Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: The Gopher on August 24, 2009, 10:21:43 pm

Title: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: The Gopher on August 24, 2009, 10:21:43 pm: I know this is dependant on wood, design, personal preferance, etc. but i was just curious to find out what you all consider a really short bow for a full 28" draw?

I've recently built my shortest bow thus far, 60" osage self-bow, and really like it. I'm already thinking shorter.

thanks for your opinion.

Dan.
Title: Re: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: Dano on August 24, 2009, 10:25:39 pm: I just completed a 51" osage bow, and I know I could have gone shorter, just gotta push it I guess. ;D
Title: Re: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: Little John on August 24, 2009, 10:41:51 pm: For me any thing under 64" for a rigid handle bow is getting short, but then I am not a big fan of short bows.
Title: Re: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: Hillbilly on August 24, 2009, 10:56:22 pm: Anything under about 60" I consider to be a "short bow." Depends on what it's made from, too. A 60" horn/sinew composite would be ungainly long, but a 60" selfbow from a marginal wood might be in two pieces the first time you bring it to full draw.There's a fine line there somewhere in the mid 50's between stability, accuracy, durability, and maneuverability. I like bows in the 60"-64" range for most of my hunting and shooting, but the longer ones around 66"-70" sure are sweet to shoot.
Title: Re: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: Justin Snyder on August 24, 2009, 10:58:18 pm: Quote from: Hillbilly on August 24, 2009, 10:56:22 pm
Anything under about 60" I consider to be a "short bow." There's a fine line there somewhere in the mid 50's between stability, accuracy, durability, and maneuverability. I like bows in the 60"-64" range for most of my hunting and shooting, but the longer ones around 66"-70" sure are sweet to shoot.
Me too.
Title: Re: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: The Gopher on August 24, 2009, 10:58:37 pm: yeah Dano, i saw your 51" er on the other site, thats what got me thinking about this.

as an extension to the original question, when do you think a short bow needs to have the tips flipped in order to get string angle, etc the way it should be, again this would be for a 28" draw.

also do you prefer working or static recurves?

sorry for all the questions, i've only made straight bows thus far.

thanks, Dan.
Title: Re: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: mullet on August 24, 2009, 10:59:46 pm: Self bows I like in the 58"to 62"range. The only glass I shoot a lot are 48". Mostly, crawling, in the rain.
Title: Re: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: Pat B on August 24, 2009, 11:20:31 pm: Anything 60" t/t or under I consider short for my 26" draw.
Title: Re: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: islandpiper on August 24, 2009, 11:46:42 pm: I just finished an O/O/H bow 60" long with a light hickory handle laminate, it is pulling 27" and shoots like a rifle. And, today laid out and began sawing out a 68" hickory self bow. That will need a 30" draw if Ian_Johnson is going to shoot it. I can't pull that far, I run out of arm!!

To answer your question, I think that 60" is a short bow......but, dang, they feel nice and don't weight anything, possibly the perfect bow to carry long distances. How big was the "Ice Man" bow? I'll bet not too long.
piper
Title: Re: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: knightd on August 24, 2009, 11:47:05 pm: I like shooting 56"to 60" bows.. Any thing shorter and my shooting style suffers..
Title: Re: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: adb on August 25, 2009, 12:21:12 am: I would consider anything <60" NTN to be short. I'm not a huge fan of short bows... I find them hard to be accurate with. Awesome for hunting, however, especially when you're up in a treestand.
Title: Re: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: AKAPK on August 25, 2009, 02:02:22 am: 44" anything shorter than that might as well throw the Bow instead of the Arrow :)
Title: Re: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: islandpiper on August 25, 2009, 08:47:13 am: Quote from: knightd on August 24, 2009, 11:47:05 pm
I like shooting 56"to 60" bows.. Any thing shorter and my shooting style suffers..

Thanks David, now I FINALLY have a good excuse!!! :) :)

Hey, i thought you were going to call me. I'll be in the shop from 9:30 till about 1 PM today, then off to a meeting.
piper
Title: Re: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: Kegan on August 25, 2009, 10:18:49 am: Anything under 66" is a short bow to me. With the weights I like to shoot, anything shrter and my shoulder screams at me :-X
Title: Re: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: George Tsoukalas on August 25, 2009, 12:00:23 pm: Under 60 in. :) Jawge
Title: Re: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: rileyconcrete on August 25, 2009, 03:25:31 pm: Well I read alot about western indian bows. I think they only drew to around 23", but most of their bows were sinew backed and about 36-50" long. I am in the process of making a 40" bow right now and lets just say it is an experiment. I ll let you know.
Title: Re: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: cracker on August 25, 2009, 08:47:10 pm: anything under 70 is getting really short.
Title: Re: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: TheWildCat on August 25, 2009, 10:26:26 pm: Anything under 60" is short to me. The shorter they are, the less fergivin to me. And I need a lot a fergivin with my shootin.
Title: Re: What do YOU consider a "short" bow?
Post by: woodstick on August 25, 2009, 10:44:43 pm: i have made 2 that are 54" and they are fine at 27 little stacked but they shoot good.