Advantages of reverse/forward handle

[britt]

What's the advantages/purpose of a reverse or forward handle rise? Thanks

[Vesty]

With a forward riser, torque in the bow hand is virtually eliminated. For some reason that I am not knowledgeable of, they are also incredibly quiet and smooth. My N.M. Whisper amazes me.

[njloco]

I think they also make it easier to be more accurate, with that said, I don't own any, ........ yet !

[ron w]

I got my first one in 1996, a Green Mt. longbow, still have it. For some reason they seem to make for a very strong and stable shooting platform. I also have 2 Northern Mist Whispers and a JD Berry Morningstar on order........I like'm!!  

[**DONOTDELETE**]

There is no advantage other than increased brace height and better arm clearance.IMO...

If you place your hand on the grip area of any style riser the same every time, and shoot with an open handed grip with your fingers relaxed, there is never going to be a torque issue.

a forward riser can be torqued just as easy as any other style if you grab it with a death grip.

[timbermoose]

The way it was explained to me is, it helps with string angle at longer draws. Grip is forward of the limb plane or something like that. I have a 30" draw and own a heartland custom longbow that is only 60". Buddy of mine couldn't shoot my 68" hill styles with his 34" draw so he ordered a custom 70" forward handle hill style and it works remarkably. I'm sure there are other advantages and disadvantages, but I'm not edjumacated enough to know them......yet.

[timbermoose]

Oh, and x2 what Kirk says.

[Steelhead]

Some archers may prefer them and some may not.Its a personell thing.Just like some prefer high grips,some medium and some low.Some big grips and some small etc.

I think they may be more beneficial along with more deflexed risers in a shorter hunting bow or brush bow.If I was gonna shoot a short bow I might opt for a forward grip with a riser that has a good amount of deflex.

I like them and have owned alot of them.Many feel they point easily and naturally.I also like many of the straighter less forward style risers as well.

When shooting a Hill style longbow with fluid Hill style form with the bow healed there is a real diffence.  I bought a kid a Kramer Razorback longbow. When setting it up for arrows, I was amazed by its steady accuracy and its forgiving nature.  When I got my Berry Morningstar, I was even more impressed. Getting a hold on the bow as John Schulz referred to in his teaching has its advantages for getting off a variety of shots. If the bow can forgive your getting a hold of it, that makes for a more accurate shot, when you are in a hurry.

[nineworlds9]

Inherently more stable and forgiving.  I dare you to shoot a bow of shorter length with a reflexed riser where the deepest part of the grip is inline with or behind the fades and you not notice that you need to be more on your A-game.  The only thing that helps with this is increasing bow length.  But in a short bow, it will be twitchy without setting the grip forward of the fades.  Most bows offered nowadays that aren't a classic style have the deepest part of the grip at least somewhat past the fades, and those that are 'forward' handle have it a a very good bit past.

Forward can also cost a little speed if the limbs aren't a little special/ bowyer has engineered them to compensate.

The best benefit IMHO  in a shorter bow is potentially reducing string angle at the tips and in turn stack allowing a longer potential draw length on the bow.  That's why you hear of some short bows taking 30+" draws.

My little Bear Super Mag' 48 is a case study in the advantages and trade off I described...without the highly forward handle it would be impossible to draw to 29" like it can and wouldn't be as easy to shoot as it is...for what it is.  The design costs it a little speed vs say a KMag or Cheyenne which are longer but with less deflex in the riser etc.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I call horse feathers on your "Twitchy" discription 9 worlds....

Here are two reflexed grip Flatliner long bows.... the first one broke national high score record in a NFAA worlds event in Redding California in 2013.

 

 

This Flatliner long bow with a reflexed grip won the Arizona State championship this year.

 

 

I agree with timbermoose about a forward riser extending the stacking point and having a flatter string angle at longer draws. Especially shorter bows.

[WESTBROOK]

Agree with Nine, its what makes those sub-60" bows shootable and any bow more forgiving.

Eric

[centaur]

It is also fun to confuse conventional ASL shooters, thinking that your bow is strung backwards.

[Green]

Originally posted by centaur:
It is also fun to confuse conventional ASL shooters, thinking that your bow is strung backwards.

Yep, have had many a comment at 3D shoots.  Lean the Morningstar against a tree to go pull arrows and come back to somebody saying "Dude, hate to tell you, but did you know.....?".    

[nineworlds9]

Kirk,
LOL, look how LONG those Flatliners are...read it again:  in my reply I pointed out that additional bow length mitigates any 'twitchy' behavior LOL.  The length improves the manners and the reflexed riser adds more power stroke to make a nice shooting high performing 'long' bow and hence the FL has done so well in competition.  My compliments directed at forward handle styled bows are primarily directed at those 62" or less.

[Tajue17]

and yes Centaur with my morning start I tell everyone I bought a lefty and just change the string grooves and string it backwards, sometimes it makes my eyes cross when I first see it then remember its a morning star..

as for shooting, I always thought you lost an inch or two of draw length meaning slower stroke on the arrow but for whatever its worth I shoot better with my vixen than I do with my morning star BUT the morning star is more fun to shoot so I bring that more,, I know I know I don't understand it either!!!

what I really like about Berrys forward handle Morning Star is the grip is still a dished hill style and it feels so comfortable as a forward grip when at full draw.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Originally posted by nineworlds9:
Kirk,
LOL, look how LONG those Flatliners are...read it again:  in my reply I pointed out that additional bow length mitigates any 'twitchy' behavior LOL.  The length improves the manners and the reflexed riser adds more power stroke to make a nice shooting high performing 'long' bow and hence the FL has done so well in competition.  My compliments directed at forward handle styled bows are primarily directed at those 62" or less.

Ok nine.... i'll retract my horse feathers.

Do horsefeathers make bow shoot quieter?
maybe, they can dampen vibration from wobbly limbs of poorly tillered bows.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Originally posted by pavan:
Do horsefeathers make bow shoot quieter?
maybe, they can dampen vibration from wobbly limbs of poorly tillered bows.

Absolutely Pavan.... How do you think these hill style shooters make such claims about how good their bows shoot.... pure horsefeathers...  

Of course, us Hill shooters don't claim to know all there is to know, so we don't go out of our way to criticize other people's choices. But horse  feathers sure are pretty, if you have enough of them.