Longbow or Recurve for first time shooter/hunter?

[Max-4]

Hello, I am trying to decide on a first traditional bow for a first time shooter and hunter. I have little experience with traditional bows and I want to get good at shooting one before I try and hunt with it.

I know there are longbows and recurve bows out there but I am not sure about the positives or negatives of each style.

I know I want a bow of about 60" to 64" in length whether its a recurve or longbow and im looking for about 50 pound draw at 28".

Do recurves shoot arrows faster than longbows? Which style is easier and smoother to draw? Which style has less "jump" in the has during the shot? Which style shoots harder and is easier to be accurate with?

I also know longbows have a certain style that has a little bit of reflex/deflex, is this basically the best of both worlds? Please add any info you can, I like the looks of a nice longbow better but if a recurve would be a better choice for me im open to it. Thanks

[britt]

Welcome to the journey. My suggestion is to find a shop or archery friends with different bows and shoot them. Also its ok to start at a lower poundage. Its all about form. I started out many years ago with to much poundage and I learned ALOT of bad habits.

[McDave]

My opinions only, of course.

A recurve can be about 2" shorter than a comparable longbow. For example a 62" recurve feels about the same to me as a 64" longbow.

A comparable recurve will shoot a faster arrow than a longbow, due to the energy stored in the recurved limbs.  Although I like to shoot both, I find that a recurve is smoother to draw, as more of the energy is stored earlier in the draw. A longbow has a greater increase in draw weight per inch of draw at full draw than a recurve does, and to me this equates to a less smooth draw.  OTOH, I find a recurve to be less forgiving of form errors than a longbow, probably because the effect of any torque is magnified in the recurved tips.

I am beginning to think that a reflex deflex longbow is the best compromise.  The best ones have virtually no hand shock, like the best recurves.  They are more forgiving than a recurve, and faster than a straight limbed longbow.

[macbow]

Either will do the job easily.
Over the years you will experience many styles and want to try them.
For a real beginner normally I'd suggest a used recurve. They are easier to find and cheaper usually.
After fifty years of shooting all kinds I have settled on R/D longbows. Now only wood bows.

If you like the looks of the longbow better then you will never be satisfied till you try one.

What you need is a place to go to where you can shoot manyj bows. Here in the U.S. There are lots of opportunitys for this.

[Caughtandhobble]

The best thing to do is try to get with some trad shooters and try out some different bows. Maybe visit a shop that deals with trad bows.

If you're like a lot of your 1st bow will not be your last. I'll warn you now, it's an addition  

Good luck and have fun with whichever you decide to go with.

[Surewood Steve]

My opinion only, but I think recurves are easier to shoot than long bows and a  bit faster and smoother.  In my hands the long bow will sometimes have a mind of it's own.  Just remember it's never the fault of the shooter it's always the bow!!!!!!

[dougedwards]

There are longbows and then there are hybrids and then there are recurves and everything in between.

I think it is easier to tune arrows with a riser that is cut to center or slightly past and the riser on some longbows is not bulky enough to allow that.  Other than that fact a longer bow is usually easier to learn to shoot than it's shorter counterpart.

Whatever you choose do not over bow yourself.  It is much easier and faster to learn when there is no struggle to hold at full draw without shaking.

 Doug

[ChuckC]

They all work well.  A large part of the choices made reflect the image we have in our heads, what does a REAL bow look like.  Example.... I shoot my recurve better, but I really like longbows and feel much better about the whole game when I am shooting one.  Others are the reverse.  

Judging by years of reading these posts, I am gonna guess that very few of us have only one bow in our lifetime, many of these folks have a ton of experience already.  I am gonna go on a line and say you will likely change your thoughts on the bow you want ten times over the coming years as well.

Get one and start shooting.  Learning the basics on shooting form and theory are likely more important at this point.

And you know what.. I am gonna add something... Do some searches here and read up about our (archery) history in this country.  We have a lot of history and a lot of folks that did important things to further our ability to just go out bow hunting, a huge bunch of that happened in just the last 100 years.

Many of the younger generation have no clue what came before us and I personally think they they are missing out on some important historical info.

ChuckC

In traditional archery when hunting one of the biggest advantages is shot timeing in unorthodox situations, one of the the advantages is getting a good shot off that would be impossible with a compound. since you are curious about longbows I will mention John Schulz. If you have a shooting style you wish to emmulate pick a bow that allows that style. As an example on You Tubes Hittng 'em like Howard Hill, has John Schulz giving expert advice on how to shoot a longbow. A mild relex deflex bow can be shot with the same techniques. A recurve with a large handle and a steep grip will not work exactly the same with the form as John Schulz teaches. A Hill or a bow like a Robertson Purist will. If you want to shoot with a straighter bowarm any number of 60 inch recurves will work for you if they are not too stiff. Look at experts that shoot these bows to see what they do. Number one with either choice start with a bow that is easy to draw. A used Bear Montana or a used Bear Grizzly recurve, if your draw is not crazy long, will both be good starter bows and give you a very usable model of both styles.  Have fun, develop form and do not take it too serious until your form is developed and your arrows match you.

