Arrow Speeds for Vintage Shakespeare Recurves

Arrow Speeds for Vintage Root, Shakespeare, and assorted recurves from my collection
by Larry Vienneau

Technology has made spectacular advances since the 1960-70s. The strides have reshaped our culture, changed the environment, opened the universe to the inquisitive mind, and changed the sport of archery. Despite these technical achievements the recurve is essentially the same. Today's designs are basically the same ones perfected in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The real differences are more esthetics than new innovations. Why mess with perfection.  The vintage bows of this era are the standard of quality and beauty to which contemporary bow makers must constantly strive.

I have finished testing my Shakespeare bows but I also want to post my other vintage bows for comparison. I bought a chronograph and it took a while to figure it out. I also bought an amazing App for my iPhone “Archery Chronograph” for .99 cents!!  

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/achrono/id530335013?mt=8
http://www.ollapp.com/app/achrono/android 

I shot the same 410-grain arrows with three 3-inch fletchings. I shot a dozen arrows and averaged the results. My string was mostly D-50 material. I use Fast Flight for my solid fiberglass bows and they are denoted with *FF

 Shakespeare / Parabow / Root / bows:

1. 60 lb. Ocala 60" X17------------- 194.10 FPS
2. 55 lb. Necedah 55” X26--------- 187.74 FPS
3. 44 lb. Root Brush Master-------184.84 FPS 
4. 45 lb. Necedah 58"X26--------- 184.66 FPS
5. 45 lb. Tioga X21--------------------184.28 FPS
6. 50 lb. Super Necedah x32------184.09 FPS
7. 52 lb. Super Necedah X30----- 182.90 FPS
8. 55 lb. Kaibab X27 ---------------- 182.80 FPS
9. 50 lb. Model LH 100-------------- 182.25 FPS
10. 45 lb. Root Warrior X100------- 180.56 FPS 
11. 45 lb. Ocala 62" X17------------  178.97 FPS
12. 45+lb Pecos X23----------------- 177.46 FPS
13. 55 lb. Mancos X40--------------- 176.18 FPS
14. 41 lb Manitou X20---------------- 175.79 FPS
15. 50 lb. Cascade X29-------------- 174.66 FPS
16. 40 lb Yukon X24------------------ 174.66 FPS
17. 40+lb Professional X10-------- 174.23 FPS 
18. 45 lb. Wambaw X12------------- 173.62 FPS
19. 45 lb Model 600 -----------------  170.31 FPS
20. 45 lb. Sierra X18-----------------  170.13 FPS
21. 45 lb Root Field Master 1957--170.07 FPS
22. 40+ Model X22--------------------  169.73 FPS
23. 38 lb. Super Necedah X30 ---  169.11 FPS
24. 45 lb. Custer  X22---------------- 168.63 FPS
25. 39 lb Root Range Master-------161.14 FPS
26. 45 lb. B-7 Comet Parabow---- 158. 27 FPS
27. 35 lb. B-2 Brushmaster ---------155.98 FPS
28. 45 lb. Shim-Bo X2---------------- 155.87 FPS
29. 30 lb. Model 500------------------- 154.72 FPS
30. 30 lb. Wonderbow x20-58----- 150.40 FPS
31. 40 lb. B-3 Sharpshooter ------- 149.59 FPS
32. 36 lb. Golden Eagle S-Proline--147.91 FPS

The results for the Shakespeare bows were interesting. My fastest bow is my 60# Ocala 60 AMO at 194.10 FPS, which would have placed it as number three when compared to the list of top modern production bows!!! It also outperformed the heavier 70# Bear Kodiak at 190.88 FPS. One of my oldest bows The Necedah 55" at 45lb was the second fastest of the Shakespeare bows at 187.74 fps. The slowest was the 1959-60 30# Model 500 at 154.72 FPS. Next the 45# Custer at 168.63 fps, followed closely by the 52# Super Necedah at 169.11 fps (both faster than a Black Widow PTF II.) Most of my 45lb Shakespeare Bows (except for the Shim-Bo' and Comet Parabow) smoked my 45lb Bear Kodiak Magnum bow!!! The Shakespeare Professional was faster than the Golden Sovereign Lord Mercury and Hoyt Pro Medalist target bows. Still, the variations in speed are minimal when compared to the speeds of the Contemporary bows (Dec. 8th post).

My Vintage bows:

1. 74 lb. Homemade Longbow-------192.51 FPS
2. 70 lb. 1983 Bear  Kodiak------------190.88 FPS
3. 50 lb. Earl Hoyt Sky Hawk TD----187.01 FPS
4. 60 lb. Red Wing Hunter-------------185.85 FPS
5. 50 lb. Paul Bunyan 100 fiberglass-- 178.68 FPS  *FF
6. 45 lb. 1960 Bear Panda--------------176.67 FPS
7. 45 lb. 1957 Bear Alaskan ----------175.24 FPS
8. 50 lb. Ben Pearson TD Longbow---173.77 FPS
9. 50 lb Paul Bunyan 300 Fiberglass-----173.18      *FF
10. 42 lb. Homemade Recurve--------172.89 FPS
11. 58 lb. Homemade Sinew Backed   172.23 FPS
12. 55 lb. Homemade Sinew backed---171.09 FPS
13. 50 lb. Zeus Fiberglass ----------------169.88 FPS     *FF
14. 50 lb. Paul Bunyan 500 Fiberglass---169.57         *FF 
15. 52 lb. 1954 Bear Cub-----------------168.75 FPS
16. 51 lb. 1959 Bear Cub-----------------167.97 FPS
17. 50 lb Shawnee Fiberglass--------- 167.90 FPS       *FF
18. 52 lb. Homemade Longbow-------166.25 FPS
19. 38Lb Ben Pearson, Golden Sovereign, "Lord Mercury"                                   ----166.05 FPS
20. 45 lb.  #267 Indian  Archery--------165.76 FPS
21. 45 lb. 1967 Bear Kodiak Mag-----165.09 FPS
22. 40 lb. Homemade Sinew backed ----161.78 FPS
23. 40 lb. 1956 Bear Polar --------------157.07 FPS
24. 37 lb. Hoyt Pro Medalist------------154.30 FPS
25. 38 lb. Groves Spitfire----------------154.18 FPS
26. 40 lb. Lemonwood Longbow------152.91 FPS

