Ever shoot a Hill style and say "no thanks"?

[Dave Lay]

Originally posted by McDave:
If you like the Widow PL, you won't like the Hill style bow.  For me to shoot a Hill style bow, it would require the same somewhat irrational dedication that caused me to want to shoot traditional bows to start with, but taken to a different level.  My two shooting buddies both shoot Hill bows fairly often, so I've also tried them fairly often. But for me it's like eating liver: every once in a while I think I might like it, but as soon as I taste it, I know I don't. They're slow, they have hand shock, and they don't shoot where I'm looking. Other than that, they're fine.

Well said  my feelings as well

[Red Beastmaster]

I really wish I could like a Hill bow.

I have tried lots of Hill style bows from reputable bowyers and just do not see what is so great about them. I mean, yes they are simple elegance, yes they are light and manuverable, and yes they are sooo cool. But, with the uncomfortable grip, loose molars, and aching neck, I just do not like shooting them at all.

I've been shooting bows for a very long time and know they must be shot differently but geeze, it at least should be pleasurable.

Sorry, I gave it an honest try many times over the years. I'm just not a Hill fan. I'll take my Abbott longbow over a truck load of Hills.

[Gun]

Yep, and no thanks. I'll stick with hybrids.

[Jim Wright]

I shoot a couple of Toelke Super Ds regularly. I have no loose molars as the "hand shock" is literally more like a pulse, I have shot recurves and d/r longbows with more. Why would I get an aching neck? The low grip is the only kind I want. It aligns with your forearm and puts no stress on your wrist. Mine shoot 9 to 1 or 12 to 1 arrows fine and with the heavier arrows there is not the steep drop in speed you get with most other bow types, especially recurves. Did I mention yet that these bows are QUIET?

[kat]

It's great that we have so many different choices out there. To each his own, but they are not for me.
I figure that I can use all the advantages that I can get. I like a heavy riser recurve, heavy arrows, and longer working limbs. They all seem to be more forgiving.

[katman]

Originally posted by Tom:
Yes, don't shoot a straight grip well- regardless of how hard and often I've tried.

x2, sold a beautiful JD Berry creation due to the grip and I not getting along.

[WESTBROOK]

I tried one back '08 at Kzoo...when I first met Steve Turay...he handed me a Shelton to try..put about a dozen arrows through it, took it back to him and told him to build me one. Thats about all I shoot now.

I have a Super Shrew and a couple mild r/d bows and 5 Hill style.

They're not for everyone, but they are for me.

Handshock..humbug!  Slow..not hardly, just not as fast and the speed difference narrows fast as the arrow weight goes up.

You have to like them and accept them for what they are and be wiiling to make a few changes to you shooting style otherwise your wasting your time.

Eric

[halfseminole]

I tried them, and I'll keep my Asian recurves.  Just doesn't feel right.

[Overspined]

Yes, but then I've shot some and said "heck yes!"

Not all bows are the same, I'd say the same about any style bow.

Even the generalities I read here don't always hold true from one bowyers craft to another. Just because a bow has less or more backset doesn't mean more or less vib.

I wouldn't buy a bow blind.  Shoot one of whatever brands you are interested in before you buy one.

[Archie]

I would not buy a bow blind either.  Having shot many different bows at shows, I can say that only a relative few have impressed me enough to consider purchasing them.  

My first ever trad bow was the BW recurve in my signature, which I shot for a few years, and had never shot anything else.   Then I got the chance to try both a BW longbow and a Hill-style side-by-side. Absolutely hated the Hill style, and fell in love with the BW R/D longbow.  That Hill bow jarred my bow-arm shoulder so bad that it hurts right now just thinking about it.

I shot a Hill once and it kicked so hard that my brain rattled and my eyeballs flew out of their sockets so far that they were looking at each other.

[Clint B.]

In my limited experience with "Hill style" longbows, I'd say not all of them are equal. The ones being built by Howard Hill Longbows and a few other bowyers are true representations and they stand above the rest. I won't list the good ones and bad ones because it's just my personal experience. I do prefer a little R & D myself.  

[Clint B.]

In order to properly judge them, I do believe you need to select a Hill longbow the way Howard Hill recommended and shoot it in the Hill style. For example, 26" draw, 66" amo bow length; 28" draw, 68" bow length. Hill was tall with broad shoulders, but he shot with a bent bow arm and used arrows 28" or so in length.

I see many so-called Hill longbows that are very short and they're being shot at long draw lengths.

[SteveB]

I also like shooting bows of 5 to 7 lbs less draw wght to get the same performance I would from a Hill.

With a short recurve I can send an arrow off to different places by pulling hard with my ring finger or my index finger, that seems to be impossible with a Hill.

[ChuckC]

They are tools.  You like them or you don't. No way to really know until you shoot one for a few days.

ChuckC

[M60gunner]

I pretty much jumped on cold. I was shooting a mild R/d longbow but had to have a Hill style. Yes,  I shot a few for a couple of shots but no real experience. If I was to do it over agian I would buy a used Hill and try it. I went from a Black Widow MA11 to my Pete George longbow. I did have enough sense to use heavy arrows and not try and break the speed barrier with it. Still It took time and research and talking to " Hill  shooters" to get comfortable shooting that bow.

[Bjorn]

I admire them and think they are cool; the one Hill style I own has not been off the rack in years.

[Montanawidower]

All that shock to my arm seemed like a shoulder injury waiting to happen....  I prefer the smooth shooting stuff that goes "thuump" when shot.  

The Hill bows felt like I was having my hand shook by a 6'4" salesman at a used car lot.

[David Mitchell]

          Man, you guys and handshock!  I have all sorts of Hills and Hill styles--what the heck is "handshock"?  Now a girl might think there is some, but not masculine he-men such as we have here.   :rolleyes: