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Standarts of accuracy

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markinengland:
Rod,
Sorry you think I miss the point, but you later on say exactly what I was trying to point out.
You no doubt are well aware that there was a basic but good standard expected of the English longbow archers (and even the Welsh too!). these were all good archers , were often hand picked and proved themselves capable of pulling the weight, reaching the needed distances and having the required accuracy. A few archers from the very best were picked as the equivalent of todays snipers. These especialy accurate archers were given the tasks such as picking off the noblemen (with permission) and acting as person bodyguards etc.
Anyway to get back to your point the archer who has to stand there all day at 100 yards waiting for someone to stick their head out would have only a moment to draw, aim and loose. He would be using a heavy bow and a heavy armour piercing arrow at at maximum distance, though [perhaps behind a pavisse for protection. He would have no option but to use a heavy bow stance, the draw length was long and to the chest or ear and the aiming method used must have been instinctive. This archer would have been good enough that only a very brave or foolish person stuck their head out! My point (which I hope you won't miss) is that this same archer could probably not have done this consistently at a target for adozens of arrows. The human concentration is simply not that good.
Howard Hill was a phenominal instinctive snap shooter, but a failry poor target archer. By all accounts Ishi was a very good shot in a hunting environment, but poor at a target, he said the target was to big!
My point, which does not miss yours I hope is that a target archer uses various shooting aids to help a mechanical repetative shooting method, because that is what will get results for dozens of arrows at a known distance. A heavy longbow archer cannot do this, but this heavy bow archer can do stuff the target archer cannot. The target archer is the equivalent of the prone target rifle shooter, the warbow archer the equivalent of a skeet shooter. They use completely differetn methods and instincts. To say that the heavy bow archer has to shoot and record his scores like a target archer to prove his accuracy defeats the object.

outcaste:
Continuing with the theme of 'standards of accuracy'.

I was shooting clout (BLBS shoot in Wales) this weekend and it was interesting to notice out of the 15 or so archers on the line with me the target was only hit 3 or 4 times during the whole day. 

Statistically if we were to look at the Welsh Championships of 2006 out of the 3096 arrows shot over 180 yards only 13 hit the 30 inch target. This is suprising as the draw weights were all under 70lbs with archers using bands to assist with aiming.  Not great accuracy I would argue? 

I feel the same difficulties present themselves to both the 'brass piles' as well as the bodkins over distance.

Outcaste 

Rod:
Well, the talkng is over for the time being. I spoke to Mark Stretton last night and not only is he aware of this thread, but he is happy to meet and set a benchmark score.
I like Mark's attitude, instead of coming up with reasons why he can't do it, he is interesting in discovering what can be done.
We won't be doing this immediately, but perhaps in the next month or so when we can get together at a mutually convenient time.
If anyone else wants to do it, we will use a 48" (122cm) target face at 100 yards.
All arrows will count, no sighters or practice arrows.
30 or 60 arrows to be shot in ends of 3 or 6.
Scoring 9 for gold, 7 for red, 5 for blue, 3 for black, 1 for white.
Line cutters count for the higher score.
Record number of hits, total score and number of golds.
This should be independently witnessed since accounts from private practice can be called into question.
Rod.

sagitarius boemoru:
Once the meadows under my window gets cutI try this and post results.


Jaro

Rod:
Well Jaro,
If your feeling bold you can go straight in and record a score, but I'm thinking you might want to practice first...
(It is interesting to note that in the Tang dynasty the military archery examination  required a one stone (167lb) bow to be shot at a straw mannequin at 105 paces and to qualiofy for the first class grade, ALL your arrows had to hit).

Rod.

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