got a new bow!

[humphrey]

i got myself a new bow today :D
its a martin X-200 55# @ 28 60inch long solid recurve
it is an awesome looking bow and feels great to draw. (i haven't had a shot yet cause i got it on the way to the mrs. place, but i reckon it should go alright.) it only has a small amount of stack. when i roll my left elbow inwards to avoid string slap, im probably drawing to about 30 inches, and it doesn't feel like im holding much more than the 55#, maybe only 2-3 extra. ill be shooting it off the shelf, but the shop didn't have any of that felt stuff to put on it, but they gave me a piece of leather/vinyl. ive cut that and glued that on the shelf the same way as they do with the felt. should this be alright to shoot off or should i really get some felt? do you only line the shelf to protect the wood, and the advantage of the felt is that it helps muffle the noise of the shot? :shock:

when i get home tomorrow ill have some shots and post a pic of the bow.

[Ivor Redneck]

Yeah mate you've done good. Martin bows are not only top performers
they're top value for money. Maybe you could buy some fluffy velcro at a dressmakers, it makes a good shelf rest and its impervious to rain.

Ivor

[Axe]

Well Humph, took a little look'n, by the thread I see you're as happy as a dog with two ****s, I'm as happy for ya. If you don't like the stuff the shop gave ya, try a piece of , goat or roo skin, it's durable & works great. Did you put a piece of the stuff against the SIGHT window??? You definately want a piece of leather or skin there as well, & place a piece of toothpick or some such vertically (about 5/8" long ) behind this piece directly above the deepest part of the grip (ie above the THROAT) this will be the spot the arrow will make contact, rather than right along the window. Good Luck.D :D :D

[HOOD]

Am happy for ya humphrey. Gotta love the curve.

I have a Samick Mind-30 55# @ 28" and am drawing to 29". I'm shooting off a nap flipper rest but am looking to start shooting of the shelf as well. I'm getting a nice thick 3mm piece of leather from a mate at the club to put on it.
Will be interesting to hear how you go with it. Have you shot curve before and off the shelf???

Hood 8)

[Sparra]

Well done Hunphrey...Im shooting off the shelf and am having great fun learning to shoot my curve...900mm groups at 20metres...heehee.. ya gotta love it :wink: :wink:

[HOOD]

900mm groups at 20metres :shock:
I don't feel so bad now with my 5" groups at 20m.
Practice doesn't always make it perfect but it does help to close the group sizes down. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Hood 8)

[Glenn]

The Martin is a good bow Humphrey. I always use kangaroo leather for the rest and sight window...Glenn...

[humphrey]

thanks guys. ive just had about 20 shots outside and the first thing i noticed is that its extremely quiet, making virtually no noise whatsoever. second thing i noticed is that i cant shoot instinctevly very well! :oops:
this will all come with practice i hope, so i'll be shooting like crazy next weekend. axe, i did put the leather against the sight window as well.
the last time i shot my old compound a year ago i shot it barebow all afternoon, and i had about a 6-8inch group everytime at 20 metres by the end of the day, so i know i can learn it quickly again, but the muscles are already a bit sore from before.
im shooting 5inch feathered 2315's and they seem to go very well, with no fishtailing etc.
im hitting something the size of a rabbit at about 8 metres at the moment, so with some practice im hoping i can extend that to about 20mtrs :P
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/humphrey_bear/000_0071.jpg

[humphrey]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/humphrey_bear/000_0072.jpg
sorry about the photos being so big, ill try to learn how to resize them

[Axe]

Good on ya Humph, how about the piece of toothpick behind the window?
You will find it makes a diff. Like I said I'm very pleased for you, I don't know if the old adage Practice Makes Perfect is right, but it sure helps, that is unless your a super star! :wink: :D :D
Hey, will ya send me pic when you get that face fuzz caught in the string :P :P
Humph just had another look at your pics, Is the self radiused or flat, hard to tell :?:

[Glenn]

The leather on the shelf and the sight window looks good Humphery. The best way to learn to shoot instinctive is not to stand too far away from the target butt, the closer the better. Shoot repeatedly and only concentrate on your form, even if this takes several weeks until you can do instinctively, then and only then start moving back from the target butt, you will find that with perfect form hitting the target at just about any hunting distance will not be a problem, the best instinctive archers will always put in a lot of time practicing perfecting form. Howard Hill use to regulary shoot 100 arrows at close range just for form. Good to see you are enjoying your recurve...Glenn...

[humphrey]

axe, the shelf is radiused, not flat. you have confused me with the toothpick thing though. :(
the face fluff will work as a cushion against string grazes on the face!
glenn, i'll make sure i practice heaps and heaps at 10 metres before moving further away.
i think one thing i didn't really do was make sure i followed through with the shot, cause i was quick to drop the bow and see how the arrow was flying. i'll be sure to correct that next time i practice.

[HOOD]

Nice bow there mate.

The shelf on tehe X-200 are Radiused Axe.

I shot my curve today for the 3D shoot and got a respectable 512. :D
Not bad considering that I havn't shot with it for about a month and with no practice before the shoot. Had a ripper of a shot on a pig at 40m perfect bulls-eye. :P

Hood 8)

[humphrey]

or should i only be shooting at 4 or 5 metres to start with?

[HOOD]

Humph trust me the face fuzz gets caught in the string and Fark it hurts. :evil:
yeah that was my main problem when fisrt shooting bows was droping the arm to see where the shot was going, but now it's just lick golf or football ya gotta make sure that you follow through.

