Fun thread, not meant to upset anyone

[BorderBows]

Do the rules for most forms of field shooting state that your not allowed to use any part of your bow or external aiming aid as a means of aiming, When shooting under the "instinctive" Categories?

[the badger]

I don't think it says ANY part of the bow..............in NFAS it says something like "no marks, scars or blemishes that could be used as a sighting mark"
This is in bare bow and such catagories where a sight is not used.

I also have an email from NFAS that says a bow quiver can be used as long as there is nothing that can be used for sighting like the fittings or even the cresting of an arrow.

[BorderBows]

what about external aiming aid?

[the badger]

I presume you mean sights? or do you mean markers on the ground etc.
in NFAS I dont think they are allowed nor is the practice of spotting, pacing the target or rangefinders of any sort.

[BorderBows]

I presume that with the statement that your not alowed to use your crestings on your arrows, which are on a quiver as a sight mark, then neiver should the pile on the arrow that your shooting with.

For example, some Gap shooters change the length of the arrow, to gain a set distance sight mark. For example, leave them 3/4" longer than they need to get a 35yard mark.
Is that not an external sight aid?

[N.Vodden]

Originally Posted by the badger

I don't think it says ANY part of the bow..............in NFAS it says something like "no marks, scars or blemishes that could be used as a sighting mark"
This is in bare bow and such catagories where a sight is not used.

I also have an email from NFAS that says a bow quiver can be used as long as there is nothing that can be used for sighting like the fittings or even the cresting of an arrow.

i think it does cover any part of the bow under GNAS. One of the archers at Pentref has a bow ( think its a Winact ) from an older run, and the screws for the sight block protrude on the bow window side as 2 small bumps. He was made to cover them up and level the whole window by building it up by a judge as they could be used as an aiming aid when he was shooting barebow.

[grimsby archer]

Originally Posted by BorderBows

what about external aiming aid?

are these general questions, or are you going somewhere with this?

[BorderBows]

GA.
Was getting at the arrow point being a aiming mark, which is a extranal aid, if it can be custom cut to suit a set distance.
Does that make Gapping a form of cheating?

[gilf]

Originally Posted by BorderBows

GA.
Was getting at the arrow point being a aiming mark, which is a extranal aid, if it can be custom cut to suit a set distance.

I have always been of that opinion (not the cutting down).

I can't see any difference between a marking on the riser and using the point of the arrow, both are fixed points in relation to the bow. I say that in response to the argument that there shouldn't be any markings on the riser, I know people pulled up for that, 1 with antler bur limb bolts* and the other with a Blacktail Elite VL which has some fantastic detail on the riser woods. I simply can't see it gives any more advantage than using the tip of the arrow.

As for different length arrows, give a shorter or longer arrow will effect the spine (maybe not that much but it will) and given that in many competitions (especially the ones I have shot in Europe) require a specific point weight (normally 125 grains) and a minimum overall arrow weight, the arrows wouldn't conform to the requirements and therefore be "illegal".

I would imagine it would also require a lot of messing around to set up a decent set to gain any aiming advantage.

* if you have a lot of marks then that would be different but a single limb bolt is no more and advantage that a single arrow point.

[BorderBows]

Gilf,
If you can tune your bow to shoot with 125grn points, at your drawlength, then there is NO reason on earth, that you cant tune it to a set length, afterall, the extra spine you get from an extra inch of arrow is not much.
Nothing you couldnt do with centreshot and draw length with a slight alteration in achor, like eye tooth, to the next one back or something.
We speak to Top gap shooters all over the world, and the lengths they go to to get a bow to shoot they way they want is impressive, and so are the scores they put in.

A great example of this was a lady who came in the other day, and said, to spine tune her setup, she used to (in the 70's) take a 20 strand string, and cut 1 stand at a time out her string till the bow was performing fast enough to bring the arrows into tune. (i wouldnt advertise this as a good thing, as i cant judge what all the different string materials would do with this techneque)

Cut down sight windows, to match there face length to the height of there eye to the Nocking point, and have a stick on rest till they can get level flight, then get a botton installed at that height. to tune arrow spine. If they know that much then tuning a arrow to length and weight is easy. Have you ever choosen a set air rifle pellet brand in either .177 or .22 as it gives you the right weight of lead to add up inside your field piles to get bareshaft tuning .22 are about 15 grains and .177 are 11 grains.

These guys are using systems, and you stated in a previous post, that alot of archers flip from one bow to the next so why would a custom sight window be usefull, i can say, these guys dont, because they are out to win and that is there method.

There are bows out there that we have made that conform exactly to their countries rules. 1kg mass flatbows, that come in at 998grams. with our light GL limbs. That bow needed 14 ounces of choice materials added to the construction of the riser to get that mass. (did you like the silly state of metric to Imperial, that were the stats i remembered. lol)
Others want a bow cut closer/past centre, (we then put a weight limit on it say max 45lbs limbs) so that they can get the arrow spine to work with the amount of button adjustability to it.
These bows dont look any different to what we make as standard. They are just what that archer specified.

I think your thinking too far inside the current UK box. These folks are stuck in their box, and have come up with there solutions to these problems.

this is more relevant to marked distance...