Hi seanmgm, im using a 24lb bow. Im 5ft 8 medium build.
I see what you are getting at macbow and that makes sense to me.The info on weights was interesting as i was'nt sure what was average so to speak so it gives me an idea what weight i might be shooting at. Do you know a web site you can point me to for the Blackbow Zeta.
I was erring towards a Bowtec FB
Cheers
Check out my links page where you will find the website for Andy Soars/Blackbrook. The Zeta is a very high performance R/D bow, however, Andy makes a reflex limbed bow called the Epsilon. My mate has one and it is such a sweet bow - not quite as fast as the Zeta but very stable and predictable. Most of the photos on my website are either of the Zeta or the Epsilon. The Bowtecs are also really nice bows for the money. The prices for Bowtecs have gone up to what is a more realistic price and right now I don't think they are taking on any new orders for a few months. Don't forget about Border - about 90% of the people I shoot with use Griffons or Harriers. My 42# bow is a carbon/yew limb Griffon and it is a superb bow. I recommended the Zeta because the riser and handle are as close as you can get to a
recurve while remaining IFAA & NFAA legal. As you are coming from a
recurve background the Zeta would feel more natural and stable to you whereas bows like the Griffon and Bowtec Mistral have a smaller more traditional riser - lighter but easier to torque the handle. The guy who won the 2006 IFAA World
longbow (AFB) division won with an old Hill-Style bow - about as trad as you get. These bows usually have a straight limb profile (no reflex or deflex), a blocky handle and small risers. Compared to modern AFBs they are slow and generate a bit of handshock but once tuned they are quite forgiving to shoot and are predictable. I've got an old Rex Oakes Saggitarius which I absolutely love shooting for those reasons. It is a beautifully crafted classic 68" bow in the Howard Hill style but at 55# is a bit too heavy for a whole day's shooting.
As far as poundage goes the first bow I bought was 45# so I had nothing else to compare it to. For the first few sessions it felt like a workout but as I said before it really doesn't take long. Get a really good glove or a nice thick tab, use a deep hook release and you should be able to hold at full draw without any discomfort. With an AFB I would urge you to use the same techniques you are already doing. Come to full draw and a nice solid anchor, settle the weight between your shoulder blades, aim and release when it feels right. Avoid bad habits like short drawing and snap shooting. It is worth buying the Masters of the Barebow DVD from 3Rivers Archery (see my links page). All of the featured archers have solid form, even the instinctive guys.