How many of you have had bows explode ?

[varmint101]

I know it's late, but I wanted to post on this a while ago and never could get around to it.

I've had two trad bows go kaput.  One was a used 62" recurve I got before I knew what a fast flight string was..apparently who I got it from had a FF string on it and the bow was not made for it.  Eventually it sheared the tips off.  When one went the other went slid right down the fiberglass lol. CRUD.  However, bowyer was seriously gracious and just charged cost of materials to replace the limbs.

2nd one broke right in the grip where the V of my thumb and index finger go around. OUCH.  Bloodied my hand pretty good.  Luckily it went around and didn't whack me.

[wulf]

I've had two bows, both recurves, one sixty inches and the other sixty two inches delaminate upon drawing them.  Both times it was the upper limb.  As both were custom made bows by reputable bowyers, the first was replaced within two weeks as the bow that broke was only a week old.  The second bow was years past it's pro rated warranty and the bowyer still wanted to heavily discount the price of a new bow to me.  I will soon purchase another bow from him.  
The only time a bow ever seemed to "explode" on me was the time I was stringing a Wing Redwing Hunter using the old push-pull method which is not recommended on any recurve.  I guess my thumb on the upper limb must have been a little "greasy" because it slipped just before the string loop caught the limb tip. I think my eyes switched dominance at that very moment.

[buckster]

None so far, either I'm real lucky or living right?  Course I only draw 27 1/4, so that helps a bit.

[hickry]

My first half dozen, or so, homemade attempts blew up in some way or another.  I FINALLY figured out that I had crummy wood.  I kept hearing that you CAN'T break hickory... and they kept breaking.  A cross section showed that it was very pithy and, after changing woods, (and maybe getting a little better in tillering)... haven't had anything blow up since.  After seeing the aftermath... kind of hard to believe that I didn't get hurt.  It's no fun... but I just figured it would happen to everybody at some point.  Maybe not?

[champ38]

This happened last year just as I reached my 29 1/2 " draw.  The bow was about 6-7 months old with a bow bolt. not sure if it had anything to do with the bolt, but cant help but be a little leary when shooting a 2-peice with a bow bolt. the bowyer replaced promptly ( with a 1-peice)  and i escaped with only some string burn around the side of my neck.

[brinkwolf]

Hadn't had one blow up yet but did have an old Pearson delaminate it's lower limb. In the bows defence thou the guy I got it from didn't take care of it at all. As a matter of fact when he gave it to me it had been riding around in his trunk for weeks. The bow worked for another 15-20 yrs later than one day while shooting it it just let go. No big bang just felt funny and noticed the lower limb seperated.

[amazonjim]

ACS CX Limbs seprated had to purchase a new set, as they would not replace them. They did give me a 100 dollar discount.

[brinkwolf]

Originally posted by amazonjim:
ACS CX Limbs seprated had to purchase a new set, as they would not replace them. They did give me a 100 dollar discount.

Wonder why they wouldn't replace them....

I've had one compound, one selfbow, and one longbow come apart in my hands. Never been hurt but it sure wakes you up when it happens. (29.5" DL)

Bisch

[Horne Shooter]

I had a buddy bring over a new bow (to him) that had carbon limbs.  I have a long draw (about 30) and he says "draw it back...it's very smooth".  I did and the thing splintered in my hands.  
The top limb just snapped.  Kind of funny looking back on it~!

[sstewa]

I've had a recurve and a self bow break at full draw.  That's an awful sound.

[Groundpounder]

I bought an old ben pearson one piece hickory, i got Jim Raine a member from this site make me a string( Awesome string by the way! ) after stringing the old bow i began exercising the old limbs at about 15 minutes and 3/4 draw she broke back on me and that was the end of that !

[L. E. Carroll]

None for me..I've been lucky. I do strive to take  great care of my equiptment storing and stringing them properly. I have also narrowed my "bowyer list" down to acouple guys who's work I really trust... I also do not shoot light arrows in the pursuit of "Maximum Speed".

