Reverse Handle?

[dartonian]

Hi All,
Just wondering if anyone can fill me in on the advantages and/or disadvantages of reverse handle longbows?
Cheers & thanks,
Paul

[perry]

A reverse handle bow regardless of limb design is less prone to torque, specially when coupled with a locator grip. Personnely I enjoy the feel of greater stability/control and also potential for enhanced accuracy. To test this if you have a Hill style bow hold it with the bows back facing you and get someone to twist it for you. It will take more effort to twist in your bow hand than if held the correct way around. Basically your hand is deeper in the Bow, level with or ahead of the limb tips and any movement is not punished as severly. This is why pistol gripped bows are more stable, less prone to torque and therefore are a little easier to shoot accuratly

regards Jacko

[dartonian]

Thanks Jacko,

So I guess theoretically, a reverse handled longbow with a pistol / locator grip should be the most stable of the longbows for shooting lots of arrows as consistently as possible...

Can anyone identify any disadvantages?

Cheers,
Paul

[longbow steve]

I think less prestress on the limbs at brace would be one disadvantage if you maintain the same brace height from one bow to another but the bowyer would want to make the bow shorter so should rule that out . There is little to say regarding disadvantages provided the design is altered to maximise the benefits. Steve

[longbow steve]

Question- Why are they called reverse handle aswell as forward handle bows?

[dartonian]

Steve,
Trying to get my head around your response...

I think less prestress on the limbs at brace would be one disadvantage if you maintain the same brace height from one bow to another but the bowyer would want to make the bow shorter so should rule that out

And have given up!

So... at the end of the day, if the bow is engineered to compensate for the forward handle design, it should be a more stable shooting bow.

Question- Why are they called reverse handle as well as forward handle bows?

Ahhh... when moving the handle forward moves it towards the back of the bow!

Cheers,
Paul

[longbow steve]

Hi Paul, when moving the handle forward you reduce the amount of work the limbs have to do unless you shorten them.
Imagine an English longbow and drawing it then add a 40mm thick block to the belly side, you will now be drawing the bow further because you have moved the handle toward the archer.
Still probably not the best explanation but may help to see what i am on about . Steve

[dartonian]

Thanks Steve,
I think I get the concept, just got lost on the bit about shortening the limbs... Does that mean that alternative to shortening the limbs, a reverse handled bow of the same length would need greater stress on the limbs to meet a certain draw weight at a given draw length?
Cheers
Paul

PS Maybe this conversation requires the addition of alcohol and a campfire at the Gathering for me to truly understand!

[Stickbow Hunter]

Does that mean that alternative to shortening the limbs, a reverse handled bow of the same length would need greater stress on the limbs to meet a certain draw weight at a given draw length?

Yep.

Jeff

[dartonian]

Cheers Jeff!