Consistency with an ELB?

[mmattockx]

This is just a matter of curiosity for me, but how do people find any consistency shooting ELB's? With no handle to locate your hand and no shelf or fixed arrow pass how do you manage to grip it the same each time and set the arrow correctly in relation to the string? I know moving my nocking point on the string 1/4" will significantly affect how the arrows fly and it seems one would never get that close on a regular basis with an ELB. Is there some trick I haven't noticed?


Mark

[Pat B]

Every ELB I've seen has a definite handle area and arrow pass location and for me their length makes them more stable and accurate to shoot. You can also feel if you are holding the bow in the right location if it is balanced in your hand.

[Strelets]

First settle your hand into your usual grip on the bow. Then nock the arrow, taking care to get it at exactly right angles to the string. The eye is a very good judge of right angles. The, if you think that you need to, move the arrow nock up 1/8 inch or so.
I agree with Pat about bow length. The longer the bow, the steadier it is to shoot. My bows are usually 75 to 78 inches. Anything longer is too clumsy to take round the woods.

[Del the cat]

As Pat B said, there is often an arrow passed either marked or inlaid, if there is also a nocking point on the string you have consistency.
The long limbs give a smooth stable shot.
Del

[mmattockx]

Thanks for the info. I can see consistency if there is a handle definition of some sort and an inlaid arrow pass to act as a reference. I agree the long bows shoot better, there are sound reasons why the Olympic archers all shoot 70+" bows.


Mark

[willie]

I can see consistency if there is a handle definition of some sort and an inlaid arrow pass to act as a reference.

You don't even need the mark at the arrow pass if you hold the bow consistent. With my arm down at my side, I balance the bow in the bow hand on my middle finger with the top tip slightly above the horizontal.  I have a pinhead sized pebble epoxied to the handle that registers to the balance point on my middle fingertip

[Strelets]

I hold my arm out with palm down, thumb opposed to the palm, balance the bow on my thumb and then close my hand.

[HH~]

Thats the great thing about a ELB. You can grab it and make it shoot how you want it to for the range your shooting by adjusting hand!

I know where to hold for 80m and for 15m. They will drop an arra on a dime. Just have to see what makes each one really shine.

HH~

[Pat B]

When I'm building bows I shoot them all before finishing, before indicating an arrow pass and before indicating a nock point. I go by balance in my bow hand, balance as I draw and an approximate nock point I've worked out over years of shooting and I shoot pretty well in this situation, maybe not competition well but well enough to hit pretty close to where I'm aiming and see how well the bow shoots.

[HH~]

Thats correct. Long before you finish arra pass or a shelf the bow must feel correct in hand even if tiller is done. If using non matching billets you had better get bow in hand and figure out what it needs to balance at full draw.

HH~