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| Bow types |
 There have been many types of bows throughout their evolutionary history. As simple as they seem, bows have gone through thousands of iterations to become what they are today. Starting thousands of years ago with primitive humans, bows were first made of simple materials but have now evolved to include materials such as carbon fiber and fiberglass. As a visitor to this site you have more than likely shot at least one type of the four currently most popular bows, but have you ever thought about exploring other types of bows? Read on to learn more about your options- maybe you’ll even consider purchasing another bow type after learning a bit more!
Longbow
Made from a single piece of wood or several laminations, the longbow is a highly primitive yet deceptively effective form of the common bow. This bow has recently seen another surge of popularity. If you haven’t shot a longbow in the past, now is a great time. This type of bow is easy to pick up and is often a secondary bow of choice for archers looking to have a bit of fun with a twist. Importantly, all types of archery competitions in the UK recognize the longbow type (field, flight, clout, target) but only in world archery field and 3D internationally. These types of bows were first known to be used in the early 13th century and do not have the same velocity as the compound or recurve bows.
Recurve Bow
Historically this type of bow is known for being used by men on horseback and today it is known best for its use in the Olympics. It you take a look at the shape of the bow, you can immediately see where it gets the name “recurve” from. As with all types of bows, the central portion of the bow points away from the archer and the limbs gradually curve backward- but in the recurve bow, the limbs distinctively change direction once more and begin to once again curve away from the archer at the tips. Simple physics tells us that this shape of bow takes some tension off the draw and gives the bow a bit of added power. If you were taught to shoot a bow the old-school way, you may have seen this one as a kid. The modern version of recurve bows are takedown because they consist of three parts and a handle. These parts are referred to as the riser and a pair of limbs.
Compound Bow
This advanced form of bows makes apparent the iterations that these weapons have been through. Physics has dictated distinctive curvature in order to optimize all aspects of using this bow. Often times you will see metal risers and composite limbs on compound bows and obviously there is a bowstring. The limbs are shorter than the other types of bows and there is a clearly complex pulley system that depends on wheels or cams. These types of bows were first produced in the 1960’s and utilize the complex pulley systems to assist the archer in holding a heavy draw weight even at full draw. Because of this attribute, these bows have deadly accuracy and give the archers additional time to aim without incurring muscle fatigue associated with normal draw weights.
Crossbow
Crossbows are thought to originally come from China. Upon first glance, crossbows bear resemblance to firearms due to the way they are held and fired. The bows are drawn back by a crank and the string is attached to a trigger mechanism that is locked into place until it is pulled. Crossbows have short ranges and often do not perform to the standards of other types of bows. Performance of this type of bow can be increased with heaver draw weights but the amount of weight required must be disproportionally heavy to perform near the level of a more advanced bow type. Crossbows are the most highly regulated type of bow.
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Posted by JoshTim on Sunday, September 25, 2016 (00:22:30) (2666 reads)
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| Leupold's Laser Rangefinders |
Leupold RX Series Laser Rangefinders
I’ve long been interested in getting a laser range finder. What with shooting, hunting and battlefield touring I could see a lot of potential use for a toy like that. These devices work by bouncing an invisible laser off of the target and either timing how long it takes to make the round trip or detecting a phase change in the signal. The details are a little too deep for me to write about!
The accuracy of the measurement is dependent on the reflectivity of the target and the atmospheric conditions at the time (read that rain, fog, smoke, etc.). A bright colored target bounces a stronger signal back than a dark one. Fog or rain weakens the signal by dissipating the laser light. Those are a couple of factors to keep in mind when you’re using them.
One drawback I’ve seen on all of the laser rangefinders around up to now is that they only give you the Line-of-sight (LOS) distance to the target. If you are shooting up or down at a steep angle this can be misleading. If you remember your geometry you see that you are using the hypotenuse measurement of a right triangle while what you really need is the true horizontal or base measurement from you to the target. Gravity only acts on the bullet for this horizontal distance. For example, if the LOS measurement is 400 yards and the target is at an angle of 40 degrees above or below you the horizontal distance between you is actually 335 yards. If you held for 400 yards you’d shoot high.
So, what does all this have to do with anything? If you use a laser rangefinder and you need to know the actual “shooting distance” to your target you have a couple of options. You could carry the rangefinder, an inclinometer and a calculator, and then calculate the correct distance to your target. Or you can buy one of the new Leupold RX Series rangefinders and let it figure it for you. Leupold calls it the “True Ballistic Range” or TBR for short. It’s just what the doctor ordered, especially for anyone hunting in mountainous terrain.
There are four models in the RX Series. All have a focusing eyepiece, choice of 13 different reticles, built in thermometer, Yards/Feet/Meters mode, scan mode and LOS measurement. The RX-I and RX-II have 6X magnification and are “weatherproof” while the RX-III and RX-IV have 8X magnification and are “waterproof”. The RX-I is the entry level model, lacking a number of the bells and whistles the other models have, including the TBR. Starting with the RX-II the TBR is a standard feature. Other features, as you go up in model, include “Rain mode”, digital compass and various targeting modes.
