May 18 2012

Equipment Review – Bearpaw 3D Steel Screw-On Points

Okay, to go with my literature reviews (which reminds me I need to finish the write-up on the next one) I thought I’d make a few comments on equipment and bits that I use. Please remember these views are personal, feel free to agree or disagree. If you have any experience of using the items mentioned please let me know it would be great to know how they work for other archers.

The first item I’m going to review is not that exciting for most of you. Piles , no not the sort you see the doctor about 😉 I’m talking about the sort you fit to the end of your arrows in this case wood arrows. Over the years I have used a variety of different styles and metals including brass and steel.
On a recent trip to Merlin archery I picked up some Bearpaw screw on piles. I had mentioned to Chris I was experiencing a problem with loss of piles in some 3D targets recently and he suggested I try these piles. He also commented that they should self centre well onto the shaft.
They are longer than the type I had used previously (brass 3D points) but still a taper fit.
So how have they worked?
Well I’ve been using them now for a few months and I am very impressed. I’ve not as not had any come off in 3D or foam targets.
They do appear to self centre when fitting to the wood shafts, which saves a lot of time and hassle. I think this is due to the extra length giving a cleaner and straighter fit.
I’ve fitted them to Port Orford Cedar and Sitka spruce 11/32 shafts without any difficulty. I apply them with a small amount of 2 part adhesive to the shaft and then screw them on by hand. No need to use any power tools or pliers, if you need to I’ve found that you can remove them by heating on a gas ring burner and using pair of pliers.
 Bearpaw 3D Steel Screw-On Point – are available in

  • 11/32 – 100 grains /125 grains
  • 5/16 100 grains /70 grains
Bearpaw Screw-On 3D Point  are also available in Aluminium in – 5/16 – 40 grains though I’ve not used these, so can’t give you any feedback on them.
 bearpaw-3d-steel

Hope readers find this of use. Thanks for reading

May 15 2012

Shoot report – Lyme Valley May 2012

Sunday saw another early start and long drive, this time stopping off to collect Ben on route a fellow Black Arrow member who we were acting as shoot guardian for. Thankfully it was dry and sunny day, a rare combination recently. Our destination was to be the Lyme Valley  grounds just north of Stoke on Trent who were hosting this NFAS shoot.
We like Lyme Valley shoots and try to get to them whenever possible, so the early start is normally more than worthwhile.
It is a lovely wood situated on the sometimes steep sides of a valley, with a stream at the bottom.
See previous shoot write-up.
Renowned for being a course where you will be going up and down the valley sides and crossing the countless foot bridges you work up a good appetite. I’m not a fan of having lunch breaks at shoots, I rather shoot through where you stop off and grab a bite to it between pegs. However due to the layout of the wood it’s not practical for Lyme Valley to run as it as a shoot through. This Sunday would see 160+ archers joining us for a day shooting a mix of  3D targets and paper faces.
We had a great group with Sharon, Ben and I being joined by Jill and David Haynes from the Pride Park club, 2 very good compound archers and great company laughing and joking all the way round the course. Jill is also a coach trainer and had been one my assessors when I was taking my coaching course.
The Lyme Valleys course itself had been extensively modified since the last time we shot it, providing a mix of short medium and long shoots, going up, down and across the hillsides. Add to this the careful use of dead ground and trees to frame shots all made for a real challenge.
I’m still amazed to have hit the long turkey shot after the lunch break. Especially with the audience watching, themselves waiting to shoot the target. I’m sure the marshal had jinxed us when he’d said just before we were about to shoot “everyone gets it first arrow” – thanks Tom. We’d seen the group before lunch shoot the target and not all hit with their first arrow.
Amazingly we proved Tom right and did all hit it with our first arrow, though I did feel the pressure when I went up to shoot. I was the last adult to shoot and Jill, David and Sharon had all nailed it with their recurve and compound bows. There was me with my little flat bow and wooden arrows, I’d only finished making and marking up the day before.

Sharon did really well scoring 628 and winning ladies barebow. In fact I think she was only 2 points behind the third placed gents. All in the group did well with all of us getting placed. Yes that means I won my first ever medal in American Flatbow, only a third place but still a medal and placing 🙂
After all my concerns about target panic and reading on the subject and not forgetting the support from followers of this blog and fellow archers I’m more convinced than ever that you have to persist and work at it.

Big thanks to all at Lyme for a great day, already booked for your next shoot.
Thanks for your time in reading this.