| This is just my opinion so take it for what it's worth - AFB is just an easier option all round. They are usually glass backed laminated wood so very stable and virtually maintenance free.
They have a well defined handle and an arrow shelf so easy to get your hand position right and a consistent nocking point.
The shelfs are cut into the riser - you are not shooting around the handle so arrow spine is not that critical - my 45# Border Griffin will send wood, aluminium or carbon arrows spined 30-55# to the same spot with the only real variance being elevation due to the weight of the shafts.
They are easier to shoot in my opinion. 45 lbs of glass backed laminates with carbon will send an arrow downrange with a lot more speed and far less handshock than an equivalent ELB. The higher FPS and resulting flatter trajectory makes any aiming method more repeatable and less critical of yardage estimation.
Modern materials and manufacturing methods as well as computer aided designs are constantly pushing the performance of AFBs up - there are some very high tech, super high performance AFBs out there.
IMO it is not really fair to compare ELBs and AFBs as they are very different animals. ELB shooters are content to accept the performance limitations of a straight stick & string in the name of history & tradition. Getting the max out of an ELB is a labour of love which I suspect has a lot to do with the appeal. The flatbow is a very ancient design but I feel that you cannot put a modern AFB into the same trad category as an ELB.
The shape of the AFB appeals to me - I own five of them - but I also love how a skilled bowyer has managed to squeeze so much energy out of a wooden bow. My Zeta is D-shaped at brace height to conform with IFAA rules but it's a wolf in sheep's clothing. I also have a 35# Viper which I use to practice form and anti-target panic drills. It will whack my standard pine shafts over 160 yards with effortless ease. It is left constantly strung so I can grab it for a quick practise and hasn't lost an ounce of draw weight. I can fling it in the back of my landy and abandon it for days without worry. A solid performing, good looking, tough field bow for under £100.
Basically, if the historical/trad aspects of the longbow is what is calling to you then embrace it. If the AFBs performance and shootability is more important then go for it. Better still get one of each! |