Traditional Archery

Traditional archery is the use of longbow, recurve or reflex bows without the use of sites or gadgets, relying instead on training eyes and hands to shoot. Traditional archers shoot for fun or as practise with 3D targets or roving to simulate hunting conditions as closely as possible. Traditional archers use fiberglass, laminate, composite bows or selfbows. Many prefer to use arrows with wooden shafts but some will use aluminium.

Traditional archery has distinct advantages over archery using compound bows with gadgets and sites. A traditional bow is less likely to fail in adverse weather conditions, for instance snow, rain or cold, is quieter, easier to repair and less likely to catch on branches. A traditional archer is not limited to shooting in a vertical position and give a quicker shot. However, it takes more practise and the archer must get closer to the target.

Some people may choose traditional archery because of their interest in history and their desire to recreate the bows and conditions of archers of the past. They may prefer the long bows used in Britain in the past, or the composite bows used by the Chinese or Japanese. for those who have mastered compound bows they choose a traditional bow as a new challenge, one that needs more skill and practice. Some traditional archers enjoy crafting their own selfbows and arrows, searching in the woods for the perfect piece of yew or making a quiver or arm guards from a piece of animal hide. Others prefer the simplicity of a low-tech sport as a way to escape the high tech society we live in today.

To get started in traditional archery consider joining a local club. You can find a list of clubs in the US at Traditional Archery Supply or in the UK at GBG Guide UK Archery

It is fairly low cost to get started. A long bow, arrows, quiver, finger tab and brace will cost about 220 pounds or about $US400 new. Membership of the British Longbow Society is 6 pounds a year.
It is also a sport for everyone. Children can begin at 5 years old and the physically challenged
can compete on equal terms.

Recurve and Composite Bow Construction

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The Bow

A bow consists of a pair of limbs, usually of wood, connected by a string. the limbs are curved and elastic. To project arrows or other projectile, energy is stored in the limbs then released to project the arrow. This is achieved by pulling backwards on the string and exerting compression force on the inner section of the bow and placing the back section under tension. The more force needed to draw back the string the more energy is stored by the limbs, and consequently, the projectile is expelled faster and further. This force is known as the draw weight. In a hand drawn bow the strength of the archer limits the draw weight and the speed and distance of the arrow. Mechanically drawn bows depend on the sophistication of the device used to cock the bow. The limb elasticity also affects the performance. larger draw weights are achieved with longer limbs but may not be suitable for all archers and all circumstances. A mounted archer will require shorter limbs and the size of a standing archer will determine what size bow can be wielded.Strain is placed on the limbs by the repeated bending.

In a recurve bow the tips are bent back towards the archer, giving a greater draw weight but increasing the strain on the materials and also increasing the noise. A durable, high tensile strength material is needed for the limbs and wood has traditionally been used, especially in single material bows. Sophisticated techniques emerged to take advantage of the properties of various woods, for instance Yew was widely employed in Europe as the heartwood is excellent for storing energy and the sapwood has high tensile strength.

A compound bow, unlike a single bow, uses a combination of materials in its construction. Historically materials such as bamboo, horn and sinew were used in a laminated construction. These types of bow have a higher draw weight with shorter limbs but are not as sturdy as single material bows. they may also be made using water soluble glue so need to be kept dry. Nowadays fiberglass, carbon fiber, laminated wood and metals may all be used in their construction.

The String

The string used needs to be lightweight but resistant to stretching, unaffected by moisture but still hold the required draw weight. In the past animal sinew, guts and hair were used as well as some plant fibres such as hemp or linen. The plant fibres were more expensive to produce but had superior strength. Nowadays synthetic polymers are used that are resistant to moisture and have good mechanical properties. They are also cheap to produce. A compound bow will have also have a steel cable attached to a mechanical system for the string to pass when it is pulled.

History of the Crossbow

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Early Beginnings

The available evidence suggests crossbows made their first appearance in the later years of the 4th century BC in the areas around China and were used in untended traps and possibly as a toy. An early Chinese document, from the 4th century BC mentions a giant crossbow catapult and Sun Tzu’s book The Art of War from the years between 500 and 300 BC also mentions the use of crossbows. By the year 200 BC the crossbow was extensively used in warfare all across China. The remains of crossbows have also been found in the tomb of the emperor Qin Shi Huang among the soldiers of the Terracotta Army.

