HH bug got me ... Part One!

[ChrisM]

I love rat snakes they keep my barns relativly free of rats.  Almost stepped on three in 10 minutes one warm spring day, i left and gave them there room.  Do you have any coach wips?  Its a funny thing walking through tall grass and have one rare up 3 feet and stare you down.

[RC]

Yep we got coach whips. I once had a Rhodesian Ridgeback hound. He was in the edge of the woods raising cain. Fighting and screaming in pain.I went around there and he was trying to kill a coachwhip and it did`nt want to die. He would go in to bite it and it was biting him in the face. He did`nt learn his lesson because a year or so later he was bit in the neck by one with fangs a rattler or cottonmouth and died.RC

[Kentucky Jeff]

OK, the Wesley Special showed up in the mail today.  Even though I'm home with a fever and battling a nasty case of strep I still managed to sneak outside and pound some arrows with my new toy.

I'm speechless.  I've spent all summer reading HH's book Hunting the Hard Way and Byron Ferguson's book "Become the Arrow"  They both comment that there isn't a more forgiving shooter friendly bow than an American Flatbow.  After today I can't disagree.  I took my Wesley Special out and was banging arrows into the ten ring on a standard field archery target at 30 yards.  I've been struggling all summer to do that with my recurves.  

The thing that amazed me is how light this bow is...  That takes some getting used to of course and you have to pay more attention to your form in terms of your bow hand.  Also there's some hand shock which one would expect with so much energy stored up in so light a bow.  Its not ridiculous.  But you notice it.   Small price to pay IMO for the shootability you get with the longbow.  This bow is not as sensitive to my release as say my Kota TFX which really seems to magnify my mistakes.  

I have no idea what kind of sting the bow came with.  Its Flemish twist.  But I don't know if its B50 or what.   Any way to tell?

The bow is a 68" 41@27 and I'm probably drawing it a true 29 1/2 and I'd estimate 46-47#.  It shot 31" Trad only 500 carbons with 125 grain points and 100 grain inserts wonderfully.  They really looked great going down range after I got the nock dialed in.   Those shafts indicated a slight left tear (about an inch)  on the half dozen bear shafts I shot through paper--so I've got a little work to do but not much.

So that's my first HH bow impression.  With any luck it won't be my last.  I'm contemplating ordering a 70" 70lb at my draw length 'boo bow in macassar ebony with impala horn tips.  Not sure which model.  I like my Wesley Special.  Might want to mix it up some.  Any suggestions?

[RC]

If you are rt handed the slight left tear will straighten out once the feathers get on. They will stiffen the shaft a bit.RC

[Kentucky Jeff]

Originally posted by RC:
If you are rt handed the slight left tear will straighten out once the feathers get on. They will stiffen the shaft a bit.RC

That's probably why they flew so well with feathers!

[ChrisM]

My bare shafts fly way nock left but hit right where my fletched shafts hit and according to stews calculator I am way too stiff. right handed.  I shoot a wesley 56@ 28 draw 26.5" and am shooting 400 spine 28" 100 grn insert and 200 grn points.  Any suggestioins.

[Javi]

Originally posted by ChrisM:
My bare shafts fly way nock left but hit right where my fletched shafts hit and according to stews calculator I am way too stiff. right handed.  I shoot a wesley 56@ 28 draw 26.5" and am shooting 400 spine 28" 100 grn insert and 200 grn points.  Any suggestioins.

If they are hitting where you are looking then leave thwm alone.

Nock left generally indicates a weak shaft.. for a right handed shooter..

[ChrisM]

Nock left generally indicates a weak shaft.. for a right handed shooter.. [/QB][/QUOTE]


thats what I was thinking, usually I have to shoot a weaker spine than what stew recommends but it says I'm stiff.  Just wondering.  Also I am getting some rubbing up my wraps where it contacts my shaft and some feather wear.  Is this expected or am I getting a slap tune.

[Ron LaClair]

From David Mitchell after he got his ShrewHill today.

