Question on Grip/ Torque/ Dropping the bow

[billb]

Any advice welcome!
I've recently started shooting a longbow. I'm used to my compound which is completely dead in the hand. This, along with a wrist sling, allows me to not grasp the compound grip at all during or after the shot meaning I don;t torque that bow (much...). I have my little, ring & middle fingers curled up (lightly) with my pointer finger resting very lightly down the front centre of the grip.

First shot with the longbow I wasn;t thinking about my grip & dropped it cold because I wasn't holding it (thankfully I was shooting it on soft grass). Since then I've been trying to get a consistent grip which doesn't torque the bow through bow hand pressure but means I also don;t drop it.

I haven't been all that successful so am looking for any advice on how to grip a longbow without actually gripping it.
Any ideas? What works for you?
Thanks

[TomMcDonald]

Bill, I draw my bow with the deep part of the grip hard into where my thumb and index finger meet. I use the bottom part of my thumb to hold the handle a bit too.
Then the rest of the handle goes down the middle part of my palm.
The rest of the fingers grip very loosely around the handle to ensure it doesn't drop.
If that doesn't make sense let me know.

This is shooting a longbow with I think a locator grip. Not sure what style yours is.

It took me a long time to settle on this grip, so experiment and see what works for you.

[longbowinfected]

What Tomaliphicon said is good.

I use a similar grip but also use a wrist sling but the cord is 3 mm bungee cord. I tie a small dog leash clip on one end and a slip loop on the other. I then slip the clip through the loop to form a noose. I place my bow han through the loop with the clip an tailon the lower part undr mt wrist. I grip the bow then run the clip and tail around the bow, returning it between my index and middle/big finger up to the back of my hand clipping it onto a key ring tied to the bungee cord.......really tightened up my groups.
Ian stkes who is really successful and has very good form uses a finger sling.
If your bow is less than 45# it slaps back into your hand. Any higher poundage it is not so drammatic. Your point of aim rises a bit and it takes a few hundred arrows to really nail it.

Kevin

[GrahameA]

I haven't been all that successful so am looking for any advice on how to grip a longbow without actually gripping it.

If you look at old film of Target Archers shooting - say pre-1960 - you will be able to see the types of grips that were in fashion. (There is some suitable film on the ArcheryTV post on YouTube.)

What is of interest is that the better archers shoot with a very loose grip. So loose that the bow wil slide to the ground through the hand after the shot. The bow appears to be retained so that it does travel downrange by forming a loop between the thumb and the first finger - and it appears to work.

There is a photo in a old post of mine on this forum showing Rob McKenzie shooting using a finger sling.

In my case I use the same basic Torque free grip irrespective of the bow I am shooting - Compound, Recurve, Longbow - and use either a Wrist or finger sling or lightly retain the bow with my first finger

[billb]

Thanks all, I'm going to try making a wrist sling out of some leather thonging tied/ wrapped below the grip and leading up to a loose loop for my wrist, similar to infected's suggestion but permanently attached.

I use a lower grip than the one you're suggesting Tom (which thankfully seems to fit the bow's grip well) with the main pressure further towards the base of my thumb and want to keep it so I can use the same grip for either bow. (as Grahame suggests)

Unfortunately the throat of the grip is quite large so I can;t loosely touch 1st finger/ thumb with this low grip. I might also try a finger sling if the wrist sling idea doesn;t work out.

Thanks again

[hue]

all of the above Bill, but if you don't wish to use a wrist sling and depending on how thick your handle is, you can always fit your thumb round so that that the tip of your thumb and top/2nd top finger meet - the trick is to make sure the thumb doesn't cheat and grip the bow (as can happen!) this way also means that your thumb is pointing at the target as you would've been taught as a compounder

Hue

oops, your last post came up Bill before i posted. try large finger to thumb. if not, wrist sling is the way to go or a bow sling that fits onto your armguard and comes round the bow to your armgaurd again?

[Stickbow Hunter]

I don't shoot locater grip only straight grip but I hold the bow like carrying a suit case handle and I grip the bow tight. I draw so the bow pulls in line with my forearm and I have no torquing issues.

Jeff