Shakespeare Longbows

Shakespeare's Three Ambidextrous 

Dual Shelf Longbows. 

by Larry Vienneau
From the sister blog:

http://dualshelfshooters.blogspot.com/2014/05/shakespeare-archery-dual-shelf-models.html

 Yup, Shakespeare made longbows!

Shakespeare has been producing fishing equipment since the late 1800s. In 1959 Shakespeare acquired Parabow Archery Inc. and began the Shakespeare line of archery equipment. They first produced solid fiberglass longbows and recurves. The style of these bow were simple and they were often the first bow of a youngster. In 1959, along with the Parabow line, Shakespeare introduced the 100 through 600 series of recurves. Around this time Ernie Root began designing and building the bows for Shakespeare. These were beautifully crafted laminated wood and fiberglass. They had leather-wrapped grips, and if right-handed, had the name RH-100, 200, 300, etc. If left-handed, they of course were LH-100 and so on. The Model 100 and 200 were top for the line, the Model 300-400 in the mid-price range, and the Model 500-600 lower price range.  In 1961, the leather grip was dropped, and so were the RH 100, and LH 100 designations which were replaced with the X Models, and the bows took on a sleeker design, showing the Ernie Root influence.

1959-60 Model 600 1959-60 Model 500

The RH and LH 100-600 bows were the first composite wood and fiberglass bows made by Shakespeare's archery. These bows have been described as hybrid bows. Of course, that is a recent term. They are semi-recurve; fully working recurves but has traits of recurve as well as longbows. The riser is not more vertical than modern recurves, showing less reflex. They resembled 21st-century Longbows.

1961 Model X20-58

From 1961-64 many of Shakespeare's bows were re-designated with “X” plus a number. The Model X20 in 1961 was a 58-inch entry-level bow with bright red fiberglass. The X20 looked very similar to the 1959-60 Model 600 which also had ambidextrous arrow rests, had an identical profile, and was just two inches longer. The 1961 X20 was also the last Shakespeare laminated model with a leather-wrapped handle. The 1962 X20 was no longer an ambidextrous bow, it was offered as either an RH or LH option, and the leather wrap was dropped. The really interesting thing is all three of these bows were NOT recurves but were the only longbows made by Shakespeare Archery.

1959-60 Model 500 & 600

• Contoured handle with spiral leather grip
• Model 500 – 60” AMO, Model 500- 56” AMO
• Draw weights: Model 500- 30 lbs. to 60 lbs. Model 600 25 lbs. to 50
• Riser: maple
• Limbs: Parallel Glass, 1 ½ inch. Model 600  face is a red back and white belly, and Model 500 red back and white belly
• Semi-recurve
• Brace height:  7 ½
• Model 500-600 were ambidextrous models

   1961-62 Model X20-58

• Contoured handle with spiral leather grip
• AMO: 58”
• Draw Weights: 25 lbs. – 40 lbs.
• Riser: Maple
• Limbs: Woven fiberglass- Maroon, 1 ¼ inch
• Semi-recurve
• Brace height:  7 ½
• Ambidextrous

© Copyright, Larry Vienneau Jr.

All rights reserved.