Main Discussion Area > English Warbow
Evidence OTHER than MR Bows of 120+ bows?
WillS:
That's interesting, because here in the UK our archery clubs are basically built around doing just that. We have roving and field archery competitions as standard here, where distances are unmarked and natural terrain such as hills, valleys, fences, water and so on make up the courses, a bit like in golf!
There are no real limitations in draw weight at these competitions, although I think the British Longbow Society puts a 70lb upper limit on the bows. No sight marks allowed of course. This means that there are many archers in the country shooting incredibly accurately (I'm talking tiny kill zones on 3d targets such as the head of a duck for example) at any distance with fairly heavy bows. Once you hit 70lbs and feel like going up, the EWBS take over, where true medieval bows are only allowed, with a 70lb minimum weight. Again, the events at the EWBS included roving, unmarked distances, wand shooting and so on. The only real difference is that the bows have to be exact replicas of Mary Rose bows, with the same construction and profile.
Atlatlista:
--- Quote from: WillS on November 09, 2013, 07:33:49 am ---That's interesting, because here in the UK our archery clubs are basically built around doing just that. We have roving and field archery competitions as standard here, where distances are unmarked and natural terrain such as hills, valleys, fences, water and so on make up the courses, a bit like in golf!
There are no real limitations in draw weight at these competitions, although I think the British Longbow Society puts a 70lb upper limit on the bows. No sight marks allowed of course. This means that there are many archers in the country shooting incredibly accurately (I'm talking tiny kill zones on 3d targets such as the head of a duck for example) at any distance with fairly heavy bows. Once you hit 70lbs and feel like going up, the EWBS take over, where true medieval bows are only allowed, with a 70lb minimum weight. Again, the events at the EWBS included roving, unmarked distances, wand shooting and so on. The only real difference is that the bows have to be exact replicas of Mary Rose bows, with the same construction and profile.
--- End quote ---
We have much the same stuff in the US, and many of the organizing bodies have similar standards making cross-comparisons valid. For instance, the US National Traditional Target Archery championships includes a Hereford round, which is also shot at the English Grand National Archery Meeting, so it's possible to compare scores directly in instances like those. I still want to go to England to shoot though. I have this dream of winning a gilt spider and I think I could maybe manage it.
Benjamin H. Abbott:
--- Quote from: Atlatlista on November 08, 2013, 09:20:26 pm ---50-60 pounds though is not wholly unrepresentative of military bows from many cultures other than England though, so I may content myself with that.
--- End quote ---
Which cultures would those be? Records, estimates, and reconstructions from Turkey to China suggest 120-180lbs for infantry bows and 80-120+lbs for cavalry bows. While 50-60lb bows surely saw action from time to time, I don't know of any source that considers them acceptable for military use. To me, such composite bow draw weights offer strong supporting evidence that English archers commonly used 150+lb bows.
Regarding long-distance shooting, both Fourquevaux and Smythe - two sixteenth-century military writers - indicated the advantages of engaging at closer than maximum range.
Archeress:
Middle earth cultures i believe. Bows unearthed in the imagination of Tolkien have suggested that Dwarves shot an average of 60 pound M.E recurves with reports that in his younger days Gandolf once drew a mighty 75 pounder..but no one ever saw this feat. If anyone can clarify please.
WillS:
It all comes down to getting the most acceptable result from a certain arrow. I have to admit, you can't do much with a 60lb bow if you're shooting war-ready arrows.
I've tried! I took a standard military issue arrow (3/8" at 30.5" long, small type 10 bodkin and 6 inch fletchings weighing overall 60g) and shot a few of them at a target about 40yds away from a 65lb yew longbow that I made. The arrow left the bow as if it was made of iron, went sideways about 30yds then gave up and had a sleep in the grass. It's just not practical until you're pushing about 90lbs, and that's the lightest arrow usually described as a "war" arrow. When you look at the military arrows found on the MR or even the smaller one found on Westminster Abbey, they're a good 20g heavier still, so a 60lb bow has no chance of being accurate or effective with them (in my non-expert opinion!)
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