Hood 8)

[Axe]

Humph, here ya go,this can be anything about 2mm thick,-toothpick.piece of gasket rubber is good. Directly above "Throat" from shelf about 5/8" long, behind the sight window leather clear now :?: :?
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/shageki/Humph.jpg

[humphrey]

ive got ya now axe, but whats it for?

[Axe]

Geez Humph, You'd think I was ya mum. By putting it there the arrow has minimum contact with the window, cause it rests against the "lump" Which means, less interference. :D :D :roll:

[humphrey]

gotcha now axe :wink:

[Axe]

Good, just to confuse you some more, have you heard of "gap" shooting, as opposed to "instintive"? with gap you need to know your distances, and use arrow point for a reference, with instinctive you just have arrow in your peripheral vision & compensate, there are some articles on the net about it. It's the same as the compound vrs trad argument, many trad shooters swear by gap and many others (instinctive)swear at 'em. No mate I don't want to get into it now, from what youv'e said you're go'n fine See how it is down the track. Good luck, have fun :D

[Glenn]

Humphrey I would only be shooting at 5 meters max for now, get up closer if the butt is safe to shoot into at a closer distance. Follow through is a really important part of proper form, when you think you have it down pat move back then, hitting what you are looking at will come automatically when form is perfected. Try to film yourself shooting with a video, it really shows up form problems...Glenn...

[humphrey]

i was reading about gap shooting but didn't like the idea. you still have to think about the distance. i like the idea of just picking a spot and nailing it.
now i know that its not that simple, but im willing to put in hours and hours of practice to perfect it. once i get my form right i think it will be much easier. the only reason i was shooting ok no sights with the old compound was probably cause i was used to shooting that particular bow, but with this recurve its a heck of a change :lol:

[Axe]

I don't gap shoot either mate, just thought I'd mention it to ya. You might like to read the book or get the video "Become the Arrow" by Byron Ferguson, some real good stuff in there on form & practice techniques, eg shoot at target from 10-11mts with eyes shut, this is to do with muscle memory. I agree with Glenn re the practice distance, but there is such a thing as too much practice. But at the end of the day, whatever makes you happy & shoot accuately only you can decide. :)

[Glenn]

You're right Axe you can practice too much to the detriment of your form. As soon as I notice that I am getting tired and form is getting sloppy I will give it away and try again later. I shoot my best when I shoot instinctively, I go all pie eyed when I start thinking about the shot too much, I always like the shot to happen quickly. The Byron Fergson book and video are very good...Glenn...

[humphrey]

in regards to instinctive shooting, do you sight down the arrow with one eye closed or anything like that, or do you just anchor to your mouth, focus only on the spot you wanna hit and then release?

[Axe]

You got it Humph, the last bit, focus on spot, & let 'er go. Don't expect to be "perfect" to soon, and as Glenn said watch your form, No consistant form, No consistant shot. You'll get there mate. :D Just came back, took a red hind with my B/Widow for the freezer. Musta had me form right. :P :wink:

[Glenn]

Come to a good solid anchor Humphery and just look at the spot you want to hit with both eyes open. It will happen automatically or instinctively after a while...Glenn...

[humphrey]

thanks gentleman.
well done on the red, axe. :wink:

[pete w]

Excelent bow.
A friend has one and it has stood up for 10 years without any problems.
Good shooter and good performance.

[humphrey]

i finally got around to having a second practice tonight. i fired about 30 arrows at 5 metres and just made sure that i was drawing and realeasing consistently and following through on the shot.
i couldn't resist going back a bit further and shot a few groups at about 11 - 12 metres. the hard bit is trying to focus on one particular spot on the target, and not just the target as a whole. this was the third and last group i shot at that distance before finishing for the night and the best one. i was pretty pleased with myself cause it was only my second practice. ive only fired maybe 60 shots total from the bow.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/humphrey_bear/000_0076.jpg
P.S. if i have a few scratches/gouges on the leather, does this mean im having shelf clearance problems, or is that normal? its just in one spot towards the edge of the shelf.

[HOOD]

Nice shooting humph, you will get some wearing out of the leather but it's nothing to worry about. Just make sure that you have some spare bits of leather to replace it once it gets to worn out.

Hood 8)

[Glenn]

Well done Humphrey, a bit of pratice and it all comes together. Wouldn't worry about a bit of ware on the leather, that's normal...Glenn...

[Axe]

Good one Humph, case ya forgot, the string stretches after a while, occassionaly check your brace height :D

[Carl_SlayR]

Where did you get the bow from Humph ?

[humphrey]

carl,
i got the bow from a place called the bowhut, here in melbourne.

i went away this weekend for an unsuccessful hunt on hop fields in NE victoria. they usually hold heaps of sambar and fallow, but theres now almost nothing around cause they got permits to poison the deer, cause the were doing 10g's worth of damage to each years crop. the property owners say that theres still a heap around, but they only come down to feed on them when they are in season, from september to early april, and i was 3 weeks too late. there was 1 sambar hind feeding on the fenceline 200metres away, but it was way too open for a stalk, so i didn't even bother.

anyways, it gave me a good chance to practice with the curve, and im now shooting a 6 inch group at 20 metres, and am really stoked.

[HOOD]

Good on ya Humph on the groupings at 20m.

Pitty about the deer being baited :cry:

Hood 8)

[Axe]

Way to go Humph, Congratulations on you grouping, did it real smart time. :D :D