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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: pcg on July 06, 2013, 05:42:00 PM

Title: Shooting in temperature extremes--?
Post by: pcg on July 06, 2013, 05:42:00 PM
After having my Miller longbow blow up on me while shooting in 87-88 F temps (a first for me for any bow), I'm wondering if bows just don't do well above or below certain temps. Any advice and experiences welcome!
Thanks, Pat
Title: Re: Shooting in temperature extremes--?
Post by: Green on July 06, 2013, 05:55:00 PM
After reading your disaster post (really glad you were wearin' glasses and God was lookin' out for ya), I'd say that's a legit question.  It's regularly 100-110 here during the summer afternoons, and I usually leave one or two bows strung and hanging in an Oak tree in my yard to shoot during the afternoons.  The bows aren't in direct sun, and never had an issue.  I won't, however, leave a strung bow in direct hot sun, in a vehicle, or anywhere the temps climb above 115 or so.
Title: Re: Shooting in temperature extremes--?
Post by: gringol on July 06, 2013, 06:01:00 PM
88 isn't very hot.  There was a flaw in that bow.  That temp shouldn't cause a blowup.
Title: Re: Shooting in temperature extremes--?
Post by: Bjorn on July 06, 2013, 06:05:00 PM
If you have black limbs in direct sun and high temps they can become too hot to touch. Could be a problem?
Title: Re: Shooting in temperature extremes--?
Post by: pcg on July 06, 2013, 06:48:00 PM
The bow was never hot to the touch. And frankly, if longbows can't be shot in summer temps, I'm shocked. So I have to assume there was a flaw in one of the lams that gave way.

Thanks to all. I'd never heard or read that bows shdn't be shot at certain temps. But as you can imagine, my doubts are creeping in!
Title: Re: Shooting in temperature extremes--?
Post by: delongbows on July 06, 2013, 07:32:00 PM
I've never had an issue with high temps....up to 100 degrees or so, but I did have a riser let loose on a takedown at 8 degrees. I can't really say if it was the low temps or a structural flaw, but it really surprised me. At the end of the day, I had a junk bow, 7 stitches and one heck of a headache!
Title: Re: Shooting in temperature extremes--?
Post by: Orion on July 06, 2013, 08:18:00 PM
Everything man puts together sooner or later falls apart.  99.9% of modern bows will handle temperature extremes without any problems, but every now and then, there's bad glue, wood, glass or carbon, or a glue job that didn't take.  Stuff happens.  It's rare, regardless of the temperature.
Title: Re: Shooting in temperature extremes--?
Post by: stik&string on July 06, 2013, 09:03:00 PM
I too had one let go in the cold (10 degrees), but I'd have to agree that it was a flaw in the bow more so than the temperature. I had a nice chunk taken out of my arm and a number of stitches.
Title: Re: Shooting in temperature extremes--?
Post by: Stump73 on July 07, 2013, 01:21:00 PM
You don't want to leave your bow in a hot vehicle during the summer.
Title: Re: Shooting in temperature extremes--?
Post by: Sam McMichael on July 07, 2013, 03:00:00 PM
definitely a flaw in the bow. I shoot often in temperatures higher than that and have never had any of my bows encounter a problem. I have never shot in cold lower than the 20's but never had a problem. I once knew a guy who had a bow blow up while hunting caribou in Canada in the cold.
Title: Re: Shooting in temperature extremes--?
Post by: pcg on July 07, 2013, 03:40:00 PM
My conclusion as well. Simply a bad bow. And hopefully, a 1 in a million chance that won't be repeated.
Title: Re: Shooting in temperature extremes--?
Post by: fmscan on July 07, 2013, 03:51:00 PM
When I lived in CT. I saw a guy pull a wheelie out of his car trunk and it looked like a donut, the wheels were about 6 inches apart. As I remember it was around 85 deg. I know being in the car trunk was hotter. I HATE to shoot my bow when it is hot. Just do not want to temp fate...
Title: Re: Shooting in temperature extremes--?
Post by: pcg on July 07, 2013, 04:00:00 PM
Heck, if we can't shoot bows in normal summer temps...
Title: Re: Shooting in temperature extremes--?
Post by: Jim Picarelli on July 07, 2013, 04:47:00 PM
I guarentee shooting in 90* heat affects me more than it does my bow.
Title: Re: Shooting in temperature extremes--?
Post by: Gordon Jabben on July 07, 2013, 04:57:00 PM
In the past, I have had several bows come apart like yours.  I finally realized it might have been caused by the extreme temperature inside a PVC tube which I kept my longbows in and left in the sun.  In each case, the bow had been in the PVC tube before coming apart.  I haven't had any problems after I quit storing my bows this way.
Title: Re: Shooting in temperature extremes--?
Post by: LoneWolf73 on July 07, 2013, 05:13:00 PM
No problems here in the South with high temps. 90-100+ in highest temp times Jul-Aug. Sometimes 90's during deer season. Bad glue joint most likely.
Title: Re: Shooting in temperature extremes--?
Post by: WESTBROOK on July 07, 2013, 06:03:00 PM
I'm with Mr Picareli, the heat bothers me way before it bothers my bow. 90 deg & up, the only place you'll find me shooting is indoor with A/C.

I'm ready for winter already!

Eric