How Do You Feel About Take-Down Recurves?

[gregg dudley]

I've never understood the draw of a two-piece take down bow, or fly rod either for that matter.  If you want portability you want it to be as compact as possible.  My goto choice is a black widow MA.  I do like the addition mass weight and I love the larger sight window.  I have several one piece longbows, but all my recurves are three piece take downs.

[Todd Cook]

Love 3pcs recurves myself. I've gotten fond of a metal riser ILF lately. Not much to look at but it sure does shoot good.

[Bowwild]

Most of the bows I've owned, and all I currently own are 3-piece TD recurves.  Most of mine look very much like one-piece bows anyway.  I remember Brandon Stahl's bows (Ohio).  Many of them looked like one-piece even though they were takedowns.

My next bow (on order) will be a one-piece because I do like the grace of the Widow PA.

I've flown with my TD recurves, overseas and Idaho.  I don't expect to do any more flying, so the TD is less useful to me.  I only ever took one down when I was going to fly any how.

I have never seen a 1-piece Schafer. I'll bet they are something to be"hold". 

[McDave]

I shoot mainly 3 piece takedown recurves.  I like the extra mass.  The only downside I can see is the noise that occurs in some bows in the limb connection.  I have tried to eliminate that noise with Teflon tape, padding between the limb and the riser, etc., with mixed success.  It seems to be luck of the draw, some bows have noisy limb connections, some don't.

I have two two-piece bows: a Robertson Wolfer recurve and a Robertson Vision longbow.  The Wolfer has a bow bolt and the Vision has a hinge.  Neither bow has any noticeable noise from the connection, and most people wouldn't notice they are two piece bows without being told.  They are both hunting bows, and would be difficult to transport if they were one-piece.

I also have several one-piece bows (including a one-piece Schafer longbow, Bowwild).  These are either bows I don't intend to transport other than locally, or bows such as Classic Bear Kodiaks where one-piece is an inherent part of the look.

[J. Cook]

I shoot both 3-piece take downs, single piece recurves, and both versions of long bows... when I saw this post I did some thinking and realized that my "favorites" are all 3-piece TD's in both recurves and long bows.  That made me think about why - and for me it's the weight.  I like the mass weight provided by the TD's better. 

The funny thing is - I never actually take them down.  I use them, store them, and treat them as one pieces.  I do really like the TD quiver from Great Northern the best too in terms of attachment method (securing to the TD bolts) rather than being on the limbs in any fashion. 

[Gen273]

I usually shoot them better; I think it's because of the extra weight in the handle.

[buckster]

I feel good about them.

[JusAGuy]

Along with others here, i like the versatility of my 3-piece take down. Admittedly, i do not actually "take it down" very often anymore...but i can whenever i want!!

Additionally, i shoot a SWA Spyder and can have new limbs in a variety of weights for less than $100/per set - available readily. 

Also, i appreciate the extra heft of my take-down bow. It shoots just plain dead in the hand...and my bow is silent...

Finally, i like how my bow looks. I prefer the bit of 'junk in her trunk' as opposed to other recurves - mines got curves in all the right places!!!

[cacciatore]

Also if a one piece recurve can have a better looking there isn’t any real advantage with them and I hunt and travel with my 3 piece TDS.

[JDunlap]

2 of my recurves are regular 3 piece take downs, and like others, I almost never take them down. My Ilf rigs have changed all that. I switch out limbs a lot, and also move them from riser to riser-they are a boon!

[smokin joe]

I have admired and owned Bear Takedown bows for decades. When I shoot a recurve it is a Bear TD. I had a good collection at one point in time and I still own a few. You can't beat the convenience of a TD.

[Red Beastmaster]

I have two 3pc takedown bows. I never take them apart, don't like the extra weight, and I can buy a couple new bows for what I'd have in one set of limbs for the custom.

For me, a takedown has no advantage.

I mean no disrespect in saying this, but I don't think the statement that you could buy new bows for the price of new limbs on a custom is fair. Plenty of one piece custom bows are over a thousand dollars, and you can buy limbs for a cheap takedown for under a hundred dollars used. It all comes down to the bow itself. Buying a new set of limbs for a Black Widow, for example, would be a lot cheaper than if you had a widow PSR and wanted to go up or down in weight.

My last new bow purchase was a Samick Sage one piece recurve, cost $175. It out shoots my custom takedown Brackenbury. Good luck finding limbs that would fit the Brack perfectly. Maybe send the riser to a Bowyer for custom fit new limbs. Pricey endeavor regardless the method.

[Wudstix]

I have test drove several takedown bows on the pass arounds.  Some real beauties.  If I did more than hop in the FJ to go hunt, they would have some advantage over my 60" bows, but I don't.