Dave Markowitz
Member
Last week my 7 year old daughter expressed and interest in learning archery. To say that I'm very happy with this development is a bit of an understatement. I ordered her a youth set from Three Rivers Archery and it should get here in the next day or so.
I used to shoot a bow a lot but it's been probably 15 years or so. The only bow I owned up until today was a 55# Martin Howatt Hunter recurve. Naturally, if my daughter is going to shoot I want to as well, but upon stringing the Martin for the first time in several years I realized that I am way over bowed with it. So, I decided to pick up a new bow for myself. After doing a lot of reading online, I chose a Magyar Horse Bow made by Istvan Toth in Hungary, and sold in the US by Seven Meadows Archery.
It arrived today and I took a few quick cell phone pics after I got home from work. I included the Martin Howatt Hunter for comparison, since more folks will be familiar with that bow.
A closeup of the grip showing the ash strikeplate (there is one on each side of the bow, it's ambidextrous):
As you can probably see, there is no arrow rest or shelf. This bow is meant to be shot off your hand. I'll be wearing a leather glove.
A closeup of the upper siyah, or rigid limb tip, also made from ash:
The leather-covered limbs are made from fiberglass.
The label with the stock number and draw weight is the only identifier on the bow. Overall, workmanship seems nice, it came packed well in a muslin bow sock and with the tips bubble wrapped. The wood appears to be unfinished, or at most very lightly finished. I will probably give the wood and leather a coating of Sno-Seal to help keep them from drying out.
Along with the bow I also ordered a spare string and a leather thumbring. These bows were originally shot with a thumb release. I tried drawing it tonight with my thumb and I think I'm going to want to reinforce the thumbring with some nylon, because that hurts my non-callused thumb. The bow is comfortable to draw with a Mediterranean three-finger draw, however.
Interestingly, both the bowyer and the seller recommend the step-through method of stringing. With a 40# bow this isn't hard but you need to be careful. The stringer I use for the Martin won't fit the tips of the Toth bow, so I will probably make one that fits, as IMO it is safer to use a stringer.
Here is a video on YouTube of a similar Magyar bow being shot. The bow in the video draws 45#, a little heavier than mine.
My primary use for this bow with be informal target shooting but if I feel confident of my skill, I may take it hunting next fall. The minimum legal draw weight for deer hunting in PA is 35#, and I have a place where I should be able to get very close shots (private land owned by a friend).
I'm hoping to shoot it this weekend and will post an AAR.
I used to shoot a bow a lot but it's been probably 15 years or so. The only bow I owned up until today was a 55# Martin Howatt Hunter recurve. Naturally, if my daughter is going to shoot I want to as well, but upon stringing the Martin for the first time in several years I realized that I am way over bowed with it. So, I decided to pick up a new bow for myself. After doing a lot of reading online, I chose a Magyar Horse Bow made by Istvan Toth in Hungary, and sold in the US by Seven Meadows Archery.
It arrived today and I took a few quick cell phone pics after I got home from work. I included the Martin Howatt Hunter for comparison, since more folks will be familiar with that bow.
A closeup of the grip showing the ash strikeplate (there is one on each side of the bow, it's ambidextrous):
As you can probably see, there is no arrow rest or shelf. This bow is meant to be shot off your hand. I'll be wearing a leather glove.
A closeup of the upper siyah, or rigid limb tip, also made from ash:
The leather-covered limbs are made from fiberglass.
The label with the stock number and draw weight is the only identifier on the bow. Overall, workmanship seems nice, it came packed well in a muslin bow sock and with the tips bubble wrapped. The wood appears to be unfinished, or at most very lightly finished. I will probably give the wood and leather a coating of Sno-Seal to help keep them from drying out.
Along with the bow I also ordered a spare string and a leather thumbring. These bows were originally shot with a thumb release. I tried drawing it tonight with my thumb and I think I'm going to want to reinforce the thumbring with some nylon, because that hurts my non-callused thumb. The bow is comfortable to draw with a Mediterranean three-finger draw, however.
Interestingly, both the bowyer and the seller recommend the step-through method of stringing. With a 40# bow this isn't hard but you need to be careful. The stringer I use for the Martin won't fit the tips of the Toth bow, so I will probably make one that fits, as IMO it is safer to use a stringer.
Here is a video on YouTube of a similar Magyar bow being shot. The bow in the video draws 45#, a little heavier than mine.
My primary use for this bow with be informal target shooting but if I feel confident of my skill, I may take it hunting next fall. The minimum legal draw weight for deer hunting in PA is 35#, and I have a place where I should be able to get very close shots (private land owned by a friend).
I'm hoping to shoot it this weekend and will post an AAR.