I recently posted a JD Berry Morningstar on the classifieds here and some other sites. I have had many comments that it is strung backwards and it is a right hand bow when I’m listing it as a lefty. Time to educate the pilgrims out there. It is definitely LEFT HAND and by the way it’s sold pending funds.

There are a lot of computer experts.

“Strung backwards”....now that’s funny. Nice bow!

I would have bought it had it been right hand, I saw it posted right away. Great looking bow! I've been checking out the morning star and the north star.

Why

Great bows and there is a certain cache to walking around with a bow that some people believe you have strung backwards and watching their faces after they have watched you shoot. Fun can be had!

2x what monkeyball said. I can see where a novice could get confused.

And they are great shooters!

I love reverse handle longbows. Have a Northern Mist Whisper and a J.D. Berry Valor, which have a more rounded grip configuration than the North Star or Morning Star. Have never tried one of the "Stars," but have a North Star on the way. Looking forward to shooting it.

Love my Morning Star !!!

Just for kicks, what would happen if you sting it the other way and shoot it righthanded? Do you think it could take it?

The Morning Star has some set back so if you strung it backward, it would be a string follow. I think it would handle being strung backward just fine, though it may not shoot as well.

I hate to see this bow go. I don’t want to be tempted with a new shoulder rebuild. Hoping to be back shooting mid forties after surgery.

Saw that bow - really nice one! I love the JD Berry ASL “Star” forward handle bows - really sweet shooters. I confess I did once pick up a morning star thinking it was a misty dawn until I got a little closer look - funny. JW

Hmm, that reminds me, I have beautiful new Morning Star, mid 30 pounds, that I have not even strung up yet. What am I waiting for????

Ronp, you have a mid 30s Morning Star that is just about the dumbest thing that i have ever heard, you should get rid of it if you don't have a reason to shoot it. I'll buy it, my wife needs a slightly lighter draw bow . Oh, What hand is it. All those Morningstars do is rip up feathers and break nocks, imagine what they could do with a stabilizer and a sight pin. Just kidding, I have wrecked so many arrows shooting targets with mine, it got a little crazy. Big targets more dandelion stuck in the target, that's the secret for keeping arrow healthy.

Yup Dean, I'm going to have to dig it out a shoot a few arrows. I just never shot a long bow too well. Although I also have a Taipan that's a little heavier that I shot OK. They are really beautiful bows.

ronp........that is a sin not even to string it up, let alone not shoot it. What the heck is wrong with you.......lol Send it to Georgia I'll break it in for you.

I have a forward handle Howard Hill made by Craig and I get the same comments when I post pictures of the bow. There are a lot of folks out there who have never seen a forward handle longbow much less shot one.

I have a forward handle Howard Hill made by Craig and I get the same comments when I post pictures of the bow. There are a lot of folks out there who have never seen a forward handle longbow much less shot one.

agree with you ron w. When I get a new bow, it is taken more seriously than some people take when adapt children. As good a parents as these people are they know enough to not adapt more kids than they can feed and properly care for. There are bows that i pick for cheap with every intent on getting someone to adapt and care for. It is very sad when one considers the care that Mr. JD put into them, just to collect dust. A bow can only live if it is loved and throwing arrows.

I hear this happens to arrows at full draw with these reverse handle bows. :)

I had a forward handle Howard Hill bow I took to several shoots with the thought of selling. Didn't realize how many people had never seen or shot a forward handle bow. Almost comical. Finally decided to pull it off the table before someone hurt themselves or the bow when I was busy with another customer.

Who came up with this design? Is it something relatively new? What are the shooting characteristics?

The design has been around for a long time. Usually, the handle is shaped like a shallow parabola on the back side of the bow. J.D. Berry is the only bowyer I'm aware of who actually shapes the reverse handle exactly as he would shape a standard riser, just affixing it to the back of the bow rather than the belly.

J.D. does this on two of his models, the Morning Star and the North Star. His Valor is the more typical looking reverse handle.

They shoot similar to other ASLs, other things being equal. Because the handle is in front of the limbs rather than behind them, the design helps minimize the effects of torquing the bow. Also, because the riser is on the back of the limbs rather than the belly side, the limbs are not flexed as much/far at a given draw as they would be if the riser were on the belly side of the bow.

In my opinion, this enables the shooter to go with a two- inch shorter bow than a standard riser ASL. For example, if one normally shoots a 68-inch ASL, would probably find a 66-inch reverse handle to work just as well.

On the other hand, a lot of folks just don 't like the way they look. Takes a little getting used to. :>)

JD built more into the Morningstar than first catches the eye. I have only let another person touch my Morningstar, my son. Then i quickly took it away from him. One knuckle head tried to touch it where it was hanging on a wooden pin at a shoot, saying, "What kind of an idiot puts the lacing on the wrong side of the grip. I'll show you how it is suppose to go." I said, "Touch it, I break your arm." He, at first, was going for it anyway, then he realized that the heavy elephant head hard wood walking stick served two functions, when he saw that I was quickly going to give him a tattoo that he would keep for a while he backed down. I detest big shot BS bully types and they are never allowed to touch my bows.

Don't forget about his Taipan bows - great shooters and very hard hitting.

First 2 LB's I ever bought was from James. A Yahweh, then the Renaissance. Beautiful works of art and even better shooters. I might have to give this reverse a try.

I just placed an order for a Taipan II from James, very fast and accurate bow.

In my opinion, James Berry makes the Best ASL in this Country, bar none. I’ve shot most of the big names over the last 48 years, and all of James designs are a pleasure to shoot . I have 5 of his and shoot them all regularly, my favorites are the Morningstar, Northstar and specially the Taipan. Obviously I love a forward handle Riser. ‘

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