I know it is subjective unless we do a bunch of testing, but subjective is okay with me...LOL.
What's the smoothest drawing R/D longbow you've shot? Give us the specs (especially bow length and draw length).
Hope to see that a pattern emerges.
Well let's see: Mohawk, Northern Mist,and Liberty Long Bows are 3 I can think of right off the bat. :archer: :archer2:
My RER LX, 64 inches, drawn to 30 inches and just over 60 pounds on my scale
DDave
I have a 3pc Acadian Woods Tree Stick that is 60" 54@28 and is the smoothest drawing LB I have ever owned, and I have had a few ...
Of course the smoothest I have drawn is the Eaglewing belly mount. But Hey!!!! I could be predjudiced.
God bless, Steve
St. Joe River would be Hard to beat. Best shooten long bow I've shot.
That belly mount Steppe Eagle is awfully smooth too Steve!!! LOL
Lone wolf Autumn storm...50#@28" an 62" draw...
Sentman Moosejaw longbow, 64", 50#@28" and I draw between 25" and 26". It is cut to center so I can shoot a range of spines or arrow sizes. At the present time I can shoot a 1816, 1916, and 2015 aluminum arrow at 26" with three 3" feather fletchings. Ar far as broadheads, I can shoot a 250 grain ACE (good at close range), but I prefer a 160 grain Simmons Landshark (old heads), and a Zephyr weighed at 170 grains. It is smoother to draw and has no noticeable hand shock. As far a strings go I shoot a 14 strand dacron string without silencers.
My 62" Hill Country Wildcat is smooth out to my 31" draw length. Really thinking about getting the 66" limbs. Can only imagine how nice it would be.
a 70" bow will draw smoother than a 60" bow,,,,,,and even though these posts will get bias because MOST of the bows made be reputable bowyers will draw smooth to their tillered draw length,,, what length bow and what style R/D bow are you interested in?
I personally like smooth but stout feeling,, I need to feel that weight building up maybe 2 1/2#'s per inch of draw,, I do not like when the forced draw curve is un even coming back..
I cannot mention my absolute favorite because it is not R/D but the 2nd choice would easily be my old and long gone 62" Thunderstick 3 w/ osage limbs,,, 2nd is my 64" Baraga with flat grain elm limbs,, and this is based on a perfect feeling forced draw curve which defines smoothness to me.
I have all three of the Libery r/d longbow models, they all are very smooth drawing bows and exceptional beauty & workmanship.
Toelke Whip. 64" 45#@28"
Can't be anything smoother than a Big Jim Thunderchild
Toelke Whip.
That would be my favorite bow, a 64" Hummingbird out of many that I have blown through. Have a whip 66" 2 pc that I just got from a trade that is pretty darn smooth, but not as smooth as the 3pc 64" Hummingbird that I traded for it. My 64" Whippenstick not as smooth as either but a real shooter. Have a 64" D that is a beast but I like it.
QuoteOriginally posted by damascusdave:
My RER LX, 64 inches, drawn to 30 inches and just over 60 pounds on my scale
DDave
I'd have to second this. I have the same bow (different weight) and it is so smooth.
Both Toelke Whip and Northern Mist Baraga are buttery bows.
Northern Mist Superior or Robertson, 66" drawn to 30". As good as they get IMO for a mild D/R bow.
Eric
Leon Stewart, Harrison, Gordy Morey, so many, so little time !
I owned one of crooked stics 62" RD longbows and it was smooth as any I've had.
64" amo ILF with ACSCX longs longbow limbs on a 19" Morrison gen2 riser drawn to 29.5"=warm butter draw.
QuoteOriginally posted by wapiti:
Toelke Whip.
I agree!
Without a doubt, 21st Century Lonestar, 70" 45@28. That sucker was 2.5# per inch forever and ever and ever. Butter.
Next up would be Centaur. Stewart also. There are so many 'smooth' bows out there.
The 21st hands down is the one that sticks with me as the smoothest ever. I don't have one as my go to for various other reasons.
I am a bit partial to my Sarrels Blueridge!
Bisch
Liberty Chief.
I thought about it and really this thread will end up 100% subjective without some draw force curves or at least some # / inch testimonies. LOL
Very true but op said subjective is ok. Let the post season chat begin.
Hard to beat a Toelke Whip
Three piece: Jim jones firefly. 64"
One piece: toelke whip. 62"
Extreme r/d: dwyer endeavor. 58"
All drawn to 28".
