DAS Bamboo Core Longbow Limbs

[Bowhunter57]

I like this ILF system, as it allows me to change limbs or risers to fit my preferences. I ordered a set of DAS bamboo core longbow limbs at 35#, to shoot in the back yard for muscle memory, strength training and just plain ole fun. The UPS girl delivered them this morning and I went to work on setting them up on my October Mountain Products 17" riser, the Sektor model. It seems to like a 6 1/2" brace height and I set the tiller for my 3 fingers under shooting method.

I'm impressed with how quiet this bow shoots. I'm using 600 spine Gold Tip Traditional arrows, but they may be too short, at 28". I had to use a 175 gr. tip weight to get the flight as good as it is currently. I may have to start over with full length shafts, for better flight. I'm seeing a little bit of tail flip at 20 yards, which may be part of my release. I'll wait until I settle into this bow, before making any changes. So far, so good!

 

[Bowhunter57]

I spent some more time shooting my ILF longbow, early this morning before the winds picked up and used some 500 spine arrows. I assumed the 600s would work, but after looking at an arrow chart, all the suggestions were for a 500 spine. I'm using a 125 gr. tip weight and may go a bit heavier, but for now a 6 3/4" brace height is working with this spine and tip weight.

I took the longbow to an archery pro shop and put it on a digital scale and at a 28" DL, it's pulling 38.2# with these 35# limbs. Oddly enough, that's exactly what my 35# DAS recurve limbs pull, at the same 28" DL. Both sets of limbs have a bamboo core.
However, these longbow limbs are 10x smoother drawing and quieter too. I'm going to be shooting this bow for a while....and possibly hunting with it this fall.

 

[brock ratcliff]

Nice looking rig. I’m not intimately familiar with ILF gear since I’ve never owned one but from what I’ve read, most limb weight ratings are based on a 21” riser, so being slightly heavier than advertised on a short riser is common.

I don’t know if you do bareshaft tuning or not, but it is by far the quickest way to determine proper spine and point weight combinations that produce perfect arrow flight. If you’ve not done it, cutting the fletch off one pretty arrow is well worth it.

 

[Bowhunter57]

@brock ratcliff
I have some full length bare shaft 500s that I have not fletched. The arrows I'm currently shooting are ones that I purchased from Sportsman's Den, in Shelby and they are 28" from the throat of the nock to the end of the shaft. I'm not real crazy about the 5" 3 fletch, as I'm more in favor of 4" 3 fletch. Reason being, if the shaft itself is flying good, there's not much need for a lot of feather guidance. I use 3" feathers on the arrows for my compound.

When this damn wind lays down I'll get outside and give it a go with a bare shaft 500 spine. I'd like to end up with a 150 gr. or heavier tip weight, but if 125 gr. tip weights work, then so be it. I'll just have to make a 1/4" cut at a time and see how the flight changes, until it settles in and flies straight.
I've been shooting ILF recurves for about 3 years and love the limb and riser options.