot. Another reference point for me is the arrow nock against the tip of my nose. This string crawl I've become familiar with when shooting 20 yard indoor rounds gives me the arrow nock exactly at the tip of my nose. So it works good.

But even when I crawl down the string 3/4" or so, my point is still not on the center of the target. I guess this is because of the draw weight (43#) that I shoot, but my point is still at 6 o'clock on the blue/black line...

All the time, my eyes focus on the "X" and never the arrow.

So I guess you could describe my fita barebow style as a combination of "instinctive", string walking and gap shooting.

Clear as mud? ha, ha.

Hope that helps.

John.


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## dbake (Mar 5, 2007)

Here is my setup for indoor 300.
Barebow, off the shelf- 45#@28", shooting 33" 2317's, 3 ea. 4" lw parabolic feathers, 100 gn. point.
I guess I would call my aiming method split vision as I'm concentrating on the"X" but I also see the arrow point and at my draw length of 28", that puts the point in the lower 4 ring for me.
If I try only looking at the arrow point on the target, things go south in a hurry.

Hope that helps a little.

Don


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## Arcus (Jul 7, 2005)

krejcik said:


> Technical Data:
> Shaft: Platinum Plus 1916
> Point weight: 125gr
> Arrow total length: 30" tip to nock point
> Bow weight: 38#


For indoors, my set-up is nearly identical to yours. I'm drawing 36# and shooting Platinum Plus 1916s (32" tip to nock point) with 125gr points. Using a 3-under hold, my 20-yd POA with the arrow point is on the bull.


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## Hank D Thoreau (Dec 9, 2008)

I am a FITA barebow shooter who shot traditional for the first time last week. I took my barebow and put on lighter limbs (to raise my point-on) and removed the barebow weight in the lower stab bushing. That put my three under point-on at 18M. I wiped out my personal best established string walking with my regular setup. I use 34 lb limbs indoors and thought that I had replaced them with 32's. Turns out that I accidently grabbed my 26 lb training limbs. No wonder they felt so light. That raised my aiming point from the lower black to the 10 ring.

By the way, I shoot full length 2315 Platinum Plus arrows (35 5/8 inches from nock groove to tip). They bareshaft tune well with the 34 lbs limbs and scored well with the 26's. I did not bareshaft the 26's yet but they have to be stiff.

Surprisingly, when I put a stabilizer on to shoot NFAA barebow class, the arrows flew stiff. Don't know why this did not occur without the stabilizer. I will be getting some weaker arrows now -- and keeping them full length.

Also, many barebow shooters shoot full length. The only time I ever cut an arrow, I could not control height on the target since the arrow tip was too close to the fulcrum (arrow rest). That meant that changes in the nock end of the arrow did not result in much of a change at the tip end.

I have a 31 1/4 inch draw length so you may need to cut yours but I would keep them long if you can.


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## Arcus (Jul 7, 2005)

Hank D Thoreau said:


> By the way, I shoot full length 2315 Platinum Plus arrows (35 5/8 inches from nock groove to tip). They bareshaft tune well with the 34 lbs limbs and scored well with the 26's.


When I tried using that size shaft, my arrows would frequently bounce off my club's tightly-packed butts, so I went to the 1916s. (The club has since changed the type of butts being used.)


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## Hank D Thoreau (Dec 9, 2008)

Arcus said:


> When I tried using that size shaft, my arrows would frequently bounce off my club's tightly-packed butts, so I went to the 1916s. (The club has since changed the type of butts being used.)


Imagine how much trouble you would have with bounce outs if you were lobbing them with my 26 pound limbs (although that is probably around 32 pounds with my 31 1/4 inch draw length).


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Hank, stabilizers have a stiffening affect on arrows. 

Learned that years ago when I first started shooting fita gear. My arrows from barebow were all the sudden too stiff... 

Interesting, but that's how it works...

John.


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## Hank D Thoreau (Dec 9, 2008)

limbwalker said:


> Hank, stabilizers have a stiffening affect on arrows.
> 
> Learned that years ago when I first started shooting fita gear. My arrows from barebow were all the sudden too stiff...
> 
> ...


Thanks for the input. I was really confused. I just took up using a stabilizer when I started shooting NFAA earlier a couple of months ago. I was going to get some weaker arrows in hopes that it would help. Now I definitely will.

Does the stabilizer stiffness affect it. I have three that I am testing.

ACE 34
ACE 29
Shrewd 34 (very light carbon)


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Hank, I don't know about that. Or to what degree. Never did any tests to find out...

John.


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## krejcik (Feb 24, 2009)

*experimentation*

So last night I tried putting 175gr points (up from 125gr) on my full length shaft 1916's. I shot surprisingly well, close to best ever. Got me aiming very close to the bottom of the paper and I'm comfortable with that.

So then I tried 200gr points and the arrows were all over the place. I am assuming that the extra tip weight reeked havoc with the spine of the arrow. And I'm a little surprised that it was not the same with 175gr points, but I'll take what I can get.

BTW, the 175gr points are 5/16, so they look like little nuclear warheads on the shaft, good thing they are back-tapered.:shade:

So is what I'm doing an acceptable action to take? I am tuning for traditional shooting, no string walking.
-Ed


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## dbake (Mar 5, 2007)

I would shoot a couple bareshafts with your regular fletched arrows to confirm the point weight differences and the arrow length.

If your form is good and the arrows are spined correctly, the bareshafts are going to be grouped right in there with the fletched shafts.

Don


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## cttrailrider (Jun 10, 2008)

*Trad bow shooting indoors*

When shooting a NFAA round in the traditional class, no stabilizer can used. I think NAA allows a short stabilizer on the bow (barebow class), as long as the unstrung bow and attachments fits through the ring. When shooting a NFAA indoor round at 20 yds, I shoot 2312 arrows uncut, 5" feathers left wing 2 degree offset, draw weight 37 lbs at 31.5" draw, 3 under tab. I gap shoot. Best wishes Randy



Hank D Thoreau said:


> Thanks for the input. I was really confused. I just took up using a stabilizer when I started shooting NFAA earlier a couple of months ago. I was going to get some weaker arrows in hopes that it would help. Now I definitely will.
> 
> Does the stabilizer stiffness affect it. I have three that I am testing.
> 
> ...


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Ct,

I think Hank may have been referring to the NFAA "barebow" division, which includes compounds, and does allow the use of a stabilizer...

John.


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## Hank D Thoreau (Dec 9, 2008)

limbwalker said:


> Ct,
> 
> I think Hank may have been referring to the NFAA "barebow" division, which includes compounds, and does allow the use of a stabilizer...
> 
> John.


Right you are. I have a barebow with a stabilizer for the NFAA barebow division which I use for field. I use a riser with nothing on it to shoot NFAA traditional. I only shoot traditional indoors because I cannot handle the distance changes without stringwalking or changing string grips.


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