Longbow or Recurve?

[Talyn]

Traditionalists will face a long list of choices, some to be decided quickly and others never at all.

Beginners will have plenty of time to consider them as they consult books and videos, argue (politely) with friends, listen to veterans, and acquire experience of their own. One important choice, however, comes right from the moment you decide to pursue the challenging life of a traditional shooter. Do I want to shoot a longbow or a recurve?

Longbow or Recurve?

Wood, aluminum, or carbon? What broadhead? How about draw weight? Over time, traditionalists will face a long list of choices, some to be decided quickly and others never at all. Beginners will have plenty of time to consider them as they consult books and videos, argue (politely) with friends...

tradbow.com

 

[Sld1959]

Recurve bows tend to shoot comparable arrows faster than a longbow. They are also considered more forgiving of spine variations in arrows than a longbow.

I have shot both for better than 60 years, recurve vastly more. And still prefer the recurve to the longbow, especially for hunting, but the long bow is still a good choice.

One area a longbow shines is a recurve bow is very easy to wreck if you accidently twist the limbs when stringing. And older recurves can delaminate.

 

[Talyn]

I have a 66" take-down recurve.

 

[SL66]

Not a hunter or Robin Hood, but I would opt for the modern compound bow. Any advantage, large or small, is still an advantage.

 

[Sld1959]

Those so called advantages also are weaknesses that can, and do fail.i have owned and shot them and prefer the simplicity and dependability of the recurve.

 

[Talyn]

Those so called advantages also are weaknesses that can, and do fail.i have owned and shot them and prefer the simplicity and dependability of the recurve.

I like that I can change the poundage on mine by just switching out the limbs.

 

[SL66]

Heard and respected @sid1959.

 

[Sld1959]

I like that I can change the poundage on mine by just switching out the limbs.

Very nice indeed.

I have a 60 lb Screaming Eagle take down recurve and a 60 lb vintage Bear Grizzly recurve, love them both. Also a behemoth Bear Tamerlane recurve. The Grizzeky might be my favorite because it's so short in brush.

And the limbs replacement is a true luxury you are correct.

 

[Sld1959]

Not a hunter or Robin Hood, but I would opt for the modern compound bow. Any advantage, large or small, is still an advantage.

Another thing about compound bows is there are dozens of places to trap and catch vegetation on. One time catching a strong twig while walking and you remember it a long time lol. With a recurve or long bow they make something called a brush button which helps keep the vegetation from catching in the junction of string and string groove.

 

[somorris]

I am slowly working my way back into bow hunting after a looonnnggg hiatus. I have no desire to hunt with a compound because they are heavy and cumbersome for me and I much prefer hunting from the ground where I wind up carrying the bow a lot. I have already purchased a couple of takedown bows to work on my shoulder strength. I will have to see how it goes.

 

[Shibadog]

I’ve got an old Hoyt 72” “semi recurve” 50 lb draw that has served me well since the 1970’s. I like a stick and string. Real bows don’t have wheels, pulleys, cables and optical sights. (‘course I think muzzleloaders shoot patched round balls and use a flint and steel for ignition)

 

[Sld1959]

I am slowly working my way back into bow hunting after a looonnnggg hiatus. I have no desire to hunt with a compound because they are heavy and cumbersome for me and I much prefer hunting from the ground where I wind up carrying the bow a lot. I have already purchased a couple of takedown bows to work on my shoulder strength. I will have to see how it goes.

Excellant , just go slow and work your way up. Your upper back muscles do a lot of the draw work so gently work them also.

Instinctive shooting is all rote training, doing the same thing over and over until it's ingrained in your brain. It's like throwing a football, you do not think OK I need to point the nose of the ball here at this distance, your brain just does it because you have trained it to do so thru repetitions.

If i might, I would recommend a book by G Fred Asbell Instinctive Shooting as one of the best training books for traditional instinctive archery training. There are several of them but the first is pretty inclusive. They explain a lot and are just downright entertaining with stories of hunts. They explain setting up a bow, arrow spine, brace height and even little tricks like putting a piece of toothpick under a shelf rug to generate a pivot point to minimize drag.

 

[Rainman]

Excellant , just go slow and work your way up. Your upper back muscles do a lot of the draw work so gently work them also.

Instinctive shooting is all rote training, doing the same thing over and over until it's ingrained in your brain. It's like throwing a football, you do not think OK I need to point the nose of the ball here at this distance, your brain just does it because you have trained it to do so thru repetitions.

If i might, I would recommend a book by G Fred Asbell Instinctive Shooting as one of the best training books for traditional instinctive archery training. There are several of them but the first is pretty inclusive. They explain a lot and are just downright entertaining with stories of hunts. They explain setting up a bow, arrow spine, brace height and even little tricks like putting a piece of toothpick under a shelf rug to generate a pivot point to minimize drag.

I knew that book from memory and used one of his Bighorn TD recurve bows for many years. Good memories for sure.
I never developed a proficiency with the longbow that I did with a recurve.

 

[Sld1959]

Heard and respected @sid1959.

Please do not think I am demeaning your choice. Most of my acquaintances at the gun club use them, most of then are very successful hunters with them. And in fact twice I have bought one and used it when I had shoulder injuries. Still have one in the shed. I did however strip off all the gadgets, stabilizer, wrist bondage thingie sights kisser thingy and more.Everything that could come off came off and I learned to shoot it instinctively. The weight, fragility, and other things always put them back on the shelf ASAP.

One thing thst really was hard to swallow was in order to do most work, even replace a worn string requires a bow press, and if that happens a ways from civilization way back in the woods, your hunt is done.

 

[somorris]

Excellant , just go slow and work your way up. Your upper back muscles do a lot of the draw work so gently work them also.

Instinctive shooting is all rote training, doing the same thing over and over until it's ingrained in your brain. It's like throwing a football, you do not think OK I need to point the nose of the ball here at this distance, your brain just does it because you have trained it to do so thru repetitions.

If i might, I would recommend a book by G Fred Asbell Instinctive Shooting as one of the best training books for traditional instinctive archery training. There are several of them but the first is pretty inclusive. They explain a lot and are just downright entertaining with stories of hunts. They explain setting up a bow, arrow spine, brace height and even little tricks like putting a piece of toothpick under a shelf rug to generate a pivot point to minimize drag.

I have been shooting a 35# recurve and recently bought a 45# which I have been shooting a little. So far, so good. I have been shooting out to 10 or 12 yards and was surprised I hadn’t forgotten everything. One thing that is hugely different than when I started is how much info there is on You Tube. There is a lot there about bare shaft tuning that I have been trying to digest.

Thanks for the recommendation of Fred Asbell’s book. I have Fred Bear’s book and a few others but not Asbell’s.

 

[Sld1959]

I have been shooting a 35# recurve and recently bought a 45# which I have been shooting a little. So far, so good. I have been shooting out to 10 or 12 yards and was surprised I hadn’t forgotten everything. One thing that is hugely different than when I started is how much info there is on You Tube. There is a lot there about bare shaft tuning that I have been trying to digest.

Thanks for the recommendation of Fred Asbell’s book. I have Fred Bear’s book and a few others but not Asbell’s.

Wonderful. Above all, have fun, the journey is a splendid part of the trip.

I stillbto this day try to shoot one quiver of arrows every day.