Chief AJ 200# bow

[Badger]

  Is anyone familiar with chief AJ and his record breaking shot of 462 yards. Is this documented? They gave an arrow speed of 332 fps, I find that kind of hard to believe. 800 grain arrow was reported as being used, Steve

[Lloyd]

I've heard the stories, but I've never seen any documentation. I too find 332fps somewhat hard to believe

[heavybow]

Steve yes ive seen the article. The picture looks that he didnt pulled it, heard he left the bow strung for days. Was selling the bow for $70.000. He also had howard hill made him a 200# bow @ 27" never seen a picture of him pulling it also he was selling that bow for $2000.

[duffontap]

Where is this coming from?  Is it in a magazine?

         J. D.

[Loki]

Here's the articles,he looks like he's drawing it about 26" in the picture on page three .

http://www.welchmanlongbows.com/ChiefAJPg1.html

[duffontap]

I believe that Welch could build it, but we didn't exactly get evidence of a 'full draw.'  The tips on a war bow should be 12 mm regardless of the weight but those looked like they were 3/4" +.   That bow would not shoot 460+ yards with an 800 grain arrow.  Weird story.

              J. D.

[ChrisD]

I had read about this 'feat' on another forum somewhere. A few comments were made - firstly that Chief AJ is something of a showman and perhaps not entirely to be believed and secondly, that he doesn't hold the record for drawing a 200lb bow - Mark Stretton, an English archer does! He's a pretty stocky bloke I understand and works with heavy machinery and likes to use very heavy bows. Even so, the 200lb bow doesn't exactly make regular appearences - he usually shoots in the 140 -160lb range I'm told.

Marks bow was made by Pip Bickerstaffe and its use was witnessed by Guinnes book of records officials and has been accepted as the record. Interestingly, the ranges achieved with this bow are not that remarkable - something in the region of 237yd apparently - bigger aint always better

Chris

[stevesjem]

Just to put the record straight, Mark does hold the record for the heaviest longbow drawn, and he also draws it the full 32", not the rediculous 26" that is shown in this Chief AJ story, with regards distance, Mark as far as i know never shot this bow for distance, it was a personal goal which he realised and was recorded by guiness, Hugh Soar now has the bow in his remarkable collection of longbows.

Steve

[Badger]

I think in the pic he is only drawing about 24". I find everyhting about the post including the distance and speed his arrowr reached unbelievable, Steve

[sumpitan]

Chief AJ's "world records" were presented in the Spring 1998 issue of Instinctive Archer Magazine. The author speaks of the feats being accepted by Guinness. Haven't seen them in any edition of the Guinness book I have, though (the article is quite silly, actually, speaking of the Chief's "odyssey" to purchase the bow driving his mighty pickup truck for thousands of miles etc.) The reported cast of the 200# bow in both FPS and yards is utter nonsense, in my opinion. I understand the drawing of the big bow was broadcast via the Internet (big deal) but who are the reliable witnesses and verifiers to the 330fps / 466 yard shots?

Claims of spectacular shots and of bowmen out of this world have been common since the day the bow was first accepted as a viable weapon. But when the sceptics with accurate measuring devices arrive, typically little is found apart from lots of hot air.

Tuukka

[Badger]

Not sure what the force draw curve is like on a 200# 28" draw long bow but if it stored 200ft# it would have to be 100 efficient to shoot at 332 fps, 70% efficient would be one hell of an all wood bow. 232 fps would be more believable.

[Dane]

That article was a hoot! Fun read, and pretty strange. I loved the journy part, with the chief traveling 1000 miles by ferry and roads up into the wilds of Alaska to pick up the bow. Just having the US Postal Service would have been easier, but a hero's journey requires great sacrifice, I believe.

Does anyone know anything about this Chief AJ? Is he still around? Is he still doing his ministry stuff?

[PatM]

I  still have my copy of IA with the article. Hard to say if it was fully drawn from the pictures. Depends on who is taking the picture. I find it typically takes the average person with no knowledge of Archery many attempts before catching a full draw on film. At least for a heavy bow that isn't anchored for more than a split second.

[duffontap]

Is anyone in contact with Gerald Welch?  Perhaps he could comment on the claims made in the story.  Chester Stevenson wrote an article about a gigantic squirrel (I think something like 500 lbs.) but it was a joke told with a straight face.  Perhaps that is how the Chief AJ article should be read. 

On another note, Howard Hill drew a bow of nearly 180 lbs., two 100 lb. bows at once, and claimed to have drawn 200 lbs. at various times.  He didn't feel like should have to prove it unless someone beat his first record.  It's a total shame he didn't prove it.  He did work out regularly, but he had very rare 'innate strength.' 

             J. D. Duff

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

I like when it says in the article that it takes 8 to 12 seconds to come to full draw

The bucket shot can be done with a 70 # bow.