I have been sitting back reading and learning from all you guys and I am reading more and more about bows exploding !  The replies make it sound like that's a normal occurrence ?

Is shooting trad bows like riding a motorcycle, when I used to ride I was told it will only be a matter of time before I will have to lay it down and ride it out ! I had one close call and said that's enough of that.

Honestly, I assume only a handful of you guys have experienced a bow explode Correct ?  Or is it only a matter of time ?

Me!

30 plus years shooting and never had a factory or custom break.

I've had plenty of my own making break though    

Tracy

One riser at full draw for me!

Me Too ! You don't know what your missing till you do. My only wheelie bow back about 1987 did. The teardrop broke off at fulldraw and gave me a beating that would have made my dad proud.

yup

Not necesarily explode but I had a delamination and a delamination/total snap in half.

And numerous strings break. (not fun)

Those who have had bows explode whats your draw length??

1993, a 90# longbow, riser broke and I think there are a few toothpicks still flying.

29" draw. My own expolded. Had a widow recurve back in the mid nineties do it too. It'll wake you up, that's for sure  

First bow I ever had, Bob Lee Hunter 52# @28, 58AMO, on Xmas day 2007.....BOOM.

2 in one year  

One at 28" full draw,became a 2 pc in a snap! I made it and knew it had a bad spot at the fade about the size of a dime,short on glue. I figured it would get worse gradually before it let go. Nope!

13... 1 was a T/D Don't remember the bowyers name, but the riser was laminated. It blow at full draw on a nice 10 pointer, that was back in 2004. The other 12 where all bows I was trying to make .

3 in one month last year. I draw to a shade over 30" & each one went at full draw. That sucks.

Never had one actually explode. But did have a Bear TD upper limb collapse at the top of riser. One moment it was at full draw the next moment top limb was laying on arrow.
Also had three of my own laminated longbows delaminate on back of riser. 2 were top limb, 1 was bottom. All were layed up using the same lot of epoxy and hardener. Think it was a bad batch, or maybe just mixed wrong. All were made during the same week.

I've had a few come apart on me, but most of those were prototypes for different bowyers.

I had a Hill bow break 25 years ago. Also had 2 JD Berry bows break several years ago. I had a hinge break on a 2 pc longbow. Nothing ever breaks except at full draw.
OUCH.

I had a top limb split out about from the tip, down to about 10 inches at full draw.

Not something I want to experience every day.

Never had one of my bows explode,but had a tip pop off on a dry fire,nock broke.