Archery Types

SO what is meant by archery? Archery is, in physics terms, a fairly simple transference of potential (stored) energy held in a bow to kinetic (propulsion) energy in an arrow. The archer puts potential energy into the bow by drawing back on the string whilst holding the bow in place. Upon release of the string (to "loose") this energy is transferred directly to the arrow which is then propelled (if all things being executed well) in the direction of aim at a target of some description.

There are several types of archery, some of which have a recognized status for competitions etc…

Longbow
Horsebow
Recurve
Barebow
Compound
Flight

These bows may take part in one, some or indeed all of the archery events/competitions listed below although this is dependent on the bows suitability. Hunting by bow is illegal in the UK and will not be discussed.

Target: Set ranges, face size and number of arrows to be shot in a formal manner on a flat field.
Field: Targets set up on rough ground/in woods at varying ranges.
Flight: Arrows shot simply for distance.
Clout: Arrows shot across up to 180yrd to land near a flag set on the ground.
Papingo: Arrows shot vertically at a model bird/birds with the intention of knocking them off their perch.

Each of the above will have sub sets to them, such as Target where competitions can be GNAS (UK governing body) or FITA (International governing body) and depend mainly on measurement of range (yards vs meters).


Longbow

This is a traditional type of bow that has been in use for many centuries and there are strict rules as regard dimensions, materials etc. Originally these were long range, artillery barrage type weapons where weight of fire (Arrow Storm) was more important than pin point accuracy. Now the longbow is in use in various competitive events and has a separate classification from all the other bow types. Longbows are typically in the region of 60# draw weight

A variant of this is the warbow which is extremely high poundage (150#) and requires years of practice to prepare the body to actually be able to fully draw the bow more than a few times. Prolonged use will actually change the shape of the users bone structure. Perfectly preserved examples of the warbow were recovered from the wreck of the Mary Rose.

Horsebow

The horsebow is the forerunner to the modern recurve bow. It is relatively compact (although there are many variants from numerous regions throughout the world) as it was designed to be used from horseback. The rider would tightly grip the horses body with his legs and thus free his hands for using the bow. To get more poundage into such a small frame the bow features the recurve which is a secondary bend of the bow near the tips away from the archer. This creates a smaller, faster bow than the longbow. By faster we mean the stored energy is transferred to the arrow (called the ‘cast’) very quickly in comparison to a longbow.

Although there is no actual separate category for traditional style bows of this sort they can be used in competitive events and classed as recurve barebow. Generally it is frowned upon to utilize sighting or other such aids when using this bow type and the preferred method of shooting relies primarily on instinct

Horsebow poundage varies greatly but you will find most are in the 35# to 45# range


Recurve

Also known as Olympic Recurve as this is the only bow type allowed in the Olympics (at present). As per the horsebow this type of bow has a distinctive shape that gives it its name. Most modern bows are of the 'take-down' type where the riser and limbs (see pic) are discrete parts that lock together and held rigid by the string once in place. Materials of construction vary from wooden laminates to aluminum, magnesium and carbon foam or fiber

Single piece bows (where the riser and limbs are permanently joined) are also available and are usually made from wood or, for beginners bows, plastic. Some of the hand crafted wooden bows are extremely beautiful as well as functional.

Recurve bows can be used in almost all types of competitions (obviously they cant be used for longbow events...) and the only real restrictions to their use is that there can only be 1 sighting aid utilized (i.e. no rear site to line up with the fore sight). Recurvers can use a 'clicker' which assists the archer in having a consistent draw length. The clicker is a simple flat blade placed against the arrow which springs back to its resting place once the tip of the arrow is drawn through it

Most archers use stabilisers and weights to help balance the bow but is, primarily, preferential to the archer

Recurve bow poundage can vary from very low (circa 20#) to the highest allowed in competition (60#) although the majority will use a bow with a draw weight of around 45#


Barebow

The stipulation here is that the archer cannot use a sight to aid aiming, stabilisers or a draw length aid (e.g. clicker).


Compound

Compound bows are a relatively young design that stemmed from the USA in 1966. The bow was designed for hunting but is now widely accepted for mainly official archery competitions

The compound bow is usually made from composite materials such as carbon fiber and aluminium. They tend to be quite compact and are stored as a single unit (limbs etc can be replaced or swapped but it is not considered a take-down bow). These bows tend to be in the higher poundage range of 40# to 60#. Although this is the peak draw weight, the actually holding weight due to the cams is around 20# and this eases the strain on the archer and therefore allows for more accurate aiming.

Compounds are allowed 2 sights, fore and aft. the fore sight can be telescopic and often includes a level bubble to help the archer get consistent alignment. The rear site is a peep hole on the string that allows the archer to line up his bow through the front sight.

Again many archers use stabilisers and weights to their own bow balance preferences.

Flight

Flight archery does not require targets. The basic premise of  flight archery is to shoot arrows as far as possible. The current record with a compound bow is staggering 1001m.

Bows for this tend to be bespoke creations with no imposed limits on construction or materials

Many archery innovations have filtered down from flight archery such as the use of carbon fiber and alternative string materials