Lots of bows are being sold as longbows. What is the definition ? Does it have to be a certain length? What about centershot. I see bows with recurve handles on them and all they do is switch out the limbs. Is this a long bow? Can it be taken down or one piece?

I don't claim to be an expert, but the current definition seems to be the result of negotiation and compromise on competition definitions. Apparently if the string doesn't contact the belly it qualifies as a longbow. I prefer to call traditional longbows such and the others R/Ds but the only thing that never changes is change itself. Go with the flow I guess.

Well changing the definition due to competition is not right. Lol

The NALS definition.

Longbows ONLY with traditional or reverse handles. String must not touch limbs between nocks when strung. 1,2, and 3 piece reflex or reflex/deflex longbows are allowed, however, the riser and limbs must principally be comprised of wood (no metal or carbon graphite risers allowed; fiberglass or carbon overlay laminates are permitted). All bows must shoot directly off the arrow shelf; elevated rests and/or any type sights are strictly prohibited.

http://www.rockymountainlongbow.ca/nals/docs/2019_NALS_Brochure.pdf

As an aside, I had someone at a NALS shoot say I couldn't shoot my ELB.

I told them if I couldn't nobody else could shoot either.

"String must not touch limbs between nocks when strung."

All else is nitpicking.

If you bow doesn't look like this .... it isn't a longbow :) :)

PS this is my 666 shot, 6 arrows ... 60cms face ... 60 yards

Nice shootin'.

So I can have a 3 piece takedown as long as the string doesn't touch the limbs and I shoot it off the rest?

IMO The REAL difference is the handle.It completely changes your allignment.A REAL longbow cannot be held and shot with a straight wrist.Extreme reflex limb design effects speed.It has nothing to do with how the bow is shot.

It is if the string does or does not touch the limb before it touches the tip.

You guys are going by the Organizational definition that was brought about to include the three piece bow that is nothing close to a real longbow. People will lobby to have rules, and even definition changes to help them be inclusive where they likely shouldn't be. But that's how it goes in modern day. Everyone must be included...even those who can't even kick a soccer ball. It's makes them feel good to call something a longbow that is a hybrid/frankenbow with a large mass riser, cut inside of center with limbs that are high-performance semi recurve like. Then they can boast of how well they can shoot a 'longbow'.

You should be able to tell a longbow by looking at it, not having a special definition that can make a cow into a horse with just a definition change.

I'm with George on this. But don't care much cuz I don't go to shoots where labels are needed and such 'word games' are played.

x2 danac & sipsey river. plain and simple. It's just whether you like strawberry or chocolate or vanilla ice cream it's all still ice cream.

I believe George nailed it. Seems everyone wants to shoot the latest greatest bow even if it's morphed away from the original designs. Most of us don't worry about the competitive definitions so just get out there and shoot, when your shoulder allows of course. :)

" "String must not touch limbs between nocks when strung."

All else is nitpicking. "

Absolutely agree with this. That's the fundamental difference between a longbow and recurve.

Some clubs/organizations I see have gone to "Primitive" and "Modern Longbow" and "Modern Recurve". For Primitive, those purists who want to shoot bows made with only natural materials, wooden arrows, etc. can have their own class.

I personally enjoy shooting all bows. I've tried a few longbows, haven't found one I really enjoy yet. Going to try some ILF longbow limbs on a heavier riser to see if that fits me a little better than the one piece stick bows.

" "String must not touch limbs between nocks when strung."

That doesn't work any more. A recurve riser with longbow limbs is not a longbow. It's a hybrid.

Question: Static Recurves (not the timber ghost type)

Are they really recurves or improperly named and are actually longbows since the string does not touch the limb?

This pic should have been attached to my above comment.

I would think the name Long says it and the string not touching the belly of the limbs. As for the everyone having their own definition of a LB, to each their own.

I agree with Clydebow. It seems there is a "cool" factor in saying "I hunt with a longbow." I like the RD "longbows", but I do not consider them longbows--they are hybrids or simply RD bows.

