Un named longbow need help

[Bar_BN]

I was givin a longbow and only markings on bow is other than length and weight is ML-10 ang below that is 7134 its a 68" bow D shaped 55#@28" i bought a generic 64" string  but id love to find out more about the bow n best tuning and brace height for it  , i seen online that brace should be 1/12th of the overal length n that like 5 5/8" brace just seems low and also when strung it looks like upper limb has more bend than bottoms is this ok r bad i have it set rt now at 6 3/4 im gonna try to put some pics on here of the bow but not sure how to  , well i guess not i cant figure out how to post a pic in the topic any help lol on that too i ges

[Bar_BN]

There are no trad bow shops near me so i have no where to go to see if im even doing it rt

[Bar_BN]

Also any advise for best string options for this longbow  i want to tune and have it shooting best i can its really a nice old bow love to see it come back to life

Trust me... it "will" come to life.

I had a ML 10 and a ML 14 several years ago.  Don't recall for sure but they may have been made about the time Martin Archery was buying Howatt. I think the guy that developed the bow was Dale Mercy.  They sold those in the mid-90's.  

It's been so long ago, but I think I settled on a BH of about 6 1/2"

Don't quote me on any of that.  It's been a long time.  The only thing I remember for sure is that the darn things kicked like a mule.


Edit:  I just remembered... the ML 10 had brown glass and the ML 14 had clear glass.  I assume the ML stands for, Martin Longbow.

[Orion]

I agree with Jim.  It's probably a Martin ML-10.  Never owned one, but have shot one, or maybe it was the ML-14.  Regardless, it did have a lot of hand shock, more than any other straight bow I've shot.

Your 6 3/4 brace height should be pretty close.

[Bar_BN]

Yes it does !!! U definitely kno you shot it thank you for the info shud that bend issue be a concern i let it out to bout 6 5/8 n it took some of it out so im thinking its a bh issue but still just guessing

[sleepyhollow]

Ml-10 was the Martin pioneer

[Blackhawk]

I found one at a garage sale in the late 90's for cheap...and after shooting it, I figured out why.  OUCH!  That piece of CR@P was down the road immediately.  Super heavy arrows did not help.

[Tajue17]

I had a martin ML-10 must of been about 28yrs ago but I bought it out of Gander mtn catalog and it was listed as a Martin.

I remember there was two models with the ML10 being the cheapest with the bubinga riser and the 2nd bow was the zebrawood riser, both straight limbed.

I think I shot a flemish string only because it was easier getting the wood arrows to fly good out of it. I remember it had alot of shock,,,,, but I'm almost positive the arrows were too light and wish i could go back and try some 650-700 grain arrows from it.

Originally posted by Tajue17:


... wish i could go back and try some 650-700 grain arrows from it.

Trust me... it wouldn't have helped.        :D

[David Mitchell]

Originally posted by Jim Casto Jr:
 

Originally posted by Tajue17:


... wish i could go back and try some 650-700 grain arrows from it.

Trust me... it wouldn't have helped.         :D  [/b]

X2     :eek:

[damascusdave]

Seems to me I remember Larry Hatfield saying how he designed that bow because one of the Martin executives wanted to try a longbow...I also think Larry admitted it was not a very good design...my Venom, his last design, is a great bow

DDave

DDave,

I'm not about to disagree because I honestly don't remember that far back about a bow that didn't interest me in the first place.  :^)


BUT.... I can't imagine Larry Hatfield designing a slug like the ML-10 and ML-14. lol lol

Now... it would be interesting to find out.  Does he visit here?  Maybe he'll see this thread.

[damascusdave]

Jim I can never remember Larry visiting this site...when he does post on our other favourite site he does not say a whole lot...lots of people in their 80's do not ever even go near a computer

DDave

[damascusdave]

I just did a little digging and found a post where Larry says the ML10 is "mulish if you know what I mean"...I think you would be right about him not designing either the 10 or the 14...I think his first effort was the ML18 Bushmaster...it is interesting how perceptions of what is a good bow change over time...I found more than one post where people were telling what a great shooting bow the ML10 was

DDave

[Tajue17]

Originally posted by Jim Casto Jr:
 

Originally posted by Tajue17:


... wish i could go back and try some 650-700 grain arrows from it.

Trust me... it wouldn't have helped.          :D   [/b]

there was a time when I shot that bow and wasn't holding the grip tight enough I remember it I had 1916 aluminums with 125' and right upon release the bow bounced right out of my hand and the bow landed on the ground 5' in front of me with a husband and wife compound shooters just looking and laughing,,,,as god is my witness thats a true story!  

it was my first ever hill style bow and I thought that was normal for them,,,,,and yes I talked trash about ALL hill type bows for years after that until I shot  a real Howard hill and felt there was a difference now I own 5 other correctly made ASL's....   I needed this      ...

[stiknstringer]

I bought an old 50 pounder back in the late 80s for $50... killed a lot of grass grizzlies with it. Don't remember about the hand shock though.