Recurve Slapping Noise?

[TexasArchery_27]

Got a Samick Sage #40 Last month, and am pretty decent at hitting where I want to with a Gap/Instinctive aiming system. I shoot with a glove, 3 fingers under, and draw to 28 1/4". Arrows are Gold tip Traditional 400's @ 32" with 100 Grain brass insert, and 175 Grain point.

I shoot off the shelf with a piece of felt and rubber strike plate. Brace Height is set at 7 5/8", and nock point is set at 9/16". Bare shafts seem to fly okay and in line with fletched group.

When I'm shooting, it seems like there is a loud slap when the arrow goes off. Kind of sounds like the arrow is smacking the riser vertically or horizontally.

I've played around with anchor position, grip, and even engaging back muscles to see if it's an alignment issue, causing the power stroke of the string to cause the arrow to not launch in a straight line. That doesn't seem to help.

My question is, is this a tuning issue, a form issue, or is this due to my release? My ring finger on my string hand is constantly numb. I would say majority of the pressure on release is coming from my right ring finger. Also, would a tab help to more evenly distribute pressure between fingers?

[Bisch]

What spine are your GT shafts?

Bisch

[TXRebel]

Have you tried raising your brace height?

[TexasArchery_27]

Hey Bisch,

They're 400 spine. I also get the same noise out of 500 Spine @30" with 12 grain insert and 175 grn points. I thought it might be a spine issue as well, like the arrow is struggling to flex enough coming off the string and smacking the riser

[TexasArchery_27]

Have you tried raising your brace height?

I have tried 7 1/2, 7 5/8, 7 3/4, 8, and 8 1/4. I don't recall it making as bad of a noise at 8", but I could certainly go back and see if that helps out.

[TexasArchery_27]

Throwing this out there as well: I have yet to tie a second nock point below the plastic nock. Could the arrow be slipping down while shooting and causing the arrow to slap the riser?

[Bisch]

Recurve Slapping Noise?

Well, I can tell you for sure that that shaft “should be” waaay too stiff for a 41# bow. I shoot full length .400’s with 225gr up front off my 50# Sarrels Blueridge, and they are still just a tad stiff.

Have you tried putting a piece of moleskin on the curve of the limb where the string touches it. You can get a slapping noise from that too.

I would also try raising the nocking point to as much as 3/4” and see if that helps any.

And definitely get that 2nd nocking point on your string. I would do this first!!!!!!

Bisch


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[RattlesnakeDan]

Put some "felt spiders" silencers in your string, I always use some kind of silencer in the strings, makes a big difference.

[flywise]

Have you shot through paper?

[TexasArchery_27]

Well, I can tell you for sure that that shaft “should be” waaay too stiff for a 41# bow. I shoot full length .400’s with 225gr up front off my 50# Sarrels Blueridge, and they are still just a tad stiff.

Have you tried putting a piece of moleskin on the curve of the limb where the string touches it. You can get a slapping noise from that too.

I would also try raising the nocking point to as much as 3/4” and see if that helps any.

And definitely get that 2nd nocking point on your string. I would do this first!!!!!!

Bisch


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I'll try out these remedies and see if they help. I almost pulled out my hair yesterday trying to figure it out. Thanks for you help guys!

[TexasArchery_27]

Have you shot through paper?

Have not tried to shoot through paper yet. I'm afraid of getting false readings from that. If i go too low, arrow will hit the shelf and sorta nose making me think its too high. If I go too high it will sorta leap frog and make me think it's too low.

[Bud Ellis]

what bish said also put some puffs on to take some of it out . the numb ness in the finger lower your el bow its too high you're putting to much pressure on that finger .

[TexasArchery_27]

So last night I tried a few of the remedies last night, and also installed 50# limbs on the bow. Tied second nocking point, and settled with 11/16" as a good nock height for all the arrows. Set Brace height to 8".

Arrow configurations were:
GT Trad 400/100 gn insert/32"/175gn head/3x4" feathers
GT Trad 400/100 gn insert/30"/175 gn head/ Bare shaft
GT Trad 500/100 gn insert/31"/175gn head/Bare shaft

Findings:

1.)There was a noticeable difference in noise between bareshaft and fletched (Assuming due to contact with the riser).
2.)The slapping noise (Like wood on wood) seemed to improve with the correct nock height, but was still present.
3.) I'm going to try shooting with heavier points on the 400's to see if getting them correctly spined will help eliminate some of the noise since the arrow seems like it's struggling to flex appropriately around riser. New strike plate already has scuff marks
4) I'll add beaver balls to the strings, and moleskin or felt where the string attaches to the limbs.
5) Release was definitely a contributor to the slap noise. When I used only two fingers (index and middle) the noise was significantly reduced. Shots seemed to sound like normal vibration.
6) I'm going to try out a finger tab instead of a glove to see if I can get more even pressure between the fingers and a flatter surface for release.

[TexasArchery_27]

what bish said also put some puffs on to take some of it out . the numb ness in the finger lower your el bow its too high you're putting to much pressure on that finger .

I will definitely try this out as well. I have to consciously tell myself to lower my elbow before the release since I know I've had an issue with it being too high in the past.

[kmon]

Sounds like you are making progress.

For the moleskin or felt, I use the fuzzy part of stick on velcro on the limbs, it works and is cheap and very sticky. That with Beaver Balls takes most of the string noise away.

I have had "new" shooters gripping the bow instead of a very relaxed "grip" slapping the bow with the arrows and causing iratic flight. Like you said about the elbow shooting form is a big part of shooting. get the correct basics and it really helps rule out other things.