Forgiving

Ransombow · 01-16-2006, 09:17 AM

OK, being a newbie here, and reading a ton of posts, and the replies. Having run my own successful archery shop for years till my accident.(I am now disabled.) And having butted heads with all kinds of archery reps from various companies.....

Just what is forgiving? And what does a archery company put into a product to make it "forgiving"?

When a person picks up a bow to try out at a pro shop, they shoot it a few times and either like it, or not. Let's say they do not. Along comes another person, they try the same bow, but like it. Claim it to be 'forgiving'. And just gush about the bow. OK. They like it. It feels forgiving.......
Now what about the guy or guys who have fired this bow and feel that it is harsh, and (oh no) unforgiving.
Is there a certain screw or nut, or magic dust that a bow company puts on a bow for "forgiving"?
All forgiving is, is a marketing term that has had it's time.
If a archer likes a bow, he likes a bow for his personal reasons, just as the archer who dislikes the same bow, dislikes it for his personal reasons.

Soooooo....just what is forgiving? Which part is the forgiving part when a company makes the bow? How come, as individuals, there is disagreement about which bows are forgiving and which are not, when bow companies claim that same product, is "forgiving"?

Chris · 01-16-2006, 09:50 AM

I'm not sure you can feel "forgiving". Usually forgiving is based on specifications. A larger brace height will be more forgiving. The reason is the arrow is not on the string as long as a short brace height bow. So any imperfection in your bow hand right at the shot may be less since the arrow is not attached to the string as long.

Longer axle-to-axle length is usually considered more forgiving than a short bow. I feel brace is much more important than axle length. See my other thread titled Axle-to-Axle, is longer really better?

kingfisharchery · 01-17-2006, 09:11 PM

Now this just my toughts only I dont think there is what is called forgiving on all bows now dont jump on me yet.to start with that archers have draw length to long I see this all the time in my shop,once that draw length is set right to there exact lenght thing change right then everything feels better now that in its self maybe forgiving I do agree with you on what you have written I wish I write that good again I have taken a 250.00 bow and made it shoot like a 700.00 bow but when comes right down to it is the archer that is shooting it.now lets take that 250.00 bow what did I do with it,put a 30 in.stab.on a arrow rest [I cant say what one because I have not adv. on here yet but I will in about a mo.] put a scope on with 6x power ,peep sight.tune the bow to max.and tune the arrow.put d loop on paper tune,grp shoot.and thats all I did I shoot 299 40x the 1st time the I drop was a let down NO I DIDNT DO IT that was me not the bow So again is it the bow that is forgiving or the archer that is shoot it.Now this ONLY my toughts I have been wrong before Man I wish I could write like you guys when 74 thing dont come out of your head right,thanks for puttin up with me //kingfisharchery

BowhuntnHoosier · 01-18-2006, 09:52 AM

Forgiving to me is not something that can be felt. Forgiving is a bow which can take my lack of form and bad habits and lets me shoot a little bit better. Like was already mentioned longer ata and longer brace height. A bow with these two qualities are more forgiving of my imperfections. Just walking into a shop and shooting a few shots you cannot tell if it is forgiving. You can tell though which bows just feel better to you. And I believe that if you are shooting a bow that is 2 inches too long or 2 inches too short that they will feel bad but take the same bow and correct the draw length and they will feel much better. Just my .02

Frank

ultramax · 01-18-2006, 09:37 PM

Accurate is when the arrow lands where the pin was. Forgiving is when the arrow lands where the pin SHOULD have been.