[BigJim]

Everyone has an opinion and to form yours off of theirs can get expensive.
For most, in the beginning looks and finances are the biggest determining factor. Every bow will shoot better than the shooter.

When I started, I never even gave a second look to a recurve. I still prefer the longbow but shoot both as it doesn't really matter to me. I have adopted the opinion that I can shoot anything I want to and the confidence to do so is more inportant than the bow itself.

Like a pool stick, you will find that there is one you shoot a little ...or a lot better but it may be a long time before you realize that. Bows come and go and any choice you make today shouldn't be considered as one that you will have to live with for life.

Don't make the mistake of buying a bow just because it is a bargain but a little too heavy. I am a believer that you should shoot as much as you can handle accurately but you should start out on the lighter end and work up if you desire.

good luck, BigJIm

[Shifting Shadow]

Why not try shooting any bow in your draw range? Just shoot for fun! Then pick the most comfortable one. My first bow was a solid red fiberglass one. And I thought I was top dog!

I just checked my spelling, I mart I went to coleg. You maybe should give us your size specs, height, arm spread, etc. I would not want you to get a short little bow if you have long arms and are 7 foot tall. A 48" 45 pound bow can get real stiff at a 32" draw.  We always keep a 38# at 28" 64" recurve around. It has two uses, my wife uses it as her break-in bow every year and it the bow I use when guys want to try trad shooting and get a lesson from me. If I still had a long target recurve under 30 pounds that is what I would use for shooting lessons.

[johnnyk71]

Originally posted by BigJim:
Everyone has an opinion and to form yours off of theirs can get expensive.
For most, in the beginning looks and finances are the biggest determining factor. Every bow will shoot better than the shooter.

When I started, I never even gave a second look to a recurve. I still prefer the longbow but shoot both as it doesn't really matter to me. I have adopted the opinion that I can shoot anything I want to and the confidence to do so is more inportant than the bow itself.

Like a pool stick, you will find that there is one you shoot a little ...or a lot better but it may be a long time before you realize that. Bows come and go and any choice you make today shouldn't be considered as one that you will have to live with for life.

Don't make the mistake of buying a bow just because it is a bargain but a little too heavy. I am a believer that you should shoot as much as you can handle accurately but you should start out on the lighter end and work up if you desire.

good luck, BigJIm

sage advice here.

I will add that for me, it's not the choice of limbs that became the journey, but the type of handle/riser I liked best. some folks like a pistol-type recurve with a riser with lots of mass (added stability) that points like their compound, some folks like the simplicity of a Hill-style longbow grip (simple in appearance. not necessarily simple to shoot). for me, once I began shooting recurves with a slim, 50's style grip and static tips, I knew I was sort of done looking. if you look at my sig, you'll see the order I bought them in, and that is what led me to where I am now, with a bow I shoot well and that's comfortable. I can and do shoot all the others, but it's gonna take you a while to see what suits YOU best.

that is the reason so many people say, "shoot as many different ones as you can before you buy one". I personally think not many people do this, and end up going through several (some people dozens) before they find their fit. not that there's anything wrong with that! it's just a little more expensive (o.k. a lot, haha!), but it's a fun journey.

[LimBender]

Third on BigJim's advice,

You've got to develop a form, style and shoot a lot before finding out what you really like.  I still don't know 100% - but am honing in.

But it is not bad advice to get a used, average length bow that looks good to you with a grip you think you like in the 35-45 pound range.  

But we all asked the questions you are asking, and will continue to.

Oh, and I am coming around to thinking an aggressive R&D longbow is the best of both worlds.

Enjoy the journey!

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Here ya go.... Best of both worlds here in a nice sized package.

This is about as close to a recurve bow you can get and still be considered a long bow. Note how the string comes right off of the tip notches. it has a narrow deep core limb, with a lot of reflex in the tips, and a bit coming right off the riser too.

The old wives tale about recurve bows being faster that long bows went out the window 5-6 years ago.... They do have a smoother draw, and they do store more energy do to the geometry of the limbs..... But there are a lot of R/D long bows out there that are faster than most of the recurves on the market... this is one of them.

This is the TD Sasquatch long bow.


Pay close attention to the string angle on this 60" bow at full draw.  These things can be built from a 26" draw length to a 32" draw whith no finger pinch issues on the longer draw length at all

     

     


I custom shape the grips to fit my customers hand to perfection. Whether you like the straighter long bow grip, or the feel of a high wrist angle with a thumb ledge.... You got it!


     

[Tall Paul]

Okay, I didn't read any of the posts above. But all those guys that did post are very knowledgable and I'm sure gave you good advice.

I will offer only one piece of advice: Start with a LOW poundage bow.  One that you can pull easily.  I doubt seriously that a 50 lb is light enough.  If I had to start all over again, I would start with a 40 pound bow, tops. And I'm 6'5" and 240 lbs. So I'm not exactly a little guy.