The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Archery

Showing posts with label Archery. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Michael Lee and StickBow Archery Traditional Bows

Custom Handmade Bows at a Great Price
© 2011 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.

Michael Lee and Stickbow Archery

Workingman's Bows, at a Working Man's Price!

Fellow archery enthusiasts! Here is a new bowyer I have had the pleasure of meeting, (through the ether that is the internet and email,) though I must say, the circumstances of our initial introduction were less than auspicious. None the less, I am pleased to introduce him to The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles family of readers!

StickBow Archery's Michael Lee has been building bows for seven years, and commercially for three years, and has established an enviable reputation for building quality bows at a very fair price. You won't find fancy exotic tips, or thirty coats of hand-rubbed oil finish on his bows. What you will find is a reasonably finished bow that is made for work and is light, responsive, and fast!

Michael will be sending several bows to me so that I can review them. I'm really looking forward to shooting them, and reporting the results here on TROC. If his eBay feedback is indicative of the quality and value of his bows, I feel confident I'll be very pleased, as will you.

Let's get started!

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Michael, tell us how you got in the business.

Michael Lee: Well I kind of got into it in a round about fashion. I had been making bows for myself for almost ten years, when I met Dave Ruff, the owner of Siegeworks Creations. Dave gave me the opportunity to apprentice with him. Dave's a real nice guy and helped me get a start.

TROC: That's only half the story...

ML: Ummm, the rest of it is kinda rough. Dave got into a bind with some personnel issues. The truth is that he let a couple of bows slip past him and the people that he owed them to weren't too happy about it. I was still an apprentice and wasn't ready to shoulder the whole thing. I couldn't yet tiller the recurve bows really effectively, (I was too slow still!) and the best I could do was rough out the shelves or grind out to the lines. Then Dave busted his collar bone riding and shooting the horsebows he was working on, and that really put us behind. I did the best I could, and I really did learn a lot, but it wasn't pretty.

TROC: Go on, this is just getting interesting!

ML: Well we made good on 99 percent of our bows. Like anything built by hand, there were going to be a couple of things that might have gotten by us, but Dave was always willing to do the right thing and get it fixed. But his timetable revolved around the shows he was involved with, and sometimes repairs took a back seat. Again 99 percent of them got out ASAP, but there was always the one that came back to haunt us.

TROC: Michael, as I mentioned to you when I emailed you, I was digging deep into this. I learned of a few instances where Dave over promised and under delivered. That would piss anyone off! In the end though I believe he got squared up with almost everyone correct?

ML: Yes sir, he did. Except for a couple of bows that he is still working on. But the strain and aggravation got to him.

TROC: I can imagine it did. I checked the forums like Bowsite/Leatherwall and TradGang and found quite a few unsubstantiated accusations. But in the end, I found that only three bows were owed. In one case I spoke with the gentleman and between his secretary and my questions, it was ascertained that he had never been charged for the bow. He apologized for the oversight and his new bow is on its way. I have assurances from Dave that the other two are being built and will be delivered when they are done. The people in these tight knit communities are too quick to take each other's word. They should be ashamed of themselves. I wrote another piece on it here.

ML: I had no idea you had gone that far to check. But then he offered to sell me everything for a price I could afford. I felt I was taking advantage of him, but it was either that or I would be out a job too! I took him up on it and here I am, a bowyer!

TROC: As far as I can tell, you are pretty much are building a very similar line of bows. Tell me about them

ML: Well I was lucky enough to get all the forms for the bows he used to build, like your American Longbow. I do not build horsebows, those are a difficult to build and to be truthful, I do not like to build them, so I am staying away from them. I changed the SideWinder around - modified the tips somewhat so they would not be as rough on the servings on the strings and changed the limb taper slightly making the bow a true 200+ FPS bow. That wasn't easy, but now it really hits like a tiger and (has) the manners of a kitten. I mainly offer take down bows to 56" which is probably my most popular bow, the Asian styled line I call the Rebellions and the popular, tried and true longbows like yours. We are working on a 60's style recurve and of course the wood stick bows which are very popular with reenactors, the bushcraft crowd, and people just getting started in archery that don't want to spend a ton of money on a compound bow.

TROC: Now your selling on eBay! Why eBay?

