Differences between recurves and longbows

[Curveman]

Hi Boog,

It's all along a continuum really. I am saying that to go from a recurve to a a heavily R/D limbed hybrid bow with a similar (or in some cases identical), pistol grip would require less of an adjustment than to go from a recurve to a Howard Hill style longbow with a traditional "longbow grip." Take a look at Bob Lee's recuvre and "longbow" (emphasize quotation marks). I would stay there would be near zero adjustment period to switch between those two bows. (Both good bows by the way). To go to a traditional "Howard Hill" style longbow would be a more difficult transition. The limbs are going to load differently, there will be handshock not felt on the recurve, and the grip will be much different, with much more of a margin for error in how you hold it. (My Border recurve has a high wrist pistol grip that you can only grab one way. My longbow grip I can grab in all kinds of ways really and I have to focus a bit on the proper grasp).

All that being said, I had an absolute blast learning to master a traditional gripped longbow with a classic "D" shape (when strung), and it is currently my favorite style of bow. I need to shoot that type bow really to truly capture that "longbow feeling". Hybrids, while great or even superior shooters some of them, just don't hold the same "days of olde" romance for me.

[boog21]

Don, Curveman, and everyone else - Thanks again.  I really appreciate your help.

[Whitetail Chaser]

The main difference I have found is the grip.  There are many longbows out there with a recurve type grip, so that is no longer a big difference.

One think I have found is that longbows are typically MUCH QUIETER than recurves.  This has recently made me catch a case of longbow fever.  Steer clear of this disease, or it will drain your bank account and leave you with sore fingers and a sore back!!!

People put too much importance on performance these days in my opinion.  If you draw the bow to anchor and shoot a moderately heavy arrow, you may not notice a difference in performance at all.  Many longbows today are very speedy.

Best of luck finding a good one.  Besides, all trad guys should have at least 5-6 bows on their rack.  LOL!

Brett

[artifaker1]

One of the biggest differences fundamentally is that Long Bows tend to have risers that are cut to center and Recurves tend to have risers cut past center. That and the obvious differences in the limb design. That can make switching back and forth confusing.
You can get modern longbows with recurve, cut past center, risers. I have a Morrison ILF set up that way but I also shoot regular longbows and have quite a few and I go back and forth between all these with little trouble. But I have a selection of arrow sizes that allows me to pick out an arrow for almost any bow.
The cut to center long bow will shoot an arrow with less spine better due to the arrow needing to bend around the riser to get out clean. This also makes the rest clearance and feather orientation less critical than on the cut past center bow. This tends to make the traditional longbow more forgiving (not having issues with the arrow and feathers clearing the rest). There may be some 50s style recurves that are cut just to center as well.
I like to make comparisons in speed between bows by comparing how heavy of a spine the bow will shoot well. But I have to factor in the difference mentioned above. I don't really know how to measure this. Probably need to get a crono involved.
One doesn't want to disregard how important the rest and parallax channel is on some bows to get them shooting right were you point them. Or you can block out the strike plate on a recurve to match your long bow of the same general weight and speed to get them to throw the same arrows.

[BlacktailBowhunter]

I don't know if this helps or not,but I converted to what I believe to be a hybrid.

I purchased a Horne's Archery Take Down Brushbow.

I sold my Blacktail and put money down on a second Horne Brushbow.

This hybrid is smooth, quiet, and super accurate.

I like the longbows as well and shoot my Bear Polar real well, but speed wise, the Horne smokes an arrow and the grip is closer to a recurve.

The light weight is nice when you put on 14 miles in a day chasing elk too.

I am new to trad, but in the last year and a half I have owned several high quality bows and shot several more.

I have settled on what I think is the perfect bow for ME. Archery is an individual weapon and I believe each person has to find that perfect for THEM bow, and I think I found mine, which happens to be a combination of a recurve and longbow, so I guess I kind of shoot both LOL.

Just my $0.02

Paul

[BlacktailBowhunter]

Originally posted by elkherder:
i suggest you try a mohawk at first as they are very reasonably priced and shoot very well.i have three b/w takedown recurves and have pretty much quit shooting them in favor of my mohawk one piece l/b.not to be bragging but i am pretty deadly out to forty yds with it.my groups are tighter by far,in a nutshell longbows are more forgiving and just seem to shoot better groups.vince at mohawk will make your grip any size,i had him make mine as large as he could and i shoot it much better. hope this helps you out.jmho.......larry

Larry,

I will see you in Elk camp next Tuesday and I am bringing a camcorder, so everyone can see just how great you are at 40 yards.    

Paul

[Slasher]

Old school longbow is a total different animal than the modern Reflex Deflex Longbows...

My modern longbow shoots harder, shoots quieter with less shock and seems to be more accurate than any recurve I have shot... But then I have only shot old bears and one 3pc of unknown origin...

For me a 14 oz bow if easier to tote and since it draws smoother and is quieter I don't see any reason not to stay with a longbow...

But to be honest, I think a well made recurve will be a tad faster than a LB, albeit a lil louder since the string slaps the back of the bow... So IMHO its 6 of one and a hald dz of the other... BUt I'll take the R/D Longbow everytime....

[boog21]

Hey Brett,

Speaking for all us guys with only one bow, how much shopping do you have to endure with your wife to earn your way up to 5 or 6 bows?

Seriously, thank you and everyone else for your responses.  I think I could talk to a bowyer now without sounding entirely like a longbow moron!

[amar911]

No one has mentioned it here, but one of the big advantages of a longbow is the lesser chance of limb twisting. It makes stringing and unstringing without a stringer possible too. A related advantage is the strength of the limbs which are thicker from the back to belly and not as wide as the recurve limbs, so they are generally tougher and not as easily damaged. As has been said by other people here, carrying a light little longbow all day long, especially in hilly or mountainous terrain, is much nicer than hauling around a bow that weighs twice as much or more. But those light, little longbows are not as stable and therefore not as easy to consistently shoot accurately. Howard Hill made that observation when recommending longer longbows over the shorter ones. New designs, like the Shrews, have helped in that area, but weight and length will always have an effect on stability and accuracy. Every mechanical design is an exercise in tradeoffs and compromise.

I like both styles about equally, particularly when we are talking about reflex/deflex longbow limbs versus recurve limbs. There are also working recurve limbs and static or semi-static recurve limbs. There is as much variation in recurve limb design as there is in longbow limb design. I have about 40 bows and shoot various ones regularly. Depending on the individual bow and its characteristics, either a longbow or a recurve can shoot just as accurately at any distance and can be just as quiet. Going from one bow to another is not a big deal, but it does take a bit of adjustment in my shooting. There is no doubt that shooting the same bow all the time would produce greater consistency, but I like variety. There is a saying in firearm shooting to, "Beware of the man with only one gun", because he gets so familiar with it that he shoots it very well. The same expression could be used for the archer with only one bow.

Allan

[boog21]

Alan,

Thanks for a thoughtful response.  I hadn't thought about the durability of longbows vs. recurves.  What you said makes sense.

I like Howard Hill's advice - I think a longer longbow would be for me.  I've shot a few lighter bows and had a bit of trouble holding my bow hand steady while drawing.  My recurve is pretty heavy, and I'm able to hold pretty steady with it as I draw.  I suppose a guy could get used to a light little bow, but I like stability.

[buckeye_hunter]

Other than the grip, the big difference for me is how the draw of the bow feels when the limbs "open up" on the recurve. It may be weird, but I  can feel the difference in the draw.

-Charlie