Thumb Trigger Wrist release to...what?

Kernowlad

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I'm finding my wrist release a bit random - on our big shoot at the weekend my anchor point was suddenly behind my neck having always been just behind my jaw/below my ear. I have a feeling it's stretched in the vile rain we shot in last week. Not one to blame kit but I could do with more consistency so thinking about a hinge or thumb release?
Being relatively (okay very) new, I'm thinking a thumb release might be the best option. In which case, what to go for and is there a way to measure the size of your hand (I think I'm medium but not sure)?
A kind chap has offered to let me try a hinge release but I'd like to try a thumb trigger too - any recommendations?

Very impressed with Mybo and they do a few nice looking thumb releases; a possible option? It's one item I seem to see for sale quite often when someone clearly doesn't get on with what they've bought. ?150++ is a fair bit of money to just risk!
 

geoffretired

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The hinge type is the sweetest release type I have ever used. I found that I could relax more when shooting, as it seemed so " natural".
The problem I had was drawing and getting early misfires. The arrows fly high and long!!!! very scary. Some archers have sorted their draws to the point where they do not expect misfires. I gave up as I could not take the risk... when was the next one going to happen??
The thumb triggers are less frightening, I find. I put my thumb on a plate that I made and when at full draw and ready, i relax the thumb and it drops off the plate and is by the trigger. Then, I can go through my triggering routine.
A light trigger, I find requires a careful approach to the trigger post, in case my thumb lands on it when I don't want it to. A stiff trigger means I can let the thumb drop to the post and KNOW it will take some effort to make it go off. That is a secure sort of feeling.
One thing about thumb triggers that varies, from model to model, is the distance the jaw is in front of the curled fingers of the draw hand. If I use one that has too much distance in front, my draw hand is too far back from the string and I feel over stretched( like you did with the wrist strap)
I found two models that keep the jaw right beside my knuckles, Carter Whisper and Carter Plain one. Many Tru Balls have jaws that reach forward about a cm or more and that rules them out for me.
.
 

Ozzy

Member
The index finger/wrist strap release aid anchor will be rather different than when using a hinge or thumb trigger release.
I am a dedicated exclusive hinge BT release (Stan BlackJack) aid user, arrived at from dreaded severe target panic some years back started by a "hair" thumb trigger Carter release. Fortunately most good trigger releases these days have either interchangeable springs or adjustable trigger tension.
I urge you to at least give a hinge a try, but be sure to have it set cold to start. All the fear associated with these releases is unfounded if set & approached correctly from the outset. A quality hinge release has fine adjustment with a hex key, so it can be set precisely to suit your personal style of grip & activation.
Yes, your anchor contact will feel different, probably better !
 

Corax67

Well-known member
I've gone straight in to compound on trigger releases - using both a Carter Attraction S and an Insatiable 2 to find which works best for me - as they are what came with the bow.

If pressed my vote goes to the Insatiable only because it is a little easier to cock and has a fatter trigger barrel but I might try switching the barrel to the Attraction this Saturday and see what difference that makes.

Both are set to hair trigger - downside is the odd scary wide shot if I come off the back wall since I respond by firing rather than coming down and resetting my draw. Not a release issue just a user one :)

It is tricky to build up a more comprehensive comparison as I only shoot once a week but although they are expensive I would definitely invest in a trigger release if I were to go down the compound route more seriously.




Karl
 

Corax67

Well-known member
Anther thing which has helped immensely is a compound release trainer.

I got to practice for many weeks with a Morin Compound Release trainer and the two releases before I got anywhere near picking up a bow for the first time. I think it has reaped huge rewards as I was completely comfortable with the shot cycle and how the release reacted with the total safety of no arrows involved. Would imagine it's a perfect bit of kit for trying out different releases too.

Merlin are showing out of stock but if I were serious about compound I would definitely be looking at getting one from somewhere as a regular practice aid - to simulate bow weight I just clipped a filled water bottle to the end loop with a carabiner, looks odd but works a treat and is easily variable.



Karl
 

Kernowlad

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Thanks again guys. The tricky thing for me is trying things out; I've generally used advise and read enough reviews to make informed decisions but this is a tricky one - even if I limit myself to say, Carter, they make about a dozen thumb releases and that's assuming a thumb release is the best option.
I could do with an hour or two trying different types but my nearest archery shop is just too far away - about two hours.