 

Ron, Alpha arrived today in pristine condition.  I love this bow—it's everything an American longbow should be.  I am attaching a picture of the very first group I shot with her at 15 yards.  All I did was string her up, check the nock height (it's right where I always set mine up), and went to my bale and picked out a spot and put all six 50-55 spine cedars in a spot you could cover with your hand.  Three arrows were touching in a spot the size of a quarter!  I really appreciate you selling me this bow.  She will be used, and cherished because I know of the history behind her.  I'm familiar with John Lee and have some interesting conversations with him at Denton Hill.    

[Gil Verwey]

I got the HH bug again myself. I just picked up a Tembo. I have a hard time resisting Hill, Ron Maulding and Harrison longbows.

I sold a Tembo made by John Schulz. For some reason I shot that bow better than any bow I have ever owned. I would love to get that bow back. I tore my rorator cuff and had to drop in weight at the time. I should have never sold it.

[MT Longbow]

Speaking of HH limited editions, what do you guys think Craig is conjuring up for the next run of LE's???


Craig ?? You there ? !

[Gil Verwey]

I wish Craig would get his son in law to checker bows again. Just in case Craig is watching. Ha!

[stabow]

David Mitchell
Nice group......stabow

[RC]

OK, for you fellas that have shot reguler Hill bows and now own a string follow ....can you tell a difference and if so what is it and good or bad.Thanks,RC.

[dragonheart]

David,

That bow is a fit!  You rocking with the Alpha, out of the box!

[Bowitis]

Gil, I still have your old Tempo "SAGITTARIUS"
There is something special about it.

[RLA]

? For you guys with lot's of experiance with Hill bows & wood arrows. I've shot some woods with my recurve, but mostly carbon or aloy. For a 52#ish @27" Miller old Tom, with 200gr. Abowyer heads that I already have, what's a good place to start for spine with a 28" arrow? Just ball park idea,
Thanks

[dragonheart]

RLA

First I would find your "real" draw length with the longbow.  This info came from Nate Steen (AKA:  Mr Sunset Hill) and he advised me you need to measure draw shooting the bow.  

Take an arrow and mark it (Sharpie Pen) with several lines at about 1/4" increments about where you think  your draw length would be.  Use several color lines that are visible on the shaft.

Go and shoot, relaxed, normal style.  Shoot several shots, like stump shooting, as you would in the field under actual hunting conditions.  Have someone watch and tell you which color line is matched with the back of the bow.  

You will probably be surprised.  I was.  Where you THINK you are drawing to and where your actual draw is may be different.

If you just draw a bow back with an arrow marked it is NOT as accurate a way to measure your draw.  You are not under the dynamic tension of actually shooting the bow.  

This simple test on draw length will give you a good place to start.

You  need to know the # of the bow at your actual draw length.  My bow is marked 65 @ 28".  My actual draw length is 25 3/4".  I am shooting 56#.  The spine need for 65# vs. 56# is very different. That is the info you need to begin looking for an arrow match and setup for your longbow.  

PS:  I had to FORGET the idea of 28" DRAW.  That is a number standard just to have some point to measure and standardize weight.  It means nothing for your setup.  You need to find what you ACTUALLY are pulling.  

Your draw length is specific to you and your natural position when you are actually SHOOTING the bow.

Manipulating your draw to get more power, or because your may think "I cannot be that short" only leads to problems in my opinion.  It is what it is.  Hope this helps as a good starting point.

[Nate Steen .]

Dragonheart....very well said.  AdmountainKen found out this very fact recently...

Mr. Mitchell....if you would practice a little more,  say on a daily basis, you would probably become a good shot     you had a few flyers in that first group....come on, you can do better with a little more practice  

[RLA]

Good & true advice dragonheart, that's a job my wife is already well trained at Helpin me with & taking video of! Lol  
I have a few different shaft spines on hand but I'm just pretty sure they'll be to stiff, we'll see? Maybe not with 200gr up front.