Monday, November 16, 2009

Details About Compound Bows

By Billy Smith

There are different kinds of bows used for different purposes such as hunting, free range, target, competition archery, or leisure. One of these bows is the compound bow. A compound bow is categorized as a modernized bow. The materials used in this bow are non-conventional than those of the more traditional bows.

The compound bow uses a levering system consisting of pulleys and cables. The reason for this is to have better energy retention in the bow as it bends the limbs and draws the strings. This will enable the bow to retain more amounts of energy, which is then transferred to the arrow creating a more forceful shot when the limbs are bent and the string is drawn.

The riser or the central mount is nowadays made from aircraft grade aluminum alloy or magnesium alloys, and in some case, a combination of both. The riser is where the sights, stabilizers, quivers and limbs are connected. The limbs are made from composite materials allowing it to withstand the stress from the stored energy from drawing the bow; this is where all the energy goes to without leaving tension to the cable and the pulleys.

The compound bow's strings are made from high-modulus polyethylene, which provides minimal stretchability and stress to the cables when it is drawn and heaps of energy is transferred to the arrow with ideal efficiency and stability. The arrows have also evolved from the usual wood; it is now made from carbon or aluminum alloys. This enables the arrow to have great strength and durability for it to withstand the pressure and the amount f energy transferred without breaking itself and in result creating a potential hazard to the archer.

The key factor in the acceleration and accuracy of the arrow is the cam or the pulley. The advantage of which is that it enables the archer to set their preferred walls and draw lengths or points; this is vital as this will help determine the archer's consistency in their draw point and their accuracy.

The compound bow is rather unique from others and which is why a large number of archers prefer this instrument as it is not affected by sudden temperature changes and humidity. It does not alter the bows capability to still be able to draw a consistent shot while retaining its accuracy no matter the humidity and temperature.

As with most other things, there are certain advantages as well as disadvantages to the compound bow. For instance, the compound bow has a lower holding weight thus making it susceptible to faults particularly when the archer has done a full draw; this makes the bow prone to left-right errors. Overall compound bows are versatile instruments. They are used by archers and hunters alike and are constantly evolving.

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