My "assyrian" bow has arrived!

[Virilis]

Looks good, Mercer!

Can you tell me more about your bow? Someone somewhere in this forum wondered about the shape of the roman bows. This gravestone of a "hamian archer" from housesteads has a reasonable distinct shape: http://www.roman-britain.org/places/ima ... hamian.gif

It is a quite basic shape of the so called "classic composite bow" (my own invention!). My "hungarian" type is quite close to that...

[James B.]

Therefore, if modern tests suggest that it was ineffective, what are our modern testers missing?

Sorry don't mean to take this off topic but

Modern tests like that above use a flat plate on a none giving surface which equals a crap test, men give when hit and armor is curved and hardened.

Again if we look at what the contemporary writers have to say men even in full armor did die by arrows, they opened their helmets up and were hit in the face, arrows found weak spots, arrows struck maille covered areas and uncovered areas (back of the legs for instance).

Swords were unable to cut through plate but men still carried them.

Again as I stated the longbow was a command and control weapon in the high Middle Ages, you could recruit footmen and cavalry who were venerable to the arrow.

Look at what the scholars say about Agincourt, more French were killed when Henry ordered the prisoners executed (when he feared they would take up arms again when the baggage train was attacked) than during the battle. 1 million arrows are estimated to have been loosed at Agincourt, if they cut though plate like a hot knife through butter how where the casualties so low? When 5000 archers loose 10 arrows a minute and only a few guys are wounded by the arrows that rained down on them it tells me that armor worked.

Portieres and Crecy are a different story because the majority of armor was still maille with a little plate armor here and there.

[mpferrell]

My bow is a Attila's Archery bow, The AKH 005 $245.00 + Ship. Locust wood handle and syahs with maple limb core laminated between fiberglass. I have only started shooting a couple of months ago but it feels very nice to shoot. It has a draw length of 28" and draw weight of 30lbs. The bow on that grave stone looks to me to be a Scythian style recurve bow. From what information I have gathered they most likely used the composite recurve (ours), Scythian style recurves and some self bows. I am planning to get a Scythian bow myself later on.

[Crispvs]

Virilis,
Mine is a Hungarian bow very similar to this one:



However, the draw wieght is only 37lb, which is fine for my somewhat puny arms but I think that next to your really rather nice bow it would be a clear case of style versus performance.

Crispvs

[Virilis]

Great bows Mercer and Paul!

I am totally hooked on shooting with my bows. I just asked from the manufacturer of my bows if it is possible to shoot with these in winter conditions. Fortunately it is because Finland is already covered in snow right now :wink: !

Have you noticed that Grozerbows have a new "roman bow?"

[mpferrell]

I have looked at it a few times, really beautiful. I plan to do more shooting when I get a leather finger sleeve to protect my left index finger from the fletching as it cuts across it.

[Spiridonov Alexander]

Virilis, good work! What range of a shot of your bow?

[mpferrell]

I am limited to about 30 meters at my home. I am planing to find a field where I can shoot farther but I have a 30lb bow.

[mpferrell]

How far can you shoot the pie plate steady without missing it?

[Virilis]

Wake up Spiridonov !

In fact I usually use paper plates (and card board boxes) as targets when I am shooting. I put the plate standing on it`s edge on a sandy background in the woods and I have also marked a black "spot" where to aim in the middle of the plate. Cheap and works very well!

I`m varying my shooting distance from 12 to 70 metres, twelve because that is "an average distance to shoot deers" for example. It is sometimes amazing that I am hitting the target from longer distances better! So I don`t have any "method" in my shooting, it is purely for relaxation! I`ll tell you the arrow hits very hard to the plate and it makes a nice clear snapping sound (that is when I will hit the target :wink: )!

I don`t want to spoil the fun of shooting by making it too scientific, if you know what I mean....

[Virilis]

Virilis, good work! What range of a shot of your bow?

Oh now I got it, you were interested in the range of my bows!? I will estimate that the range of my 50 pound hungarian bow is between 150-180 meters and with my assyrian bow it is perhaps 200-230 metres...

[Virilis]

How far can you shoot the pie plate steady without missing it?

I will propably hit the 20 cm diameter mark surely from 10 metres. Perhaps I will hit from 20 metres 3 arrows out of 6 and from 40 metres 1 arrow out of 6...

You know the accuracy varies a lot, sometimes I will miss all the arrows from 10 metres and sometimes I will shoot much better! In bow shooting manuals they usually say that it is no use shooting when you are not in a good mood and not concentrating. I admit that but I have also noticed that I will also shoot better when I am a little pissed off :twisted: ...

[mpferrell]

This at least gives me a good idea where I stand with my level of accuracy. Now if I could get my finger sleeve made so I can go back to shooting.

[MARCvSVIBIvSMAvRINvS]

simply beautiful!!!!!

M.VIB.M.

[Dan Diffendale]

So when will your Assyrian soldier impression be ready?