There are basically four types of archery bows. Bows have been in existence for a lot of centuries, but they have undergone a lot of transformations from what they started as. They are now made with fiberglass and carbon fiber. There are those with highly advanced mechanisms. Let us see the four main types of bows.
The Recurve Bow
Named after their peculiar shape these are the basic bows. This peculiar shape makes it easy to use it. Lesser strength is required to shoot an arrow because of this shape. The recurve bows were used historically by horsemen.
Beginners in archery normally begin these archery bows which is just a bare bow. It has a string, an arrow rest, the bow limbs and a riser to balance the bow. As the archer becomes more skilled, more components are added.
The Compound Bows
These are the most technically advanced archery bows. These bows have a complex pulley system that will allow improving their strength without increasing the draw weight. Another difference with the compound bows is that they can be kept strung. As long as the recurve bows, or longbows are concerned they need to be unstrung so as not to spoil the bow. Wooden arrows cannot be used with the compound bows.
The Longbows
They are one of the oldest bows to be used and is recorded being in use as early as 1298. They were the most popular archery bows till the 16th century. The longbows are characterized by their simplicity. They are a long piece of wood, as long as the height of the archer, which is bent in the center towards the archer. They have none of the modern additions like arrow rests or sights. They are more difficult to shoot because they have a low velocity when compared to the others. Their use requires a lot of practice.
The Crossbows
These are frequently used for target archery. They have similar mechanisms like a rifle. The short arrow is attached to the muzzle horizontally. The string is attached to a trigger mechanism. When the trigger is pulled the short arrow is shot. The arrows for the crossbow are referred to as bolts. They are much shorter than the normal arrows. Many people prefer the crossbows to start because they are easy to master than the other archery bows.
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