Efficiency of Sinew Backed vs Self Bows

[PatM]

...but aren't sinew backed hunting bows vs. sinew backed flight bows apples vs. oranges?

Not really.   Plenty of folks back in the day hunted with their flight style bows.   The style championed by Bob Martin and Nelson Hoffman was essentially a flight bow.

 Also  Chester Stevenson  shot a broadhead over 300 yards with a more flight style bow at the inaugural Pope and Young shoot back in the 30s.

 Now folks get giddy with over 200.

[sleek]

I'd like to see what bow was used, or at least the style of bow. Was the arrow weight 10 gpp, or was it shot into a hurricane?

[PEARL DRUMS]

Some day we might just re-crack the illusive code to incredible, unbelievable numbers. Keep building, boys.

[PatM]

Some day we might just re-crack the illusive code to incredible, unbelievable numbers. Keep building, boys.

 We already know the code, folks have just been scared off by the  "save your bow from breakdown" fear mongering.

Back then guys shot them out and made another.   The odd thing is that the people most into saving their bows from stress probably make and  discard/retire more bows than anyone else.

  Sleek,   The bow Stevenson shot over 300 with was a heavyish draw Yew recurve.  Likely of somewhat shorter length and probably overdrawn too.  He liked heavy draw weight and heavier arrows but undoubtedly the arrow was still less than 10gpp.

[PEARL DRUMS]

So saying he shot his heavy weight/over drawn bow 300 yards and we get excited about 50# bows shooting 200 yards isn't really a fair comparison.

[sleek]

Some day we might just re-crack the illusive code to incredible, unbelievable numbers. Keep building, boys.

 We already know the code, folks have just been scared off by the  "save your bow from breakdown" fear mongering.

Back then guys shot them out and made another.   The odd thing is that the people most into saving their bows from stress probably make and  discard/retire more bows than anyone else.

  Sleek,   The bow Stevenson shot over 300 with was a heavyish draw Yew recurve.  Likely of somewhat shorter length and probably overdrawn too.  He liked heavy draw weight and heavier arrows but undoubtedly the arrow was still less than 10gpp.

Thanks for the clarification Pat.

[PatM]

So saying he shot his heavy weight/over drawn bow 300 yards and we get excited about 50# bows shooting 200 yards isn't really a fair comparison.

Perhaps not but it's also well beyond the current unlimited self bow record.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I found these numbers on-line. I see a lot of 300+ self bow numbers, unless I am reading it incorrectly?

Unl English Longbow 371-1-4 / 339.65m Alistair Aston 08/??/07 *
50lb English Longbow 318 - 2 - 5 / 291.52m Dan Perry 09/07/07
35lb English Longbow 259 - 0 - 3 / 236.92m Brian Perry (Youth) 09/07/07
Unl Primitive Self 350 - 0 - 11 / 320.31m Scot Perry (Youth) 09/08/07
50lb Primitive Self 340 - 0 - 6 / 311.05m Dan Perry 09/08/07
35lb Primitive Self 233-0-3 / 210.37m Scot Perry (Youth) 08/03/02
Unl Prim. Simple Composite 351-2-4 / 321.72m Dewayne Smith 09/06/03
50lb Prim. Simple Composite 326-1-11 /298.67m Bert McCune 10/08/94
Unl Prim. Complex Composite 619-1-7 / 566.50m Don Brown 10/07/95
50lb Prim. Complex Composite 321-0-8 / 293.74

[PatM]

 The Stevenson shot was a broadhead shot, not regular flight like the list you posted.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Seems crazy that a broadhead can take a 150 +/- yards off a shot from the same bow and arrow? But, I'm a simple hunter and don't shoot arrows past 15-20 yards very often.

[bradsmith2010]

A broad head arrow would weigh much more? About how much?

[PatM]

The broadhead classes have weight, feather and head limits which have recently been tinkered with a bit but the regular flight class is  less restrictive.    That can  and does drastically change distances.

[Marc St Louis]

A sinew backing can improve performance. Design plays a part but so does moisture.  I wouldn't use a sinew backed bow for hunting up here because it's too humid

[Selfbowman]

Pat the current unlimited broadhead class is 298 yds I think. Somewhere around a hundred pound bow I think. Just what was the sinew record in the thirty’s? 301,307, 327? This could get revisited in say 6 weeks! Ok I took the bate. Arvin

[Selfbowman]

Ok Pat here is the low down. I shot my 50# selfbow 239 yds to break my 223 record. I built some bows for others also. The best broadhead shot from a90# bow 287 yds.The young man lacked about 3/4-1” getting it all the way back. I built a 68# bow that a lady shot for the team . It shot a broadhead 288yds.   54 yds past my established record from last year. Go figure. Gets me . Maybe Chuck could shed some light on the sinew backed bows he shot there. I think he shot some 70# bows. Don’t remember his shot distances. I understand the stretch in the sinew and how it pulls the bow back in place and should put more tension on the belly. Just some test guys.  Arvin