Beginner going between recurve and longbow struggles

[Wilderlife]

Hi all,

Been shooting traditional for about 6 months now and really enjoying it.

My Black Widow PCH is my first ever recurve bow. It was a gift. The original limbs were too heavy (65# @ 28), so a friend helped me source some limbs off a bloke on this forum (54# @ 28) and they're much easier to shoot.

I've been working on my form and strength for the last 6 months and the bow has been getting easier and easier to shoot. Then I took a break off weightlifting and shooting recently and did a hike through Papua New Guinea that lasted about a week. I got a little sick afterwards and took a bit to recover. Point is, after not shooting for a month and losing a bit of strength, the bow handles me a bit too much now. Still fun, but I can't practice for very long.

A short while ago I was concerned that I didn't have something lighter to practice with, so I bought a 45# @ 28 Bear Montana. A beautiful bow! I've had a really hard time shooting it OK - not so much because my arrows aren't tuned properly yet (I'm not concerned with groups as much), but more because the grip and everything about the bow is different to my BW. It's very hard to be consistent and difficult to go between the two bows.

I'm reluctant to sell it, because I may come good with it one day, but I'm also very tempted to flick it and use the funds to get into a 40# or 45# recurve instead.

I know I'm not supposed to over-do practice and when I get tired I need to get better at putting my bows down, but a lighter bow I can shoot comfortably would definitely help me practice for longer.

I'll try and shoot the Bear again in a few days. Sometimes things work well with it but for the most part it's very uncomfortable.

Thoughts?
Sell it and buy a half-decent recurve?
Keep it and buy a Black Hunter from Amazon for very cheap and have at it?

[McDave]

Most of us develop a preference for either the recurve or the longbow after a while, and that's the one we shoot the most.  I see no reason to stick with a Bear Montana if you would prefer to be shooting a recurve.  Many of us like to shoot both, but it's rarely 50/50, more like 80/20 in favor of the type bow you like to shoot best.  Recurves have the advantage of being slightly faster; longbows are somewhat less likely to develop mechanical problems like limb twist.

It is an excellent idea to practice on a bow that is low enough in poundage to be able to shoot 50 or so arrows without tiring.  It is hard to work out the nuances of shooting on a bow that you can only shoot 5-10 times before your form starts to break down.  On the other hand, that could be an excellent hunting bow, because when do we ever get the chance to shoot 5 arrows in a row hunting?

[Wilderlife]

For sure, mate!

I would say my limit with my BW is about 40 arrows. Then, things start going downhill. No surprise that my first few groups with it are usually my best. I definitely intend to hunt with it soon. Arrows are currently around 470gns with it so I might choose a different point/broadhead to get above the 10gn per pound, but I digress. I also pull 27 inches max, so the bow would be closer to 50#.

I'd also happily hunt with a 45# bow however. Just struggling to get things happening properly with the longbow. With some of the cheap bows available now, it's tempting to grab one for the sake of easy practice. It's hard to top my BW for quality.

[ozy clint]

I don't measure good practice in quantity of shots fired but rather the quality of shots fired. There are days when I step outside shoot one perfect arrow then hang the bow up. You know the saying, practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.

If you wanted to stick to recurve I'm sure you could find a set of lighter limbs for the BW.

[Wilderlife]

Yes, but in general, I want to shoot more; not just for practice, but because it's fun!

Lighter limbs for the BW are on the cards but they aren't cheap.

[nineworlds9]

Some good answers posted already.  I like shooting all manner of bows, I like everyone ran into the same preference conundrum, so now my favorites are "hybrids", highly reflex-delex longbows with a pistol grip.  To me they are the best of both worlds.  My sweetheart and all-time favorite, the Tall Tines Stickflinger, heck I'd put it up against any recurve anytime anywhere 

If you have a PCH you could easily find a set of lighter limbs via the web classifieds or having Widow build you a new set, which if you like the PCH (great allrounder bow) would be a great investment. 

[Wilderlife]

Could be a goer, mate.

Currently, our exchange rate with the Aussie dollar is pretty hopeless.

New limbs from Black Widow will cost me roughly $1235AUD including shipping.
A Black Hunter will cost me $230AUD including shipping.

I know the Black Hunters aren't fancy but I'm drawn to the idea of the ease of how available a cheaper bow is for the sake of practice.

In any case, it's all fun and interesting. Besides building my strength more and more, I have some good options.

Keep the advice coming, fellas.

[nineworlds9]

Nothing wrong with a Black Hunter, they perform great for the money. 

[GCook]

It's likely low wrist vs high wrist grip.   I have the opposite thing with being more comfortable with the low wrist grip.  I'd get lighter limbs for your PCH and shoot them for practice and off season work. Some 45@28 would be better.  You can find used Widowim s on ArcheryTalk for half that.  Just have to keep an eye out to find a deal.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[ozy clint]

If I've learnt one thing over the years about hunting gear it's- buy once, cry once. If the lighter limbs for the BW is an option I'm sure something would pop up here on the classifieds for a reasonable price.
I'm hearing you in regards to our current exchange rate being poor.