Well modern day recurves sure look a lot different from the earliest models. Who cares about the definitions other than shoot organizers. They all are "traditional style" bows.

its like a sex change It still aint what you want it to be ; and Its not a longbow

ELB ,ASL= longbow

extream RD= hybrid

recurve riser with straight limbs= transvestite/recurve riser with straight limbs

Also a long bows side plate is cut to the left of center for a right handed shooter along with string not touching the limbs when braced. I forget which Longbow shoot it was or still is, if your long bow between the handle fadeouts, didn't fit in their jig you could not compete with it. That was along about the time 21st Century started coming out with their hybrid style bows with the larger riser/grip, if memory serves me correctly. DANNY

Say what ya want , some of those hybrids are a joy to shoot . Butter smooth.

Yep but they are hybrids

I have 2 from Black Widow- great shooters and hard hitting but I don't try to classify them as a longbow -they are hybrids

Sorry Andy Man, but I didn't vote for you to define what is and what is not a longbow. So does a longbow have to have straight limbs in the traditional D style? Or are we going to bend the rules to our liking to include a modest amount of reflex/deflex in the limbs? How much reflex/deflex is too much? Can the handle be dished? How much mass can a handle have before we no longer consider it to be a "longbow handle?" Can a low stretch string be used? What about using carbon in the limb design rather than fiberglass?

Honestly, don't we have better things to worry about?

I totally agree with George. If I can take my recurve handle and add crossbow limbs to it and the handle is centershit then I’m my mind it is not a longbow

At least you voted for me

the OP asked for definition- I gave him mine give him yours

its a free country

Stickshootet. That string touches the limbs in that bow .

My friend shoots a crossbow with recurved limbs and says it is traditional.

JR, you have a funny typo in that last post--or maybe it was intended??? LOL

And if he put straight limbs on it and that strong didn’t touch the string it would be a longbow. Lol. Jus sayin

To bad this guy didn't have internet! Didn't know his bow is a hybrid and not a longbow. The harpoon on one end sort of disqualifies it as a bow too, I suppose. Oh well, in 1850 they were not as smart as the experts on archery forums. There has to be rules for some competitions to preserve the continuity of past performances, but some ideas are just not accurate in real life.

Mr. Stout, you are 100% correct in my book.

Larry- In addition:

1.Clearly, he doesn't have a leather wrap on the handle.

2.Without a doubt that is a "skinny string".

That abomination is a hybrid!

The "longbow" term originated in England where they apparently were the first Europeans to implement archers to battle cavalry charges in open fields. To meet the requirement the army needed a lot of archers (bows) & the bows needed to be very heavy in order to penetrate knight's armor at long distances.

To supply an army with enough bows that met these requirements they had to make them cheaply & quickly using long, thick staves that could withstand high stresses w/out need for backing materials.

Equipping an army with this type of bow was infinitely more practical than with the eastern style laminated, recurve bows that were shorter & very efficient but each required years to make.

The D shape of the "longbow" was not unique to England. D shaped bows were made all over the world by peoples in Europe, Africa & both North & South America. In fact the yew preferred for the manufacture of English longbows came from Spain. However most of these other D shaped bows were principally hunting weapons & did not need the power to pierce iron armor at 100 or 150 yards. Therefore they were made lighter weight & thus could be much shorter than the English war bow, hence the term "long bow".

Today's "Longbow" Competition Classes are faithful to the originals only in the D-shape requirement. Other than the shape the bows admissible in this class are as different from the originals as any other modern one piece recurve or hybrid. The use of modern glues, backing & string materials, R/D geometry prior to stringing, laminations on back & belly of limbs & tips, and cut out windows on the riser are all inconsistent with the original "longbow".

The class that best matches the original longbows are the "Primitive Bow" classes. I believe the Longbow Class would experience much higher participation if it allowed use of any bow where the string does not touch the limbs of the bow when strung & any arrow material since the modern wood arrow is really not consistent with the war arrows used with the original English war bows.

