Trying to understand ILF

[tradbower]

What are the pros and cons ?
    Pete

[YORNOC]

Not as traditional. But gives you the option of inter changing limbs of a wide variety. ILF can be very advantageous if still experimenting with your form/needs. If you shoot a certain bow extremely well......you may not need the change.
You can experiment with different limb lengths and materials( foam core, design, carbon, exotic veneer} while keeping a certain riser length. But if you have never shot different riser lengths....you need to try those as well. I found through LOTS of money and time that I shoot longer risers much more effectively. 25" being my go to. With 66" to 70" limbs. I am not normal however,as many can  back me on that one! ILF limbs can be readily available, and you can usually sell limbs that dont work for you fairly quickly..

[Orion]

Pros -- universal limb interchangeability with a wide range of limbs available, small draw weight adjustability (3-5#), tiller adjustability.  Cons.  I don't like the way the limbs flop around in the limb pockets in an unstrung bow.  All the adjustability can be a con for the mechanically challenged. A few others, but these are the main ones.

[ron w]

If you want to mess around with tuning and such the possibility's are end less. If you have something that works for you and you are happy....may not be the way to go. I have a couple of bows that I really shoot well on any given day, but I just started to fool around with a Morrison riser and 2 set of Trad Tech limbs ,just to experiment. I'm having fun with it! Enjoy what ever you decide!      

[LongStick64]

Pros
So far the most accurate setup I've shot.
Love the ability to switch limbs, longbow, recurve, limb length, limb weight.

Cons
Oh lord the amount of choices it can make you dizzy, especially when you start mixing manufacturers.

[Bill Carlsen]

Performance is better for me. I can set the preload on the  limb to get the maximum from a particular limb. My wife shoots 45# @ 26".  With her DAS bow and ILF limbs I can set up a bow for her that will outshoot some of my upper end custom recurves at 10-15#'s heavier weight that shoot best at 28". For me a good bow has got to be a performer. ILF limbs are the best in the world and to be able to  hunt with them is just awesome.

[Builder]

You can tune the bow to the arrow vs the arrow to the bow. Once tuned absolutely deadly if you don't need a pretty bow to hunt with. However that being said I'm partial to my Schafer then it would be the ACS and then the ILF. I like them all.
Personal preference.

[koger]

ILf limbs have so much money poured into R&D, custom bowyers could never afford it. The most easily tunable set up imaginable, and the most effiecent limbs, pound for pound are some of the TT Carbonwoods. I used to be a wood snob, now all my go to bows are metal ILF risers, and my old faithful Quinns. I believe the 19"-21" riser is the most forgiving, and the 17" a close third. Also, 2x what Bill and Longstick said above. The main con, is you can tinker yourself to death, and when continually changing, you never get your form for the bow down pat. I have a set of limbs that adjust up#4, so I start off shooting light, then increase # as I get closer to hunting season, that way, I work on my form, and shoot and hit better as a hunter.

[Shawn Leonard]

Come on with the comment "not as traditional" sorry but it irks me.!! No different than 3 piece T/D bow if you want to shoot off the shelf, only thing is you can get a huge array of limbs for an ILF. Their are many risers out there that you could not tell they were ILF unless you looked at the ends of the riser!  You can also make it super easy to tune if you so choose, but not as Traditional BS!! Shawn

[vtmtnman]

There are no cons to it.The lack of handshock and the adjustabilty make the system just about perfect.

I swore by my Schafer recurve(And still love it),but my Morrison ILF is my go to now.

[Rob DiStefano]

love 'em or leave 'em, ilf's are still stick bows.  to each their own.

[Claymore]

They are also a Godsend for those of us without the big bucks.

[Jeff Mundy]

The main thing for me is the price of limbs & the lack of a wait time to get them. Not too mention that they shoot with the best of them.

[dadto2]

I agree with Shawn real tired of hearing that..Even if one decides to shoot a elevated rest they did back in the day. why not if it makes u shoot better is that not our goal??ILF
is not for everyone there are a ton of options
but you can custom tune the bow to you and have alot more arrow choices.

[ron w]

Originally posted by Claymore:
They are also a Godsend for those of us without the big bucks.

I will have to agree on the money end, watch the classifieds for a riser to your like'n and a set of limbs. Next thing you know you have a top notch bow that you can adjust till the cows come home.....and do it for $400 or less. That's pretty cool!

[Sal]

I recently got my first ilf bow and like posted above, the only thing I didn't like was the floppy limbs.  Other than that, its the fastest bow I've ever shot, and it shoots!

[Chromebuck]

If it is shot instinctually it is traditional!  Just learned this from Semo and had to throw it in there.

I recently sold my Morrison ILF and the big drawback to me was potential problems in the field.  Plungers, springs, set screws, adjustable limbs, just a bit more complicated than I wanted to really rely on.

A 3D shoot or target archery, which I believe is the venue of origin of the ILF concept seems more fitting to me.  But I don't hunt out of a treestand either.

Great shooters, nice idea, not my cup of tea.

~CB

[shadman]

Shooting instinctively has nothing to do with "Traditional". Guys were useing sights long before the mechanical bow days. Back when it was just "archery" and there was no "Traditional".

[Chromebuck]

I backdown with grace...  The concept is one that we as a group apparently have many views and oppinions on.  Lets not highjack this good man's ILF thread. ~CB

[fireball31]

Please don't take this as a slight or an insult to those that use ILF's. In my opinion if ain't got wheels and cables, and a letoff its a traditional bow. That being said its a "to each his own" situation.  I don't like playing with all the adjustable stuff, (its half the reason I left the wheels behind a long time ago).  Now, if you like to tinker they are awesome.  My cousin just switched to them and he is a confirmed Gear Head. He likes to fool around with anything to get the best performance. I'd rather be shooting a bow that I only had to tune arrows for and let'em fly.