ML: I am trying to build a business doing something I love, and with those bigmouths at the sites you mentioned were dragging me into the mess they created; then my online sales stopped dead in their tracks. Sir, I do this for an income too. I thought Ebay was a great way to get a good reputation in real time, you get the real time feedback of quality, service, communication, speedy deliveries, and you might not believe this, there are some cool people there!

TROC: Interestingly enough I found a thread on one of the forums exhorting people to buy your arrows, and then leave poor feedback. I would be happy to forward you a screen shot of the same.

ML: Thank you for the offer, but I saw it and sent it straight to eBay.

TROC: Nice! Those bullies and miscreants will get what's coming to them sooner or later. I've said it before and I will say it again: Our great Nation is doomed if that is how we are going to act. The anonymity of the internet lets anyone say anything they want with little fear of any reprecussions.

But Ok, enough of that! You've got some great bows but I want to know what are some new ideas you're exploring?

ML: A classic 1960 - 1970 type recurve and the Rebellion series. The Rebellion is the off shoot of the old Sidewinder but the tips have been addressed and the limb tapers different. Its a smooth bow, fast and light. Best of all its a good looking bow. I have sold a few on Ebay with great feedback on them, as well as some of my takedowns. Then there are my all new Hand Cannons. They're one handed crossbows built along medieval lines, with draws up to 80lbs. They great fun!

Hand Cannons... I want one!

TROC: Come on kid, don't hold back on me, I know what else you're cooking up, and I want you to tell my readers about it.

ML: You're going to drag it out of me aren't you?

TROC: Yeah, pretty much...

ML: It's a survival bow that I think will really take off with the bushcraft crowd. I'm building it with the same emphasis on quality and value that I am building my reputation on. You'll have to wait a bit on that because I am still refining the idea with each one I build.

TROC: Michael, I look forward to giving it a go, and seeing your interpretation on a survival/bush bow!

ML: I'll send you one whenever you want!

TROC: Michael, thanks again for spending a little time with me here at the Chronicles. I'm looking forward to reviewing your bows, and wish you much success in your endeavours!

ML: Thank you Albert. I appreciate the opportunity.

Folks, I am certain that you'll find Michael Lee's bows a quality bow at a very fair price. If you are considering trying traditional bow, you cannot do better in my opinion than a Michael Lee StickBow model. They are a well priced, finished adequately, and good shooters.

You can contact Mike through:
StickbowArchery.com
or through his blog:
Michael Lee's Stickbow Archery

Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch
Member: Shindand Tent Club
Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
The Hunt Continues...

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles, Albert A Rasch, Hunting in Florida

Though he spends most of his time writing and keeping the world safe for democracy, Albert was actually a student of biology. Really. But after a stint as a lab tech performing repetitious and mind-numbing processes that a trained capuchin monkey could do better, he never returned to the field. Rather he became a bartender. As he once said, "Hell, I was feeding mice all sorts of concoctions. At the club I did the same thing; except I got paid a lot better, and the rats where bigger." He has followed the science of QDM for many years, and fancies himself an aficionado. If you have any questions, or just want to get more information, reach him via TheRaschOutdoorChronicles(at)MSN(dot)com.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

The Range Reviews: SeigeWorks Creations American Longbow Pt II

Accurate Forgiving Longbow at an Exceptionally Reasonable Price
© 2009- 2011 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.

SeigeWorks Creation "American" Longbow;
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.

I quit for the day while I was still ahead.

She still doesn't have a name.

The SWC American Longbow
Base Price: $189.00

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

Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch
Member: Shindand Tent Club
Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
The Hunt Continues...

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

The Range Reviews: American Whitetail King Broadhead Target

The Best Broadhead Target Available Today!
© 2009- 2011 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.

The King Broadhead Target

As part of my reeducation in archery in general and bowhunting in specific, I decided I needed a new target to shoot at. A cardboard box full of newspaper and more cardboard just wasn't going to cut it any more; it's too easy to ruin expensive shafts that way, and I'm trying to run a professional operation here anyway. It was high time I got something appropriate for the job at hand.
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.
There are many types of targets available, from styrene blocks with plastic wrap that are barely adequate for kids' bows with target points, to very expensive and realistic game targets that will help refine your technique and eye; they even have one that looks like a velociraptor.

But for those of us stuck in an urban or suburban environment, a big square target is far more practical, and stores easier. What I wanted was the toughest and longest lasting broadhead target on the market. Practicing with what you are going to use is the key to success, and I intend to bring it to the hogs down here. And for that I needed to bend some bow limbs and shoot some arrows.

