Yesterday 8 of us went out stump shooting. The best practice one can do If you ask me!! Anyway there was 4 of us shooting traditional bows (3 longbow shooters and 1 recurve shooter) and 4 people shooting compounds. 3 of the 4 people shooting a compound used a release and the other a finger tab. 3 times yesterday a release went off when It wasn't suppose to. Once was because the shooter accidentally touched the trigger when she was pulling her bow back and the other 2 times (2 different people) It just went off on It's own. I looked at my brother and said, never will my g/f ever use a release when I get her a compound. The guys that had the release go off on It's own are seasoned vets with shooting compounds. They both told me It's probably happened at least a good handful of times to each of them since they started shooting a release years ago. I then asked them why keep shooting them then and both of their replys was It's too hard on their fingers. Before anyone gets their panties In a wad both of these guys are good friends of mine so don't go thinking I'm trying to slam anyone who shoots a release just because I don't, not at all the case!! We had a nice civil conversation about It yesterday, lets keep It the same here If anyone's Interested In replying. How many times have you all had this happen to you? As for myself I've seen It happen countless times with others, It just blows me away more and more every time I see one fail or get bumped.
It has only happened while I was adjusting the trigger weight and that was on purpose. Perhaps those guys need to look at adjusting their trigger weight or getting a new release. It should not happen at all unless, like happened to the young lady, it is an accidental touch of the trigger. I don't move my finger to the trigger until I am on target and the pin is floating.
One other thing, I see "seasoned vets with compound shooting" that wouldn't have a clue about how to build their own arrow, what "spine" is and does, or even how to tune their bow with their arrow for that matter. It wouldn't surprise me if they didn't know much about their releases.
I use a scott and it has truly never happened to me. I draw my bow buck with my finger behind the trigger so it is impossible for it to trip.
I see your point Bruce and I could see that being the case with allot of people but these guys I trust do know there stuff and the adjustments that need to be made, their pretty anal on their set ups and neither one was a happy camper yesterday when It happened. Why make excuses up, sometimes It Is what It Is. Like you said, probably time for a new release (wore out). I didn't ask In this thread why they were going off, I just asked If It's happened to anyone accidentally or on It's own.
X2 My index finger has slight forward pressure on the trigger the whole draw and doesnt come around till pin is on target. I havent ever had a misfire from a release malfunctioning. When I first started shooting back in the day I had my finger in front of the trigger while letting down and shot an arrow down in the dirt in front of me. That is when I started to keep forward pressure on the trigger untill ready to shoot.
Zero times since 1993, however I shot with fingers for the 1st 5 years, then switched over to a release. FYI - I don't know diddly squat about bows or arrows and could care less... Until something goes wrong, then I take it too my local pro-shop, which has been zero times. If I aim at my target and and hit with consistency, it's all good too me! You can choose what you want to educate yourself with... Bow's or arrow aren't worth wasting my brain capacity for when I can have my bow tuned for $30 every other year... I've built fast Mustang's and big 4x4, along with a 1/2 dozen houses, but I'm not a mechanic or a builder. I just choose to play with things that interest me and have the aptitude to do most anything I choose too. I am mechanically inclined enough to know if something isn't working correctly and pride myself on common-sense, which is a rarity these days!
never happened here either - my fingers behind trigger until on target also. btw - great habit to het into. pass that along shultzy !
A few weeks ago I went to my first indoor 3-D shoot. I was quite embarrassed when on the 13th target my release SNAPPED IN HALF! As it snapped I punched myself in the face. My arrow went flying all sorts of directions as I was drawing at at a downward angle and it hit the concrete floor. Can't say that I've had any malfunction like your buddies though.
In 33 years of shooting a release I had one misfire. I took it to the manufacturer (he lives only a few miles away) He took it apart and there was a piece of a twig inside that didn't allow it to fully lock. It was a lewis release, I'm sure most of you have never heard of it. I did accidently hit my trigger once as well.
Twice that i can remember for me. First time was when i bought my first release ALONG time ago :d It was one of those Hot Shot hand helds. The first time ever pulling back with it, it let go and i lost an arrow. It never did it again for years. The second time was about 6 years ago. It was a fletch hunter rope release. I had used it for years with no problems, and while at a 3D shoot, mid shoot it let go when i was half drawed on The King of the Jungle. I punched myself in the nose and seen stars and tears, The arrow was sent into the great beyond :d Dam I hit hard :d
The best is when the release half opens by itself. Then you sit and wonder at full draw with it is going to fully deploy!
Same as Bruce the only one I have ever go off on me was while I was adjusting it and it was suppose to so I could get the right feel. Walt
It has never happened to me. I've shot about 5 different wrist releases and i've never had this problem. It sounds to me that they had their triggers set way too light. I keep set them slightly above "very light", if that makes sense.
Don't take this the wrong way, but if your friends have that many "accidental" releases, they are morons. I've been using a release for 11-12 years and have never had a misfire due to my release. I had a couple surprises when I first switched over to a loop, but that was cause I was tying my loops poorly. Once I remedied that no issues.
Never had an accidental fire on mine, either. That's with both an index caliper release as well as a thumb release.
