Correct me if I am wrong. I want to get a longbow. What should I look for In a Hill Style longbow. Is that the same as a D shape?? I draw 28in. 45 to 55 lbs. I had a Martin Savannah. I now shoot a Assenhiemer recurve. Which I will never let out of my hands for hunting. But the English and Other longbows are calling me... What do you guys think>>>????

Northern mist buddy,,Or a RER,,

Get the real deal, a Howard Hill. They are well built, smooth quicker than people think, quiet and have a simple beauty about them.   Howard Hill achery

I've got 2 Hills. A Tembo and a Wesley Special. Like Stone Knife said they're the real deal.

Robertson, Hill, Liberty, Dwyer, Northern Mist, Kohannah. Everyone has their favorite.

Eric

A true "D" longbow is either a very mildly reflexed bow, or a straight limbed bow. A true D bow does not show reflex when strung.Liberty Longbows, Howard Hill, Northern Mist and Sunset Hill all offer bows of this configuration.

Did you see my longbow that I posted? For a D-style bow it is the mildest I have ever shot.

QuoteOriginally posted by Ghost Dog:
A true "D" longbow is either a very mildly reflexed bow, or a straight limbed bow. A true D bow does not show reflex when strung.Liberty Longbows, Howard Hill, Northern Mist and Sunset Hill all offer bows of this configuration.

I always thought the "D" style longbow designation referred to the "D" shape of the riser's and limb's cross-section... I have seen a **few** (Note: VERY few) reflex-deflex longbows which look like a "D" when strung -- yet they are not classified as "D" style longbows.

Does anyone have documentation backing up either side of this?

Artur, it depends on who you're talking to, or what continent you're from lol. Among (American)trad circles a D bow is one that doesn't show any reflex when strung so it looks like a "D" in the strung profile. If you go over the the pond then all our (so called)longbows are actually American flat bows, because they don't have a D cross section. Semantics I guess.dunno

Yes, the term "D" bow can designate a distinctive shape when strung, or a D shaped cross section as in an English longbow.

I would imagine that most if not all glass laminate longbow shooters think of the designation "D' bow as a longbow bow that strings up showing no trace of reflex, and forming a D shape.

In your search for a D bow if you run across a Predator Classic by Bill Matlock either buy it or call me. It's a straight-limbed Hill type bow that is a dandy.    

The term "D" correctly used, describes bows with stacked or "D" shaped limb cross-sections.

I own up to not having checked every reference I have at my disposal, but all books I have checked thru 1989 are consistant in this definition.

Now, if some of you gentlemen would be so kind as to save me some time and provide your references on the "D" being used to describe the braced profile of a bow...it would be appreciated.

I suspect we will find it used in some modern publications, and this provides a good example of how our historical archery language is changing.  Someone will use a traditional/historical term incorrectly and from there forward we just automatically accept it as true because "Joe makes bows and he says so."  

The truth is, few take the time to trace a term's origin back to find it's beginnings and see for themselves when it evolved as part of our language.  And, in many cases, one doesn't travel far before the answer is discovered.

Right Liquid,

I always knew that the "D" was for the cross section look of the bow limb,  only now having heard about the look of the strung bow profile.  The old english longbows all had this profile, and it carried over here to the states.  Most straight limb style bows have a "D" limb cross-section or a slightly modified one.

Apparently, from what I'm reading here, the term has evolved into an additional meaning.  Just because the term did not originally refer to the braced profile, does not mean it is useless to differentiate between bow designs.  I think the second, newer useage has sprung up along with the popularity of hybrid, highly R/D "longbows."