Make that a lot of arrows.

First date... She's built...

The beauty of Al Gore's Internet is that almost everything is on it. You want to know something, it is probably on the Net. Bowhunting targets are no different. After doing my research, I narrowed in on the King Broadhead Target by Whitetail Deer Inc. I needed something that could withstand repeated strikes with a broadhead and not disintegrate. It needs to absorb all the shooting I intend to do until such time as I get back in shooting shape.

"I will not trade a penny of profit for a customer's satisfaction. Our broadhead targets will out perform any open layer target when shot with broadheads...period."

Ralph @ American Whitetail Inc

That's the kind of thing I like to see. Performance and customer satisfaction before profits.

The King series is designed around a "Multi Layer Density" system. The target is built up from different density layers of foam to create a variable ratio of friction through the target.

The first layer consists of a layer of low density foam on the front. The soft foam is chosen for superior healing properties. The second layer is a medium density layer chosen for its ability to soak up energy and slow the rate of the arrows travel. Both of those layers back up to a layer of high density foam. As the broadhead penetrates and drives through the low and medium density foam, the arrow's energy is absorbed, resulting in far less penetration of the high density foam which ultimately stops the arrow. This results in a very durable target and easier arrow removal.

Whitetail Deer Inc wanted to"build a target that would stop any broadhead shot out of any bow, have unbelievable durability and smooth, easy broadhead arrow removal." I think they have done an exemplary job in putting together a target for bowhunters that performs exceptionally well at a very reasonable price. The King Broadhead Target is less than $40.00 at any of the venues I found; how's that for a bargain!

I used both the Browning Cobra which draws 45# and my new SiegeWorks Creations American Longbow that draws #50 on the King. I'm using my new Muzzy Phantom MX broadheads which, by the way, I'll be reporting on in the near future.

I found that, as expected, field points where substantially more difficult to remove. Broadheads came out with considerably less effort. Having only shot about sixty arrows in a half dozen days at the target, I haven't had an opportunity to see how the long term effects of shooting broadheads at the target will be, but I am keeping a log for future comments.

Pulling field points with care!

If you plan on shooting field points, then you will have to get an arrow lube like PSE Scorpion Venom Arrow Release Fluid. It is formulated to allow the easy removal of arrows from targets. I have not tried it, but the commentaries I have read are positive. I think it was originally developed for 3D targets. Think about it; that arrow shaft must be building up quite a bit of heat as it slows down in the target material. The lube helps defeat the grip of the material on the arrow.

Overall, the target performed as I had hoped it would. It stopped the arrows and something some folks might think very important, it doesn't leave a mess as you draw the arrows out. Some targets leave bits and pieces of themselves every time you pull an arrow. I've pounded the middle left aiming point now, and I have yet to have anything come out.

I only had one thing go wrong, and that was the fabric handle. This is not an important issue for the target. I was lugging the target from point a to b, and the nylon strap let the screw head work its way through. Later on the other side let loose too. Easy fix, two small washers or even a couple of pennies. Back the screw out, lay the strap back down drive the screw through the penny and that is the end of the problem. That will have to wait until I get back home. Again it's my fault it tore out, I sure don't baby anything I own.

I can fix that lickety split.

There is one more thing. The good folks at American Whitetail Inc. have a weekly drawing for one of their targets, all you have to do is register.

That's right! Every week, American Whitetail Targets will give away a broadhead target. The give away is open to all US residents. To register, simply fill out the form at their website (Here) with your information. (In the notes section you could put down that you saw it here at The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles...)

So enter, it's free, and give it a shot!

King Broadhead Target
MSRP: $36.95

American Whitetail Inc.
Box 299
Ferdinand, Indiana
47532
Ph. 1-888-233-1976
Fax 1-812-937-4157
Email: Tammy@archerytargets.com

There is a pretty good video on YouTube on the King Broadhead Target

As you can see, the King Target takes a licking and keeps on stopping arrows.

"I can wholeheartedly recommend the Whitetail Inc King Broadhead Target without reservation. It is a well made target, made of quality materials, here in the USA, by bowhunters, for bowhunters. The price is very reasonable and it works as advertised. That my friends, is a good American deal!"

Albert A Rasch
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles

Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch
Member: Shindand Tent Club
Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
The Hunt Continues...