[Bowguy67]

Grip on a bow shouldn’t matter much. You only touch a small portion of it. I’m suspecting you’re Kung fu gripping it. That’s not correct and could lead to torquing bow. Show us a pic of your hand at full draw

[mahantango]

Great suggestion on the Black Hunter. Can't be beat for the $. I wouldn't be too quick to get rid of the Montana - it's a good solid longbow and may really grow on you. Always good to have options.

[KentuckyWolf]

Sell the Montana and use the funds to get a lighter set of limbs for the PCH.

[Wilderlife]

I might snoop around for some used BW limbs. See what happens.

$200 or so is neither here nor there when it comes to a new bow.

I don't believe there is much wrong with my grip at all, but I don't know for sure. The shape of the grips on both bows is definitely very different, however.

Here are some videos of me shooting, if it helps. They aren't reflective of current form but may give an idea. They aren't perfect, either. Small steps for me!

[Bowguy67]

Can you post a pic of your grip on the longbow?

[Wilderlife]

I'm heading to the range tomorrow afternoon, so I'll take my video camera and try to get some good footage of me shooting both bows.

[Sam McMichael]

As has been previously stated, a recurve and longbow are gripped differently. Some archers go back and forth effortlessly, but some do not. I'm a diehard longbow guy, but it took considerable adjustment to change the grip from the recurve that I learned on. If you are not comfortable making the changeover, don't worry about it. You can get lighter limbs for the Widow, or just shoot a few arrows at a time until you again get comfortable with your current setup. Good luck.

[acedoc]

Hi all,

Been shooting traditional for about 6 months now and really enjoying it.

My Black Widow PCH is my first ever recurve bow. It was a gift. The original limbs were too heavy (65# @ 28), so a friend helped me source some limbs off a bloke on this forum (54# @ 28) and they're much easier to shoot.

I've been working on my form and strength for the last 6 months and the bow has been getting easier and easier to shoot. Then I took a break off weightlifting and shooting recently and did a hike through Papua New Guinea that lasted about a week. I got a little sick afterwards and took a bit to recover. Point is, after not shooting for a month and losing a bit of strength, the bow handles me a bit too much now. Still fun, but I can't practice for very long.

A short while ago I was concerned that I didn't have something lighter to practice with, so I bought a 45# @ 28 Bear Montana. A beautiful bow! I've had a really hard time shooting it OK - not so much because my arrows aren't tuned properly yet (I'm not concerned with groups as much), but more because the grip and everything about the bow is different to my BW. It's very hard to be consistent and difficult to go between the two bows.

I'm reluctant to sell it, because I may come good with it one day, but I'm also very tempted to flick it and use the funds to get into a 40# or 45# recurve instead.

I know I'm not supposed to over-do practice and when I get tired I need to get better at putting my bows down, but a lighter bow I can shoot comfortably would definitely help me practice for longer.

I'll try and shoot the Bear again in a few days. Sometimes things work well with it but for the most part it's very uncomfortable.

Thoughts?
Sell it and buy a half-decent recurve?
Keep it and buy a Black Hunter from Amazon for very cheap and have at it?

Basically you are going several pounds up and down in weight. You have to stick with your intended weight class limbs to build up your strength for the bow before you will over the course of a few months learn about the bow (my .02). This is a game of attrition and the long haul.
Do not vary limbs weight by more than 5 pounds if you want to get a correct feel for your bow. The low poundage bow will always feel smoother regardless of style.
Find what weight your intended application is and stick to it - muscles will build up gradually. 40 arrows / day is enough to begin. Focus on form and execution not the target , groups will follow form and then aim.

[stevem]

My take is you aren't fond of the longbow grip, so I suggest you sell it and buy an inexpensvie recurve of 40 to 45 pound draw weight with a grip you think looks right to you, which is where, ideally, you would have started.  Your path of an expensive, heavy bow to start with is about as far from how I would have suggested you get started as you could be.   Your first bow should be a light enough you can shot with ease.  Best of luck with your journey.

[Wilderlife]

My take is you aren't fond of the longbow grip, so I suggest you sell it and buy an inexpensvie recurve of 40 to 45 pound draw weight with a grip you think looks right to you, which is where, ideally, you would have started.  Your path of an expensive, heavy bow to start with is about as far from how I would have suggested you get started as you could be.   Your first bow should be a light enough you can shot with ease.  Best of luck with your journey.

Definitely a weird way to get into it, mate!

I do have a 35# bow at home but have outgrown it. It's just a cheapy.

The 65# limbs were outrageous and the 54# limbs aren't too bad, honestly. I just like the idea of lots of practice before fatigue.

I just bought myself a Harvey Archery Crowned Eagle - 41# @ 28. Still a longbow but much more of a hybrid style with heavily deflexed limb and a grip more similar to my BW.