I like Geoff's idea of a release with the "claw" very close to your hand but there may be other factors. It sure is a tricky one. Pretty set on changing to something else, just not sure what and it's a fair chunk of money to just risk.

Hmmm...
 
D

Deleted member 7654

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Frankly this thread is scaring the cr4p out of me....
Del
 

geoffretired

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Just to clarify, I have the string of my bow set so it just reaches the front of my chin. I have a very short D loop and a release aid with the jaw set close back to my knuckles. If I increase the draw length of the bow, I am over stretching. Same if I use a bigger D loop or release aid with an extension, as in the hinge types. I think I may be an unusual shape, to have to go down that road.
I mentioned the reach of the release aid because I need to use one that has a short reach, and you may need that ,too, but I don't know for sure.
There are hundreds of release aids out there and many will feel much the same as the rest.
If I were in your situation, being far from the shops, I would make a T bar. 4 " of 1/2" diameter dowel, or similar. Screw a cup hook into it at 1" from the end. Trim the hook a bit to get rid of some of the hook. Use it to draw your bow and find an anchor position. Usually the back of the hand fits against the side of the face. I get the gap between my index and second finger to straddle my jaw bone.
With the T bar the two fingers will be close together because the cup hook is slim. You could put body filler in the right places to pad out a shape that resembles a release aid. Find out how wide that needs to be to give you a secure fit .
You could bend the hook to give more reach, or less reach, till you see where things are in that respect.
Post a pic when you have a good result and others can advise about which release aids fit that model.
I will post mine sometime to show some of the mods I have made in the cause of science??????
 

geoffretired

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The wrist strap release aid I used would slip up and down on my skinny wrist and rub the skin off. I made an elbow sling, similar to the thing used on the Formaster bow trainer. I had bow string for the cord so no stretching. I fixed the cords to a bottle screw so I could adjust the length finely and lock it once I was sorted. The release aid body was strung on to the other end of the bottle screw and that string was wrapped with soft leather because the cord impacts against the heel of the thumb when in use.
It was good to use and when the draw elbow was in line properly, the bow string was in front of my aiming eye at the same time. If my draw elbow was out of line, the string was not in my line of vision, so it was a teaching aid too.
You could keep on using your wrist strap release aid and never need to worry about the stretching strap, ever again. Save a small fortune, too.
 

Kernowlad

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Blimey; you are dedicated Geoff.
TBH it has occurred to me that simply reducing my bows DL by an inch could solve the issue but I don't want the release to stretch (if that's what has happened) again! A solid release just seems like a better idea but I know two very good compounders who are ranked high in the U.K. who only get on with finger trigger releases.

Sometimes I've found new kit helps (e.g when I couldn't get the sight on 80 yard targets; lighter arrows sorted that), other times it might just be me.

Hmmm...!
 

geoffretired

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Sometimes the wrist strap stretches; sometimes it gets waterlogged and slips further up towards the fingers. The elbow sling is just another way of allowing the release aid to be used without gripping it with the fingers. It also frees the hand to be relaxed all through the draw, all it needs to do is rest against the body of the release so it knows how to find the trigger.
The wrist strap release is held lower down the face than hand held, so gives better sight marks.
Some people dislike them because many of them have light triggers; that can lead to problems. It is easy enough to stiffen a trigger. I fitted a spring from a wooden two piece clothes peg. Placed just behind the trigger made it very stiff, but by drawing harder against the stops seems to create a pressure on the trigger to match, so it happens almost in sympathy with drawing back strongly. Feels like shooting a longbow in the sense that the release happens while you are pulling hard; rather than being a separate thing to do at the end.

If you shorten your bow's draw length, when the strap is dry and fitting well, you may feel cramped up at full draw.
 

Kernowlad

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It's a funny sport in some ways - a very precise combination of being relaxed (bow hand, mind, etc) and under tension/stiff (drawing the bow, your bow arm, etc). Definitely challenging!

A slight concern I have is adding another area of tension; gripping and holding that release.
 

bimble

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I could do with an hour or two trying different types but my nearest archery shop is just too far away - about two hours.
see, I would say if you're making that big a change, I would say it'd take longer than an hour or two. I would suggest going to your local store and literally trying every release they have on their practice range. Knowing which will fit your hand, which will have the trigger in a comfortable place, seeing if you want a safety on a hinge, or if you're happy with just the thumb peg.

These aren't easy to answer questions without you trying the different releases out. And if you go to the store, you'll also be able to have the release aid set up for you (hinge speed, trigger tension/position) and be shown how to make any further adjustments as you get more used to it.