While wandering through Bass Pro Shop a while back I saw an RX-III in the display cabinet. The price was $400. This model has all the features except the built in compass. It is 4.6” x 3.5” x 2” and weighs 12 ounces. The battery life is 2000 activations. The useful range is from 3 to 1200 yards. You should note that 1200 yards is the maximum range using a reflective target. The instructions say that for a deer type target the maximum effective range is 500 yards. Since I had some gift cards I just HAD to use I felt it necessary to purchase it. At least that’s what I told my wife…
One of the wonders of modern electronics is that they have LOTS of features and options to choose from. That sure can make them a pain to set up! The Leupold uses a “Quick Set Rotary Menu” to allow you to scroll through the options. Choosing some options turns off others so make sure you read the instructions.
A list of features for the RX-III follows:
Match 13 Reticle System – Choice of 13 different reticles.
Long range mode – ON or OFF. ON only reads objects over 150 yards away.
Rain mode – ON or OFF. ON helps prevent false readings due to rain, fog, etc.
1st Target mode OR Last Target mode OR neither. See explanation below.
Yards OR Feet OR Meters reading.
Fahrenheit OR Celsius OR LOS reading.
TBR – ON or OFF. Also activates the inclinometer reading.
Ballistic Group Selection – A, B, C, AB, AC, BC and ABC. Offers a choice of eight groups of cartridges/loads for use with the TBR. The groups are listed in the instructions.
I set the unit to show measurements in yards. I naturally selected TBR mode and also have it show LOS and the angle of inclination in the lower right hand section of the display. Another option is the selection between “1ST Target Mode” and “Last Target Mode”. If there are several objects in view the rangefinder can sometimes give you an average distance for all of them. “1ST Target” gives you the range to the closest target and ignores anything in the background. “Last Target” ignores the fore ground and gives you the distance to the farthest target. I’ve initially set mine for “Last Target” thinking that while hunting I’ll probably have to range through light brush, trees, etc.
You can select which information you want the TBR to display. Your choices are BAS, MOA or HOLD. BAS is the actual horizontal distance to the target. To use HOLD or MOA you have to specify a “ballistic group” of cartridges and zero your rifle at a specific distance, explained in the instructions. For example: a .280 Remington with a 140 grain bullet at 2990 fps would fall into ballistic group “C” and would be zeroed at 200 yards. Then HOLD will give you the inches of holdover/under and MOA will show the minutes of angle for holdover/under. Since I plan to use this thing with a number of different guns I chose the BAS mode.
The rangefinder couldn’t be much easier to use after you’ve set it up. Look through the eyepiece at the object you want to measure and press and hold the power button. A reticle will appear to help you line up on the target. Center the object in the reticle. The display mode and the distance will start blinking over the reticle. Release the power button and the distance will be displayed for a few seconds. The display can also be lit by pushing the “SET” button. Then the unit will power down to save the battery.
At this time I’ve only done some limited testing. I measured some distances around the house; to neighbors’ houses, mail boxes and such. I also took the device to the range and measured some known distances and the measurements were dead on. One of the first things I noticed is that it’s hard to hold steady on a small target at any great distance. The unit has a threaded hole in the bottom for a support such as a monopod or tripod. If I was going to try to use it on distant groundhogs or prairie dogs I’d keep that in mind.
So far I’m pleased with my purchase. When deer season gets here I’ll use it for determining the distances of certain landmarks from my stand locations. If I know that a certain tree, for example, is 130 yards from the stand it will help me place my shot better when that deer wanders by. Of course, if time permits, I’ll be able to measure the distance to any deer seen directly. Some time next year I hope to use the rangefinder on a trip to Gettysburg. Just exactly how far is it from the “sniper’s den” at Devils Den to the top of Little Round Top?
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Posted by Pumpkinslinger on Sunday, October 07, 2007 (17:07:19) (10633 reads)
comments? | | Score: 4.85 |
| Caught ya'll sleepin'.... |
Here's the February submission, for your inspection. This story introduces Uncle Burley. I hope you enjoy it. Uncle Burley is the first of a cast of reoccurring characters that reside in Posey, a small town near Tumble Creek... which meanders through my imagination.
Caught yall sleepin'...
...'an slipped in again.
Some years after Uncle Slim passed away, I got hooked up with Uncle Burley, (Mom's side of the family was real colorful). Uncle Burley invited me on a camping trip over to the County reservoir, since I had a truck an' no DUI's.
I picked Uncle Burley up an' we bought a bunch of campin' supplies...couple cases of Bud, fifth of Ol' Stump Blower, and Uncle Burley insisted on some Ripple in case we run across some hot wimmin...bag of ice, sardines, one mustard, one hot sause. I asked about gettin' a little bait but Uncle Burley said weren't no use wastin' good money on bait, we could find plenty at the lake...made sense to me. Then we ran by Sears, picked up a refrigerator box, Uncle Burley never saw the need to waste money on a tent neither. Any way, we're off.
