I just ordered a liberty contender. 68 in and 55 @ 28. Can't wait to get it. It's supposed to be here in 5 weeks. Mine will be all Myrtle with Bamboo cores. I have not shot longbows that much, mostly recurves. What should I expect? Any suggestions for my order? Or pictures of other wood combinations?

Allen makes a great bow, you'll be very happy with it.

I shoot one of Allen's Edge's Great bow

I like the Contender, it's more of a D configuration at brace, and smooth as silk. You can't get any better, honestly. It's one bow I would buy again without hesitation.

You're gonna like it,,,very smooth,, I had a Liberty Chief a few years ago and would not hesitate to own another.

Paul, sorry I would not sell you mine at the time. You will be very happy with Allen and his bows. Oh and his is very conservative with his time estimates. Bet youll have it in 3 weeks. BILL

I ordered a Contender a year ago with similar specs as yours, and love it. Here's a great bowyer who makes a great bow.

You have no worries. A man of the highest integrity and his bows reflect it in every way. You will enjoy it. 58

Did he quit making the chief ?

I agree with everyone's comments. Man of integrity who builds a beautiful bow. My favorite model is the Contender. His cocobolo handle and yew limbs were out of sight!

I have aChief and English. craftsmanship is superior-really, superior. His fades are razor sharp. Plus he has the integrity to go along with his craftsmanship. Now, the business end-they just plain shoot!

Great guy...Great bows! Love my English.

You never hear anything bad about Allen's bows so am sure you will be happy as long as the grip fits,that's what a bow is all about in my opinion. If the grip doesn't work for you I don't care how nice it is the bow will suck for you.

May I ask why you went with him without trying before you buy?

You done good, he & his L/B's are TOPS !!!

very happy with mine I have the edge and the contender, usually go for the contender like the look and feel

Alan's bows are awesome. If I had my choice of longbows, it would either be a Contender or an Abbott! I owned a Chief for a long time and loved it. It was just a hair shorter and heavier than I would have liked, but I know if it was 64" instead of 62" and #55 instead of #59, I would have held onto it for goot. Craftsmanship and finish are excellent. I got mine used, but I hear he is very easy to deal with.

Alan's bows are awesome. If I had my choice of longbows, it would either be a Contender or an Abbott! I owned a Chief for a long time and loved it. It was just a hair shorter and heavier than I would have liked, but I know if it was 64" instead of 62" and #55 instead of #59, I would have held onto it for goot. Craftsmanship and finish are excellent. I got mine used, but I hear he is very easy to deal with.

Craftsmanship is excellent, as good as possible.I have not shot any of his new bows though so cannot really comment on how they shoot. God bless you all, Steve

Dear Mike:

No real chance to try before I buy. I am going on recommendations. I am confident and hopeful at the same time.

I would expect a perfectly made bow.I have had a few chiefs and contenders.

As far as suggestions I think the maccassor ebony or gaboon ebony might be the best matched riser wood for the myrtle veneers.

I had a macassor ebony riser with tiger myrtle veneered chief that was very elegant.

The gaboon ebony riser will go with anything.

The coco bolo riseris nice.But I dont think it matches up quite as well with the myrtle limbs as the other 2 choices I mentioned.

I do like the tiger myrtle alot for limb veneers.

Thank you everyone for the words and pictures. I really appreciate your input. Can't wait to get my bow!!

Test driving his Classic this weekend. String follow with straight grip. 58

Test driving his Classic this weekend. String follow with straight grip. 58

Picked this one up used last month, its my first Liberty. I like it, well made, draws smooth, and shoots hard.

Some of the finest bows ever made. - lbg

58 Winters, Please give us a review of the Classic. I am looking at one of these. Thanks!

Gotcha Butchie. Be shooting her tomorrow. 58

Butchie, Allen brought 2 Classics for me to shoot both 66" one 52# and one @ 51#. I shot each one 50 plus times around a private 3D course. I used 1916 and 2016 aluminums with 200 grain points 5-1/2 parabolic left wing 534 and 550 grains respectively. Bocote risers bamboo cored bows. There is nothing more I can add to what has already been said regarding the fit and finish of Allen's bows they are finely crafted weapons to be sure. I currently have a Howard Hill Wesley Special 50@ 28 68". In the past I owned several Liberty bows all of them English models which have moved on due to the necessity to drop down in poundage over the years. The straight limb bow is what I like to shoot and yes I have owned R/D longbows and a Bob Lee recurve. To the Classic string follow. As with another string follow I own and can't shoot anymore (74# @ 28 68") the string tension off brace height is not stiff the 1st inch or so, it is, for lack of a better word, soft. I like this characteristic in the initial part of the draw. I think this adds to the forgiveness in shooting errors with this design. The bows had straight grips, I had no problems with grip torque. The bow points like an extension of your arm and hand, it just becomes part of you. At the shot there is a VERY SLIGHT bump in your palm, just enough to let you know you've been part of the process. These bows were fun,easy to shoot well and didn't wear me out. In comparison, my Hill, which I like very much, wears my shoulder out in 40-50 arrows at the same poundage and doesn't point as naturally for me because the grip sits further behind the limb and is more suseptible to torque. The Liberty cast the arrows as well as non string follow bows I have shot with similar poundage and I would gladly give up a few fps, if it was the case, for the characteristics of forgiveness and the natural pointability it offers. In short I paid for and ordered a 68". Poundage and wood/glass to be decided in the next few days. 58

Thats about the same experience,i had when i shot the Classic,at Western states,last spring.

Thanks 58! About what I expected given what I had heard previously about the Classic. I love my English but have always wanted a SF bow. I think a Classic is in my future!

paul you are going to love that 68 with the bamboo cores. 68 is my favorite length and i draw 27. the contender should super accurate at that length. it's going to be fun. 58

I had a pre-owned hinged TD Contender and it was a very well-made bow, including the leather section surrounding the hinge (which on some bows can sometimes can be a bit sloppy around the edges). Sold it because the grip was on the large side and I didn't care for the locator grip, but it shot very well and I've not seen better workmanship on any bow. I would consider buying another if the grip size/shape were reconfigured a bit. I've never seen a straight-grip Liberty...that would make a nice bow.

I have owned 7 Liberty Longbows .

Allen makes perhaps the finest shooting and looking longbows I have ever shot. His "English" model is just one super sweet , accurate and stable bow

Here is my 53# yew "English" that has dropped many a hog, rabbit and wild goat ... sank a 500gn Ribtek tipped cedar in one side and out the other

Allen is a good bloke .

Altek, Allen is offering a straight grip on the Classic string follow. I'm reasonably sure it is available on the English as well. Check the website. 58

Thanks 58winters, I meant that I had never seen his straight-grip in person, but I have seen pics of his English model. Seems that the locator design is more popular with Allen's bows, but whatever model of Liberty one chooses it's for sure going to be a looker and a shooter. Allen makes a nice bow.

My Liberty Contender Elite. A Cadillac among longbows.

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