Scott Croner Albert A Rasch Albert “Afghanus” Rasch Albert A Rasch Scott Croner Nebraska Hunting Scott Croner, Merriam's Turkey Hunting Albert A Rasch Scott Croner Albert A Rasch Albert “Afghanus” Rasch Albert A Rasch Scott Croner Nebraska Hunting Scott Croner Merriam's Turkey Hunting Albert A Rasch Albert A Rasch So, you want to be a contractor. Handfeeding a Baby Mockingbird Clean and Repair your Ruger 10 22 Magazine

Saturday, April 2, 2011

The Range Reviews: Muzzy Phantom MX Broadhead

Best Broadheads for Wild Hog Hunters
© 2011 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.

Muzzy Phantom MX Broadheads

Having cut my teeth on Fred Bear Razorheads, I'm partial to broadheads that don't have any moving parts. Now, I don't have anything against mechanical broadheads, if it works, I'm all for it! But my personal preference is for a traditional broadhead; I know they work.

Then again, I also like flatbows, longbows, and anything with a sinew back to it.
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.
New for 2009 and revamped for 2011, Muzzy's Phantom MX broadhead was designed for the bowhunter that desires a traditional style but also wants superior penetration, strength, and performance. These are critical concerns for me. Hogs are difficult quarry, both in terms of killing, and their physical structure. Muddy, pitch ridden hair, covering a thick almost impenetrable hide add up to one tough hombre. Throw in hard-as-oak bones, and Mr Boar Hog is a walking armored pig.

The new Phantom-MX offers a compact profile for superior flight. With a main-blade thickness of .040-inch, it has unbeatable strength and excellent flight characteristics, even at compound bow speeds.

The primary blade cuts on impact to drive deep through thick hides and bone, and the "bleeder blades" at .036" thickness creates a wide wound channel. Blood loss is substancial and immediate; tracking should be a simple affair. The two blades on the Phantom-MX are a wide 1 1/8" x 1" cutting diameter. By the way, the Muzzy Phantom-MX bleeder blades are not your typical, thin, spring steel add-on blades; these bleeders are built to the same tough standards that the main blade is. That means it will take a hit and won't sheer off. They are also easily sharpened, though they are a little bit more difficult to disassemble than the regular broadheads.

According to Muzzy, "Consistently deadly in even the most extreme conditions, the 100-grain, 4-blade Phantom-MX will easily take down some of the heaviest big-game species, such as elk and moose, with unparalleled accuracy."

I hope to put it to the test later, after the Afghan Adventure, with a series of hog hunts, should the gods favor me, and Armageddon doesn't hit first!

Ok, a few hints. When you open the packaging, cut off the two tabs in the back with a sharp knife, razor, or chisel. It makes your life a lot easier. Open it face down so you don't lose the shim washers.

See the shim between the shaft and head?

They are sharp out of the box, so be careful. I must admit I feel it is necessary to touch up the edges on any broadhead, before I would use them on game. A sharp broadhead is the tool of the ethical bowhunter. Use which ever system you like, I used my Sterling Sharpener.

I carefully aligned all the broadheads to the arrows' nocks. In other words, the main blade on the Phantom MX, when nocked, are vertical, that is, on the same plane as the string. All you need to do is carefully screw the broadhead in tight, and the warm the last couple of inches of the shaft until the ferule loosens. Then just straighten your broadhead. If everything is always in the same relative place, you will be more consistent.

I took one, and I am using it as the "Practice head." On my new Kings Broadhead Target from Whitetail Deer Inc, it penetrates about two inches deeper than some old Anderson broadheads that I've had since the eighties, using the same bow. This speaks well of the design.

Muzzy Backround

I was able to get a little background on Muzzy, and the family that runs it. I always find it interesting how good, solid, American folks get started and become a household name.

"In 1984, after retiring from a successful restaurant business, 65-year-old John Musacchia, Sr. decided it was time to pursue a dream that evolved after a particularly intense African bow hunt for Cape buffalo in the 1970s. John was shooting the best broadheads available, yet, after repeated hits with penetration problems, the buffalo remained on his feet. Full of fury, the buffalo charged. John grabbed a rifle and downed the animal just in time. Before he even left Africa, the still shaken hunter began thinking about how to design a better broadhead.

Several years later, John developed the right-angle, locking-blade base that would eventually define the Muzzy broadhead line. The locking-blade system improved the head's dependability by reinforcing the ferrule, creating an almost solid interior column of stainless steel. John then added another incredible design element - the extended trocar-shaped tip.

