possible roving marks...

[Terme]

im looking for up to the 70# mark at the moment yeah a 55# should not really be called a warbow

[Archer]

If you are not after a high pound bow try going here.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Members/Listings.aspx?member=1247018&from=fav&sort_order=expiry_asc

http://www.nzap.co.nz/ NZAP as another Supplier, think that their top poundage is 55lb. Roughly NZ$190.


This guy is in Te Puke, and is always looking to improve his products. He also has a floor tillered Stave ready for the finishing, for about $NZ150, but it is only 35lb. They are also the BearPaw agents.

There are others around the place, but they are mostly up to 55lb.

OZ is one that is prepared to go the extra mile, for the higher lb's, so depending on what you are after it will depend on what you pay. I would ask a lot of questions and talk to lots of people, that are already into this Sport, not everything is on web.

[English Warbowman]

70lb is also nowhere near a warbow. It has to be a bow that will put military arrows weighing 60odd grams uo to 115g well over 200 yards and with the power to put holes in armour.

So depending on the quality of the bow and the skill of the archer you're looking at bows from about 110lbs and up.

Oz makes good warbows. So does Steve Stratton and Pip Bickerstaff in England.

[Terme]

70 is round my comfortable draw at the moment tried a 100 and defenatly need to work up to that, will def be keeping my eyes out looking for good bows

[English Warbowman]

70 is a good place to start. There are lots of ways of progressing. I'll post some training tips when I get chance.

[Archer]

I was under the impression that 80lb bow was classed as a Warbow.

Like I said talk to people, and Oz would be a good place to start, and see what he can do.

The Guy in Te Puke is Kelvin O'Hara [good Irish name that] 540 State Highway 33, RD9, Te Puke. 07 5331 484, archer@nxzarcher.com, and trades under the name New Zealand Traditional Archery Supplies.

Just as an aside they run a lot of traditional Archery Competitions there as well. They have a big estate set up with moving Targets, Roving Marks etc.

[Aaron]

I can second Kelvin, he's a super nice bloke and if he doesn't have it he'll try his very best to get it. Also he has a fantastic 3D course set up at his place which is great. I've been shooting with him for about a year and I am always impressed with his approach to ALL forms of archery.

With regards to defining a warbow, we as a group believe that anything over 100# is about right but 120#+ is more realistic. However you are right in saying 80# as there were bows found on the Mary Rose of that weight (but they did go all the way up to 180#!!!) with most falling into the 140# range.

To shoot with the EWBS it states:
"The English Warbow was the bow the longbow used in battle by the Plantagenet and Tudor armies of the 14th, 15th and 16th Centuries. The EWBS defines a warbow to be a bow that follows the pattern, profile and tiller of the bows found on the Mary Rose.
The Society imposes a lower limit on bow draw-weight for adult males (70lb at a measured 32” of draw), although there is no lower weight limit for women, juniors and archers over 60. In order to encourage beginners, further allowance is made for a new member’s first year."

[Archer]

Bugger me days, I hope that doesn't mean I will never be required to attain the 100lb+ as I turn 60 next year.

[Merlin of the Fens]

For what it's worth I second the Mary Rose references. We shouldn't forget that these blokes didn't just pop out one weekend and shoot a 100lb-plus bow. They trained from a young age and built up to that weight. Many of the archer's skeletons on the Mary Rose showed bone deformations as a result of heavy training whilst they were still growing. We shouldn't try to go from 30lb to 100+ in one jump. Work up to it. Today a 70lb bow is adequate for dropping a deer or pig and much lighter weights are fine for those who plan to do lots of target shooting over shorter ranges. It's all great fun, but needs to be done safely.

[Archer]

I don't know anyone that would be an Archer that would not agree with the Safety side of things, and from a personal point of view, I still get a lot of enjoyment from shooting a 30lb bow accurately although am trying to do better with a 70lb. Actually I find I am more accurate the shooting, not so much with the distance shoot, but once again that comes with practice.

[English Warbowman]

An 80lb bow still isn't going to wound,kill, or frighten anyone wearing plate armour. Light weights are included in the EWBS parameters to catch longbow archers who have exceeded the BLBS MAX limit of 70lbs who would otherwise fall into a no mans land between 70 and 100 or so lbs.
The goal is to shoot heavy bows in the 100lb+ range.
It is possible to shoot 100lbs + from zero ,it depends on the individual.
We met a bloke at the last Taupo who could draw 120lbs after 5 minutes instruction in technique. He's about 5'6" and weighs in around the 6o odd kg mark. But he's a gymnast and stuntman so his body is already prepared.

What we need to focus on is the difference between shooting for our own personal pleasure and demonstrating these weapons to the public. In the former a lighter weight will suffice, but in a public display it has to be the bows that replicate as close as possible the military bows of the 100 years war. That's why we're having Selection to separate the military archers from the others.

BTW. The great horse archer Lajos Kassai also has Selection in order for someone to train with him.
It is this:
10km run
then 2 hours of bareback riding
then shoot 500 arrows in a session.
(as described in his book)

[Terme]

With the reference to killing someone in plate armour wasnt that a little impolite as he was probably a noble! I have not seen a proper 80# longbow up against real chain can anyone confirm if it would penatrate?

[English Warbowman]

This thread has gone quite a bit off topic. Please post in the warbow section.

[Frosty]

haha i was just going to sit and watch it and eventually get you guys back on topic

thanks keith.

by the way i have judt ben informed that now may not be the best time for the marks in the country because of lambing season.
what other possible dates would be good? ie summer?

this year or next year?