When I was 15 in 1952 , my mother bought me one of the best Christmas presents ever! It was a 66" Hill-style longbow made by Frank Eicholtz. I loved this bow. But, as the years rolled by, I developed a hatred with the Hill-style bows; mainly because the hand-shock they seemed to possess. In the early 1980s I set about to make myself a Hill-style bow without much jarring on release. What I found out was a few simple things. Let me share them: (1) The last 5-8 inches of each limb should have very little bending.
(2) The core woods should be on the light side (yew, maple, bamboo etc.). (3) The limbs should not reflex off the handle-riser (a slight deflex is best). Longbows built this way are a real pleasure to shoot. I thought that I'd share my findings with you. What's your thoughts?
Think you just described my Dave Wallace (Wallace Mountain longbow)
and yes it is a very smooth shooter
I love em. However I'm flexible and enjoy shooting any style if it fits well.
I agree on all you said except for the reflex. The bow below is 69" with 5" tip wedges and is soft in the hand.
Hill Style Bows
I’m in the hate ‘em group! They are fine looking bows, but don’t fit me or the way I shoot! The grips feel terrible to me, almost like trying to hold a 2x4 in your hand!!! Besides, I don’t have good enough dental insurance to cover the damage shooting those bows would do to my teeth!!! 😆😆😆
Bisch
With four in my collection, I've failed yet to encounter a Sunset Hill bow that delivered any perceivable hand shock. And I shoot them with really good (for me) accuracy. They are among the most accurate bows I own. I can say the same for my JD Berry bows. Put me in the "love 'em" column.
Well..i wrote up a response, hit publish....and it dissapeared.
ASLs are what they are. I happen to like forward handled versions, whether actual ASL or with reflexed limbs, like my Taipan. In part, its a feeling for me. Not the feeling of teeth jarring ( mr Bisch) or arms aching. A feeling of...this is a bow.
That's important to me.
Put me in the love 'em column. Been shooting bows almost as long as you have Fred. I really don't understand why ASLs get a bad wrap re hand shock.
All bows have some hand shock. Until we figure out a way to design a bow that's 100% efficient, the excess energy will always result in some push/vibration from the limbs and thus the riser at the conclusion of the shot.
True, ASLs physical lightness means that they don't have as much mass to absorb that shock as most other designs. Too, a lot of folks put a death grip on the riser when they shoot. That certainly increases felt hand shock. Arrows that are too light and poor tillering are other things that can increase felt hand shock. And some folks are just more sensitive to hand shock than others.
Regardless, I've never found my ASLs unpleasant to shoot, and I certainly have other bows, particularly some mild r/d longbows, that have more hand shock.
I’m definitely in the love em category. My Howard Hills are mostly string follow now. And I’ve had no problems with handshock. ASLs are also the most accurate and forgiving bows I’ve ever shot. I’m glad I was not afflicted with whatever makes some hate them.
A twist to the question, I like them but they don’t agree with the arthritis in my hands. But, I still look at all the pictures everyone posts. What’s more trad than a ASL with a backquiver of arrows.
Love' em catagory also. Never owned any other bows but Howard or Jerry Hill's (except for a couple of old Ben Pearson's). No problems with jolts or hand shocks once the proper grip is discovered
Deno
For those that have issues with handshock. Have you tried a heavy arrow I mean 12-13 gpp? Also is your handshock experience with a ASL with a lot of backset? I started with a straight limbed ASL and had no problems then went to a string follow. I have owned and shot some of the older backset ASLs with 1-2” of backset and they do have a thump to them. Not what I’d call shock. But if your already sensitive to vibration in the bow a heavily backset one will not help things. Just wondering how many of those that have handshock issues have tried a string follow ASL with a heavy arrow. All ASLs are not the same.
I enjoy shooting an ASL and I agree with what Kisatchie said they’re not all made the same.
It’s important when shopping for an ASL to buy from someone experienced in building them. Hill bows are a selfbow with glass added on the back and front of the limbs. Remember, when Howard designed the ASL it was before fiberglass was developed. Years ago I contacted a experienced bowyer that built R/D longbows asked him to build me one with a straight Hill style grip. The longbow shot nice but he didn’t get the grip right. The grip was round like a broom stick.
If someone is interested, Steve Turay of Northern Mist Longbows makes a really nice R/D longbow and he knows how to shape a perfect straight Hill style grip.
X-2 on Steve Turay
If I couldn't shoot an ASL I would give it up
I just get along with them
I feel the same way I couldn’t go back to the recurve a compound has never been an option so I’d probably just take up fishing if I could no longer shoot an ASL. Maybe I could find a take down fishing pole that would fit in my back quiver 😂
Best bow design ever. That is why I have 10 of them. For some reason, a few shoot much better than the others. In fact, the best shooting bow I have ever owned or shot is a 68" Tembo. Smooth as glass and extremely accurate in all hunting situations. I'm going to order a new Tembo for my 50th birthday this spring and send my current Tembo back to Craig to get the grip just like it. I cannot say enough great things about the (Hill) ASL.
justin
I'm in the it took a while, but in the starting to love'em phase. They are a joy to carry and if I can manage to keep myself out of the way, it shoots pretty good too...
I love them but hate shooting now that being said the ASL I shot was 25 years ago it was 80 lbs it was a Howard Hill bow and the hand shock was bad now fast-forward today they are built better. I am going to have Rich Wormington of Yellowstone build me his Yellowstone Longbow in a 64"50@27
I am definitely in the love 'em category. I do sometimes shoot one of my R/D style bows but not often. I have never had a hand shock problem after learning how to hold a Hill style. For me, at least, a low grip with the bow firmly against the heel of the hand is a necessity as is a slight bend in my bow arm. I have bows from both HHA and NM. Those guys make good stuff.
I started shooting ASL bows one year ago. Love them. Don’t want to shoot anything else.
ASL's without a doubt is fun to shoot and a excellent hunting weapon. Light in the hand and maneuverable.
Love’em! Such that it’s hard not to wax poetic about them. They have a way of ‘bending the archer’ to be shot the way they want to be shot. And when they do, that’s where the magic happens.
I do agree with Fred. I have a Hill ASL built in 1962, that is 69" 72#@28, with a radius back, black glass and white on the belly. I bought it from Hugh Rich and made by Jim Darling at Howard Hill Archery. It has about 1.5" back set and is not as smooth as other bows I have shot over the last 40 years. Of those in my collection, the Miller, all bamboo, or Hawk are the smoothest. Some are straight limb, others are have a little string follow. However, a number of glass bows with bamboo core are almost as smooth. Shooting form needs to be similar to the young boy in the photo, Fred posted. Love'em.