Hill Handshock

[Boomerang]

Does a Hill style bow produce much handshock in the 50# range? Specificaly the Wesley Speacial.  

[George D. Stout]

Boomerang.  I've never felt the so-called handshock that a Hill bow is supposed to produce.
Mostly, it's a matter of how you grip the bow.  You certainly don't lock the elbow or use a death grip on the bow.  I shoot a Hill, or Hill style bow the same as any other bow; slightly bent elbow (unlocked) with grip contact in the web of the thumb/index finger.  

Now you will have folks who say the will jar your teeth loose, and those who love them more than any other bow.  Try to find one to shoot if you can.  I think they are great bows and both my longbows that I now own are Hill style.

[E. Texas HillBilly]

Hey Boomerang,
                I agree with Mr. Stout. I have shot all  kinds of bows over the years. I now shoot Hills exclusively. I have never felt the teeth rattling handshock either. With a nice heavy arrow I believe they are one of the smoothest, quietest bows out there. But please, don't take my word for it, go grab one and shoot it. Try some others as well, that way you can come to your own conclusions about what you like the best, and what best suits your style.
                                       -Hillbilly

[bowhunterfrompast]

I shot a Hill Tembo many years ago.

As I watched the archer shooting the Hill, I was spell bound by how well he was shooting. I struck up a conversation with him, which led to him allowing me to shoot his bow.

My first shot, at 20 yards, was just left of the bullseye with the right elevation. Second arrow was right in there.

I was amazed at how such a light bow in the hand could shoot that good. At the time I was shooting a ********.

I eventually bought the bow, with the understanding that if I ever decided to sell it, I would sell it back to him.

He bought the bow back because of the handshock. I never really learned how to shoot the Hill properly because of the other ***. It is hard for me to shoot different styles of bows.

I wish I had that bow today.

[swampbuck]

"Try to find one to shoot if you can."

Thats the best advise on this one.While I have figured out how to hold the D shaped bow so that it doesn't rattle your teeth I prefer the hybrid type.

Only YOU can say what you like or don't,Good luck

[GingivitisKahn]

Mine still manages to shock me from time to time.  Just this morning, for example...

 

It was 9 degrees F this morning and there was supposedly a 13 knot wind (though it didn't feel like it).  I'd been shooting over my lunch break for a little while when the first arrow in the pic hit the ball on the top and stuck in the straw at a weird angle.  The second ruined it - gotta start quitting while I'm ahead.

[Wannabe1]

I have 3 HH bows and it does take some practice gripping the bow properly. I have not felt that teeth rattling hand shock but, have had some hand shock while learning to grip correctly. I have another HH being built by Craig as we speak and I'm just about to go completely to HH bows. Good luck and if you can, shoot one first before you decide to pick one up. They're not for everyone.

[Cody Roiter]

all the bows I have shot I never felt hand shock.but then there was one bow that hand BAD shock that was a Jerry Hill Longbow.

Cody

[RLM]

Go to this web site howardhillshooters.com it will show how to grip the bow properly, if done right you'll feel no handshock.

[Missouri Bowman]

It does matter as to how you grip and shoot the straight grip Hills more so then dished Hills.  I have a friend who picks up my Hill or Shulz bow and can't shoot it because of hand shock, while I shoot the same bow with no problems.

[Jeff Roberts]

Cody I know what you mean about those Jerry Hill bows. I shot a Wildcat back in the 80's that nearly jumped out of my hand on the first shot. I held on tight for my next and last shot. Jarred the heck outa me.I can say that the Howard Hills I shot were alot smoother.

[Gordon martiniuk]

Come on tell the truth all the Hill bows I have shot had hand shock even with 12gr lb  at trad nite several of us shot diffrent Hill bows (one was a prize from longbow safari)anyone that shot them was  shocked that they were not shock free no one wanted to shoot more than a couple of arrows from those bows !

[Bill Turner]

Picked up my first Hill in late August. It shot like a dream. Just got my second today. Going home to shoot it right now. I'll let you know tomorrow what I think. So far I have felt no hand shock what-so-ever. All I know is that my "Wild Boar" has become my go to bow. If my new Wesley Special is anything like my "Wild Boar" I'll be one happy archer.  

[SpankyNeal]

If you are expecting a 12-14oz. Hill bow to shoot dead in the hand like a 3-4lb recurve, forget it it's not going to happen! Hill bows are smooth and sweet to shoot when using proper form and weight arrows. I shot recurves and mild r/d bows for years and now shoot Hills and Hill style bows exclusively, and love every minute of it! I can only make recommendations based upon the bows I own or have shot, and to me the least amount of thump comes from my Tembo carbon lamboo. Lite limb tips and heavy risers equal less thump so stick with the heavy riser woods like ebony or blackwood, leave off the tip overlays, stick with the 3-lam Tembo (fewer glue joints thus lighter limbs, shoot a padded loop FF string, and get the carbon back. I don't care about speed and that's not what the carbon is for, but it's stiffness allows for less bamboo for a given weight giving you an even lighter limb and less thump. I've had folks shoot my Tembo and comment on how geat it feels - like an r/d bow, and it does! Ken

[Kingstaken]

The first time I ever shot a HH bow the vibration from the hand shock that went up my arm and my skull was incredible. An instant migrain.    
Once I learned how to hold the bow bending the bow arm slightly and palm it, I never had that problem again by  

[Orion]

I second what George and Spanky said.  In addition to shooting it properly, fast flite string and fairly heavy arrows also reduce what little shock there is.  I've shot a good number of moderate r/d longbows that have more hand shock than a Hill.

[Swamp Pygmy]

When I first picked up a trad bow it was a nearly straight limbed longbow at 55lbs. I pulled back and shot it and I thought I'd never shoot another trad bow again. The sensation was like a bomb going off in my hand and I honestly thought I might have sprained something. Now that I know how to hold them I literally don't feel anything remotely unpleasant. I shoot for hours and my hand never hurts, only the finger tips of my string hand.

The main thing is the grip. It's always funny to hear people say they have the perfect grip, but it shocks the hell out of them. I guess it's a pride issue, how some people just can't admit they are wrong. Just like we all know people who shoot a bow ten pounds too heavy for them. Some people can NOT admit they just don't know how to hold it. Everyone else must be lying, because it's got tons of shock.

If holding it properly there is no hand shock. Your hand simply doesn't hold it tight enough to feel it. I always say think of it like this:

You lit a fire cracker, and you're going to hold it while it explodes. Are you going to tuck it into your fist and squeeze? Or are you going to let it pop in an open hand? If you squeeze the firecracker you'll be lucky to have remnants of a hand left. If you just let it pop in an open hand you probably won't even have a burn. Contain the explosion, but don't try to control it.

[Van/TX]

Agree with George and others.  I have a few Hill style longbows.  If they have hand shock I don't notice it. Maybe some folks are just overly sensitive    ...Van

[Wannabe1]

Maybe some folks are just overly sensitive [biglaugh] ...Van  

Now that's funny right there! I don't care who ya are!!      

[Arwin]

I had a Martin Mountaineer that seemed to jump when I first shot it. I was gripping too tight and had my arm positioned like i was shooting a hybrid or recurve. I bent my bow arm a bit more and it was smooth.

 Hill shooters: Would you say you have a shorter draw length shooting that style of bow vs. a recurve or hybrid? Like I mentioned above, I had to give up nealry an inch of draw length to get it to shoot right.