Question on barebow clout

4d4m

Active member
Questions on barebow clout

I've been shooting less than a year and never shot a comp or even a properly scored round (target). However this is largely due to my club being very small and the core members being much more oriented around clout. Anyway I've been doing some clout practice, using my recurve with all the stabs and and weights on but no sight, and I've been talked into doing an upcoming comp.

As a sight mark I've actually been using a button on my watch and/or a rivet on my bracer as a reference point (!).
I have been told I'm shooting well and the other evening was made up when I put 2 arrows through the flag in one end! :poulies:

Anyway it was suggested if I was shooting like I was with no sight that I try barebow. So I took the rods off. It was suggested that the doinker I have in the top hole might be ok to have. This a weight with a rounded rubber piece between it and the riser, about 3" long in total. I didn't like the balance anyway and tried it in the bottom hole. Either way, reading the rules just now it seems likely that the rubber bit counts under shock absorbing devices, is that the case?

Are the barebow rules for clout the same as for target?
Is using rivets, straps etc on one's arm accoutrements (bracer and watch) as aimpoints ok?
How do most barebow shooters do it?

I haven't decided yet, as I wasn't keen on the way the bow tipped backwards, leading me to catch it on shooting. I might have time to jury rig something on the sight to shoot in recurve.
 

frustratatosk

New member
Hi, yes, the rubber bit is out. You can mount a weight on the lower part of the riser but it has to mount directly without damping.
Personally I have taught myself to lightly rest my ring finger of my bow hand on the back of the riser and trust the resistance to catch the bow but, as I understand it, a finger sling is allowed for barebow and is probably the best solution as with freestyle.
I have never had an issue with the bow tipping back - don't know why as it is remarked on as thing that happens without a rod. For me the bow leaps forward directly from the inertia of the limbs when the arrow is released but there isn't much force behind it.
My tiller is even and I do have a weight on the lower riser so that probably helps.
 

4d4m

Active member
Thanks. I might look into getting a special weight, or just removing the rubber bit, if I go ahead with barebow for this clout.

I'm using a finger sling, the bow does leap forward an inch on shooting, but my fingers involuntarily close on the grip. If they don't, the bow then pivots backwards, even with said weight on the bottom hole. I'm fairly confident that the fingers aren't moving until after the bow has started moving forwards, hence the arrow is gone, but the concern is that I may start to involuntarily anticipate this and grab before the shot is finished.
Maybe your riser has a different balance. Mine is SF Forged+ with long limbs making 70" bow.I'll also check the tiller though.

I've been given a length of threaded rod with a nut welded on the end, which some of the others use in place of their normal sight pins. Another length of 4mm rod screws into the nut, going down vertically and holding some kind of sight marker at the bottom. I'm also going to try this before making a decision.

Actually I've just remembered, I was also told I'd have to remove the sight mounting block. This is the small piece of metal that is screwed to the riser. The sight's rail slides into this and you tighten up a big thumbwheel. I really, really don't want to do that, as it is very tightly bolted to the riser.
 

frustratatosk

New member
I've got a Cartel fantom and when I took the sight block off it took the paint with it! Now have a brushed aluminium riser.
It's surprising, to me at least, how precise you can be without a sight but, let's face it, you can be more precise with one (as reflected very well by the scores needed for the classes)
 

4d4m

Active member
My riser is an anodised (or maybe powder coated) finish so shouldn't come off, it didn't when I upgraded my sight, but do you know if I have to take it off?
 

little-else

Supporter
Supporter
AIUK Saviour
I use a weight on the bottom of the riser as allowed, it does help a little with stability. As for aiming, I use the side of the riser and sight about halfway between where it splays out and the grip, giving an elevation close to the ideal 22.5 deg needed for my bow. Up or down a bit according to wind strength and sight the flag closer or further away from the riser for crosswind. I also use a different button than for target recurve to offset the aiming point to allow me to sight comfortably to the right of the riser rather than covering the flag. Also use a finger sling as I do when sighted shooting.
You have to remove the sight mount block otherwise it is just recurve and not barebow, despite it being in completely the wrong place to act as a sighting aid.
 

4d4m

Active member
You have to remove the sight mount block otherwise it is just recurve and not barebow, despite it being in completely the wrong place to act as a sighting aid.
That's daft. It's presumably from this bit: "The bow must be bare, except for items mentioned below, and free from protrusions, marks, blemishes or laminated pieces which could be of use in aiming"

"free from protrusions... which could be of use in aiming". A sight mount block could not be of use in aiming, ergo it should be allowed IMHO.
However I'm not about to argue the t?ss in my first comp, and as I'm not taking it off, sighted it'll have to be. :-/
 

TJ Mason

Soaring
Supporter
Fonz Awardee
American Shoot
My riser is an anodised (or maybe powder coated) finish so shouldn't come off, it didn't when I upgraded my sight, but do you know if I have to take it off?
Yes - at my first clout with barebow, I was told by a judge to take the sight mounting bracket off the bow. This probably comes from field archery, where such an item could potentially be used for range-finding.
 

veldwalker

Supporter
Supporter
Ironman
Barebows are usually inspected before a competition by the judges to see it they are ok, occasionally they will check compound peak weights as well. When I shot barebow clout, I used barebow weights which really help with stabilizing the bow. Yes you will have to remove your sight mounting block from the riser.
 

blakey

Active member
Thanks. I might look into getting a special weight, or just removing the rubber bit, if I go ahead with barebow for this clout.

I'm using a finger sling, the bow does leap forward an inch on shooting, but my fingers involuntarily close on the grip. If they don't, the bow then pivots backwards, even with said weight on the bottom hole. I'm fairly confident that the fingers aren't moving until after the bow has started moving forwards, hence the arrow is gone, but the concern is that I may start to involuntarily anticipate this and grab before the shot is finished.
Maybe your riser has a different balance. Mine is SF Forged+ with long limbs making 70" bow.I'll also check the tiller though.
All the risers I've tried bare tip back and hit me in the head. A wrist sling might help you with your fingers. Most of us use a short barebow weight in the stab hole for an attempt set balance. Cheers
 
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