Why do longbows shoot to the left for recurve shooters?

[jsweka]

I bacame primarily a longbow shooter a few years ago.  Every now and then when I break out my recurve, I shoot to the right.

[Ric O'Shay]

lunchbucket -

I’ve watched this thread for a couple of days and hesitated to post. Mainly because most of the posts are correct in their own right, but never really answer the question. Why do longbows shoot to the left for recurve shooters? Given that the longbow is properly set up and the arrows are properly spined for the bow, in my humble opinion, it comes down to two things.

1. Sloppy form.
2. Improper sighting.

John Schulz stated it very succinctly in his book,”Hitting ‘em Like Howard Hill”.

   “Since an arrow basically flies up and to the left when it leaves the bow, it follows that up to a certain distance the bow hand in your sighting picture will be below and to the right of your target (if you are right handed). As you increase your distance from the target, you are coming to the apex or top of your arrow trajectory. Thus, you will eventually be ‘point on’.”

   “Learning the proper form is the basis of all your success. Learn it right, practice it thoroughly, and it will produce results.”

All of John’s instruction is directed at shooting the Hill style longbow. Not recurves. Most all recurve arrow shelves are cut either to or most frequently, cut past the center of the riser. Thus reducing the arrow paradox or the necessity of the arrow bending around the bow riser. That’s why Black Widow says you can shoot arrows spined 15 to 20 pounds heavier than the bows draw weight. The arrow goes straight through from the string to the riser side plate and does not have to bend or flex around the riser.

My recommendation - make certain your bow is properly tuned and you are getting good arrow flight. Work on the Hill style form, get it right and then learn how to properly sight the longbow when shooting.  Form first, then learn sighting. It won’t come easy, but then nothing worth it’s salt is ever easy.

Danny

[frassettor]

Mine do that as well. My mind is used to the longbows and when I pick up my recurve it's always left. After a few shots my mind makes the nessassary adjustments. My arrows are perfect for both my longbows and recurve, so it's not that

[Mike Mecredy]

I'll bet the recurve you shoot is center cut, and the longbow wasn't, using a longbow you can change how you shot but using lower spined arrows, or by canting the bow.

By the design of many longbows you can control a lot by the amount you cant the bow.  I shoot both recurves and longbows quite often and when I use the longbow, center shot, short of center, or even off my hand with not shelf at all, I naturally just seem to cant the bow.  I don't with a recurve, I keep those as verticle as I can.

Another thing I've noticed it seems easier for a shooter that shoots a longbow to adapt to a recurve than a recurve shooter to adapt to a longbow.

-Mike

[Red Beastmaster]

I have perfectly tuned equipment, a good release, good form and sighting, and have been at this for quite awhile. I know what I am doing.

Still, there is some instinctive adaption that I go through when I switch bows, especially with radically different grip types.

With me personally it is a mechanical allignment issue between arrow, hand, wrist/forearm, and eye. Sometimes it only takes a few shots, sometimes a few dozen, but I quickly make the needed adjustments without consciously thinking about it.

Others may have different experiences but this is how it works for me.