A call to Howard Hill Longbow Owners

[Frank V]

My bow averaged 151.2 fps for 30 shots with arrows averaging 569.8 grs five different arrows were used in the shoot they have huge round blunt points required by the technohunt. I'm wondering if they cause lower velosities. I will chrongraph them on my chrony with field points. My bow is 61 lb. It has no handshock at all, it's very comfortable to shoot. It also has no string silencers & is very quiet. Frank

[Nala]

I would love to give one a try.  Does anyone know if they have a TEST DRIVE program for people who want to try one?

Nala

[trh1]

Originally posted by bayoulongbowman:
 

   

[-Achilles-]

I honestly dont notice any hand shock...I dont shoot heavy arrows and I dont hold it any certain way ...I shoot it the same way I do my other bows...there is handshock in every bow but you can get used to it quickly...I just ordered a cheetah and I can hardly wait to get it   ...LOVE HILL BOWS

[3Under]

Thanks Frank for the arrow speed info.

[Dick in Seattle]

Boy... my favorite thread and I'm out of town for most of it!  :^)    I see that someone already gave 3 under the address for out HH web site.  There is a great page of careful pix of hand grips.  

As to shock, I am currently suffering from terrible disappointment.   I have spent the last year and a half buying Howard Hill bows, looking for the famous terrible hand shock, so that I could shoot anyway and be macho about it.   Drat it!  I have 19 Hills on the wall now and have had six other that I let getaway from me.   Weights have run from 27# to 74#.  I can't find the hand shock.   I was told they were all shocky... well, that ain't so.  Then I was told, OK, it's the older ones are shocky...  Got two Schulz built and a Kramer... sweet, sweet shooters.   Then I got one from a guy who promised me it was the legendary bone breaking, tooth rattling, shocky Hill.   Heck, it's so sweet it gave me my best group yet and sits in my lap and purrs while I watch tv!   I think these guys are all just mean people who are deliberately leading me on.   Every time the subject comes up, 100 guys jump out and tell about hand shock.   I want to see it!

Here's my offer... if you have a Hill you think is a terrible shocker, mail it to me.  I'll shoot it.  If it shocks, I'll send it back with a $100 bill.   However, if it shoots sweet and gives me the same size group I get with all of the others, I get to keep it.   Now, I know what you're thinking... but I'm an honest man.   Many here have dealt with me.  If it shocks, I'll say so and actually be glad to finally have experienced what you all are talking about.   What could be fairer?

PS... I'd especially like a Hill by Tim Meigs to add to the collection...

Seriously (though that offer is serious...) as someone said, many love them, many hate them.  They've been around too long and been loved by too many for the problem to be with the bow.  You've got to make up your mind that you want to master this type of bow, and then apply yourself to doing so.  It's a different approach to shooting, but it's worth the effort.  If you want the easy approach, where you can do all of your compensating with the bow, instead of improving yourself... get a modern bow with all the adjustments.

Dick in Seattle

[Frank V]

Larry, your welcome. I will chronograph it some day with field points & see if there is any difference between them & the large blunts. Frank

[Frank V]

Had to look back to find this thread, I chronographed the same arrows I used in the technohunt this afternoon. I picked one arrow of the 5, it wieghes 574grs it has the large brass blunt & I got faster speeds here in the backyard than in Uncle Bob's indoors. I averaged 164.6fps 2 feet from the chrony 10 shots with a high of 165.9 & a low of 162.2 that gives an extreem spread of 3.7fps I think my form is improving. The arrow I used today is a bit heavier than the average I took on all 5 arrows @ the technohunt & still getting 13.4 fps more speed. I had the feeling all along that the technohunt chronograph was a bit slow.
 I also chronographed the same arrows with field points & got an average of 170.8fps so I do think the large blunts do cost some velosity.
   I also chronographed some whispering wind arrows that are split hex arrows by Bob Burton (these are what I hunt with) they wiegh 659grs, I got an average of 160.2 fps.
 I hope I'm not too late with this data to interest some of those who shoot a Howard Hill bow I had a blast chronographing the different arrows. Thanks Frank
           

[schnitz]

i got a big five 73lb at 28 inches 63 inch long good hunting bow shoot real fast and quiet with 600 gr arrows i like it little easer to use in heavy cover and in a stand sweet bow to shoot

[SlowBowinMO]

Frank, I'm glad to see it, thank you.

How far are you drawing that bow anyway?

[Frank V]

Timothy, You are welcome I had a great time getting the data over several days.I'm drawing 28" Bob weighted the bow on his comercial scale & it's 61lb@ 28" I have a handheld scale & get 60 lb. On my handheld scale I'm kinda guessing as where to anchor using the scale,so am taking Bob's measurment as the tue one. I have measured my draw length several times & I get 28".
 Shannon I'd really be interested in seeing what your 73lb bow is doing. I was really surprised when I looked at this bow & actually drew it. It's so smooth if you would have asked me what I thought it drew I'd have said about 55 lb before we actually weighed it. I'm really having fun getting to know it.Thanks guys these bows are really smooth & fun to shoot Frank

[BobCo 1965]

Very stable bows IMO. I have two of them and have a John Schulz on the way. My son also shoots a HH Chetah which to me is a super pretty bow.

[3Under]

Frank,
Thanks again for additonal testing info. It confirms my experience with Technohunt versus a chronograph.

[Frank V]

Larry you are welcome. I had a great time getting the data over several days. I really did suspect there was a difference in the technohunt chrono & mine. I have checked the chrony against a pact by placing the chrony on the rails seperating the sky screens of the pact & chronoed the same shot on both chrono's, the difference was 2 fps so I know the chrony is accurate. Frank

[Dick in Seattle]

Frank V...    I wonder if you would mind if I used your chrono info for our Howard Hill Shooters web site?    I'm sure it would be of interest to folks who visit there and are seeking speed info.

Dick in Seattle

[Frank V]

Dick, I would not mind at all we need to remember though the results were for my bow being shot my me, & could vary on someone else's bow.Feel free to use the data.I looked at your site & enjoyed it. Frank