Why do longbows shoot to the left for recurve shooters?

[lunchbucket]

I was at the bow shop the other day and a fellow had a longbow.He was kind enough to let me shoot it and it was a joy to shoot.I noticed I was shooting good groups with it but they were to the left about a 1 foot.Could someone explain to a rookie why this happens?

[Looper]

Probably the difference in center cut.

[Elkchaser]

I would agree with Looper. If your recurve is similar poundage to the longbow and you were using your arrows from the recurve, they may be a little too stiff in spine when shooting from the longbow.

[fireball31]

I found that with a recurve I shoot with a completely straight grip. I like high wristed recurves and I use what I believe is referred to as an asbell grip. When I shoot my hill style longbow I use a slightly bent elbow. What I found myself doing until I got used to the longbow was upon release I was straightening my arm causing me to push arrows left. Similar to peeking. I think this was because I made a 15lb weight jump to the longbow.

[30coupe]

fireball31

You need to keep in mind also that you will lose some draw length when you switch to the low wrist grip on the longbow in addition to what you will lose with the bent elbow. I find that I lose about an inch. This will tend to make your arrows spine stiffer. If you are indeed pushing as well, your arrows have little choice but to go left.

[wildgame]

Was it a thunder child? I think it was my bow you were shooting. I do the same when I shoot a recurve except to the right. I'm pretty sure it's the center cut of the riser that makes me shoot that way. Brad

[fireball31]

30 coupe. I think it had more to do with the fact that at the time I jumped up in weight to much. 50lbs to 65 when I had only been shooting for a short time. I have noticed the draw length change as well though. I draw closer to 30" with a recurve and 29 with my longbow. There were a multitude of form issues that i had. Short draw, snap shooting, then holding till I shook, In the end it would be hard to draw any conclusions for the mess that was my form until I started paying attention to it. I followed the grip it and rip it philosophy. Now I have a very deliberate shot sequence.

[lunchbucket]

Yes it was wildgame,and it was o joy to shoot.

[Red Beastmaster]

I go through the same thing when I switch back and forth. After several shots my brain is rebooted and I'm good to go.

The relationship of the arrow, bow hand, and eye can change from bow to bow. The ability of the mind to compensate quickly is a pretty cool thing.

[Swamp Yankee]

Could be a thousand reasons for it; bottom line is every bow may very well shoot differently for you.  If you cant the bow, simply having the arrow lower and closer to your hand will tend to make you to hit left of where you would with a higher shelf.  Different arrow tune, nock to string fit..all play a role.  As Red Beastmaster noted, it's just a matter of recalibrating the computer between your ears whenever you change anything.

[Rob DiStefano]

more important than the answer, please go fix yer topic title - it don't make no sense.  

[Friend]

I opened this thread since I was curiuos as to what the actual question was.

[lunchbucket]

I appoligize about the topic title Rob how do I fix that?

[30coupe]

You can fix the title by hitting the edit post button at the top of the post (the one that looks like a pencil and paper).    

[Terry Green]

They don't all do that...and they are not just longbows that do it....all depends on the bow, arrow and shooter.

[lunchbucket]

Thanks alot for all the feedback,just a curious question from a learning archer.

[Night Wing]

I've only owned one longbow in my lifetime and it was a right handed 68" Belcher "Longhorn" hybrid longbow.

Every shooting session, the first arrow shot would always be 6" to the left. After a few more shots, the arrow would go where I was looking. But, in a hunting situation, the first shot is critical so I never took the longbow hunting.

I just never could get used to the grip.

I tried to correct the situation for two years. I could never correct the first shot problem so I sold the bow to Pinelander on here.

[randy grider]

arrows spined too stiff.

There are lots of shooters that learn how a bow shoots and their own muscle memory 'knows' where their bow arm needs to point. With Hill style bows and even self bows, if the bow is canted and the proper arrows is used the arrow flies right where the arrow is pointed.  the problem comes when the shooters arm is not pointed at the target the same way the bow that they are used to makes them point. When I go to a recurve, the first thing I notice is that the arrow is not lined up right. If I do not notice this I shoot low and right with a canted bow.

[Bjorn]

It is called tuning and has little to do with the bow type.