Shooting an old ignored bow - surprising results.

[slowbowjoe]

A recent shoulder issue has me unable to shoot my every day bow, a Javaman Falcon, 58", 48@28". I have never, in the several months I've had the bow, had any trouble or soreness shooting it, it fits me perfectly, and shoots beautifully.
So I've been kinda bummed.

I tried my wife's 44# Whip, and can draw it, but it felt a little risky. Doesn't look good.
Eventually, I wandered down to my gear room, found a string for my old, first bow. It's a Stemmler Squire, 60", 40@28 (if that!). Mild recurve when strung, moderate R/D profile unstring… probably called a semi-recurve in it's day (looks like 60's to me). Very light in the hand, has a twisted lower limb, and some considerable vibration to it - not harsh though.

I can pull this one ok, at least for a few arrows… picked a few woodies out of my bin, headed out to the target. Much to my surprise, My first arrows were as good as I ever shoot my Falcon. Maybe better. Next day, and day after that, the same.  

Got me wondering… could it be simply the lighter weight making the difference? The extra 2" length? The milder limb profile?

You folks have any thoughts on it?
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[Orion]

Yep.  All of those things, but mostly the lower weight.

[slowbowjoe]

Thank you Orion, kinda what I'm thinking.Anyone else have some input?

[Gaff]

i just reciently picked up my father in laws old wing thunderbird. is marked 44# and i believe its 60".  i ordered a new string for it from allen shafer and ive been shooting it for a few weeks now.
i thought it would be slower and "to light" for me to enjoy.. Boy was i wrong.. im enjoyeing the lighter weight so much that if there comes a day when i order another bow i think i will be ordering a 45#.. i think my form is better, and i can focus on the shot more so than my other 55# or more bows.

[Bladepeek]

I experienced the same thing. I picked up a badly used Shakespeare Kaibab 40# for not much more than the price of a new string. I'm a lefty and this is a right hand bow. It has nothing on the sideplate but bare wood. Nothing on the shelf but more bare wood. Badly needs refinishing and the lower limb was badly twisted. I straightened the limb with some reverse twisting and letting it sit strung over night. Some more twisting and sitting and it now is straightened out just fine.

So I took it up to the shop and started stacking arrows on top of each other. They are not bouncing off the bare shelf. It shoots so sweet, I hate to even put leather or velcro or anything on the shelf (but I will).

Is it the new bow/gun syndrom, where you pay more attention to the basics instead of repeating your usual bad habits? The lighter weight? Darned if I know, but I'm really liking this beat up old relic  

[slowbowjoe]

Well I've got the old bow shooting decently now, finding a good brace height and some different silencers. Thankful that at least I can still shoot.

Tough to consider, but I may post my well loved Falcon up for trade, for something as similar as possible but maybe 5 pounds lighter. Breaking up is hard to do… just checking one last time with you good folks for any thoughts or advice around my dilemma.