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Fast IFAA-legal longbows

15K views 34 replies 14 participants last post by  Jon Lewis  
#1 ·
I read that some bowyers are making reflex to D shape at brace height bows. I like radical r/d longbows (Shrew) and was wondering what is the closest I can get to which is competition legal in longbow class
 
#2 ·
it depends on your spec.
We made a little hunting bow, R/D at brace and then someone wanted to have a competition legal one. so we tweeked the design. but its still got a little bit of a pistol grip to it.
Image
the hunter version is most right, while the competition one just next to it.

I suppose you might want to contact your bowyer of choice and see if they will make a competition legal one... It worked on us!
 
#4 ·
Those Fox's are sharp looking bows.

I have two IFAA legal longbows built by Ken Rohloff of Whippenstick bows. They maintain the required shape at brace and all other specs. They're off the same form as his normal hybrids but require a little different taper and trapping to the limb. Mine are carbon backed and they are very quick and smooth. They also exhibit excellent vertical stability which is something that not all hybrid style bows have.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v85/str8shooter/WhippenStick/?action=view&current=b6fe9ead.pbw

So far there haven't been any IFAA shoots for me to compete in since I got them (at least not without me flying halfway around the world) but I've done ok with them in IBO stuff.
 
#14 ·
I shoot a Blackbrook Zeta, its a fast bow and its beautifully made.
There is a new kid on the block though. The Blackbrook Sigma. Andy (the bowyer) has tweaked the Zeta design and moved the grip forward and this has made the bow more forgiving. (I have got to get me one!)
Andy also guarantees that his bows are IFAA legal.
For those of you who dont shoot IFAA he also makes a FITA legal one too with some recurve in it.
 
#23 ·
I doubt if there's a week goes by in Europe where someone isn't winning a tournament with one of Andy's bows, they are truly the best of the best along with Ron Kings. I have heard good things about the Sigma, if it tops the Zeta then that leaves all the other guys even further behind the ball but I guess that's what happens when a top level tournament archer designs tournament specific bows. He wins with them himself then puts them into production, it's a great formula :)
i think you can extend that to our bows too, The NFAS has a tough time keeping the Harrier out the titles i beleave. You also need to see the World record set by Katrina in Estonia. I think you should encompass all bows and not just the ones that catch your personal eye.
The Griffon held Swedish title from the rumour vine, as well as some French, Danish titles.
 
#24 ·
our companies provinance can achieve alot which prooves proves our ability to make a stable bow...
here is what our knowledge of bow stability is up for with the best of the best.
Vittorio Frangilli quoted this:
"The Olympic record for 70 mt round is still 684 points established in Atlanta in 1996 by my son, using By Bernardini Ghibli riser, Best Archery limbs (made by Border) and Best Archery Best Mercury stabilizers. And he got Bronze medal by team there. "

This kind of understanding of bows means that the Girffon took first and second at Namibia, Ladies.
So maybe when quoting the best of the best, the ladies should also be included.
Ladies need fast and efficent bows too.

Im sure someone will correct me, but Katarin has achived 4 1st places at world titles. So maybe the high mass riser and brand of bow is not quite as relevant as "the bow is best" when its technically the archer behind it.
The only time the bow is classed better is when it IS quantifably better on paper then its down to the archer.
Saying a bow is best because it was deisgned and shot by someone only means the person shooting it is on good form. unless there is data to proove that the bow helped!
Thats why we dont quote "who won" since you dont get that archer with every bow you buy, we just quote the numbers. When asked we can provide tournament level results from all our bows.
our understanding of bows has even put our crossbow prods in the Croatian team to great success.
 
#25 ·
o

Im sure someone will correct me, but Katarin has achived 4 1st places at world titles.
Katrin has in IFAA 4 world and 5 European titles now and last year she was 3rd at Fita 3D worlds, Spanish girl who won fita 3D's was shooting a 21st Edge and she also won IBO worlds last year and was 2nd to Kats at European Fields.

Some great Female IFAA shooters in Estonia, they took 5 of the top 6 positions in Dahn, I suspect they're all so busy chasing Kats they naturally got better, Ingre was 2nd in Dahn and she is also IFAA Euorpean 3D and Indoor champ and Triin won IFAA worlds in Australia.

Estonia is the Korea of IFAA ladies Longbow :)
 
#28 ·
Sid,
The whole thing about a thread like this is that you have to be subjective and state your own views and opinions.
As far as NFAS and EFAA goes, the best female and male AFB shooters both happen to use Blackbrook bows. Sarah Parker as I stated in another thread is unbeaten in 121 open shoots with hers but it doesn't mean that other shooters don't use other bows. Dennis Alston still wins with his old Sagi bow but my personal experience is that, at this present time, the Zeta is the top dog in Europe and has been for a while now.
I own both Fox and Blackbrook bows and have nothing but praise for both of them. As neither Andy nor Ron contribute to the site I am quite happy to promote their products for them. You are a regular here Sid and happily promote your own stuff, as do others. I respect your opinions on your bows but take more notice of others who shoot them by choice. Those opinions tend to be more real world.
I dont know why Andy doesnt contribute, He has a Username, and lurks alot. Last time we met he commented on my posts since he keeps up with Tradtalk.

as for top dog. Been to a few shoots round europe. Have seen 1 or 2 of Andys bows, but ive seen more Black Widow LB's.

If you want to know our abilities as a family, i'll post a pic of some NFAS national and Scots NFAS Championship medals we have i think there are about 14 or there abouts, My Mum, Dad and Myself picked up during our NFAS years. Most of our shooting took place round the Yorkshire/Lancashire area, My dad shot for scotland, Marked distance, and our production director also gained a poduim place at the European Barebow granted it was a little while ago, but needless to say, They domenated thier Form choice of bow, and won.
We also have some archers here as members of our club that have won Flatbow classes Jason Reed, World and european champ when we attended and Jim Mcdowel holding a european title. with Griffon and Harriers.

I personally have a 2nd place in Portugal under 18's European Bowhunter champs to my name too. Bowhunter.
With My dad having shot for Scotland in Barebow Marked distance, im sure that makes him just as qualified in the "archer come bowyer" stakes too?

So back to my point, unless the bow is stand alone better in its own merrit, then i dare say its the archer that won, not the bow as you discribe.
 
#30 ·
Like I said Sid, you are here doing a stirling ( sorry for the Scottish pun) job of promoting your own bows, as you should, and yes of course it's the archer who makes the difference at the end of the day but the origin of the thread asked for ideas on fast IFAA longbows so I will give suggestions based on my own experience and preferences.
I have shot a few of your bows but choose not to own one so I would be remiss if I were to suggest to the thread starter that I thought they should be considered, that is a job for other who have more experience with them.
We are well aware of your personal friendship's with Andy.
In which case, keeping the poduim places out of the debate as we both hold these, What do you think makes the bow great than another other than the list of the people that shoot them. as every bow has its lists of trophies. As i always like to say, lets get back to stats. DFC's, Chrono results, limb mass, riser mas, Grip type, limb construction... because thats what you get for your money, and not the World champ to shoot it for you!
Without this information, barking up a subjective "fanboy" tree is as usefull as the Chevy vs Ford debate.
This is where Blacky's work is fundamental and very much needed.

You choose not to shoot our bows, but world titled poduim holding archers do, just like Andys, which by your debate, makes them also in a league of thier own by your own words

BTW: I used the word Fanboy, not because im accusing you of it, but because it charcterised the subjectivity of following a brand rather than choosing a product on its merits. We think Archery is full of this, and there is a need for objective data. What i think is impressive is the list of bows without any Chrono results, which is what the OP asked for!