Thinkin about a longbow.

[Turkhunter]

I been shooting a recurve for a couple years now and have sort of gotten the longbow bug. I dont have any experience with longbows except for a couple of homemade fiberglass longbows. Shooting them made me feel like I had an earthquake in my hand. There has to be some advantages to shooting a longbow or else so many people would not shoot them. Hoping some of you guys can give me some good reasons why to try the longbow. I like how gracefull they look and how quiet they are but beyond that I dont have much to go on. Thanks in advance for your responses.

[SCATTERSHOT]

The newer R/D longbows don't have any handshock to speak of, and once you learn the grip and setup of the straight end bows, they don't, either.

Your problem may have been that you were trying to shoot an inexpensive beginner type bow, and doing it with a recurve grip.

There's a learning curve, to be sure, but hang in there.

[sstewa]

There are some excellent used custom longbows for sale or trade on this site.  You'll find most customs have no or very little hand shock, are smooth and quiet.  Shop around, get a good bow and you'll be surprised.  Good Luck

[seabass]

longbows are great.i have recurves,but i have always shot my longbow better.i shoot a black widow plv 64" [email protected] bow is a pleasure to shoot.no handshock or finger pinch.i don't know if it is true,but people say a longer bow is a more accurate bow.good luck with the longbow bug,steve

[pickaspot]

I agree with the fellows above. The newer designs have blurred the line bit. I love my Turkey Creek LB but it shoots more like a recurve than the Hill style longbow that I started with.

My advice would be to go to a shoot/rendevous and try out several different bows. You will find bowyers (and new friends) eager to let you test drive a few. Have fun & see what you think!

[buckeye_hunter]

Get a takedown longbow with a recurve handle. Best of both worlds. You can get them that way in a one piece longbow as well. If you REALLY want to get rid of the earthquake effect then go with a forward handle longbow... Blackcreek, Shrew and Lostcreek are the 3 that come to mind immediately for me. I believe some would recommend a JK Traditionas Kanati as well in that group. There are a number of bowyers that make forward handle risers. Give em a good look!

[Frank V]

Turkhunter, welcome to the longbow crowd. A longbow is really light to carry even the sleeved takedown is lighter than some one piece recurves. They point really well for me. They are quiet, some don't even need string silencers.
The handshock we hear so much about is a result of how we grip the bow. I shoot a Howard Hill & grip it so the grip rests on the joint of my thumb on my shooting hand. This grip is different than letting the bow rest in the web of your hand. I feel NO handshock with my Hill & it's 60lbs.
  The only downsides I have found are most aren't cut so center so shooting through the screen of a blind is pretty iffy. Also they are too long for some tree stands & ground blinds.
  I hunt a lot on the ground & have found them to be really easy to hunt with on the ground. Longbows usually aren't as fast as a recurve of the same weight, but they aren't slow. My Hill averages 176 with a 550grain arrow.  
  I think if you try them you will like them, besides it isn't chiseled in stone that you can't shoot BOTH. I enjoy both longbows & recurves, but probably favor the longbow a bit above the recurve.
  Hope I haven't confused you more than helped. Try them I think you will like them.      
Good Luck.
Frank

[Doug in MN]

I like the shorter hy-bred longbows with lots of Reflex / Deflex. They seem to offer the best of both worlds; fast, easy to point, very quiet, and light in the hand.

They are a tough act to follow and get to be very addictive.

[SS Snuffer]

Man I love my

[Mudd]

I once read something that had a ring of truth to it and went something like this:

" You drag a compound through the woods, you carry a recurve but a longbow just floats along with you!"

I've owned a couple of recurves that had to be drug along too..lol

I've had a couple of old the longcurves that felt exactly like a I was carrying a longbow.

I've settled in on longbows for my day in and day out shooting but that's just me.

God bless,Mudd

[Jerry Jeffer]

A couple reasons to get your self a nice D longbow. The smile on my face and all the fun.
 
 

[Mike Vines]

Get to a trad event, if your able to, and try out as many bows as you are humanly capable of trying, and you will quickly learn the advantages for yourself of shooting a longbow.  For the most part, guys/gals are honored if you ask them if it would be OK to shoot their bow.

[ChuckC]

To me, it is just a feeling.  I really like being in the woods with a longbow in hand.
ChuckC

[Turkhunter]

Really liking the looks of the Shrew longbows and also have great respect for Ron Laclair because he is also a flintlocker.

[GingivitisKahn]

Originally posted by Turkhunter:
I been shooting a recurve for a couple years now and have sort of gotten the longbow bug. I dont have any experience with longbows except for a couple of homemade fiberglass longbows. Shooting them made me feel like I had an earthquake in my hand. There has to be some advantages to shooting a longbow or else so many people would not shoot them. Hoping some of you guys can give me some good reasons why to try the longbow. I like how gracefull they look and how quiet they are but beyond that I dont have much to go on. Thanks in advance for your responses.

I had the same problem when I switched from a recurve because I was holding the LB incorrectly.  You can't hold it like you do a recurve - it's just not the same kind of tool.

Once you get a (proper) grip though, I think you will find that a nice, classic straight handled, D-shaped longbow is very comfortable to shoot.  You don't need a recurve handle or a R/D geometry (though those things are fine too) - just a different technique.

[kbetts]

I started a little over two years ago with recurves exclusively.  Now I only own one, and its the one that wears a bowfishing reel in the summer and shoots vanes off an elevated rest in wet weather.
I own three longbows currently.  A d-shaped Mattawoman II by Kimsha, a Massie Longhorn, and a Sapphire Hawk that is the lone takedown.  I can't see why I would ever go back.  Once you establish your grip, you'll be fine.  My shooting has improved drastically over the summer.  
I'm vertically challenged (short) and the extra bow length (I went to 62") has not been an issue.  In a crouched position, I can lay those bows almost horizontal and shoot just fine.

[straitera]

Have shot LB's only 32 years since cmpnds & recurves. Just feels right for me. There are some good ones out there (ck classifieds for the 60# Hill). Just when you don't expect it they'll shake your teeth loose. Not the bow's fault.

[LongStick64]

I know that longbow feeling, it's a real addiction. even though I shoot my recurves better I still prefer longbows. I love them all, from my simple but elegant Hill's to my techno Morrison ILF Riser, Sky longbow limb combination. I love them long 68" and I love em short 58". I just shoot more relaxed with a longbow, feels natural, cozy. When I shoot a recurve I am much more critical in my form.

[Gordy]

Recurve, compounds, recurve, then a couple longbows for me.
I'm a better recurve shooter.  But there is just something about those longbows.  That's why I referred to myself as a longbow "sadist" in another thread.  Gonna keep on shooting till I can't get it wrong  !  

I guess it's just more romantical. Light, quiet, and you got a great reason to make dozens of wood arrows.
   

[bentpole]

First Longbow? No Brainer. I haved owned and shot the best. Buy a MOHAWK! Best bow I ever shot and at a price a poor working slob like myself can afford!!!