Is this amount of ILF limb play normal and safe to shoot?
Hi everyone,
I recently purchased an ILF recurve bow from an online seller and when I assembled it I noticed a significant amount of play in both limbs after they are seated in the riser. The limbs do click into place, but there is a lot of movement — much more than what I have seen in videos of other ILF bows being assembled.
I have two concerns:
Safety — I am worried that this amount of play could be dangerous to shoot. Under draw and release, the tension on the limbs changes dynamically, and I am concerned that a limb could shift or fail unexpectedly. A local professional archery shop assessed the bow in person and told me it was not safe to use.
Accuracy — Even if it is safe, I suspect the bow would be very inaccurate. If the limbs are not seated firmly and consistently, the energy transfer on each shot would vary, resulting in poor arrow grouping.
I have not strung the bow because of the safety concern. Here is the bow I purchased:
I have these things showing the issue:
Photo showing the gap between the limb and riser:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/R5jRz48eNpUvENLZ9
Video showing the play on the bow I received (please watch with sound on for explanation):
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kQTVCgG33ssTntUFA
I would really appreciate the opinion of experienced ILF archers. Is this level of play within normal tolerance? Is it safe to shoot? Would it affect accuracy?
Thank you in advance!