If I could, I would like to address your shoulder issue. I have found that the position of the shoulders in the shot process, how the bow is drawn and how long one hold can have a huge effect on the shoulders. After shooting upper 80s to 96 pound Hill style longbows for many years, my shoulders held up quite well. I did hurt myself a couple of times with work and weight training. I found that doing butterflies very slowly with rather light dumb bells on a reclining bench helps to keep my shoulders centered in the joints. Shooting left hand with a recurve that is about 44 pounds at my draw, I did manage to heat up my shoulders by doing all of the above while trying to adapt a more of a target style form with that bow. That is more of the draw was straight back, holding the bow arm straight, and holding for a longer period. I have since, even with the recurve, when shooting left handed, have gone to the Hill style shooting style, which a spreading swing draw, limiting my draw to 26", keeping the bow arm bent, trying to not top out any joint and keeping my shoulders low. The only issue that I would be concerned about is how far your shoulders have gone down hill and how much you would need to adjust to get used a Hill bow as far as hand shock, draw length and arm positions. With a light arrow a light Hill bow will put out a fast enough arrow, but to enjoy shooting a Hill, I would advise to not try to have as long a draw as you can muster to maintain arrow speed for the sake of your shoulders. My only issue with the lighter Hill bows and draws as short as mine is that it takes a vey light spined arrow to shoot well from them if one is going to try to shoot net length arrows because of the sight window depth. I shot a deer with 37 at 26" hill longbow with afast flight string using a 5/16" cedar shaft and a 140 grain file sharpened Hill head. The arrow passed through and the 160 pound doe went down in 80 yards, the shot was 9 feet uphill and 18 yards out. those arrows were 35 pound spine 27" bop and I took the sight window down to 1/8" including the leather pad to get that weight shaft to shoot. Without taking the arrow shelf down the bow would only shoot 30 pound spine arrows for me. I personally do not believe that a Hill style bow needs to be all that much side shot in the lighter weights to maintain its handle rigidity. Also, you will lose some of your draw length and your shoulders will thank you for that. I would be sure to order a bow that is fast flight ready to lessen vibration and shock in any case.
Topic: D longbows in lighter weight (Read 289 times)