The plentiful bait theory didn't pan out. I reckon there's lots of thrifty minded folks hereabouts. All the rocks were turned up, kinda reminded me of Stonehenge, 'cept all these rocks are worn slick from bein' rolled over. Uncle Burley wasn't worried though, after all, even if we didn't catch a fish, we brought plenty supplies...which were already down about a half a case.
Did I mention hot wimmin? Must be something about a dusky evening, a camp fire, and an A M truck radio that brings 'em out. Two of 'em came wanderin' down the shoreline (there's always two in case one has to go to the bathroom).
The big one was Lo'...rayne, not Lorrine, not Larain, but Lo'...hesitate, rolled her tongue...rayne. Lorayne, uh, I mean Lo'...rayne, was blessed, REALLY blessed...you could tell right away 'cause she was wearin' a tank top, said "Meet Me In St.. and you really had to look for the ..Louie". Uncle Burley's eyes lit up like a fire truck (all red an' blinkin), well that left Squeeky. I didn't call her that because of her voice, she was so skinny that her panty hose kept slippin' down, and since she was a little knock kneed, all the slack kinda gathered up there and made that funny little noise as she walked.
These was local gals and since this lake was pretty far out I guess all our "supplies" had some appeal...especially the Ripple. Wasn't long before the Ripple was all gone, Uncle Burley was half gone an' I found out that Squeek had a gold tooth...right here!
Somewhere near the low water mark on the fifth, our camping trip had turned into a party...AWRIGHT!!! Seems Uncle Burley and Lo'rayne were both musically inclined, Uncle Burley found a station on the radio that you could actually hear music over the static, an' Lo'rayne started singin'...off key...loud,proud and unabashed!
That leaves me 'an Squeeky. She's drunk and I'm an oppurtunist, so I cut the good knee out of her panty hose, wrapped a hot sause sardine in it, tied on a big ol' A C spark plug for weight an' hoisted 'er out a piece. Boy howdy, we're campin now!
By now it's gettin' a little late but the party is in full swing. Uncle Burley is "likkered up" and trying to Moonwalk. Looks kinda funny...to Johnny Cash. Especially since Uncle Burley only has one leg (didn't lose it in the war, just lost it. Went on a bender, came back...it was gone). "...because you're mine" hop, hop, hop (backwards)..."I walk the line"... hop, hop, head over "heel" into the campfire ( most of which went down the back of Uncle Burley's pants). Did greatly improve his Moonwalk though!
All this must have made an impression on Lo'rayne 'cause after we all peed on the fire, (had to put him out, his cheeks were turnin' red, face was kinda flushed too), first you know they was dancin'. Looked like two beagles ridin' a pogo stick, what with Uncle Burley's one leg an' all. Did I mention Lo...rayne was blessed?
By now Uncle Burley is gettin pretty romantic, kissin Lo...rayne on her neck, tellin' her how much he likes nibblin' around that little rose tattoo...probably wasn't the best idea for Lo...rayne to tell him that it wasn't a tattoo, it was ringworm.
While Uncle Burley was throwin' up, the Conservation Officer came. He had his hair tied in a pony tail and didn't care one whit for Johnny Cash...at 3 a.m. "We got married in a fever..."
AAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY, I'm gettin' a bite!!! so I start runnin' down the bank toward my pole. I swear I didn't hear the CO say anything like halt...heard the warnin' shots though. It's real hard to get a decent hook set when you're layin' on your stomach in the mud. I gave 'er a mighty heave though. In the excitement, I missed ol' whiskers but here came that big ol' A C and 4.0 O'Shaunesy...WOOWAH, WOOWAH, WOOWAH, hook, plug, hook...WOOWAH, wip, wip, weep...wrapped ol' pony tail up like a Goucho, slingin' a bola. Now folks I BELIEVE in catch 'n' release, so after taking a few pictures, and tossing all his ammo in the lake, we turned him loose. He stomped off up the trail mumblin' something about backup. He was kinda hard to understand, what with the swellin' where I'd lipped him 'til we could get the hook out. Well we kinder decided to skitter on outa' there, since the ruckus had probably scared off all the fish anyway. Gonna miss them gals, they were a lot of fun.
Me an' Uncle Burley stayed pretty close to home for a few days (lights off, shades drawn). Never heard nothin' though. Guess ol' pony tail thought it over and decided them pictures we took might be a little embarrassin'. Embarrassin' part is though...the pictures didn't turn out. Squeeky's gold tooth bounced the flash back an' every thing got overexposed.
Now if anybody asks about this camping trip, I tell 'em it never happened. I'd 'preciate it if you'd do the same.
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Posted by 4rum on Friday, January 26, 2007 (19:21:54) (4198 reads)
comments? | | Score: 0 |
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