It costs more, in both time and money, but you get it set for you from the off, rather than getting something through the post then trying to set it up down the field.
 

geoffretired

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Hi Kernowlad,
You are right, it is a funny old sport. Tension and relaxation all blended together to make a lovely mix. Get the tensions where there should be relaxations and things get a bit lumpy.
A slight concern I have is adding another area of tension; gripping and holding that release.
I can understand that, but...... Just like we have no idea what riding a bike feels like till after we can ride, so it is with the release aid. We swing hammers, push and pull saws, pull on spanners etc etc and never really notice our grip. What we notice is what we are actually trying to do.
So it is with the release aid. It is natural enough to pull a bow string with our fingers, a release aid feels like that but more comfortable as the string doesn't rub the skin. If you look at photos of top archers with a hand held release aid, you will see just how relaxed the hand is. In some ways it is more "part of the same thing" part of the drawing of the bow, than a wrist strap. The wrist strap, in a way, is pulling on the wrong bit of the arm. The elbow sling is far more " natural" in the sense you feel the tension of the bow on the elbow... but that is where you feel it with any bow, that is where the movement is "happening".
I know some will say the movement stems from the back muscles, but that isn't what I mean. The back muscles cannot draw the string; you can draw a bow if you have the elbow and no forearm; in that sense the elbow makes the string move back.
I can find things in favour of all types of release aid and some disadvantages. I have tried all of them and paid a lot of money over the years.
The enjoyment has been great; I like to find out what things are like and how they work; I dismantled all of them, and got all the bits back in with none left over!!!!!9 unlike my dad's watch)
It would not be fair to put you off from doing the same; but if you want to shoot, there is a more direct route. Choose one and make it work.
Cheapest option; keep the wrist release and fit an elbow sling.
Most expensive option; try them all and consider it a journey of a lifetime... it will take that long!! heehee.
 

Kernowlad

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Right a bit of back yard shooting and I think I should change it. It's a Tru Ball Stinger; it's made of what looks like faux leather and neoprene which clearly stretch! My sons is made of webbing which doesn't stretch. It's also Velcro so infinitely adjustable - I have to rely on the holes Tru Ball punched in a "belt" style.
Firstly I gave it a good tug from various angles (not while shooting) - it really does stretch quite a bit. Not handy for consistency.
I actually think my DL is set slightly too short - with the release anchored at the right point just below my ear, the string is too far from my nose. If I get the string to my nose, the release hand is too far back but I also have to crank my head forwards and it's a bit uncomfortable and not relaxed enough. I need to get that string back further.
So what I seem to need is a ~1/2" DL increase but a shorter distance between the anchor hand and D-loop so I can tuck it in nicely just behind my jaw/under my ear rather than behind my neck.

Or at least that's what I think I need!
 

geoffretired

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I would be careful about deciding on draw length on the strength of nose contact with the string. Imagine you had been shooting extremely well with a long axle to axle bow and getting nose contact comfortably. Then shoot someone's short axle to axle bow set at the same draw length, but not making nose contact with the string. You would still feel strong with the draw length and the same anchor point.
When I was going through this sort of thing, not so long ago,and getting advice, the main feature of the bow's draw length seemed to be about getting the arrow nock directly beneath the aiming eye.
In other words, no further back than that. In the pictures that showed up and also, the string would track through the corner of the mouth.If the string comes too far back past the front to the chin, the string bounces off the skin at release making a mess of things.
Another aspect of the draw length was to do with the draw elbow position relative to the archer's body and body line to the target. It is possible to draw a bow much further back than the draw length we actually use. That's because we are better able to control the shot when we reach a posture that allows more movement after the release, the follow through. If you draw too far, the strength in the shot seems to fall away and we wander about on aim.
Viewed from behind the archer, the draw elbow appeared immediately above the ball of the archer's back foot. If you draw too far, the draw elbow would possible appear above the heel of the back foot.
I would certainly get non stretch material for your wrist strap.
It costs nothing to check out some of these positions I have mentioned. Should you wish to that is.
If, your bow is set to something close to the suggested one, and if you sort your wrist strap and check the draw elbow position, you might find things are too cramped or too loose or just right. If they are too cramped or too loose D loops are the cheapest things to change in order to get what you want.
 

jerryRTD

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Get your self a Carter two shot and learn to trigger it with your middle finger. A Velcro strap will hold and not stretch even in the wet

Sent you a PM
 
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