A longbow is about as long as a man. It must show the arc, as in archery, when strung and when drawn. The riser should be simple and not very long, not massive, not metal, not too much like a recurve. - lbg

Ditto longbowguy. As everything in the World changes for whatever reason so has the longbow.longbows now are a corruption of the recurve. The length of some bows are now under 5 foot and are still called a longbow. Not a one one piece and and so are a takedown. Laminated. Have gained severe deflex reflex limbs.pistol grips style handles,centre cut and have the audacity to call themselves a longbow. I understand longbows are difficult to shoot, but that's the appeal. If i wanted to shoot a longbow that was centre cut pistol gripped for accuracy,etc I would shoot a recurve and be done with it.So what is a longbow? Not what people call them now. So let me go shoot what I consider a longbow.. cheers.

????~~~~~~~~>

I do believe in my pic above the place where the string rests/hits is the called the limb "tip" as with any LB, and not the limb as with a recurve. :)

A longbow is the opposite of a handgun... :0

It depends on if you like longbows or if you want to complete in a "longbow" class with a modern ILF bow that just happens to have straight enough limbs that the string doesn't touch. If you like longbows, you KNOW what a longbow is. If you are looking to compete in the longbow class with a modern bow that is only academically a "longbow", then you analyze the definition.

“what is the definition of a longbow?”

Just one more thing to argue about, evidently....

Some here compete for points on a target face; others for Style Points.

Personally - and for Archery competition - I would support an upper limit for the overall mass weight and depth of the index on the grip, if applicable. I’d probably even go so far as to say that the limb contours should have to be symmetrical about the mid-line of the limb.

That would DQ all 3 of my “longbows” from competition in that class; they’re all more what should probably be called “Flatbows”.

Of course that’s easy for me to not care too much about, since I don’t compete.

JMO....

If you want to shoot what you like, then shoot what you like. If you want to WIN, then find out the rules for the event and choose the equipment that gives you the best shot within their restrictions.

...and if one simply wants to know what a longbow is?

That's still the question... after all.

I wanted to go out to the shop and make a longbow this weekend... but now have no idea what it's supposed to look like. Sounds like I can make it however the heck I want... cuz nobody knows :^)

The normal criteria is that the string must go from nock to nock without contact on the limb. The siyah is part of the limb. It controls the action of the limb while drawing the string back. Asian style bows like that are NOT longbows in any competition I am aware of.

Darn , does it really matter, just grab a bow and some arrows and go have some fun. Doc, when are you going to stop trying to stir up stuff. GT

Flat bows, short bows long bows and hybrids and reflex deflex.

I suppose its anyone's guess sorta like wet and dry fly's and purists how they look a things is much different than the general population.

Whatever they are called don't call us late for diner though. LOL

Nock to nock not touching but then you better not use anything other than wood arrows or your not a long bow man some say.

To me don't matter but to some others it do.

Shot my 70" Checkmate Goldenhawk tonight at the indoor.

Have to start practicing for NALS in Rock Creek B.C.

Handshock..............now I remember what a longbow is.

I think next week I'll shoot my 21st Century Edge.

Larry your old Howatts have spoiled me : )

90% of the time, over the years, I have hunted with a reflex/deflex bow but to me it's not a longbow. What Howard Hill carried is a longbow. JMHO

Btw, that D shape of the english longbow you guys speak of was limb cross section. Not tip to tip shape.

I'm kinda along the line of " if the string only touches the limb at the nock" kinda person. But when I think of a longbow in my head, my English longbows are what I really imagine

A long stick and a string. I have three of them and making two more, they definitely are all wood with a string loop hooked on each end, they are hard to pull back and capable of propelling a shaft at great speed when releasing the string. They are of a D shape which the string can't touch the belly of the limb, only when stringing or un-stringing them.

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