The Homemade bows and Sinew Backed bows were made from 1982 to 1995. The Horse-bows are not vintage but are unique and powerful bows. The Chinese and Mongolian Bows are handmade in China. The Korean Bow is a Samick SKB traditional bow, it is the shortest, lightest, smallest, but one of the FASTEST of my bows- Proof that good things can come in small packages

HORSEBOWS

1.      60 lb Korean Samick SKB ----------193.46 FPS 
2.      60 Lb Chinese bow-----------------181.91 FPS
3.      60 lb Mongolian Bow---------------181.59 FPS
 4.      35 lb. Mongolian Horse-bow ----164.75 FPS 

Here is a great posting I found on Tradtalk.com. It lists an assortment of contemporary production recurves and longbows. A dozen arrows of the same weight were fired through a chronograph and the speeds were averaged. Here are the results. I realize speed isn't important to everyone, but seeing some of the higher-priced bows surpassed by less-expensive bows is interesting. These results are not mine. I can't vouch for their accuracy.
 
Top Production Bows Speed List:

http://www.tradtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26577


Posted by “Dediu00ro”


1-- 62# @28 Belcher Bows Patriot handle SSR recurve limbs 56" [205fps] = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zON5nhWih8 Video


2-- 72# @29" Black Douglas Swift with H core Hex 5 Limbs -[196fps]


3-- 47# @31" Border Harrier Royale--------------------------[195fps]


-- 50# @28" Predator "Classic" 9.8gpp----------------------[193fps]


-- 55# @33" AH ACS CX 11gpp------------------------------[188fps]


-- 48# @28" Firefly/G3 Hoyt bow-----------------------------[187fps]


-- 48# @28" 52" Montana recurve----------------------------[187fps]


-- 47# @30" Hoyt GM 2 with TT Blackmax Carbon 66"---[185fps]


-- 49# @28" 58" Cari bow WOLVERINE----------------------[184fps]


-- 51# @28" Pse Kingfisher Recurve Bow 9gpp------------[188fps]


-- 50# @28" PL X "Birdseye Maple" T/D 9.4gpp------------[185fps]


-- 55# @28" O.L. ADCOCK ACS LONGBOW 60"-----------[181fps]


-- 58# @28" 60" Palmer Carbon Recurve---------------------[180 fps]


-- 50# @28" 66" Grifon Gl Border Archery--------------------[180fps]


-- 45# @28" TT Titan Recurve w/ Carbon Extreem BF 11gpp-[180fps]


-- 48# @28" Samick Td Hunter-------------------------------[180fps]


-- 42# @28" 58" Lost Creek Longbow------------------------[179fps]


-- 50# @28" 62" Longbow Cari Bow Peregrine-------------[178fps]


-- 47# @28" 62" Liberty Chief Elite----------------------------[176fps]


-- 45# @28" 62" A D M longbow-------------------------------[176fps]


-- 47# @28" TT Black Onyx BM C limbs--------------------[175fps]


-- 42# @30" Blacktail TD Recurve: 66" 11.5gpp-----------[174fps]


-- 45# @28" TT Pinacle Longbow GW limbs 11gp!------[174fps]


-- 64# @29" on 17" DAS riser with Dryad ACS XL--------[174fps]


-- 48# @28" Anneewakee Addiction 56" 11.45gpp-------[171fps]


-- 45# @28" 62" Montana Whip Longbow-------------------[171fps]


-- 39# @29" Kaya Korean Traditional Bow 9gpp----------[170fps]


-- 49# @28" Harvest Master HC Recurve 12gpp!----------[168fps]


-- 50# @28" Black Widow PTF II (Prototype) 62"11.4gpp-[168fps]


-- 39# @30" Hwarang Bow MWP-------------------------------[169fps]


-- 40# @28" Samick Sage TD Recurve-----------------------[166fps]


-- 50# @28" White Wolf Red Moon Longhunter S4--------[165fps]


-- 39# @30" Wind Fighter Korean Bow-----------------------[165fps]


-- 60# @28" Hoyt Buffalo Recurve 12.5gpp------------------[160fps]


-- 38# @28" Black Widow SA lll 11.1gpp--------------------[161fps]


-- 49# @28" Morrison Dakota TD 60"----------------------[161fps]


-- 39# @30" Grozer TRH--------------------------------------[159fps]


-- 52# @28" Aidy Hayes Longbow---------------------------[158fps]


-- 49# @28" Falco Legends Flatbow 10gpp----------------[158fps]


-- 50# @28" Neil Harrington Longbow 72" 10.6gpp--------[155fps]


-- 49# @28" Chris Boyton High Performance Longbow 11.1gpp--[154fps]


-- 48# @28" Rampart TD RC 60"------------------------------[151fps]


-- 45# @28" R. Welch Dakota TD RC 60" 12gpp----------[150fps]


-- 46# @28" Samick Skb 9gpp--------------------------------[150fps]


-- 28# @28" Samick Polaris Td Recurve 11.5gpp---------[149fps]


-- 50# @28" Samick Stingray 58"------------------------------[142fps]


-- 55# @27"-@27.5" Samick Skb 10.5gpp-------------------[142fps]



© Copyright, Larry Vienneau Jr.
All rights reserved.