# leave my bow strung or unstrung?



## Ybuck

I think it depends on how often you shoot it.
My Gamemaster has been strung for over two years,
but gets shot 3 or more times per week.
If it were me, and the bow wasn't shot regularly,
i'd unstring it.
jmo.


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## drenalinhunter1

ok thanks i would probably be shooting it at least two days a week, i'll probably leave it strung as long as it will not damage the limbs to be that way. i'll get some more opinions and go from there 

thank you for the help

jeff


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## I'm Not Ted

I always unstring mine. Just a personal preferance. Espcially after my limb snapped when I was shooting. I take extra precautions now. Do a search, there's a couple threads on here about stringing and unstringing I think.


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## Bowsage

I asked my friend who has been making bows for 45+ years the same question , he said " it only takes a minute" . He did'nt say whether it was a good idea or not. In other words,why not?


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## rjtfroggy

I remember in the Black Widow video Ken Beck said to leave them strung because stringing and unstringing are the two most dangerous times for your bow. If you are going to damage it that is when it will happen. He also stated that you don't unstring a compound and they are under a lot more tension than you recurve or compound.
That being said I do own a MAII and it hasn't been unstrung in years except to replace the string, and always with a proper bow stringer, with my full attention on what I was doing.
I would say a good quality bow can remain strung indefanitly.
But remember a bow is no different than a loaded gun, if there is a chance of somebody other than yourself getting into contact with it- UNSTRING IT AND PUT IT AWAY. sorry for the long answer.


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## TheAncientOne

Modern limbs can withstand being strung all the time. Black Widow bows has a video of somone standing on one of their limbs. But a strung recurve is dangerous if the string fails or is cut by a broadhead. Recurve limbs travel much further than a compound and can literally take out an eye or worse. It also eliminates the problem of someone who doesn't know what they are doing from dry firing your bows or nocking an arrow. I unstring all of my recurves after use.

TAO


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## SandSquid

TheAncientOne said:


> Recurve limbs travel much further than a compound and can literally take out an eye or worse.


I can't think of anything worse than loosing an eye... 
(Never heard of someone loosing a testicle to a bow stringing accident):mg:


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## sticbow

My longbow has been strung almost all the time since I built it 14 yrs ago, it was born at #[email protected] 14 yrs later it's #[email protected]
Same with all my recurves, unless I'm traveling outer Island then they are unstrung.

Up to you, just be mindful of the hot and cold extremes.


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## r2t2

If you leave your bow strung be sure the limbs are not twisted if you hang it up.

RT


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## FedSmith

I broke my favorite purpleheartwood bow strigning it. 
43-years-old and I sat down and cried like I lost my trikie.

Well-made bows (in my ongoing research) are not damaged by staying strung.

Crappy ones will eventually twist and get thrown on a party fire.


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## TheAncientOne

> Well-made bows (in my ongoing research) are not damaged by staying strung.


True, but I wouldn't trust the string. 



> I broke my favorite purpleheartwood bow strigning it.


Always use a bow stringer, it's easy to twist a limb without one. Bows are not designed to survive asymetrical loads under stress like that.



> 43-years-old and I sat down and cried like I lost my trikie.


I would do the same at 55

TAO


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## Clang!

*Strung or not?*

The argument in favor of leaving it strung is that the greatest hazard to your bow is when trying to string and unstring it. The traditional stringing methods (step-through and push and pull) put the bow at a high risk of twisting the limbs. Not much is worse then finding your bow trying to turn itself inside out on the shooting line. This is particurally true for recurves.

The argument against it is losing cast. Polymer matrix composites (e.g. fiberglass/epoxy and carbon/epoxy) and wood are subject to "creep", particurally during high temperatures. "Creep" is an permanent deformation that occurs due to prolonged loading, such as leaving the bow strung for long periods of time. I purchased a bow a couple of years back that had been left strung with a too short string. It's had lost 5 lbs of draw weight.

I just use a stringer and only have it strung when I'm shooting.

Just my $.02


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## shamus005

Step-through can twist a limb but push-pull is pretty safe. 

I unstring my selfbows after use, using push-pull.

I unstring my recurves after I use them, using a stringer.


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## BowmanJay

the only safe way is with a stringer


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## JV NC

> Well-made bows (in my ongoing research) are not damaged by staying strung.


ONLY time I unstring mine is to adjust BH or to chang silencers.

Otherwise, it stays strung and hung.


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