newer reflex deflex..strung or unstrung?

[michiganbowguy]

i have seeen lots of threads about this and now that i have one id like to know the lowdown....
got a monarch,royale 62" slight r/d 70# @30 inches....

do i keep it stung or unstrung?
will the glass bows weaken or anything after time?

im a selfbow guy and just got high tech with the "glass" thing.

i got me some cx 150 with 175 points and they fly like a lazerbeam!!!!!

any help will be appreciated.
jamie

[Brently]

Leaving a glass bow strung has never hurt any of the one's I have.  Just don't leave it strung in a hot car.  I have a couple that have been strung for a couple of years now with  no problem.

[longbow1]

it's always a good idea to unstring them if you wont be shooting them for long periods of time.

[Bjorn]

If I am using glass laminated bows daily or weekly-recurve or R/D-I leave them strung. Our R/D's only get unstrung for maintenance.

[Brian Krebs]

Fred Bear answered that question once - and said that he had strung bows up and left them hanging for years to answer that question. He found a pound or two loss in draw weight; but after UN-stringing: the bows gained back what they were originally in a day. He was referring to recurves.

 I leave my r/d strung - but I am careful to hang it on the string horizontally. If you leave a bow in a corner; or leaning against the wall; I have found the chances of it get a twisted limb soar.

 I hang my bow on the tines of a deer rack mounted on a wall. Make sure you shoot an even racked deer for this     :D

[sweet old bill]

I have my recurves strung and hung by the string on pegs.... was told by martin archery when I went into being a pro shop that they had some strung for several years without a problem or loss of a oz of peak bow weight at 28 inch...they said more bows are broken from stringing or unstringing...use a bow stringer at all times....

Bill

[ishoot4thrills]

I believe sweet old bill is right on. I leave my recurve strung, hanging from the string, horizontally. I know I kinda get nervous when stringing and unstringing a bow. I'm always extra cautious, especially about twisting a limb if I'm not lined up perfectly as I raise or lower the bow, even with a bowstringer attached. Just easier and I think less danger of damaging it if left strung. The fiberglass laminations will keep it from taking any kinda set.

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

I've read several times that you will do more damage to your bow while stringing/unstringing than you will leaving it strung.

[George D. Stout]

Buckeye Trad Hunter, the jury is still out on that statement because it's probably not quantifiable.  Until the modern era (whenever that started) we always unstrung our bows after shooting.  They hang better on the wall, and they are less likely to be damaged or dry-fired by some well-meaning bonehead who see's it all ready to go.

Perhaps I view it as a task that's actually enjoyable, if not necessary, and it keeps me in stringing/unstringing shape.  Also, an unstrung bow takes up less space in the truck.

So this old phart will just keep stringing and unstringing my bows like I always have.  You see it's not dangerous if you do it correctly and it keeps muscles flexible.  I suppose you can damage a bow while stringing or unstringing, but they don't ship them to you strung so that should tell you something.

[Bob Sarrels]

I leave mine all strung,  rc's and lb's.  But never never in a hot truck. Build ol #100 back in 02 and it has pretty much been strung from the beginning, except for travel and in a hot truck.  Has lost no weight, altho I have gained weight.

[ishoot4thrills]

Originally posted by George D. Stout:


So this old phart will just keep stringing and unstringing my bows like I always have.  You see it's not dangerous if you do it correctly and it keeps muscles flexible.  I suppose you can damage a bow while stringing or unstringing, but they don't ship them to you strung so that should tell you something.

I wasn't saying that it's really "dangerous", just saying I think it's riskier stringing/unstringing your bow as far as twisting a limb or even delaminating one in the process, as opposed to leaving it strung, and posing no risk of either.

I believe they ship bows unstrung for obvious reasons, such as, being cheaper to ship because they take up less space when unstrung.

   

[Ghost Dog]

A strung bow is under tensive and compressive stress. Stress equals wear. How much wear and when it will become obvious is the question.

The more radical the limb design, the more stress. A Hill style bow and a Centaur style bow (extreme R/D) will experience radically different levels of stress when strung.

If bow longevity is a concern, un-string your bows, if not, don't worry about it. Always un-string selfbows and composite all wood and bamboo backed bows.