The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.
SeigeWorks Creation "American" Longbow;
Shooting the American
Shooting the American
As you may recall, in my initial post on the SiegeWorks Creations American Longbow, I promised I would be back soon with my impressions on shooting it.$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.
OK I'm back, and I am impressed.
Remember, it has been thirty years since I seriously drew a bow last. I shot a Ben Pearson recurve for five or six years, and then the Browning Cobra for a few more. After that it was occasional stump shooting when the mood struck me.
As I mentioned previously in our first installment, I had decided that it was time I got back into bowhunting, and I really wanted to go traditional. Fortunately I bumped into Dave at SiegeWork Creations who has been making very reasonably priced bows since 2001. Having looked over his selection of bows, I couldn't help but be impressed by his bows.
After some advise from Dave and deliberation on my part, I settled on the SWC "American" Longbow.
The first thing I noticed was how light the physical weight of the bow was. The draw was smooth and the increase in poundage progressive. I draw between 29 inches and 30 depending on the bow, and with the American I haven't settled in yet. Until the old muscles build up again, their will be some, uhmm, variation in my draw. Don't worry I'll get them dialed in.
Speaking of the draw, when at full draw, there is no stacking. As a matter of fact, the American can be drawn to 31 inches without any worry. It helps that it is a longbow, but even longbows can stack if the limb geometry is wrong. Dave has this one right. The limbs have the right combination of width, depth, and taper to produce a fast response and and excellent accuracy.
The bow is fast, real fast as far as I can tell. Without a chronograph, I have to rely on visual perception and empirical evidence. Visually the arrows look like they're moving much faster than they do out of the compound. The empirical evidence is about 2 inches of deeper penetration using the same arrow.
Hand shock, the vibration that transmits through the bow and into the hand, is almost non-existent. At least I can't tell or feel it while shooting. Of course anything vibrating is going to make some kind of noise. I did not distinguish any excessive or uncharacteristic noise coming from the bow. A bow that vibrates less is going to be quieter, and more efficient. If it isn't still in the hand when the arrow departs, then that energy isn't going to the arrow which is where it needs to be.
One thing I did distinguish, and real fast, is string slap. I got lazy and didn't hold my arm the right way; call it overconfidence. The bow quickly reminded me what a Flemish string traveling at super fast speed will do to the tender parts of the inside of my arm.
Nice one Albert!Now all that's left is for me to become one with the bow. I like to shoot instinctively, and to be effective you have to shoot, and shoot a lot. My goal is to work my way up to 75 - 80#. When I get there I would like Dave to make me a bamboo laminate American. With good heavy arrows, I should be good for any big game in America.
And just in case y'all are wondering how I'm doing...
Outside to outside, a little over an inch.After about a week's worth of practice I pulled this one out first thing yesterday morning. First three shots at fifteen yards.
Yes, as a matter of fact, I did know Robin of Loxley...I quit for the day while I was still ahead.
She still doesn't have a name.For more information on SiegeWork Creations:
SiegeWork Creations is open from 10am to 4pm M-F and closed weekends. On the off chance that they can not answer the phone, Dave and Sara do return ALL phone messages left. Call them at 903-285-4347.
The SWC American Longbow
Base Price: $189.00
E-Mail: office@siegeworkcreations.com
Web Store: SiegeWork Archery
Post of Interest:
The SWC American is Here!The Range Reviews: SiegeWorks Creations American Longbow Part I
The Range Reviews: SiegeWorks Creations American Longbow Part II
16 comments:
I'm sure I'll be nicer than the first commenter. Geesh!
I've always wanted to shoot instinctive, but just haven't gotten around to it yet.
Those bows look excellent.
Anonymous,
Well, I am a little over weight, but a midget? I'm like 5'9"! That doesn't make any sense to me... Is it the camera perspective?
And what about my draw? Looks ok to me... and that group is legit btw.
Do me a favor next time you want to leave some advice, or insults, skip the profanity. There are ladies and children that frequent The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles, and I would appreciate if you acted appropriately.
Folks, usually I do not censor comments, but I had to remove the first comment as it was really uncalled for. It's one thing when it's in a contentious issue. But a bow review? I mean really...
Albert
Typical troll,
Or Animal Rights loon. Anyway, that is a truly lovely bow. Simple, attractive, workmanlike, everything you could ask for in a tool.
I think that designing a bow and doing all the hand work without leaving any real deficiencies is quite an accomplishment. Hats off to your bowyer Dave. I see that he has added a few new shots to his website, and that Scythian looks absolutely gorgeous! I'll be very interested when you give your learned opinion on that one.
Cheers,
Mike
Man albert!
