What is meant by "cast" in a bow?

[Zog]

I have heard people say a bow "has good cast".  What does this mean?

TIA (Thanks in Advance)

[mater]

shoot an arrow far or fast for the weight. If the cast was poor, they would say slow.

 Mark

[beetlebailey1977]

Normally how far it can shoot the arrow.  Or the furthest distance.

[Zbone]

Yeah, cast is distance.

[Zog]

So cast would be the same thing as arrow speed?

[Cherokee Scout]

I have always believed that cast to be trajectory. I may have mis spelled it, but is th arc of the arrow flight.

[Uncle Buck]

Speed is a big factor but not the only one. A underspined arrow will bleed off enegry flexing. Arrows with small fletching have less drag then arrows with big fletching. The way the wieght of an arrow is distributed also (foc) plays a role. 30 years ago I wrote a research paper for a science writing class on this subject and had no trouble filling 15 pages. I wish I would have kept a copy of it. At the time the data was not hard to find,

[Pat B]

The definition given in the glossery in TBBIV says..."Cast, Sometimes the distance a bow sends an arrow, but more accurately the speed of the arrow leaving the bow."

[Friend]

I remember in the late 60's and early 70's that cast was the term used to infer a bows abilty to deliver an arrow. If I remember correctly, the term 'speed' didn't start making the scene until the mid  70's. I believe the term 'cast' was quickly replaced by the advent of compounds.

[L. E. Carroll]

It may relate a bit to speed ... They did not have cronographs very available back then. IMO, maybe "Cast" was a term which actually refered to "speed and distance" for as we know, speed of the arrow does effect the distance it's able to fly.  

[Bowwild]

Some states (maybe still) used to have in their equipment rules a specification requiring a minimum "cast".  This was usually a distance 150-200 yards.  Very "old school" rule that would have been impractical to enforce.

[Crash]

It refers to how far you can cast a worm with a fishing line attached to the limb tip.  It works best with a Hill style bow as they are straighter limbed, which means that a Hill bow has better cast than a recurve.  Really, that's what it means, I know because I read it somewhere at sometime and everything you read is true, right?

[Sixby]

Its a nefarious term to say the least. Usually used by those that know little to make me think they know a lot. LOL Just Kidding. Its an older term that has been replaced by speed. Only cast was used mystically to refer to some unknown quality that no one ever really explained. Thats my take and I'm sticking to it. God Bless you all and may your bows cast your arrows well ,. Steve

When I was in the process of getting my first longbow in the 60s, cast was referred to as the ability of a longbow being able to more accurately and consistently throw a heavy fiberglass arrow compared to a short recurve.

[Bama Recurve]

I have a 45# @ 62in recurve that shoots  harder then my 50# @ 58"
The 62" bow has a much smoother cast because of it's extra length and quality of wood. Poundage isn't everything. When I think of cast I think of smoothness of the bow.

[L. E. Carroll]

I think I like Crash's "defination" the best  

I have two Hill style bows that when they cast the arrow, they stay rock solid on target and since they are Schulz tillered, they are faster than I need to worry about how fast they cast.

[ozy clint]

i think of cast in terms of bow efficiency. take two bows of equal draw weight, shooting the same weight arrow. one shoots the arrow faster than the other. the faster bow has better cast.

as in selfbows, over time they lose cast. your drawing the same weight but the bow doesn't shoot as fast as when it was made. it's not as efficient as it once was.

that's how i take it anyway??

[SteveB]

Cast is speed - at least in the context it was most commonly used.

[Tom Leemans]

Every couple years this discussion comes up. It's just another way of saying it flings an arrow pretty darn good (or bad if the cast is poor). I think it was just the old way of saying how well (or poorly) it shot an arrow.