Bow slings

[30mbull]

Hi
I am a novice archer who is looking to improve my shooting. I will be fitting a pressure button. Should this help?
Also I am considering buying a bow sling. Will this help or would it be a waste of money at the moment??
Many thanks

[Hidden Hippo]

To be honest, I'd advise using a sling right from the beginning. That way you can learn to have a relaxed bow hand and are less likely to be torquing the bow.

As for buttons, they will only improve your scores if you tune them, and in order to tune them effectively you need to be able to shoot to a reasonable standard and have a pretty consistant form/draw length etc.

Edit: I should say that my current preference is for a finger sling but I'm going to try out a wrist sling and see whether I prefer that. I used to use a bow sling, but didn't really get on with it as I wound it would only be comforable if I had it tight about my wrist.

[Kae]

My personal opinion is that you should be using a finger sling (a string that loops between thumb and first or second finger) rather than a bow sling, as it gives much better "comfort" to you that you won't drop the bow, and you shooting will be more relaxed.

And I'm with HH above as for buttons.

Kae.

[30mbull]

Thanks guys

I will give the finger sling a go. Am I right in thinking that I can make my own?
As for the pressure button. What do you class as a reasonable standard?
I am pretty consistant ,but only at 20m.(please don't laugh)
thanks

[Hidden Hippo]

I wouldn't go as far as saying you have to be X class to use a button but when you are just beginning you don't really want to be fiddling with tuning a button and wondering whether it is your technique causing any problems of whether it is the tune of the button.

[Kae]

A "good" standard to start using a button would be a good grouping at 20 yards (3 arrows in a tennis ball size group).

Yep, a finger sling is easily made out of a shoe lace for example. Use somebody else's to get the correct length.

Kae.

[30mbull]

guys you're not making it easy for me.
I think I will leave the button but will give the sling a go.

many thanks
30mb

(Kae - I am sure you will make a great coach)

[Hidden Hippo]

You'll find that over your archery "career". Archery is simply a trial and error game and only time and practice will tell what works best for you. Just to muddy the water even more, from a psychological perspective, if improving your equipment and adding a button makes you feel more confident in your ability then I would say go for it. As Kae says, if you're shooting a close-ish group at 20 yds then you could get a decent tune from a button.

My equipment for example, both for compound (less so as I've not shot it for long enough to tell) and recurve far outperforms me, but I know that it is me causing the problems not the equipment which gives me much more comfort in my shooting.

[Next Generation]

I started off first with a sling until i got out of grabbing the bow thinking i would drop it and moved onto a long rod to counter balance the movement of the bow before i touched a button.

if your looking for a sling try the finger sling since they feel better than the wrist ones because i found i tried to grab the bow more with a wrist sling.

as its previously been said just use a shoe lace as the sling. tie it into a loop and you can make a knot by making two loops from the main loop putting them together and over your thumb and then the same for the finger.
Plus if your like me you can get a really cool colourful lace to match your bow

[Luce]

Im gonna stick my two pennies in from a complete novices perspective as i have recently been experimenting with bow slings and finger slings.

I started using a finger sling made from a shoelace and found it the most irritating thing i have ever had to use, and because i was concentrating so much on the sling i forgot to relax my elbow and ended up twanging it with the bow string (and have a lovely purple bruise to show for it).

My coach then suggested i use a bow sling that went around my wrist, absolutely fantastic, except i didnt trust it, gripped the bow too hard and all i found was the net.

I think the only thing i learned from this experiment is that everyone has their own preference and what works for one person doesnt always work for someone else.

After half an hour of pratice without any slings and my coach catching the bow, i was finally able to settle for the sling that went round my wrist.

Experimentation i think is they key.