Starting traditional archery - need advice

[jaarus]

Hi all,
I have now reached a point where I feel I can branch out a bit into other disciplines.
Traditional archery was the aspect that inspired me to take up archery in the first place but our coaches at the training course said that you should stick with recurve until you are consistent and confident to try other styles (compound or traditional) so thats what I did....

What type of bow should I start with - AFB / Longbow / Scythian etc
The club is mainly Longbow but as the discipline is so different to the stabilisers and apetures etc etc I am used to talking about - I dont know what to ask etc when I corner one of the Longbow shooters.

I have popped a 'wanted' notice on the new www.archery-auction.co.uk (top of page click on the 'wanted' tab) for all types of traditional bow as I am really keen to get started (preferably on the cheap!!)
Is there a particular bow thats advisable to start with? (either through ease of style or simply that there will be more about secondhand)


Many thanks
Jaarus

[Schme1440]

I got into trad very easy. Paid less than £80 for a mongo replica off ebay at 45#, spent less than £40 for a dozen matched (make your own) arrows and then did a NFAS shoot. If you go flatbow or longbow it can be more expensive (it appears that way) but they do shoot much different to Synthian style bows. Longbows and afb are more harsh to shoot. Synthians seem to be a good place to start IMO.

[jaarus]

Cool, thanks for the reply.

Is there much of a following for the mongo?
I know our club's traditional shooters are all Longbow (maybe something to do with Richard Head being a member lol)

I did shoot a hungarian jobbie (not sure if thats the same type of thing as your mongo but it was a curvy bow in any case) at the end of my beginners course and it felt nice with a subtle creeek as you drew it back (like that Huroki *sp?* fella's bow from Lord of the Rings)
Really satisfying.

Can see why you are taken with it if that is same kind of thing you have.

Is it hard to start with a longbow - I have drawn a few (never released) and they stack a lot as expected.
But does the 'snappiness' of the longbow compared to the mongo mean its harder to get to grips with?

[Schme1440]

Originally Posted by jaarus

Cool, thanks for the reply.

Is there much of a following for the mongo?
I know our club's traditional shooters are all Longbow (maybe something to do with Richard Head being a member lol)

I did shoot a hungarian jobbie (not sure if thats the same type of thing as your mongo but it was a curvy bow in any case) at the end of my beginners course and it felt nice with a subtle creeek as you drew it back (like that Huroki *sp?* fella's bow from Lord of the Rings)
Really satisfying.

Can see why you are taken with it if that is same kind of thing you have.

Is it hard to start with a longbow - I have drawn a few (never released) and they stack a lot as expected.
But does the 'snappiness' of the lonbow compared to the mongo mean its harder to get to grips with?

Well I would say yes. Because the mongo style bows are soo smooth compared to AFb and Longbows it must be easier to shoot a mongo. I have a mongo and have shot both AFB's and a longbow. The mongo is the nicest to shoot in all aspects. Really light and smooth to shoot.

But my main point was it was really cheap for me to get into shooting my mongo but it seems more expensive to get into Longbow or AFb unless you can get hold of a cheap one. Mongo are normally only used on NFAS but could be used as a barebow in target archery.

[SVL]

I have Mongo, Turkisk, FB and LB.
The LB was most expensive and the Mongo the cheapest.

Love shooting the Turkish best of all. Fast, smooth and very compact bow.
My (Husbands) Mongo is similar but not so fast.

If you are going for field archery go for a Mongo or Turkish (or similar)
If you want to to BLBS shoots get a LB. But it is worth getting one made just for you.

What ever you end up with ..... enjoy your archery

[Schme1440]

Originally Posted by SVL

What ever you end up with ..... enjoy your archery

Too true!

[jaarus]

Thanks guys!
Got my eyes peeled now for a secondhand bow

[JohnK]

You know, a quick and cheap option is to get a T/D trainer bow and shoot it without sights or stabilisers for a while first. They're only about £65 and you can sell it on for not much less.

[English Bowman]

I thought I'd put my five eggs in here.
The pros and cons of different "trad" bows
English Longbow
Pros. Can be shot in GNAS, BLBS, NFAS and EFAA.
Is popular in field clout and target.
Cons. Can stack if not a well made bow.
Made entirely of wood, and so is more variable than a modern bow.
Hard to shoot well due to no cut out or arrow rest
A good one is expensive, and it's probably best to avoid second hand examples.

Ancient Recurve (Mongolian / Scythian / Turkish)
Pros Very fast, and portable.
Cons not accepted as a catorgory in their own right so up against modern recurves.

American Flatbow
Pros Fast and consistant, easier to shoot than an ELB
Cons Not accepted by BLBS or GNAS

My choice having shot all types of bows is the ELB.
It doesn't stack if you get a good one, and can be just as fast as an AFB.
It's more fun to shoot. (Obviously this is personal)
It has a stronger element of tradition for me as well.

I agree with JohnK above get yourself a cheap (possibly second hand) bow. Make yourself a set of wooden arrows, and shoot it in a trad style. If you like it then think about spending more money on something that you realy want, and either way sell on the first bow. (Or do what I did and keep it!)

Daniel

[jaarus]

Thanks for the breakdown - very useful.
Didnt realise that mongo's were classed as a modern recurve when scoring?!