GR8atta2d

Ok Guys bear with me as I'm pretty new to indoor leagues here.
A brief history:

I shoot in an indoor league at 20 yards with a 3 spot target shooting 60 arrows and a max score of 600.

My first league year was 2003 I shot in bowhunter c class and took 3rd
In 2004 I was in Bowhunter B class and didn't place.
in 2005 I was back in Bowhunter C class and won 1st place
This year I'm in BowhunterB class.
I don't pick classes or anything I guess the first couple of weeks qualify your class??

Anyway My questions are.
1)In bowhunter B class what are my limitations on equipment.I've been told it's a hunting set-up with a max stabilizer length of 10" and no magnification on sites. (I shoot my hunting bow listed in my signature)

2) this year after 4 league nites I have an average of 557. I think I would like to buy a target bow with all the goodies, long stabilizers, magnified sites, lower poundage, maybe even stabilizers out the grip side. You know all the bells and whistles. So i'm wonderring and I know it's a ballpark guess..but how much better would that make me? and is there a class for a beginner with unlimited equipment? Cuz I know out of the gate I couldn't compete with our unlimited guys. They get upset with anything less then perfect 600's. I scored for a guy tuesday who on his 1st shoot of the year shot 592 and he was one po'd mofo.

i know there is a competitive forum but replies are slow and most of you guys seem to shoot in leagues. Sorry for the lengthy post any comments are welcome.

GR8atta2d

Ok mods feel free to kick it to a more appropriate forum.

Mikey S.

All the target "gizmos" do help. But.....you gotta have a good "shot" to start with. If your a "punch and hope" shooter, indoor spot shooting is going to expose all of your faults. I'm not saying this to tick you off, but if you want to be serious about spot shooting,(sounds like you are)you will most likely have to learn a back tension release, or at the very least learn how to perform a perfect squeeze on a trigger or thumb release.

As far as bows go, you will shoot better with a dedicated target bow. The Apex, Protecs and whatever other long limbed bows out there are what you want to look into. I've been messing around with aTrykon XL for my spot league thisyear, and I'm not really intothis bow. I'm having a hard time convincing myself that parallel limb bows are good for spotshooting. I'm picking up a Protec tonite for spots, and I'lltell you straight, they pound the spots. The Mathew Apex is a really, reallygood spot bow also.You'll want at least a 38"-40" bow with long, soft limbs and solid cam wall. Your arrows should be 2613, or 2514 or any really fat carbon arrow with the heaviest tips you can find fletched with 5" feathers. Don't worry about FOC, my spot arrows weigh over 600 grains right now. You'll want some sort of blade rest, some guys call them diving boards, or something along the lines of Bodoodle Pro 500. 26"-30" stabilizer, smallest peep you can see through, and a 3 or 4 power lens in your sight with a medium size target to get you used to aiming. I wouldn't recommend shooting a small fiber optic yet, you'll notice your movement to much with it, next thing you know, you'll have target panic because of it. I know, I've been there...

As far as rules go, I don't know anything...

Give it a shot, you'll be amazed at how good you get if you set your mind to it. Spot shooting is 75% mental, 25% physical. Most of all, your hunting shooting confidence will grow by leaps and bounds.

Mikey

MA Jay

I was in the same boat as you just a few years back. I was using my exact hunting set-up to start, 3 years later I considered taking the next step. We have a 300 league not a 600 league, but same difference.

With my hunting setup then, 70lb PSE Mach10 w/Scott Mongoose release,I maxxed at 296/297 for average. I have shot pistols competitively so I think that helped me. The true "Target" guys would of course shoot 300's and be counting X's with 58-60 x's being not unusual. I had the opportunity to wade in with a borrowed Pro-Tec from a pro Hoyt shooter with a back tension release, 30" stabilizer and 8x magnified site. After a ramp up time, I was shooting 300's as well and chasing 60X's throwing a few outside the x regularly. After a season.... I personally went back to my hunting set up. I enjoyed the target bows and the 300's, but I found for me, it was kind of like that Super Hot Chic in college. She looked great, and all the guys wanted to be with her. Well, then you take her out and she won't shut up, she wants to go home early and sit on the couch and watch Sex in the City and thinks beer gives you bad breath. My point is it wasn't asas good as I had envisioned it would be. For me, being almost perfect with my hunting bow felt more rewarding and was tougher to maintain then 300 was with the target bow. That being said, if you are interested in attending and competing in some of the awesome archery shoots that NFAA and other orgs host around the country, defintely dive into it. It can be a lot of fun and with some devotion you can and may do well on a big stage. It just takes skill and a little luck in a 2 day shoot to break the elite barrier once. It gets pricey, but all the good hobbies are it seems. Just think about "why" you want the bow first. If you think it is because shooting 600 is cooler than 557, it maynot be worth it. If you want to be the best shooter in the house, and feel like competitive archery may be something you are interested in, go ahead and do it.

GR8atta2d

Thanks Guys and Especially MA Jay. That was an eye-opening reply. I don't have an answer as to why I want the bow. Maybe it's just an excuse to buy another bow and play around with accessories??. Being true to myself I'm not one who would or could practice enough to compete with the top guys. That's not to say I don't shoot alot, but I have more fun shooting outdoors making up scenerios while shooting hunting situations. I have to travel to shoot indoors and in the warmer monthspounding spots over and over, inside, would be boring (to me). I have no desire to travel and shoot in sanctioned shoots. I guess for now i'll stick to getting better with my current set-up. I appreciate the time it took you guys to reply to such a long post..

Rob/PA Bowyer

B2d, seems I can't move it to the IBO/3D forum. It doesn't come up in my list when I use my tools to move a thread.....you might get some more answers if you post the same question there...copy and past.

buckeye

Where are you shooting league at?

Did you know Acorn Archery has anindoor 3D with a 40 yards max?

15 targets you shoot each one twice.

GR8atta2d

Yeah Buckeye, Thats a nice shop..went there on your recommendation when I was New Bow LQQKING and purchased my Allegiance there. Top notch shop and people!

I Shoot at Williams Old Storedown on the fringes of New Castle. Good Folksand had some friends shooting there that's how I got started.

Acorn 's just a little far for a mid week type shoot.

buckeye

Badatta

Give me some info on that shop... I have never heard of it. What lines do they carry, how big is the shop etc... What side of New Castle?

Thanks.

GR8atta2d

Buckeye,
It's called Williams' Olde' General Store
just off rt 224 heading east, where you can make a right just before the River and after the Corvette Place.
Actual addresson 5418 Erie St. In Edinburg Pa.
Its a smaller familey owned shop. But Great folks!

Primarily a Hoyt Bow dealer but carry quite a few accessories from a wide variety of makers.