Most of you read my post about getting a right tear in paper with the loop, something I could correct with the release on the string or shooting fingers. I also could not get broadheads and field points to hit the same place. This was with my Maxim Hunter.
I solved it over the last week. I tuned my mirage with 2419 shafts and the loop and found instead of 79#, I had to turn down the bow to 74#. I lost velocity and impact at the target but it shoots great to 50 yd's with broadheads and field points.
I then shot my Midas with 2419's at 82# (this is my finger shooting bow) and it is perfect. The impact on my bag target tore the bottom loose and the insides slid out.
I went back to the Maxim with the loop and turned the bow down 2 turns and shot bullet holes. I sighted it with field points and it took a lot of change. I then shot the broadheads, had to turn up the bow 1/2 turn, and they now hit the same place as field points.
The loop makes a lot of difference in bow weight to shoot good. I have lost speed and power in both bows which is what I found when I switched to the release anyway, but it takes even less weight with the loop. I am now shooting the Maxim at 73# instead of 78#. I am using 2317's that took 79# with fingers.
My conclusions are; if you get a right tear and turning up the bow does not correct it, go the other way. A right tear indicates too weak a bow for the arrow but with the loop, the weight window is reduced and it will also indicate too strong of a bow.
You lose velocity and power with a release instead of fingers because a given arrow can be shot from a stronger bow with fingers. The loop reduces this even more. I can HEAR the difference at the target in that my bow shot with fingers makes a loud BANG and shakes everything. It is evident on deer too, the sound of impact is different.
Since going to the release, I have gained accuracy, but I can now shoot fingers as good. By studying the release, I found that by lifting my index finger almost off the string, I get a perfect release and can hit as good to 50 yd's as I do with the release. So, it has made me a better shooter all the way around.
Will I go back to fingers? No, but I will always keep one compound for that purpose. I enjoy it more. If I was ever to hunt very large game, I would only use fingers because of the gain in power.
I plan on one deer with the release, one with fingers and one with my home made Osage Orange Indian longbow. Now THAT is a tough bow to shoot!
You fellas that limit yourselves to only one way of shooting are losing out on a lot of fun. If you shoot good with the release, you will also shoot good with your fingers. But you need two bows. Tell the little lady that you need another one!

bfr,

That all seems completely backwards to me!

Just goes to show that every bow - like every rifle - is different.

Don, why do you think I kept turning the bow up? It IS backwards. Drove me nuts.

Don, I just thought of something. I had trouble tuning a compound when they first came out, before I figured out how to do it. I went to a friends archery shop. He took my bow and layed out a bunch af arrows of every size on the bench. He then proceeded to shoot every arrow perfectly with no wobble, fishtail or anything. I was totally baffled! Then he showed me how he did it. He was shooting bare fingers, no tab, no glove. So, if you loose your tab or release, just grab the string bare fingers and shoot that deer.
I can't shoot my heavy bows for long with bare fingers so I experimented with tabs. I found that the Neet hair tab shoots almost as good as bare fingers. No other tab will equal it.
I shot over my chronograph with a bow set up for fingers. First I shot fingers, then a release. I only gain ONE fps with the release but the arrows wobbled bad and I had to turn down the bow for good flight. I then LOST arrow speed. I get MUCH more power with fingers!