I decided on the Hazel 40# bow for the shoot, but wanted to freshen it up a bit and add a whisker of speed. A new string of Angel Majesty should do the trick.
I almost contrived to screw it up, the old string had been in the bottom of my bow bag and had somehow got a knot in it. I was using that to get the length for the new string. Fortunately I spotted the knot it in time else I'd have spent an hour making a string 1/2" too short, which could have broken such a short bow.
The new string is only 8 strands, (the old was 12) I added in an extra two at the loops and 4 at the centre serving to bulk it up to feel right on the fingers and to fit the arrow nocks.
It shot nicely, it's hard to say if it made much difference but there were quite a few longish shots which I did well on.
I went round with a couple of visitors one shooting recurve and one shooting a takedown target bow, all similar draw weight. My little primitive was slower of course, but we all scored quite well.
I asked one of the guys to hold the bow while I went down into a ditch to pull the arrows, he commented how light it was.
We had gorgeous weather and one chap had bought his wife along, she enjoyed the walk and very kindly kept score for us.
(The Hazel bow is on my website 'delsbows' if you want to see it)
PS.
I just checked the club website, it turns out I came 3rd of the club archers who generally shoot longbow. The guy who won was shooting an AFB (American Flat Bow) which is faster and has an arrow shelf, he will doubtless be subject to much ritual abuse for his efforts.
I shot 376 on 30 targets. Max would have been 600, I generally recon on 10 times the number of targets being ok. Not that I worry too much about the scores as there is some luck involved.
EG.
There was a tiny paper target of a Rabbit tucked behind two trees, I had an arrow just kiss off the tree, smash and clatter into the other arrows. Damn I though, no score, missed it with 3 arrows.
As I was looking for the broken tip of the arrow (so I could re-use the point) I noticed 1/4" of shaft sticking out of the target dead centre!
I managed to pull it out, I'd scored a 3rd arrow kill! Actually I find it hard to figure out how the arrow broke yet penetrated so far. Maybe it glanced off the tree, penetrated the target travelling at an angle and the shaft then whipped sideways and snapped, maybe helped by bending against one of the arrows already in the target?
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