When are stabilizers required (compound bow)

Nick72

New member
Novice question.

Do you really need stabilizers for 18m indoor target.

I see the top guys with 8-12 pounds of total bow weight shooting 18m and I can't help but question it.

I find I actually shoot 18m better without any stabilizers on my PSE Drive 3B with a total bow weight of around 4 pounds.

Now this could just be because I'm new to the sport and my best isn't very good, but what have you all found better at 18m?
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Some bows seem to balance nicely without stabilisers; others want to tip back during the power stroke. Sometimes just a little weight out front can get the bow to balance nicely and to keep a little steadier when aiming.
For really strong archers, any extra stability for the aim can make a difference to their scores. If they are competitive that will be important to them.
For archers who are past their prime, like me, the extra weight can be just the thing to tip me over my comfort level and scores suffer , my comfort decreases ad the pain goes up.
 

KidCurry

Well-known member
AIUK Saviour
As Geoff says it is often a comfort thing but there are a number of good reasons to whack some weight on the ends of some sticks. The first is weight up front weights the bow forward. This helps prevent the bow kicking up on the shot but also allows the bow to roll forward slightly which many archers prefer. Some like the bow to sit still and well balanced. To do this some weight is also needed out back, often on a single short rod. This allows the bow to be balanced during and after the shot. This is my preference, usually 14oz out front and 22-28oz out back.
However there are other reasons. Without any stabilisation you may notice the scope dot bouncing/oscillating left and right. A long rod with a bit of weight stops this. Some archers like to shoot with what is known as a resistance setup. Unlike a balanced setup you will see a lot of weight to one side. The archer needs to apply force to keep the bow upright. The theory is that any error in bow movement during the shot will always be in the same direction.
You mentioned lots of weight 8-12lbs. They can go heavier. The reason for this is bow stability on aim. Generally when on aim the scope dot is floating around the gold. A light weight bow float is quick and often erratic, but as the bow gets heavier the dot float slows down. With lots of weight it slows down a lot. Outdoors it reduces wind movement, indoors it means holding a scope dot in the ten ring long enough to execute the shot.
Warning. Lots of weight on the stabilisers needs lots of time to build up to them. Too much weight too soon will cause the form to fail and almost certainly cause injury.
 

Shirt

Well-known member
When? Now. You need some weight out to stop the thing from kicking horribly when you shoot and torquing like you wouldn't believe.
This does not, however, mean you need huge weights. 30" rod with 4oz on used to be regarded as more than enough, the trend for stacking 10-20oz on the front has only really appeared in the last five years or so.
 

Bandit

Active member
When? Now. You need some weight out to stop the thing from kicking horribly when you shoot and torquing like you wouldn't believe.
This does not, however, mean you need huge weights. 30" rod with 4oz on used to be regarded as more than enough, the trend for stacking 10-20oz on the front has only really appeared in the last five years or so.
Yes indeed it seems to be a trend to add an anvil to the bow these days. You will shoot like crap if you cant hold the bow up for more than a few arrows anyway. It's all about putting the time in and building strength.

Like anything archery I feel good form is more important. Lots of bow stab' weight is the icing on the cake.
 

Whitehart

Well-known member
Stabilisers are needed to reduce the torque created by the cable guard - some bows are better than others at reducing this but none have eradicated it.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
On a slightly different tack, I used to think that long rods were best left off until the archer has got used to their beginners' form and more or less becoming normal. One of the aspects that I put before long rods was "shooting with a sling". Getting a relaxed hand and seeing that it was staying relaxed by noticing how the bow reacted. The jumping of the bow in such an unpredictable manner almost forced the newer archers to grab the bow. With a long rod fitted, even with no weights, the bow behaved so much better that the sling was easier to " learn". Keeping the bow hand relaxed just allowed the bow to tip forward slowly and gently and no desire to grab.
 

jerryRTD

Well-known member
Stabilisers are needed to reduce the torque created by the cable guard - some bows are better than others at reducing this but none have eradicated it.
Oneida . they eliminated the cable guide and with it the torque. The Pro Eagle I used to shoot felt very different
 

Howi

Member
simple answer, no! you do not, BUT (notice it is a big but) as has been said long rod + side rod/s can help enormously in keeping the dot floating slowly in the gold. Even without much weight they have been proved to aid stability/aiming, the BIG question is how much weight do you need and where to put it!
14oz out front and 20oz at the back is a lot of weight when you add it to the bare weight of the bow, and you have to be physically strong to shoot with that amount of weight.
Obviously, as a beginner you will not want to put on that much weight just yet. Get your form right, allow your muscles to build, then you can start adding more weight. BUT! where to put it? Most people would assume most weight goes to the front, but as you can see it is the opposite.
You have to ask yourself what you want the weights to do, for most archers for every ounce at the front you will want 2 or more at the back.
Why? well! the long rod is longer than a short rod (obvious I know).
For me, and believe me I am no expert, I want the bow to be "just" slightly forward of centre, I achieve that by altering the forward and or back weight, this means for me that i am not fighting to keep the pin in the gold in the vertical plane.
The position of the short rod in relation to how far the short rod weight is from the centre is also important. When I draw the bow up, I want the scope bubble to be in the centre without fighting it. It all makes the bow more comfortable to shoot.
Now what I have said is my take on stabilisation, but there are top shooters who have exactly the opposite view and prefer more weight up front with little to no weight at the back. Don't forget all bows (without anything added) balance differently and will need different weight distribution.
Do not forget, whatever you decide, you must be comfortable with your setup. You can change it as you get stronger and more confident in your setup. It does take time, I am fortunate that covid19 lockdown has been a boon for me as I have been able to play around with all sorts of combinations of weights and distribution by shooting in my (small) back garden.
Just remember, no one said it was easy! or did they????? ;)
 

jerryRTD

Well-known member
-The answer is yes . If you expect to shoot as well as you can. Also if you shoot a light rig indoors then your out door rig will seem very heavy when you go back out doors.
 
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