I was surfing the net and saw this Part II on our american longbow. Let me tell you - WOW!!! thank you for the kind words, we are tickled you like this base model so much!
Sara and i were talking the other day as we are nearing the end of the introductory pricing on the longbow and our scythian model bows, currently both can be had at 189.00 for the base model. Here's what we would like to do for your readers - prices are gonna bounce about 30 to 50 dollars very soon, which was the plan in the beginning. ANY of your readers that wish to buy a bow, but cannot right now - mention Albert and his page and we will honor the introductory price until end of October (that should get most into hunting season).
Again thankyou for your kind words and i am VERY sure you will be seeing a Scythian shortbow to run through its paces in the next weeks :)
Dave
Lead Bowyer,
SiegeWorks
Man... what a BEAUTIFUL bow. I'm droolin'. I've never hunted with a bow, but shot one a bit in college. I read a book a while back that featured characters shooting long bows and it really got me yearning to pick one up to mess about with.
Nice work, Arthur. That's the kind of shooting it takes to hunt well with a trad bow.
I love shooting bare, just the sticks and string. Something really satisfying about it...
Albert,
That looks so... unencumbered! I mean it's like Phillip said, sticks and string. If you got that kind of accuracy at 15 yards with nothing more than an arrow and your eyes, what's the fascination with a compound?
BTW, I have never shot a bow, so no offense to compound bow users!
Shoot Straight,
Gun Slinger
Great bow, man! I have a couple of comments/questions:
1. String slap is not just from bad form - even the best olympic archers wear arm guards;
2. Great group! I was going to comment on your high-wrist form, but with a group like that, I'll (ahem) shut up;
3. Why do you need a 70 lb. bow? I'm sure it's related to your love of big-bore rifles, and that alright, but I'd rather shoot a group like that than have a bad group with a heavier draw. You can kill any big game animal in North America with a 51 lb. draw. At the range you would be shooting a brown bear, for instance, the extra 20 yds. or so won't do you any good as far as safety is concerned, so it's better to be accurate.
Just my two cents. Have fun, and don't pull anything other than the bowstring!
Josh,
I have that extra gene that makes me do stuff I really don't need to do. I just like being able to use equipment that most folks won't. That and I feel that heavy arrows with heavy broadheads penetrate better, and are more forgiving under field conditions.
On the high wrist, I used to shoot a recurve, and I read somewhere 3o years ago, that you should hold your bow with an open hand. So I had a cord that wrapped around the back of my hand and held the bow so it wouldn't fall. As I looked at the pictures, I noticed I was holding the bow with an open hand, and trying to get that extra fraction of an inch into the draw. I'm trying to reeducate my body, posture, and form to work better with the bow.
One thing I didn't mention was that I shot at that target three times with the same arrow. I shot once, pulled the arrow, walked back, shot again etc. I thought the second was luck, and I knew the third damn sure was!
As soon as is practical I would like to pick up two dozen arrows with target points and a large target butt. That is what I need to really refine my shooting.
Thanks again,
Albert
I've read a few different versions on how to hold the bow, and though I'm most comfortable, in theory, with a low-wrist grip, I tend to high-wrist also.
However, fly fishing taught me something about technique: There are a whole slew of pretentious jerks with myriad opinions on how to do something exactly right, but if you are catching fish, then that's right. The same goes for shooting technique. If you are consistently hitting the same place, then you are doing it right (even if it isn't the place you are aiming at... just use a little Kentucky windage).
Also, don't lose that arrow.
"Don't lose that arrow."
LOL!!!
Albert
Albert,
You need to bring that with you and get your Merriam's turkey with a bow. I have a half dozen spots that I can set you up in that will give you the opportunity if you do your part. Maybe even get you close enough to a melanistic one!
You need to make the time to get up here and experience it.
Scott
Nebraska Hunting Company
Merriam’s Turkey with NHC
Albert we got those arrows heading out for that longbow, i got caught up in market weekend and opening day of dove (sorry i went dove hunting - heheeh)
Anyways thanks again for the review - awesome to see that you like the bow and i can not wait to see what ya do this season with it!!! Let us know if you have ANY issues and we'll get em ironed out :)
Dave
Siegeworks
Dave,
Much obliged for the quick turn around! I know you're busy, so I wasn't worried, and opening day is a National holiday isn't it?
Best regards,
Albert
Oh you bet, down here in Texas, opening day of Dove and Deer are national holidays. I bet that lots of people call in "sick" those two days.... 17 dove in the freezer the first two days and we got the blind cleared out and feeder going this evening for deer on opening day archery :)
Be sure to let everyone know the 15th of this month is the deadline on the price jump - altho not much now is the time to lock in for that target or hunting bow :) <---- sales pitch heheh.
Dave
SiegeWorks
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