Strung multiple years...ok?

[silenthunter85]

Looking at a used longbow in an archery shop. I've seen it in there for at least 2 years hung up. I'm sure it's been strung that entire time. It scales out 2 pounds lighter than what's written on it. Any concerns about it hung up stung for that long?

[Pat B]

How does it looked unbraced?

[yaderehey]

That seems to confirm a test I read about that I believe Bear Archery did one time.  They left some bows strung for a year and found they lost an average of around 2 pounds of draw weight.  No harm to the bows other than the slight loss of draw weight.  Further, after being unstrung for a while the draw weight tended to come back up.

[McDave]

I'm amazed that an archery shop would leave a longbow strung that long.  Companies like Black Widow that make both recommend leaving your recurve (at least the one you're currently shooting) strung, but unstringing your longbow when you're not using it.  I assume that's because there's a low risk in twisting the limbs of a longbow if you string it properly.

I would base my decision primarily on how well it shoots, although if it's been strung long enough to start losing weight, I wouldn't pay much for it, probably something under a $100.

[damascusdave]

Glass laminated bow it is fine. All wood bow would have considerable string follow.

DDave

[BlacktailBowhunter]

I left my Horne Brushbow strung and shot very little  for 5 years. It's straight and perfect shooting.

Years ago I had a chance to buy a Super Kodiak that was hanging in a closet strung for 12 years.  We unloaded it and compared it mine of the same vintage. They were not the same.  Three days later they were still not the same.  I did not buy it.

[bunyan]

I'll be right back, I gotta go unstring my recurve!

[The Whittler]

Yes Black Widdow says to unstring their LB after each time you use it.

I always unstring my bows LB or recurve after I am done shooting them. It just takes a few seconds and is easy to do.

There's been a lot of debate on this and I guess you do what ever you want, it's your bow.

SH, it problely don't answer your question but maybe it helps.

[Tim Finley]

You unstring longbows more often because they have a deeper core of wood and will take a set easier than a recurve . They are right if unstrung for a period of time the weight tends to come back.

[Orion]

I dunno.  Anything under stress will be affected by that stress over time.  I know a lot of folks say you can do it, but I wouldn't and don't, nor would I buy a bow that I knew was strung for a long time.

[matt61]

I always unstring my bows and I use this dumb logic, you would not drive your Pick up truck around with half a ton of concrete in the tray
day and day out and expect the shock absorbers and springs to stay like new. And a bow is spring made of wood.

[Pointer]

I worked at an archery range for a while and there were bows strung for years. The owner had a beautiful Bob Lee that was strung for about that long with no ill effects.

My cousin had his strung for a lot longer than that. He gave it to me and the first thing I noticed that it drew a lot lighter that the weight that was marked. I unstrung it and let it sit a week or so and then strung it up. The weight had actually increased to what was marked on the bow. Not sure how that works but the bow was fine. Traded to a buddy and he is still using it years later.