# Bow Engineering



## Sighting In (Feb 5, 2009)

I want to know why target bows are shaped the way thy are. It has been proven (I believe) that parallel limb bows are more quiet and shock free. Now, I understand why you don't need that in a target bow, but is the more traditional style limb arrangement more accurate? If it is just to get a longer ata, why not have a long riser and parallel limbs? 

This might not be the best place to ask, but I will anyways. What do you guys think?


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## Mathewsju (Jan 19, 2008)

Sighting In said:


> I want to know why target bows are shaped the way thy are. It has been proven (I believe) that parallel limb bows are more quiet and shock free. Now, I understand why you don't need that in a target bow, but is the more traditional style limb arrangement more accurate? If it is just to get a longer ata, why not have a long riser and parallel limbs?
> 
> This might not be the best place to ask, but I will anyways. What do you guys think?


It is personal preference. Some people like the way the bow jumps from there hand, because it isn't parallel limb. Since most pros shoot BT and have a hard follow through, it makes sense that the bow should "follow through" as well. Riser geometry has alot to do with it to. Some like a straight riser, deflex, or reflex riser. The only riser you can use with parallel limbs (aside from having 6" limbs or an 11" brace height) is the reflex riser.

As far as just lengthening the riser to make a long ata parallel limb bow goes, there are many problems associated with it. Lets say we are comparing a 42" ata traditional target bow with a 42" true parallel limb bow. Because the riser would be about 39" long, the // limb bow would be significantly heavier than the normal style. So much so you are probably talking 5+ pound mass weight for the bow. Also, as you get longer you need to make the riser wider and thicker to make sure you eliminate any flex that would surely come with a 39" riser. This would add even more weight. Now here is another delema. You would be shooting a bow that would proably weigh about 10+ pounds fully setup. I personally don't know anyone besides mayself that would do that. The bow companies would understand this and might try to make it lighter by making the riser out of a lighter alloy with high tensile strength and modulus of elasticity, so the riser could be machined out more and weigh less than aluminum. The problem is the material would be alot more $$ than aluminum, and since the riser is longer to begin with, it will require more machine time, which also = more $$. This translate into one expensive bow no matter how you look at it. Yes there are // limb bows with 40" ata, but they aren't 100% // limb bows. You can make them longer to a point, but if you want say a 44" ata bow, it won't happen. Personally, I think 40 ata is the max.


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## Sighting In (Feb 5, 2009)

So what about a 40" + ata bow with center pivot technology and a tech riser (you know, the Hoyt thing they have that goes around the hand). That way it could be sturdier without a lot of thickness/mass.


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

I'm going to take a quick stab at a potential reason: length. Less finicky. Of course, if you tried to use parallel limbs, you would need a VERY long riser. Not exactly cost effective.

But I could be way off here.


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## N7709K (Dec 17, 2008)

parallel limbs would be nice on a target bow for the speed, but thats about it. The VE and the VP have a more parallel limb setup and they are very heavy mass weight.

The longer the ATA the more stable the bow is. Accuracy is sorta a personal thing, so one could argue that they aren't more accurate. 

If you put a longer riser and more parallel limbs the draw would also get stiffer.


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## Ignition kid (Oct 7, 2008)

I've heard that a parallel limb bow with a longer riser and shorter limbs is more acurrate, and that it eliminated vibration and increases speed. They make target bows the way they do for much more stability and more control and probably for a longer brace height.


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## bow slayer (Apr 2, 2007)

I've shot an 82nd airborne for target and just earlier this year i made the switch to an ultra elite. as soon i made the switch, My accuracy improved greatly. My theroy: an non-paralell limb bow allows you to "feel" the shot more. It is very easy to tell when you don't cleanly release the string on an ultra elite as opposed to an 82nd airborne. The fact that you can feel when the shots are good helps you make good shots more often, and it sure pays off, especially at the longer distances. aside from that, the long ata is sure nice to have.


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## Joe(y) (Mar 1, 2009)

what they said. Ha:wink:


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