can't shoot a longbow

[Elk whisperer]

Its you not the bow. Just nned good form.

[JL]

You put a recurve grip on a LB and I'll shoot it well. If I have to break my wrist on the grip, it's over. To solve this problem, I did what any other experienced archer would do....bought a set of LB limbs for my Zipper TD! Best of both worlds now and there is much rejoicing!

JL

[myshootinstinks]

I think when we're talking about Hill-style bows or LBs w/ smallish, low grips, it may well be a grip issue.  If that's an accurate pic of a Bushbow above, that grip is a recurve style grip. My '50s style recurves don't have that much grip.

[Apex Predator]

I cut my teeth on recurves and shot them well.  Over the last year or so, I've been shooting nothing but longbows.  I used to think that I could shoot them equally well, but now it's all what I'm used to.  The longbow is most natural for me.  That means more consistent on that first arrow of the day, or the hunting shot.  I have to stick with just one type, and that will be longbows for now.

[Ghost Dog]

Forgive me for going up against the grip argument, but I doubt it has anything to do with the grip. It is always tempting to find fault with our equipment, when it is most often something lacking in ourselves.

Too often if we believe something to be true about our equipment, or ourselves for that matter, we then we find a way of making it come to fruition.

Master the bow. Drive your bow arm toward the target and bring your string arm to it's ultimate position. Keep your bow arm as steady as a mountain, and release the arrow to it's ultimate destination.

The bow is a slave to your desire. Show it who is in charge.

Read this article by Dean Torges:    http://www.bowyersedge.com/elements.html

[Shaun]

I'm with the G Dog on this one, pilot error! Arrows go where they are pointed. Point the arrow at the target and use good form.

[knobby]

Well put Barney! I'm in the same boat. I enjoy longbows, and would love to shoot nothing else, but right now I'm using a recurve with a sight,'cause I've been melting down on animals lately, and the sight helps me in that aspect. I had a Brushbow, myself, and wish it would have worked for me. They're nice bows. Maybe someday...
   Good luck.

[Brian Krebs]

I hope you didn't assume that an arrow from a 60 pound recurve will fly the same out of a 60 pound longbow... try different spined arrows; I had a great deal of trouble when I switched from a recurve to a longbow because of this...

[SL]

I fought the grips thing for along time. I found out holding the bow and gripping it are 2 diffrent things. You have to hold the bow- just dont grip it too tight! By the way, once I got that through my head, my recurve shooting improved too! When your not choking the bow,  you're not introducing torque to the riser.

At least thats what worked for me.
SL

[30coupe]

Originally posted by myshootinstinks:
 If that's an accurate pic of a Bushbow above, that grip is a recurve style grip.  

It better be, I took it from Horne's website!

A won't vouch for the accuracy of the recurve. The pictures were the same size on the screen, but the Bushbow was 96 dpi and the recurve was 180. I had to shrink the recurve once I moved it to the other picture, so the actual grip may be a tad larger or smaller than the one above. The Bushbow should be spot-on though.

[nightowl1]

Ok, I guess I was a little unclear in my original statement...
In NO WAY is this the bows fault haha. It is a beautiful bow smooth, fast, and quiet. Complete and udder pilot error. WHen I shoot it I completely lose concentration. It doesn't fit me.

My Brushbow is 56#28 and i draw 28 BTW and probably for sale!

The difference to me is the size of the grip and just the feeling as I bring the string back to my face... the best way to describe the recurve is: familiar. I started off with this bow (50#@28)and could stack arrows at 15 yards and group them fine at 20-25. I wanted more weight and something fancy. So I got this guy, have tried to make it work for a year now and can't keep consistent.

Perhaps I'm a little over bowed but i don't believe so. I think it all goes back to... "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". This my be "THE" bow for me and i just lucked out and got it from the start.

And how much more traditional can you be than shooting a 40 yr old Pearson deer slayer?

[longbowben]

Not every bow shoots the same you have to find the longbow that fits you best.I love the feel of a light one piece bow,its what you like and 6 pounds is a lot to move up.Good luck

[Curveman]

I would've said it was the grip until I saw the riser, now I just think it is your concentration. You could stay with it and check it with different arrows etc. but if you have aleady given it a year and your heart isn't into working with the bow at this point, why bother? THere are other bows to enjoy.

[Wary Buck]

I had some trouble when I switched from RC to LB, and I'm sure it was a grip issue.  After much inconsistency with wrist issues, I began to tuck the pinky and ring fingers of my bow hand into my palm and holding the bow with only my pointer and middle finger in an attempt to replicate the higher wrist recurve grip and lo and behold, my shooting improved.  That was YEARS ago.  Today, even when walking in or out of the woods I just naturally carry my bow that way and it works for me.

[nightowl1]

Set my recurve up today with bow quiver and all. Stepped out to 27 yards and had a coffee can group and a smile from ear to ear...

This stuff is too much fun.

[Bullfrog 1]

A good way to work on wrist issues is to draw the bow with an open hand. It forces you to use the wrist muscles and then wrap your fingers around the grip before settling in.   BILL

[ron w]

There's no such thing as CAN'T. Maybe theres an issue with the grip or shape of the grip. Maybe you need more or less cant to the bow. Maybe you need more time shooting a longbow. Maybe the spine of your arrows but no CAN'T !!!!