Outdoor compound, range distances, my observations so far.

Marcus37

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This is my first season shooting outdoor, and apart from some bad weather here and there it's going well.
But I have come across some interesting observations, I have been working my way out from 20 Yards completing my 252 badges as I go, I have been giving it 3 weeks (8 sessions shooting about 100 arrows) at each distance in order to train my self, physically and mentally.

At 20 yards my average end I would shoot the outer 10 ring and 9s fairly consistently, and find that I tend to have a slightly wider group.

At 30 yards I'm all in the Inside and outer 10 with the occasional rouge shot, with a much tighter group.

At 40 yards 98% are in the inner 10 with the occasional rouge shot.

It seams that the further out the butt is the better I seam to shoot (so far).
Is there some underlying equipment reason causing this, such as arrows gaining a flatter flight, or am I missing something?
 

bimble

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have you gone back to 20yds, just to check it's not a case that you're getting better with more practice?
 

geoffretired

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One culprit for big groups at close range, and smaller ones at distance is arrow contact with something. The damage to the straight line flight is greater at short range, as there's not enough time to straighten out. At least, that is what I was told some years ago.
 

bimble

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or, something I've found shooting compound on 122 faces at close range... is knowing where in the gold you're aiming as that's all that can be seen through the scope.
 

Marcus37

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@bimble no I have not done that but I will when one of the new intakes has one at 20 out of curiosity. Yes that's very true all I can see is gold at that distance, so this could be part of it, but I slotted in on the line @ 20 on a busy day with a 80cm face and it was not much different from what I remember.

@geoffretired I shoot off a blade ( trophy taker spring steel) apart from the string that's the only possible contact, so I'm guessing that the blade would be the contact causing it?? If this is the case.

I forgot to mention I'm shooting my new TRG7 @ 50lb with xx75 platinum plus with ep16 vanes now. Thumb trigger realise useing the hand constricting method. If this matters.

This is all very interesting :)
 

bimble

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I thought that was " aiming off" to prevent arrow damage??
hehehe, that always makes me think of the people who shoot single spot faces indoors and then complain about damaging arrows... but when you suggest shooting on a three spot face they react with horror!!
 

Berk

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At 30 yards I'm all in the Inside and outer 10 with the occasional rouge shot, with a much tighter group.
I've not got a lot to add to what the others have said, I was just tickled by this spelling mistake, for once it is probably an accurate statement assuming you were going for rogue and not deliberately slipping in to the French for red.
 

geoffretired

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Often, compound archers shooting indoors, use big fat arrows with large fletchings. Fat arrows for line cutters and big fletchings to straighten out the arrows faster. That makes me think that there is something in the idea that arrows need to straighten up quickly, when there isn't much time between launch and impact.
A spring steel blade may cause contact; they often do apparently, mine used to. Some archers ignore the contact, but perhaps they are shooting the longer distances. Some archers raise the nocking point just enough to get the fletchings passing over the top of the prongs of the blade. On my rest, one prong was always getting polished clean by the fletching nearer the sight window.

There might be another reason. Sometimes, at closer ranges, some archers expect to get better groups than at longer ones. That expectation can cause them to slow down and try to be more careful. If the group is not so good, they try even harder next time, and the time after that and..... until it becomes a habit. At longer distances they expect less and relax more and shoot better. The arrows show this.
If you find you shoot faster at longer distances, that could be adding to the short distance/contact issue.
 

Marcus37

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@Berk that may have been a autocorrect job :)

@geoffretired I don't think I will adjust my nocking point as the TRG7 is designed to have a dead central knock, while this does aid bow stability, it's a bit of a pain.
I'll just ignore it, as it's still better than my old decut cheaply I started with.

I tend to try and keep a consistent shot time no matter what range I shoot at, but I do some times punch in windy conditions if it's affecting my aim via wind deflation on my long rod.

As far as indoor I have X7 Eclipse With Ep 26 vanes ready. It was quite funny watching people space out arrows indoors rather than use a 3 spot, but 3 spot shooting requires a little more skill and experience to shoot correctly, I still forgot to bend at the hips to aim, and aim with my arm for the top spot and shoot high, at least half of the time.
 

geoffretired

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Try shooting through paper to get some idea of how the arrows are leaving the bow.
You could lower the arrow rest a little just to see what happens, easily put back if it doesn't improve things.
 

KidCurry

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You will probably find if you put a portsmouth face up at 20 yds to the left ofthe 122cm face gold and shoot 6 arrows at each the arrows in the Portsmouth face will be a lot tighter. I find my groups at 50m on a 80cm face are much tighter than on a 122cm gold at 60yds. I think you just aim better the smaller the target.
 

Marcus37

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@geoffretired we don't have the stand for paper tuning at the outdoor container so I will do that when I next visit a proshop as they have one out for use in the indoor range,

@kidcurry I'm not sure if we have any Portsmouth faces at the moment they are on our bulk order, but I do have some of my own IFAA faces somewhere here I'll pop one of them up and see.

None of this is really a much issue, as long as I get the scores, but I will be interested to see what happens after 50+ Yards as I really want that bling gold 100 yard badge :D but that will be a while ye before I get out that far.
 

geoffretired

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I Like Kid Curry's thinking about aiming less well at close range. It is as dangerous as aiming over carefully; we need to aim just enough to get the best from it.
 

Marcus37

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This could all come down to a bunch of things it seams @kidcurry may well be spot of with that idea. I will test that theory and report back on Sunday.

After deciding to step up my game I have had to work on a few things in my form (realise and anchor consistency, I was lazy and holding rather than pulling on the back wall and sometimes sloppy anchoring) shooting 3 days a week instead of 2 etc. This just one more thing to figure out.
 

Kernowlad

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I'm finding similar TBH.

I think it's partly because I'm more relaxed and not over aiming.

I was pleased with a 543 on a Portsmouth 3 months after starting from scratch but I reckon I'm doing better at the longer ranges. I really enjoy the outdoor stuff too.

Done rounds with 80 yards and a FITA 70 and was amazed both times how many hit the gold or red.

That was with the old Hoyt Ignite, I now have a new bow that appears to be way more accurate (from shooting at home at about 20 yards) so can't wait to get shooting it the outdoors range on Friday!
 

Marcus37

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I'm finding similar TBH.

I think it's partly because I'm more relaxed and not over aiming.

I was pleased with a 543 on a Portsmouth 3 months after starting from scratch but I reckon I'm doing better at the longer ranges. I really enjoy the outdoor stuff too.

Done rounds with 80 yards and a FITA 70 and was amazed both times how many hit the gold or red.

That was with the old Hoyt Ignite, I now have a new bow that appears to be way more accurate (from shooting at home at about 20 yards) so can't wait to get shooting it the outdoors range on Friday!
I will be interested in how you get on at long range with your origin, as I only got to try one at 20yards indoors. The ignite is quite a shot ATA if I remember correctly, nice work at those ranges with a field/hunting bow.
 

Kernowlad

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I will be interested in how you get on at long range with your origin, as I only got to try one at 20yards indoors. The ignite is quite a shot ATA if I remember correctly, nice work at those ranges with a field/hunting bow.
Yep only 28" ATA. Shooting at the range later on; looking forward to it!
 

Marcus37

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First attempt at 50 yards...

That's not bad at all, that butt looks like it's seen better days going by how far they have penetrated.

How are you finding the mass weight of your Origin? It took me a while to adapt when I got my TRG7, I found I could shoot less arrows before I needed a brake.

How do you put pics up on here?
 
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