It really does work!

[PaulT]

Shooting 50m practice tonight I noticed that my arrows were doing what they consistently have for the last few weeks - really good groups (mostly) but the groups were moving (mainly left right). One end the centre of the group would be 9/8 left and then the next 9/8 the other side.
So I thought that I would check that my string blur was where I thought it was ( I don't check every shot). It was - down the back of the riser, good.
It then dawned on me that the back of the riser is actually quite a wide reference point and with some experimentation could move the groups further left right than they had been keeping the blur down the back of the riser.

I then tried lining the blur down one side of the riser (right) - easy to do if I check it at the same time as the clicker - groups suddenly became more consistent. Magic? No just doing it right!

Moral of the story; checking string picture really does work - don't just be happy with it being 'about' right as I was.

Gives me something to work on at the club tomorrow.

[Murray]

As I've said elsewhere on the board, you could try aligning it down the side of the sightring, as that will be more in your line of sight at full draw, and therefore easier to add to your aiming picture.

Some people find it difficult to do this though, due to face geometry and anchor position.

[PaulT]

I agree the sight ring can be a good reference for some people, but I am not one of those for the reasons you mentioned. I just mean to emphasise that I have realised the importance of using a fairly precise, repeatable reference for the string blur.
There is also an argument against using the sight ring due to the fact that the sight ring itself moves for distance/windage etc. Opinions?

[geoffretired]

Bringing the string blur to the sight ring means you can see it as you aim, no need to look away to check. As for the issue of adjusting the windage,that is really a non starter. When you sight, you use the ring at the front and the blur of the string somewhere, at the back. If that somewhere is the ring, as you adjust the windage all you are really doing is moving the bow to one side or the other; the sight remains on the gold, and the string blur remains beside the ring.

[Witchie Poo Cat]

This is an interesting post. Obviously Im just in week 3 of my beginners course so am not familiar with the finer points of archery yet. However, just this evening I noticed that all my arrows kept going to the right despite winding the sight pin in all the way. u-oh, I was panicking, no more room to wind the pin in, what to do. Then, on one shot, out the blue, I noticed the string and realised that when I had been doing other shots the string was not constant, one shot it was to the left of the sight pin, the next just to the right, the next far right. I mentioned this to one of the coaches who said try and align the string with the centre of the bow riser. Next round, Im running through my wee checklist in my head, arm, shoulder, anchor etc etc and suddenly I think "string" and align it to the centre and what do you know, GOLD. Every shot after that gold, gold, gold Oh, and all centre gold, not to the right so obviously I had been twisting the bow slightly.

Live and learn, this learning curve is so steep at the moment but loving every minute of it

Witchie Poo Cat

[Murray]

Originally Posted by PaulT

There is also an argument against using the sight ring due to the fact that the sight ring itself moves for distance/windage etc.

I'm not sure what argument you're referring to?

• Sightring should NOT move left or right for distance if the bow is tuned properly
• If adjusted for windage, aligning the string with the sightring simply means that you have to move the sightring fractionally less than those who align the string against the riser - it really is a non-issue.

Good luck and good shooting.

[PaulT]

Originally Posted by Murray

I'm not sure what argument you're referring to?

• Sightring should NOT move left or right for distance if the bow is tuned properly
• If adjusted for windage, aligning the string with the sightring simply means that you have to move the sightring fractionally less than those who align the string against the riser - it really is a non-issue.

Good luck and good shooting.

I probably should have just referred to windage. Any chance you could expand on your second point? Brain tried to work it out but it struggles this time in the morning.

[Murray]

Ok

Arrows going left.

You move your sightring left - this has the effect of moving your bow to the right in relation to the sight/target.

Because you've moved your sightring left, and your string picture is down the side of the sightring, you fractionally move your string left in relationship to the bow to align with the sightring. This has the effect of fractionally moving your bow to the right in relation to the sight/target.

Therefore you have to move the sight slightly less than someone who moves the sight only, and keeps the string aligned on a fixed point.

[Thunk]

Originally Posted by Witchie Poo Cat

. Every shot after that gold, gold, gold Oh, and all centre gold,
Witchie Poo Cat

It's a great feeling, isn't it?

[Witchie Poo Cat]

Originally Posted by Thunk

It's a great feeling, isn't it?

The best and to be honest, I dont think I will ever get tired of that feeling. Next week targets get pushed further back so gonna have to work for it all over again