Best phyical weight of your longbow shoots best?

[ken denton]

Over the last few years I have been weighing my longbows and most of them weight about 1 1/2 lbs. on the average with some a little less. Mine shoot good but lately I have added a bow quiver to a couple of them and one with a three arrow quiver and two arrows weights exactly 2 lbs. This 2 lbs. seems to shoot better, especially on a bad release. The other bow weights about 2 1/8 lbs.with a 4 arrow quiver and 2 arrows in it and I am knocking them dead with both set ups. I use a hip quiver that holds six arrows and that gives me 8 arrows for hogs.   What I was thinking was to have my next bow made diamondwood to pick up the phicial weight so I could shoot with no bow quiver.  My longbows are 62 and 64". I know I could get three piece longbows which weight about 2 lbs but at this time I am stuck on one piece longbows. I think 2 lbs. is a great weight for shooting. Any opinoins? Ken

[Jim Parsell]

Hi Ken, I have and ACS CX in aluminum riser and another with the cocobolo riser.  There is quite a bit of difference in riser weight in these two bows with the aluminum being at least twice as heavy..  I can shoot this bow much better because of the additional riser weight than the wood risered ACS..  But, I like the wood riser better cause its lighter.... Jim

[Bjorn]

I have not seen the great ones, Hill, Ferguson, Ron La Clair, and others, shoot heavy risers or weighted down bows.
The Olympic guys do like their heavy risers and 5 pound stabilizers though.

[Don Stokes]

Depends on what you're after. I like my longbow light and quick for hunting, but when shooting targets extra weight seems to help.

I quit using bow quivers when I learned through bare-shafting that a bow quiver changes spine requirements. The added weight slows the reaction of the bow during the shot, so the arrow has to be weaker to clear the riser. The riser moves to the side a bit when you shoot because of paradox, and the heavier bow is slower to move.

I also don't like trying to get through brush with one on my bow. My quiver hangs in the middle of my back, out of the way but accessible.

[James Wrenn]

I like a longbow to be around 2lbs.That weight is light enough for running around with chasing hogs all day and makes a steady shooter for me.If a bow weighs close to that I do not use a quiver on it.If it is too light I use a quiver to bring the mass up.No right or wrong but I just know what I shoot best with.

[Charlie Lamb]

You'll probably have to talk to a few bowyers... I'm not sure changing to dyamond wood will give the extra weight you want.

[ken denton]

I wonder if the higher scores at 3D shoots by Recurves over longbows is because the recurves have move mass in weight? Ken

[WildmanSC]

I don't know specifics on weight, but I do like the heavier weight that a 3-pc T/D provides.  I had several one piece longbows that weighed 12 oz.  WAY too light for consistent shooting.

Bill

[hormoan]

I have found for ME, I shoot much better with a heavier weight mass bow. Longbow or Recurve I ad a strap on or slide on qwiver for those with out inserts. And find my groups tighten up. So my bows are always wearing a qwiver. I also prefer luckily, to have my arrow selection at my finger tips on the bow. Makes finding my gopher arrow so much easier    Can you say JUDO  :D  And a plus is less movement for arrow number two if need be.

One of my new shooting buddies couple weeks ago. Brought out one of his one piece longbows. Commented on how he did not shoot it very consistent. We slipped on one of my qwivers on it, loaded it up with arrows. And he said that's more like it, groups where more consistent. And a plus was it really quited the bow down a lot. I'm thinking by know Thunderhorn has got some business from him  :D