Archery:Guidelines For Period Style Equipment

Guidelines for Period Style Equipment

General

1. Period style bows are defined as: Any style of bow that can be documented as used in pre 1600 archery, from Stone age bows to English longbows, Eastern recurve and others. Construction materials should be mainly those that were used in period for the making of that style of bow.
   1. However, modern materials such as plastics, or synthetic glues, finishes, fibers (strings) or artificial sinew, etc. are allowed as long as their use does not give an unfair advantage in performance over period materials.
2. Fiberglass and other modern materials may be used as a substitute for horn and or sinew in the construction of period style recurve bows such as Arab, Turkish, Mongol, or bamboo used in Yumi or other period bows, etc.
   1. However, no modern features such as full or partial center cut handles or built in shelves are allowed. This last is important. Many modern longbows have some center-cut on their handle part (riser in a recurve). If that is the case, the bow is not period.
   2. Handbows with grips narrower than the limbs, are not considered as full or partial center cut.
   3. Whatever the materials, the handbow must have the appearance of a period bow. Composite bows (of different woods or backed with sinew or rawhide, etc.) are allowed.
3. Archers using uncommon equipment should bring documentation to support its use if needed. The archery marshal in charge of the event would have the final say, unless the local or kingdom archery marshal is present.
   1. It is strongly suggested that if approval is given, that it be done in writing and kept with the documentation with the equipment for future reference.
4. Bows do not have to conform to the persona of the archer, except in competitions, which may require such conformation. Marshals running period competitions may impose stricter equipment requirements.
5. Bows that do not meet the standards for period style bows are still allowed to shoot as open equipment

Handbows

1. Period style recurves and longbows of any material are allowed. Modern style recurves or longbows with full or partial center cut risers or built in shelves are not allowed as period style equipment.
   1. Handbows based on period design in which the grip is less in width than the bow limbs next to the grip, are not considered to be either partial or center-cut and are allowed.
2. Modern style attachable arrow rests are not allowed. However, a protruding rest resulting from layers of leather or other period material, added to the handle is allowed.
3. Modern sights or artificial commercial devices and/or elements solely intended for sighting/aiming are not allowed.
4. There is no weight limit, maximum or minimum. However, the marshal in charge may disallow the use of any bow that is too heavy a draw for an archer to safely use or whose arrows/bolts would pass through and out of the backstop.
5. Handbows that do not meet the standards for period style handbows are still allowed to shoot as open equipment.
6. Archers may use any period style release appropriate for their bow, but are not required to do so. For example, an archer may use a glove or tab instead of a thumb ring while shooting an Eastern style bow.
7. Modern string materials are allowed, as well as period materials. Please exercise caution when using a period material string.
8. Nocking points: Either modern simple metal nocking points or tied on string or other documented period style nocking points may be used.
9. Sights: Modern sights or artificial commercial devices and/or elements solely intended for sighting/aiming are not allowed.
10. Archers using add on arrow rests or metal nocking points should be prepared to remove them if the rules for the competition they are shooting do not allow their use.

Arrows

1. Shafts of any wood, cane or bamboo are allowed. Fletching must be of feathers or period materials.
2. Nocks shall be either self or reinforced self, or period style insert nocks, for wood, bamboo or reed arrows. They may be of any materials that are similar in appearance to period materials and also similar in style.
3. Points may be of any style (ie. conical, field or target) except for broadheads or any type of points that may cause excessive damage to the target or backstop.
   1. No broadheads or tips that cause excessive damage to the targets shall be used, except for special competitions using these heads with the permission of the Target Archery Marshal-in-Charge and the Kingdom Archery Marshal.

Period Style Crossbow

1. To be counted as a period style crossbow all the following conditions must be met:
   1. The stock must be made of wood.
   2. It may not have a modern rifle-style butt.
   3. It may not have front sights.
2. Period style crossbows may not have a modern style lock or a modern trigger. They must have a period-style lock and release mechanism. The lock and release mechanism should be documentable to the 16th century or earlier.
   1. The lock and release mechanism may be of any suitable material.
3. Whatever the materials, the crossbow must have the appearance of a period crossbow.
   1. If there is a question about the crossbow being in period, then the Marshal in Charge may request proof or allow its one time use at that event, until proof is provided.
   2. Archers using crossbows that might be questioned are to be encouraged to bring documentation.
4. It is strongly suggested that if approval is given, that it be done in writing and kept with the documentation with the equipment for future reference.
5. The prod may be of any material and there is no minimum or maximum weight for the prod.
   1. However, the marshal in charge may disallow the use of any crossbow that is too heavy a draw for an archer to safely use or whose bolts would pass through and out of the backstop.
   2. Wooden or metal prods such as steel or aluminum shall have some form of safety straps, sleeve or other method to reduce the chance of the shooter or a bystander being injured by a broken limb.
   3. Crossbows made before these rules are in effect that have prods which can not be easily removed for the addition of a restraint on the prod to reduce the chance of injury in case of breakage, are not required to have such coverage.
6. Strings may be of any material, except metal.
   1. Please exercise caution with strings made of period material.
7. Bolts may be of any wood and are to be fletched with feathers, parchment or other period materials.
   1. There may be from none to two or more fletches.
   2. Nocks shall be self or reinforced (no plastic nocks).
   3. Crossbows may use either period style bolts or cut down wood arrow shafts.
8. Points may be of any style (ie. conical, field or target) except for broadheads or any other style of point that may cause excessive damage to the target or backstop.
9. The crossbow may be shot from any position. However, the crossbow may be held only by the hands, not on a sandbag, etc. unless the rules of a competition specifically allow the use of period style shooting benches, rests, etc.
10. Slings are not allowed for shooting, but may be used to carry the crossbow.
11. Crossbows that do not meet the standards for period style crossbows are still allowed to shoot as open equipment.