Belly side limbs vs back side lim mounts

[Koko Bow]

Is there any advantage to limbs mounted on the belly side (e.g. Widows) versus being mounted on back side?

[Koko Bow]

Anyone?

[Orion]

OK, here's some food for thought.  Limbs mounted on the belly instead of the back yield a smaller draw force curve because they are flexed less at the same draw length, in effect a shorter draw.  This has the effect of reduced performance vis-a-vis a bow with the limbs mounted on the back of the riser.  Don't tell this to a Black Widow owner though.   Maybe there's something else in the design of a Black Widow that compensates.  I don't know.  Because belly mounted limbs flex less at a given draw length, they will accommodate a longer draw with less finger pinch and less stress on the limbs compared to back mounted limbs of the same length, all other things being equal, which they usually aren't.  Usually none of these differences are big enough to worry about.  Shoot what appeals to you.

[Guru]

How about if the belly mounted limbs come off the riser at a straighter angle?  Then wouldn't they have to flex the same to get back to the same spot?

[owlbait]

So if they flex the same is there really a difference in finger pich at longer draw lengths?
Someone has decided that there is an advantge to this design other then the looks. What are the pros and cons?

[Guru]

I have no idea....I do know that my Kwyk Styks are everything that makes them a great bow....

I have no real knowledge of bow design or what makes these type of bows work the way they do....

[HATCHCHASER]

The rumor is that a forward handle is more forgiving. I don't know where to find proof. Also forward handle's can take a longer draw length for a given limb length.  I have a 30" draw and shoot a 56" Kajika stick with no problems.  It is the only bow I have tried below 60" that I could shoot comfortably.  The Kajika has belly mount limbs.  Most short bows that boast long draw lengths have forward handles like the Shrew. The belly mount limbs give the effect of a forward handle.

[Orion]

Guru:  Angle of the limb beds will affect the pre-stress on the limbs, and it can change how much they're flexed when drawn.  However, limbs could be mounted on the back of the riser coming straight off the bow as well.  

Owl bait.  They don't flex the same at the same draw length.  All other things being equal, the tips aren't drawn back as far on belly mounted limbs.  The farther limbs are drawn, the closer the limb tips become and the more acute the string angle, which contributes to finger pinch.  Talking longbows and hyrids here, not recurves.  Recurves can be drawn to nearly the breaking point before the tips begin to converge.

Here's what I think is the explanation for virtually identical performance/speed regardless of whether the limbs are mounted on the back or belly.  Others who know more about this stuff can correct me if I'm wrong.  For the sake of illustration, let's assume the difference between back and belly limb placement on the riser is two inches. It's not that much, but it's easier to work with round numbers.  To achieve the same weight (say 50#@28 inches) as back mounted limbs, belly mounted limbs have to be 50#@26 inches because they're flexed two inches less at the same 28-inch draw length.  This difference in actual limb weight probably wipes out almost all of the performance differences between back mounted and belly mounted limbs.  The stiffer belly mounted limbs might actually give them a speed advantage.  I don't know.

Another advantage of the belly mounted limbs, as others have already noted, is it's more difficult to torque the bow with a forward grip associated with belly mounted limbs.  To the shooter, this is felt as a forgiving characteristic.

As I said before.  Final differences aren't worth worrying about.   Shoot what you like.

[Koko Bow]

Thx Orion!  Technical but straight forward.

[owlbait]

I haven't shot enough forward handle bows to make an educated/experienced statement yet. I know the KwykStyk and Widow shooters are very loyal, so there may be something to that particular design OR the quality and attention to building those bows that make the difference. I hope to shoot more at K-Zoo and Compton's so I can have an experienced opinion to post. I do know if the wait wasn't so long on a KwykStyk I would "styk" my neck out and order one!