John first introduced the blade-locking system and Trocar Tip to the public in 1984, and it was an instant hit among bowhunters. He then decided to produce and market the broadheads himself with the help of his son Johnny and daughter Michele. The company grew slowly but surely. By 1988, Michele and Johnny had basically taken over the operations and John moved into an oversight role. He eventually passed away in 1996 after a long battle with cancer.

Michele took over as CEO of Muzzy Products Corporation and saw to it that Muzzy upheld the principles instilled by her father, such as working hard, persevering, constantly improving and treating people fairly."

"My father was a great mentor and taught us that to be successful, you have to work hard, give your customers the best products and treat people fairly," Michele says. "For 25 years these principles have been what guides us at Muzzy Products and always will."

Muzzy Phantom MX

Muzzy
110 Beasley Road, Cartersville, Ga. 30120
1-866-387-9307

MSRP: $29.95 per package of three

Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch
Member: Shindand Tent Club
Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
The Hunt Continues...

Sunday, February 13, 2011

SiegeWork Creations Longbow

Excellent Value for the Money! Well built and Fast!
© 2009- 2011 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.

"A Chronicles' Redux"
SiegeWorks Creations SWC American Longbow

It's here!!!

I've been waiting on this beauty for a couple of weeks. I can barely contain myself from the excitement and desire to string it and shoot a couple of arrows with it!

Friends, you will just have to be satisfied with a few pictures I took, I want to give this bow the careful and thorough consideration it deserves, and really do it justice. I also have to learn how to use the photo editing program I am using now. Just cropping these shots has taken me a bit of getting used to.

Just s few observations:

The Range Reviews: SiegeWork Creations Longbow Pt I

The SWC American Longbow

She doesn't have a name...yet.

I have had a traditional hunting bow since I was thirteen years old. It's a Ben Pearson Flame Hunter recurve take-down, drawing 50lbs at 28". I shot that bow religiously throughout my teen years until I was a senior in high school when I bought a Browning Compound Cobra. Try as I might, I never had the opportunity to hunt deer in all those years.

Every so often, I pull those bows down off the shelf, and after looking them over and dusting them off, draw them a few times, and maybe shoot a few arrows and then unceremoniously put them away to gather dust again.

I really have been meaning to get around to shooting the bow again, specifically traditional archery, but it seems that there is never enough time. Figuring that I would be long gone, dead and buried before I ever "got around" to it, I decided that I was going to make time and rekindle my love affair with the bow. Remember, unlike my Ruger 458WM #1, a traditional bow is quiet, relatively non-threatening, and I can practice with it anytime I have fifteen yards of space available to me.

I looked around Al Gore's Internet and found dozens of traditional bow makers of all shapes and sizes, strewn throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, and some places even I didn't know existed.

Dave the Scythian

Digging in a little deeper, I narrowed in on a great little company out of Texas. Named SiegeWork Creations, in reference to their medieval roots, they still handcraft traditional wood bows for the hunter and target shooter.

A few things attracted me to them. First and foremost it's an American company using American materials wherever possible. Secondly, the bows are handmade one at a time. Some machine work is done of course, but it is done by hand. Third, the prices are very reasonable. You could save your lunch money and spare change for a few weeks and get a full set up. To top it all off Dave, the owner of SiegeWork Creations, rides a horse and shoots with his bows. That's just too cool in my book!

SiegeWork Creations is owned by Dave Ruff and his wife Sara Ahlers. SWC actually originated from Dave and Sara's medieval faire vendor business. Selling bows to re-enactors and fans of the medieval era, they did pretty well, but Dave, having shot bows since he was a young man, wanted something more.

During the winter of 2000 Dave started building bows, and after six months of “practice” (also known as making kindling), he was carving out some pretty good bows. Before long he was selling them locally and garnering a reputation for a good dependable bow, at a reasonable price.

So light, she floats!

“Our mission is to provide a good and dependable bow without the high dollar cost that they seem to bring.” Dave said over the phone. “Let’s face it; the cost of materials is equal in a $700 custom laminate bow that has a big name and a $300 custom laminate bow that has a small time maker’s name.”

Dave continued, “No need to spend hundreds of dollars more on a custom bow, when our bows are custom made using the same materials that the higher priced bows are made of, using the same methods of construction, but are 30 to 50% less in price.” He paused, “And why is that? We don't believe in over-charging our customers for them to get into a great all round bow.”

