What are the pros and cons of recurves vs longbows

[DaveKS]

Ive never really understood the difference between the two (besides the difference in limbs) anyone care to eloborate on the pros and cons of each

[Longbowwally]

For most people, recurves are easier to shoot than longbows.
Revurves are easier to tune your arrows for perfect flight.
Recurves are typically shorter than longbows but are still smooth drawing. This is an advantage for hunting.
Longbows are cool though.......

[DEERSLAYER1961]

Typically longbows are quieter, and more forgiving in hunting situations. With practice you can shoot a longbow from any position sitting, kneeling, and even lying down not something I find easy to do with a recurve.

I shoot a longbow better than a recurve, but that is a personal thing, but then again I like longbows better.  

If I were to shoot only targets, and at longer distance my choice would be a recurve.

>deerslayer---->

[Shawn Leonard]

Today not much of a difference. Thye perform about the same and there are some real short longows out there. A recurve may be a bit easier to tune as the usually are cut past center. Shawn

[sticshooter]

Some bowyers are cutting there longbows to center . But I agree with shawn on performance. I shoot longbows because I feel more comfortable shooting them..<><

[WestTnMan]

I talked with Byron Ferguson once and he explained the difference to me. A recurve has wider and thinner limbs, you can take the tip and push it out of line with your hand. A long bow has narrower but thicker limbs and the tips are alot stiffer and harder to push out of line. A recurve therefore is more critical of proper form and a long bow is more forgiving of not so proper form. He did alot of trick shots where he put alot of torque on the string but the longbows stiff limb tips allowed the string to still follow the center line of the bow where a recurve being shot the same would not.