How long can you leave a bow strung...

[fmscan]

I unstring my bow after each use. I have a hybrid longbow and often wonder if I left it strung does it do any harm? Could you leave it strung for a day, week or month with no damage?

[Orion]

Some folks say they leave them strung for weeks, months even years without damage.  Personally, I think some might develop a bit of a set if strung for long periods and not used during those periods.  I unstring mine when not in use. Talking glass laminated bows, of course.  Wood and wood laminated bows should be unstrung when in not in use.

[ron w]

If your shooting once or twice a week I would leave it strung. If your going away for 6 weeks, maybe I would unstring it... ...maybe not. I saw a video with Ken Beck at Black Widow where a shop bow was strung when it was new and has never been unstrung, for like 6 or 8 years. That bow was shot almost daily! I guess you should do what you feel comfortable with!

[Glunt]

I used to leave whatever glass bow I was using strung about all the time.  Never had an issue and never lost any draw weight.  They would go multiple months and maybe even a couple year+ stretches.  Now that I have kids, I unstring more often just so there isn't a bow under braced tension sitting around.

[Buckwheaties]

I un-string my longbows every time I use them.(easy to do) I leave my recurve strung all the time except for string changes/travel etc. No loss in weight or any other problems noted.

[cacciatore]

Probably a strung bow will survive his owner!

[wtpops]

With modern bows you have a much greater chance of damage durning the unstring and string process then leaving it strung. With that said if im not going to shoot a bow for weeks at a time i unstring and store. If im shooting a bow at least once a week i leave it strung

[Night Wing]

I have two Blacktail take down recurves and they've been fully strung for the last 18 months. I shoot them both sometimes once a week, sometimes twice a week.

[Archie]

In the Black Widow owner's manual video that came with my BW longbow, they recommend that their longbows be unstrung rather than strung, if they are not being used.

[COLongbow]

I'll be shooting my BW at least 3-4 times a week, so I plan on leaving it strung and hung horizontally from pegs. Black Widow recommends this, and I believe the part about potential damage being greatest during the stringing/unstringing process. For some reason, my Widow is difficult to string for me. Really gotta be careful.

[YORNOC]

I unstring my ILF's because they are kinda sensitive, but my others I dont worry about so much.  I have a Robertson Montana Falcon that has not been unstrung for ten years. It has lost NO draw weight and shoots as good as ever. I don't worry about custom hunting bows, they are pretty damn durable.
BUT, unstringing sure won't hurt unless you slip.

[Bjorn]

I unstring when the string needs maintenance, or when I travel, some of my bows have been strung for years. If the bow is not a regular shooter it is unstrung and hangs from a peg.

[BobCo 1965]

I unstring my longbows after every use. My recurves stay strung as long as I am using a particular one. Could be months.

[Igor]

I leave my recurves strung and unstring my longbows....Roger at BW told me that was their recommendation....


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Glenn

[Rusty in Fla.]

I never unstring my longbow unless I'm going to take it somewhere. Here at the house it stays ready all the time.

[Builder]

I don't ever unstring my ILF's, I know guys who haven't unstrung their ILF's for a couple of years. I really don't think they are any more sensitive than a custom recurve.

[giff]

I usually unstring mine, but have left them strung for up to a week with no damage

[JamesKerr]

I unstring all my bows after each use. However I have never heard of a fiberglass laminated bow being damaged by leaving it strung.

[4dogs]

I have my go to bow (shot at least 3 times a week) thats been strung since I got it 18mo with no ill effects at all. Another recurve shot twice a week or so been strung for years, just ran it through the chrono last week and numbers are the same as last time I chronoed it six years ago. Other bows that dont get shot much are unstrung and stored.

[YORNOC]

Builder! Good point, I did not mean to imply ILF's are sensitive in general. Mine are 70" long, thin and average 30-40# for FITA style comp. Made in Belgium, VERY sensitive!  Sneeze and they turn to a pretzel...but easy to straighten also.