Distance with a Mongolian (or other horse bow)

j.v.

New member
Hi,

I'm interested in getting a Mongolian or other horse bow. I would probably be looking at something fairly light - around 35# to 40# - so with wood arrows, I was wondering what sort of distances are practical with such bows.

Would appreciate any ideas as to what can be acheived.

thanks,

JV
 

Riceburner

Active member
My Samick Mind 50 is 60lb (not sure at what draw length tbh), and I can get out to 180yards for a full length Clout shoot (using quite heavy field woodies with 4" fletchings - I could get further with more appropriate arrows).

I used to get 180yards with a 36lb "training" bow quite easily (with similar arrows).

Admittedly I'm shooting at 40-45degrees to do it! (ie trying to get the optimum parabolic flight).

If you're talking Target archery - 30lbs horsebow will reach out to 100yards, and you'll be shooting flatter than a similar poundage longbow (I would imagine), as the horsebow will "probably" have a better cast. (I used to shoot Yorks with the training bow, barebow)

Go for it, horsebows are great fun to shoot. :)
 

j.v.

New member
If you're talking Target archery - 30lbs horsebow will reach out to 100yards, and you'll be shooting flatter than a similar poundage longbow (I would imagine), as the horsebow will "probably" have a better cast. (I used to shoot Yorks with the training bow, barebow)
That sounds very encouraging... what sort of arrows are you talking about here?

I'm now more tempted than ever! :)
 

Riceburner

Active member
That sounds very encouraging... what sort of arrows are you talking about here?

I'm now more tempted than ever! :)
IIRC (might be wrong), 5/16", roughly 29" long, 4" feather fletches, 100g piles (TopHats).

I have my nock point on the string set a little higher than might be optimal, so that I can shoot without a glove on my left hand, but it means the arrow is aimed a little low out of the bow.

I'm going to be trying out a thumb-release soon, because the 50" bow give me some evil string-pinch at full draw when using a mediterranean release. (1 finger over, 2 under).
 

DavidH

New member
Just putting in my 2p's worth, what poundage do yu shoot on recurve? I had a 38 recurve and shoot a longbow of 50# no problem. Ive just bought a horsebow of 50# and have no problem pulling that back. You shoot much faster with a trad bow so youre not holding the poundage long. Plus, so I've been told, there is some let off on a horsebow, vaguely similar to compound.
 

j.v.

New member
That's interesting. At the moment I'm pulling about 34# so I guess 40+ would be ok for me with the mongolian... but as for what distances I could sensibly achieve with that, I don't know.
 

English Bowman

Well-known member
First what do you mean by practical?
Are you talking about hitting a target, if so what size? Or do you mean a maximum range.

So much depends on the type of bow, in particular the quality of bow, the string, the arrows used, and by no means least, the archer that it's an almost impossible question to answer, but to give an idea, that so much depends on the bow when I did some distance shooting my Mongolian style Horsebow was outranged by about 30yds by one of my English Longbows. They were both the same draw length and shooting arrows of the same weight and fletching size. I expected the opposite result.
 

j.v.

New member
That is an odd result - I would have bet on the mongolian... but then I don't know so much :) I'm not so interested in the maximum range, but the range at which one could reliably hit a 120cm target.
 

English Bowman

Well-known member
I was surprised, and repeated the test several times as I thought that the first result was a fluke, it wasn't. I guess that my cheap Mongolian isn't very good. As for the accuracy I'd expect similar results to the English longbow based on my experience.
 

DavidH

New member
I've just purchased one of the cheap Mongolian (well Chinese anyway) horsebows. We have a clout on New Years Day and I'll be putting both my new elb and the horsebow to the test on distance. I'll be very happy if both reach 180 yards. Both are 50# and both seem to work very well on 40/45 spined arrows.
 

DavidH

New member
Well, I haven't compared my elb to the Mongolian yet, but shot the Mongolian to test distance, and without being too accurate on measuring, it definitely reached a full 180 yards, and I don't think I've ever got as much pleasure watching an arrow fly. It seemed to go so high and then gracefully descended into the ground. I now have at least one traditional bow that goes the distance:)
 

Riceburner

Active member
Well, I haven't compared my elb to the Mongolian yet, but shot the Mongolian to test distance, and without being too accurate on measuring, it definitely reached a full 180 yards, and I don't think I've ever got as much pleasure watching an arrow fly. It seemed to go so high and then gracefully descended into the ground. I now have at least one traditional bow that goes the distance:)

That's what I really love about Clout and Flight shooting - watching that arrow fly!
 

DavidH

New member
We only shoot a clout twice a year unfortunately mainly due to availability of the ground, plus we cant shoot target at the same time as our field becomes the overshoot. Raven you really have to try it, make it your new year resolution
 

DavidH

New member
Well I've tested the horsebow and it reached about 180. Didn't take it to the clout, but shot the elb in a headwind. Closest I got to 180 was about 8 yards short, dammit.
 
Top