Please find below a handy summary of the rules governing all hand-bow styles.

(Ref. NFAS Rule Book 2022 edition, with additional rules for TXB added 2023.)

Key to hand-bow styles:

  • AFB – American Flatbow
  • BB – Barebow
  • BH – Bowhunter
  • CL – Compound Limited
  • FS – Freestyle
  • HT – Hunting Tackle
  • LB – Longbow
  • PV – Primitive
  • TB – Traditional Bowhunter
  • TD – Thumb Draw
  • TXB – Traditional Crossbow
  • UL – Compound Unlimited
NFAS Style rules for hand-bows (not crossbow (XB))
AFB BB BH CL FS HT LB PV TB TD UL
One-piece bow, braced limbs curve in one direction, oval to rectangular limbs • •     • •     • • •
Bow of wood only, D or oval section, braced limbs curve in one direction, wood/ horn limb nocks, hand grip not shaped   •     • • •   • • •
Bow incl. limb nocks of natural materials only (glues, finishes and string excepted)   •     • •   • • • •
Recurve bow   •     • •     • • •
Compound bow     • •             •
Brush button allowed • • •   • • • •   • •
Silencers allowed • • •   • • • • • • •
Sight allowed       • •           •
Multi pin sight (up to 5 pins) only (non-adjustable unless equipment failure)       • •           •
Spirit level allowed         •           •
Pinguard allowed       • •           •
Peep sight/ kisser button allowed (not both)       • •           •
AFB BB BH CL FS HT LB PV TB TD UL
Vibration damper allowed   •   • •           •
Mediterranean loose only •   • •   • •        
Any hand loose allowed               • •    
Thumb loose allowed                 •    
Thumb loose only                   •  
Thumb protection allowed                   •  
Index finger must touch the nock at full draw   •             •    
One anchor point only used throughout the shoot • • • •   • • • •    
No face/string walking   • •           •    
No arrow-rest or arrow shelf allowed             • •   •  
Arrow must be shot off the shelf or hand, no rest is allowed                 •    
Arrow must be shot off the hand only                   •  
AFB BB BH CL FS HT LB PV TB TD UL
Arrow rest must not overdraw more than 2 inches behind throat of handgrip   • • •   •          
No draw-check allowed • •       • • • • •  
No draw-check allowed above manufacturer’s specification     • •              
Single stabiliser allowed – any length   •                  
Single stabiliser allowed – max length 12 inches/ 30cm     •                
Full stabiliser system allowed       • •           •
Release aid allowed                     •
Aiming marks allowed         •           •
Wooden arrows only (natural feather fletching) •         • • •      
Arrows must be of non-wooden and non-bamboo materials, fletched with natural feather                 •    
Any arrow permitted   • • • •           •
Reference memoranda allowed                     •