I had a long bow built last year and bowyer didn't think a 40# @ 28" longbow that he made should be any shorter than 60". My draw is around 27 1/2" and bow came out to be 42# @ 28" and is 60" long. I haven't shot it a lot yet, but so are I like the way it shoots. How short is anyone making a longbow in the 40# @ 28" pull range. Thanks, Dave

I love my 56" and 58" Pronghorns. 60" is probably my favorite length though.

I have a couple 58" and a couple 60".  I'm probably going to get a 56" to try out soon.  I don't think the bow length limits the weight as much as it limits the draw length of the shooter.  With the right design, a 56" LB can handle a 30" draw.  I love short longbows and I have about a 28" draw.

I think i've seen some shrews and bigjims in that range someone correct me if i'm wrong

I have a 40@28 Bama Expi Hunter, great shooting longbow, very to easy to navigate in tree blind etc!

I'm shooting a Big Jim TC, 56", and 55#@28". Doesn't stack, and Big Jim says that it shouldn't at even longer draw lengths.

I absolutely love my 56" Shrew. It is 50# @ 28".

I like longer (66-68 inch) longbows, for smoothness. But that might not be an issue for a younger/stronger shooter!

I shoot a 54" Shrew Classic Hunter. 46#@25". Will have a 52" CH 50@25 this fall.

I love my 58 inch howard hill badger. Very accurate.

I have a sweet little 50", 50@28" Jack Kempf "Little Grizzly" that's perfect in blinds.I draw it 27", but more than 28" draw on this bow and it needs to be longer. Jack makes them starting at 48".

Most of mine are longer  but I do have a Monarch that Monty built that is 57 inches and 60 lbs at 27 inches.  Shoots fine.

It's all in the design.  Not all longbows are created equally.  It is always best to follow the bowyers recommendation - after all he is the one that designed and tested the bow.  Just because a 56" bow works great on a Shrew, or Big Jim, or whatever, doesn't guarantee that it will work well on another bowyers design.

I have really enjoyed my Lost Creek from Chad Francis.  It is 57" 54 @ 28.  I draw 28.

What you guys call longbows, everyone else calls a hybrid.

Yep, all hybrids, not what you would call classic longbows .... but I LIKE SHORT HYBRIDS!    

I shot my black bear last spring with a "hybrid" longbow that can be seen in the thread "I have a story to tell"  It is a 50" 57# @28"  that I draw to 29 or 29 1/2 on a good day.  There is very very slight finger pinch on the bottom of my third finger, Ishoot three under,  and the bow does not stack at all.  According to the bowyer shaun boyer, from coshocton ohio they are very difficult to build but I love them.  That one ended up a little too heavy for my old shoulders and he is building me one a little lighter as we speak.  Really nothing but two very radically reflexed deflexed limbs with enough riser for a grip and 2" sight window and thats about it.  But man do they shoot!

QuoteOriginally posted by Whip:
It's all in the design.  Not all longbows are created equally.  It is always best to follow the bowyers recommendation - after all he is the one that designed and tested the bow.  Just because a 56" bow works great on a Shrew, or Big Jim, or whatever, doesn't guarantee that it will work well on another bowyers design.

I agree    


Bill

QuoteOriginally posted by killinstuff:
What you guys call longbows, everyone else calls a hybrid.

Maybe, but it still is classified as a longbow. As long as the string only touches the string grooves and not the limbs, then it's a longbow.  

Big Jim seems to make the best looking Hybred Longbows. Here in Georgia I see a lot of his and he comes to several shoots every year as a vendor. I am tending to like the hybred longbows the best, because they all seems to have grips similiar to recurve bows. Thanks, Blairsville-Dave (I need my name changed now that I've moved)