Eye Opener

LBR · 05-01-2007, 01:46 PM

Anybody that knows me knows how much I love my favorite bow, but I'm not beyond giving credit when I think it's due. Shot a Turkey Creek longbow this past weekend, and it flat impressed me.

I shot one last year, and it was nice, but the bowyer seems to have learned a bit since that one. One thing that I am sure helped was this one was 64" vs. the 62" I shot last year, BUT (if memory serves me) this one was smoother, had less vibration, and was all-around a sweet shooter.

Another thing that impressed me about this bow was it had no glass--all carbon on the limbs. I knew it was a carbon bow when I first drew it (looked like black glass to me). Hard to describe it, but carbon just has a different feel. Admittedly my experience with carbon bows is limited, and up till now it hasn't impressed me. I have learned that just adding carbon to a bow won't generally work--the bow needs to be designed around carbon lams. Every other one I've shot felt much heavier to draw, was noisier, and had vibration. This one felt a little heavy, but not much. Very smooth, reasonably quiet, and quick with the carbon arrows I was given to shoot off it (no idea what they weighed--wish I'd shot my wood arrows for comparison, but I was in a hurry). The grip was small for me, and could have been a tad more rounded on the back side, but over-all I liked it. This fellow is a relatively new bowyer, but still pretty young--if he can hang with it, I believe he's going to really make a name for himself before too long.

It had a Dymondwood riser, which is relatively heavy, but the riser is very small so the over-all weight is still low--but again, in the few shots I took it seemed stable and had little vibration. I believe the cores were bamboo. Not the prettiest bow I've seen, but it did look nice--I'm just a sucker for pretty woods in the limbs, and carbon just doesn't allow for that. On the other hand, pretty doesn't make a bow shoot--and this one was definately a shooter.

Can't see me trading in my Crusader, but I wouldn't mind another chance to fling a few more arrows from this bow--it definately has me re-thinking my opinion on carbon limbs. One more choice on a growing list of great bows on the market today.

Chad

05-02-2007, 09:45 PM

What bows do you shoot Chad? Figured you would have a bunch.

LBR · 05-03-2007, 05:59 AM

I used to shoot several--I couldn't name all the bows I've owned, much less all the ones I've shot. For the last several years, my #1 bow that I use for hunting and tournaments is my Crusader longbow. I have an old Hunter I that I use for bowfishing, and last year a friend made an osage selfbow for me that's been getting some attention. Shoot my Crusader at least 90% of the time though. Other than those three, I own one novelty (98@28) flatbow, an old Pounds recurve with a built-in overdraw, and a Pearson Special (the 2-pc. td with the aluminum finger joints). Guess I'm doing pretty good with my addiction--used to own over 30 bows.

Chad

05-03-2007, 11:30 AM

Reason I ask Chad, is I just got a recurve that seems to be be tillered for split finger release. I have been shooting my longbow 3under. Not sure how all this is going to work out. But right now with split finger, I am hitting way high of course. My mind keeps telling me to shoot like I do my lnogbow.

Cessna Flyer · 05-04-2007, 08:41 AM

Yea Chad, bows with carbon in the right placeare great shooters. Going to convert? you have a great bow now.

LBR · 05-07-2007, 11:46 AM

Shooting it split won't hurt a thing--you'll just need to put your nock point a bit higher. Might be a tad noiser, but it won't hurt the bow.

That bow was nice, but I'm not ready to convert just yet! If Marc ever gets a chance to work on a design based around carbon lams........maybe, but I really doubt it. My Crusader fits me like a glove.

Chad