Hickory world record flight bow.

[loefflerchuck]

  I made this bow from a hickory stave I got off ebay 5 years ago. Had a perfect natural reflex and planned for years to try to make a flight bow from it. Started on it last spring and and by late summer had a competitive bow to take to the Bonneville flight shooting event. At that time the bow was tillered perfect but not finished and still had some tool marks on it. I finished it this month and sealed it with a few coats of home made turpentine and pitch, then a few coats of tung oil.
  I learned much of what I know about flight bows from Steve Gardner(Badger). He has said the most important thing to getting the best performance out of a bow is a slow tiller on a perfectly seasoned stave. If you do this right you get very little to almost no set. This is a old school flight bow design in that it is short and has a long draw. Here in Utah hickory is one of the best bow woods. It can function at a lower moisture content and thrive more than any other wood I know.
  This bow is contact recurve 57.5" and has a draw of 67# @ 28". It took almost no set through tillering and shooting. It was my first time making and shooting flight arrows. It holds the world record for 70# primitive self flight at 325 yards. The first shot I took I used a 8 strand linen string that broke. My backup string was 16 strand linen but it did the trick.
  Arvin(selfbowman) held the previous record. I have no doubt he has the talent to build one of his osage bows that can beat this record. Hope to see a newcomer show up with a bow that can take it too. I'll show up with new bows and arrows to try and top this shot.

[loefflerchuck]

more photos

[loefflerchuck]

Full draw. I'm not quite in shape to draw 70# so The bow is tilted and I'm a little strained.

[Ricardovanleeuwen]

Congratsiolations on the record, its a Nice looking bow. What is the purpose of the groove in the middle of the tips/belly side ?

[BowEd]

A well done congratulations Chuck.Amazing bow.Good old heat treated hickory.Thought it might be some of your siberian elm up there.I remember that bow you showed some time ago.A real smoker.What grain was the arrow?They look bamboo.

[Bob Barnes]

what a great looking bow...love the way you made the tips/string grooves... very nice.  The unstrung profile shows how well you tillered it... congrats on the new record.  It will give Arvin something to strive for again...

[rps3]

Congratulations. I love hickory, but my climate doesnt.

[loefflerchuck]

shoot

[willie]

nice bow, and nice of you to post the pics

[Hawkdancer]

That is a very nice bow!  Definitely worth an ATTABOY! And 2 bowyer.  :BB . Congratulations on the record!
Hawkdancer

[simson]

Congrats Chuck!
Great bow for sure and I bet it was a fun at that salty place.

[Del the cat]

Congrats... great achievement, nice pics and good detailed story
Del
PS Arrow spec's ? Or if you tell us will you have to kills us? 

[lonbow]

Congratiulations to your world record! Thatīs a really nice bow.

Iīd like to ask you a couple of questions: How broad is the bow at its widest part and what is the mass of your bow?

Thanks in advance!

lonbow

[bradsmith2010]

Congrats on your bow,,and your shooting,,,thanks for sharing

[Hrothgar]

Congratulations! Good looking bow!