Gene  

[Bowwild]

I've been shooting for 45 years. I've always shot year-round, 10 states and Ontario.  I've never had a bow break. I've never even had a string break.  I have broken quite a few arrows though.

[artifaker1]

I bought a super mag 48 (about a "72") on the auction site. Drew it back to about 28 or so.... sounded like a bomb going off. Found the coin about a year later sweeping. The riser had let go starting at the stabilizer bushing. So I, feeling challenged, glued it back together, put on a motorcycle helmet, heavy leather duster and heavy gloves and shot it three or four times and it held. So I took off all the gear and shot it again and it let go.. I believe god watches over all truly innocent idiots.
It drew blood both times. I have a newer "76" Super mag that was well cared for and it shoots fine.
I also had a early Tamerlane de-laminate. That was a bummer, it was a 45lb with a usable shelf. Now I just have a chunk of Brazilian Rosewood, although it might be able to make a Bear takedown riser out of it, or have it re-limbed.
I also knotted a string once to shorten it... don't do that one either. It also sounded like a bomb, but the Bear 70lb #3 limb with an A riser held fine. yep that was really stupid.
One thing to keep in mind when choosing a bow for a long draw is it is not all length. The riser design is important, like whether the limbs mount on the belly or the back of the riser and how much deflex there is at the riser. Some of the short bows have the limbs coming out the riser at an angle that looks like it is drawn already (Super Mag 48). This allows them to be drawn further then if there coming out of the riser straight up and down.
Just something to consider as a lot of these events are long draws.
You can put a set of short ILF limbs on a 25" riser and have a bow that is, I think, 66" long and still best for a short draw, under 28". Longer ILF risers don't have much deflex at all it seems.

[S.C. Hunter]

I had a compound blow up as I was coming to full draw just short of letoff 78# was the weight. I hit myself so hard when she gave way the spot above my lip and below my nose was numb for 2-3 days busted my nose good. That was in 1995. I have not had a stick bow do that yet.

[Gil Verwey]

I had a beautiful longbow I was going to buy from Aldo. We met a local sporting store. I started to draw the bow back and got to about 3/4 draw. The bottom belly lamb let loose and hit me dead center of the glass in my glasses. It popped the glass out, gave me a small cut on my eye brow and hand.

Aldo and I looked at each like what the heck just happened. He was more scared I got hurt than the fact his bow exploded, and I was more concerned for him because his bow exploded from me drawing back.

The bowyer made good for Aldo and I was out a beautiful longbow.

At least I didn't get hurt and Aldo got his money back.

Gil

[Eugene Slagle]

1 with me behind the string another with my dad.

Me was my daughters PSE Buck Eye jr. shooting some of her arrows in the basement, never pulled more than 23-24 inches & the top limb snapped & delaminated.
I refuse to do anything but string her bow & can't wait for her custom Zona to be made & shipped here.

My dad had my old Hoyt Spectra hunting compound & dry fired it & blew both cable teardrops off & split the bottom limb, I cried because it was the bow I killed my only bear with.

[Andy Cooper]

I haven't had one blow up, but an arrow nock broke the other day and it was almost like dry firing the bow. The arrow landed about 5 feet in front of me and the riser was broken right through the grip. I should have a new riser by November or December. The bowyer was most gracious and apologetic..even though it wasn't his fault. It was a NTM bow that is the nicest bow I've ever had in my hands. I'd put less than 50 arrows downrange when disaster struck. I've since checked the nocks on several dozen arrows and have replaced 3.   :(

[flint kemper]

One of the first carbon limbed longbows built was on loan to me and the bottom limb let loose after about 10 shots. Talk about wanting to crawl under a rock. Luckily I was not hurt. The phone call to the owner was the worst part, he was just glad I was not injured. I sawed off the bottom limb and the rest of the bow is still on my bow rack.