so ive seen all types of bows, but i dont know the difference between a flatbow and longbow. what is it?

Flat Bow


Long bow

The typical American Semi-Longbow is 66" - 72" for most men, and 1.125 -1.25 wide at the fadeout and has a deeper core than the flat bow.  A flat bow is wider with thinner laminations. A deep core flat bow would be a beast.

Bart Schleyer's picture with his 90 lb flat bow somehow comes to mind when drawing a comparison.

It is like described above: Flatbow-wider, thinner cored limbs,Longbow narrow, deeper cored limbs.  

In a way. . picture a recurve without the curves.  That is a flat bow.  The limbs are wider and not so thick.  

A longbow has normally thicker limbs as compared to their width, whatever the other dimensions.

Owl. .  in order for an arrow to go farther, it has to go faster.  Once the arrow leaves the bow it is in the process of slowing down.  There is no more ooomph given after it leaves the string.


ChuckC

Chuck, you are right  and I do agree that the cadets question was a good one, and our answers have been reasonably accurate.    

Cody,

There are longbows and recurves.  Flatbows are longbows with wide limbs-usually 1 5/8" to 2" wide-that are thin (1/4" to 3/8").  Most longbows have limbs that are fairly narrow-1 1/8" to 1 3/8" wide-and thick (3/8" to 1/2").

I can tell the difference, but can anyone tell me why on earth i shoot, 6-10 in to the left every shot with a flatbow? ive tried all sorts of arrows, i just always shoot left!! (dont mean to hijack,just thought id ask while on this topic)

owl, maybe someone smarter than me can explain to both of us.  Another topic ?
ChuckC

Husky...
The flatbow your shootin is not cut as close to center....Causing you to shoot left....?

This is what i assume Mike, but i thought maybe you guys had some ideas on how to fix it? if i only shoot it for a eriod of time i can shoot it well, but it takes a while?

Sounds like the arrow is too stiff, increase point weight and try again.

well thanks you guys, im a bit more knowledgable now.

Actually from a historical perspective, what we call a "Hill style" longbow is technically called an American semi flat bow.  They were called that to distinguish them from the English longbows that had thick, rounded belly limbs--limbs that were a D shape when viewed in cross section (not to be confused with what is now referred to as a D bow when referring to the strung profile of the longbow.)