The Greek World

From the Greek world the earliest date the crossbow appeared was in the 5th century BC and was called a gastraphetes. It was used in the siege of Motya in the year 397 BC and also by the Greek besiegers during the siege of Tyre in 332 BC. Believed to have been invented around 400 BC it was powered by a composite bow and was cocked by resting the stock against the stomach and pressing down. It is very well described in the Belopoeica by Heron of Alexandria. Increasingly powerful projectiles were used and this led to the the production of oxybeles, composite bows with a stock and a trigger operated on a stand, and then to the larger ballista.

Europe

In Europe the crossbow was used by the Romans and was used, famously, in the Battle of Hastings in 1066. In the twelfth century hand bows were almost completely replaced by crossbows. Longbows, while effective at a greater range than crossbows need years of practice while a competency in the use of a crossbow could be achieved in as short a time as a week. In Europe armies often consisted of crossbowmen, archers and javelin throwers as a central component of a battle formation. They also engaged in skirmishes before a battle and were used to protect the infantry. Crossbows could also pierce a knight’s armour and an attack by pikemen and crossbowmen against knights with lances was very effective.With the invention of ratchet and push lever drawing mechanisms crossbows could be used while on horseback and new cavalry tactics were invented to take advantage of this. Eventually the use of crossbows and other weapons was superseded by the use of gunpowder weapons, although in the early days gunpowder weapons had distinct disadvantages as they were less accurate than crossbows and were slower to reload.

In Other Places

Crossbows were used in Asia as siege weapons and a repeating crossbow with an automatic reload system was invented by the Chinese. The Saracens effectively used composite crossbows against the Crusaders and the Muslim armies in Spain also used crossbows.The crossbow was used in Africa for hunting and by scouts and the technology was brought to America with the slave trade. The Inuit, in North America, also used light crossbows for hunting.

Today

Today crossbows are mainly used for target shooting although they are still used for hunting in parts of the world

Barnett Quad 400 Review

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With the quad 400 Barnett introduces the patented anti vibration system (avi). This system used innovative technology to dampen down shock, vibration and noise by using a soft touch material on each limb. noises that result from accidental contact with stands, trees or other objects are also damped down. The quad 400 features Realtree hardwood camo finish and a multi reticle scope that has a programmed five point crosshair system to allow quick aim.

The Barnett Quad 400 crossbow has a 340 feet per second speed rating and 122 foot pounds. The lighter composite stock is comfortable and has an integrated point for attaching a cocking device. With a draw weight of 150 pounds a cocking device is required but is not included in the package. The attachment is covered by a contoured cheek piece that also adds to the comfort. The stock is short enough for people with short arms to operate it comfortably.

Precision is achieved with a smooth five pound pull and a rugged machined scope mount and a 4 x 32 multi reticle scope is included. Also in the package is a Quick Detach Quiver with four carbon shaft bolts.

Barnett Quad 400 AVI Crossbow Package
List Price:$429.99
The Barnett(r) Quad 400 AVI crossbow conveys raw power, performance, and style. It boasts a 15.5-in power stroke to produce arrow speeds of up to 345 feet per second. It utilizes Anti Vibration Isolation Limb technology for dependable vibration dampening.
Click here for more details on Barnett Quad 400 AVI Crossbow Package

Advantages

Powerful crossbow. Good precision and short stock makes it suitable for anyone to operate.

Disadvantages

Some people have reported problems with the string breaking.

No cocking device included

Horton Legend XT175 Review

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Features

The well designed stock on the Horton Legend XT175 makes for very nice handling as it is thicker then the Excalibur’s or the Tenpoint’s and has a convenient top handle. The foregrip is well designed and allows firm gripping while keeping the fingers below the rail. However the large cams, foot stirrup and machined yoke tend to add weight and displace the balance a little too forward.

The crank module mounted on the stock rear is easy to use and easily removable before shooting. You could also use a classic rope cocking system. Arrow speeds are around 300 feet per second with very little variation between groups. The speed and precision are adequate for most game but for the very largest you might need a different crossbow, the Hunter HD or Legacy 225 for example. The integral yolk system with adjustable cables allows automatic alignment and easy adjustment of tolerances and mounting dimensions.

The large pistol grip is comfortable and gives a good grip. The large limbs, compared to other crossbows, plus the large cams make for easier handling but do add some weight. The stock length can be altered by replacing optional modules.

Advantages

Nice, well designed stock and top handle gives comfortable use.
Good precision and arrow speeds.
Well designed yoke system allows adjustments.

Disadvantages

The Horton Legend XT175 includes a peep and pin sight which has been reported to lead to excessive string wear due to a slight misplacement of the pin support. The only solution is to remove the pin sight completely.
The Horton Legend XT175 also has vibrates too much. This may be due to the yoke system that is made from solid aluminium. The added weight on deceleration causes the vibration and noise.