Wife's first LB or RC

[Bear Heart]

I am starting to search for a bow for my wife.  Is it easier to learn on a recurve or a longbow for your first one.  By the time I shot my first longbow I had already shot my recurve for quite awhile.  Didn't seem that different.  Just want to start her our for success.  I know everyone has there favorite but I am looking for opinions on easiest first bow.

[ozarkcherrybow1]

As long as she is not over-bowed with the weight, she will enjoy shooting either one. I really don't think that one is easier than the other to learn on. Just get the weight right and match the arrows to it and let her have fun....Terry

[Killdeer]

Stay away from wrist-slappin' low brace height longbows with a lot of handshock.

What do YOU shoot?
Killdeer  

[Bear Heart]

I shoot a 3piece recurve. Military, travel a lot.

[Killdeer]

Has your wife shot any bows? What were her impressions? What did she like or dislike?

It's still Killdeer...  :rolleyes:

[Bear Heart]

Only bow she has ever shot is one of those red fiberglass bows with poor shooting arrows.  I have it in my garage just incase someones kid wants to fling some stick in the backyard.

[R H Clark]

Killdeer is right.It really depends a lot on what she likes.Doesn't matter how good the bow is,if she doesn't like it for whatever reason she won't do well with it.

If it were me,for a new bow,I would get a Quinn Stallion and have them make some 25-30 pound limbs for it.

[Killdeer]

Is she tall? Strong? Petite and girly? I feel like I am pulling hens' teeth here.

Stock answer would be, I guess, get her a used bow, something she can pull and hold comfortably for twenty seconds or more. An old Ben Pearson Colt 707, a Damon Howatt Triumph,longish target type recurves with medium weight risers. Likely twenty-five to thirty-five pounds for a beginner is good. Add some aluminum shafts of appropriate spine and length (1616 to 1716) and she should be good to go. Bear Grizzly, Ben Pearson All-American or Collegiate, these go for hardly anything and are good solid shooters. If she is small, a Kodiak Magnum, or the discontinued Lady Kodiak may be a good choice.

There was a target Bear, made in the early to  mid sixties, called a Polar, but a full recurve instead of the semi-recurve that most Polars are...looked like an elegant, slim Super Kodiak and came in very light weights. I have one that pulls 18# @ 24", zebrawood sight window. Look around, there are any number of bows that will fit your wife.

Killdeer

[Bear Heart]

I saw a hoyt at a garage sale today. It was 34# at 28.  Had her pull it back and asked if it was hard.  She laughed and said it was easy.  I didn't think about her draw being a little over 25".  Too bad the limb was twisted. She is 5'6 and used to carrying our 20 month old boy around when he is tired of walking.

[Killdeer]

Twisted limbs can usually be fixed. You could likely get the bow for a song since it is "damaged".

Killdeer  

[wislnwings]

My wife has shot both recurve and longbow.  She prefers a 3pc longbow.  She has confidence in it and  that alone has really helped her shooting improve.