I define smoothness as having a lot of bottom, in that it feels like it can be drawn further without significant stack.
Treadway "Black Swamp" smoothest drawing, no handshock, and out of a 56" bow. The perfect hunting bow.
I had a 66" Toelke whip and let me tell you, there ain't no bow smoother than a 66" Toelke whip. Smooth with low string angle.
Caribow Peregrine, 62 inches
Leon Stewart Slammer and Treadway Black Forest are both very smooth to draw.
St joe river longbow!had a 58" 48@28 and now own a 60" and 49@28. Both super smooth!
I was a dealer for Roy Hall's bows and even though my Kempf is smooth at 58", those Hall bows were the smoothest bows I have seen.
Count me in with the Toelke guys. Specs in my signature.
I think a pattern has emerged...there are lots of great choices for smooth drawing r/d longbows
DDave
Yep, and to little $ to play. :biglaugh:
Just got an Abbott longbow, 64" 48# @28"...nice and smooth.
I learned a lot. Seems the smoothest drawing longbow is the one is the one on your rack. Whew, that narrowed it down.
Too many great Bowyers and fine bows out there to single one out. All a matter of personal preference.
I've never had a set of Morrison Max 1 carbon/foam longbow limbs, but I suspect they be at least as smooth as my Max 1 carbon/foam recurve limbs.
Bill
I have a bow that is 57.5 pounds at 26", 60 at 27" and just over 62.5 pounds at 28". Is that smooth?
Subjective is right :)
Good luck!!!!
34 different Bows named in this thread so far....
:campfire:
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Drawings/SasLblimbmovement.jpg) (http://s171.photobucket.com/user/kirkll/media/Drawings/SasLblimbmovement.jpg.html)
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Keep em comin' everyone.........
Kirkll can you explain your photos please? I've owned three longbows now. One one piece Spirit that was a great shooter but a little bit of hand shock that probably could of been ccured with a heavy hunting arrow. It was basically my first trad bow I bought. Never hunted with it , just cut my teeth with it so to speak. I then bought a Dryad Orion with standard longbow limbs, what a difference it made, super smooth and very little stack at my 31"+ draw length. Then I got my hands on a set of ACS CG limbs for my Orion riser. Really feel like I've found my pesonal Holy Grail in longbows! It's not as fast as my Dryad ACS RC limbs, but it's so smooth and quiet, it's quieter than my recurves with no string silencers installed on it. Plus it just looks really cool;-)
You beat me to it Kirk!
I have a 58", 52@28 Sasquatch that is amazingly smooth. Both on the draw and at the shot. Hard to beat.
Two others that take a close second to the Sas, and are a pleasure to shoot are Hill Country K-2 60", 48@28, and Javaman Inferno 56", 51@28. Come to think of it my super Shrew 58", 51@28 is a pretty smooth bow as well.
But the tip of the hat goes to the Sasquatch.
I haven't shot but about a dozen but to me the smoothest I have shot is a 54 inch Shrew 58lbs at 27 inches hat I draw to 28.
I'm a recurve guy but I've always loved the looks and feel of a longbow...just can't shoot them as well...believe me I've shot a bunch so I could keep one in my herd...one of the smoothest I've had the pleasure of shooting is... the lone wolf ultra storm.....great looking bow too! (http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/gabedard/lonewolf%20longbow/lonewolflongbow007.jpg) (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/gabedard/media/lonewolf%20longbow/lonewolflongbow007.jpg.html)
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Glenn
Kirk is showing secrets. Look well and you will get it. His limb travel at full draw is only three inches. That means super quick limb recovery. extremely even draw cycle. and a very fast , quiet bow that is super efficient. If he will post his draw force curve it will blow you away.
Finally we see something that is not so subjective in this conversation. Bow building is indeed a science and few are more willing or more able to share that science than Kirk.
I would be willing to bet that in non subjective tests and draw curves against draw curves that certain bows will be at the top of the list as n ot all bows are created equal. I would also bet that there is a top five that are stand outs, But everyone has an opinion. Including Moi.
God bless you all and kudos to all the bow builders. I am sure most are striving to build the best bow that they can, Remember that because you or I have a really nice shooting bow does not mean that that particular bow is the one that wins in reality. To answer this question definitively the science has to be applies with real stats. This is a question that does have a quantative answer. I am surprised that more bowyers tout the bows speed and not the smoothness and quietness. A real great bow has it all. Speed, smoothness and quietness . All of which can be proven scientifically.
God bless you all, Steve