I was intrigued. I’ve coveted a long bow for as long as I have been using a bow, and in particular I’ve wanted a Howard Hill laminate long bow. I remember watching Howard Hill when I was a little kid, and being mesmerized by his abilities. I mentioned it in passing to Dave.

“Albert, we also make the SWC Long Bow in a wood and bamboo laminate. We have a wood supplier here locally that runs a mill, and we have access to well over 3000 board foot of lumber that we crawl through every month looking for bow wood. I can guarantee you a bow as good as anything coming from any manufacturer without the high price tag for the signature. And they are all handcrafted, one at a time by our master bowyer.”

Well, I really wanted to try one now! So after consultation with Dave and some deliberation I decided on the SWC American Long Bow… Just a plain Jane standard model to start with. In a few months I may decide on something a little more extravagant and with more weight.

Fast forward a couple of weeks. From the vantage point of the "office" window, I saw the postman drive up, and I could also see a long narrow package on the dash of his vehicle. You know what that was! Heedless of dog, cat, and prostate children, I rushed down the stairs taking the steps in bounds of two and three. Seeing me coming up fast, the postman quickly stuck the long, narrow box out the driver’s window, knowing full and well that I was quite capable of climbing in and claiming what was mine.

Eagerly opening the end of the box and sliding out my new bow, I carefully unwrapping it from the packing material. I was immediately taken by the well crafted string nocks. As I peeled the paper back from the limbs, I noted the smooth satiny finish, the even laminations, the color contrast, and the weight - boy was it light. Even my jaded postman was impressed.

I noted the writing on the lower limb. 51# @ 28. I have a slightly longer draw length just shy of 30”, and Dave has assured me that I can draw it to 31” without any problem. That should put it at about 53# to 55# at my draw length. And that my friends, is more than adequate for any pig that crosses my path.

Grip and Arrow Shelf

Let’s take a closer look at the bow itself, before we go shoot it.

Grip to Riser

The SWC American is 70.75 inches overall unstrung, and weighs about 16 ounces. Dave suggests a minimum brace height of 6.5 inches and up to 7.5. Strung to 7.0 inches the overall length is 67 3/4th inches.

The grip transitions smoothly to the risers, and they in turn transition into the limbs with no abrupt change in geometry.

The grip and riser length is 18 and 1/4 inches from the point it narrows at each limb. The grip is made of walnut with three laminates of maple on the outside. A layer of black e-glass goes over all, and at the grip there is a walnut addition of finger grooves. Above and below the grip there are an additional two layers of maple for the limbs plus the belly layer of e-glass. The total depth of the grip is 2 and 1/16th inches, and it is what I would describe as straight. The sight window is 3 and 1/2 inches, and the arrow shelf is 7/16th of an inch in depth. Dave includes a calf hair pad on the shelf and side plate.

The limbs are 26 1/4 inches long from the riser’s end to the tip. As it is a long bow, the limbs are perfectly straight. The draw weight is, as I mentioned, 51# at 28 inches, and it will draw to 31”. The limbs have a rectangular cross-section, and are 1 and 5/16th inches at their widest. The bow nocks are made of walnut, and are handsomely carved out of the tips.

Walnut and Maple Laminations

The string is a standard 3-ply Flemish in brown and green, and is as good a looking piece of woven string as any I’ve seen.

The draw is smooth with a constant increase in poundage.

There is no hint of stacking at the end of the draw. Stacking is when you hit a point where the bow is not going to bend any further. The fibers on the back of the bow are as stretched out as they will go and the ones on the inside are at maximum compression. The American is smooth all the way back, with room to spare for those of you that are longer reached.

I also draw with three fingers, no mechanicals for Albert. As it is a long bow, the string angle is great enough to make finger pinch a none issue. For shorter bows a release might be necessary, or a different gripping method such as a thumb ring.

Those are the physical attributes of the SWC American Long Bow. I am really impressed by the fit and finish, the quality of the materials; for the money you cannot go wrong!

In the next couple of days, I’ll delve into my impressions from the initial shoot, and what I am going to need to work on.

The SWC American Longbow
Base Price: $189.00

NEWS: The American is now being hand crafted by Michael Lee of Stickbow Archery. Same quality, same great price. Check out Michael's blog Michael Lee's Stickbow Archery!