two-piece vs one-piece bow

[OH at work]

I have always appreciated the traveling ability of a two or three piece longbow but just plain love the lines of a one-piece.  Anyone else feel the same?  Can anyone tell me if there are any shooting advantages to a one-piece vs a two or three-piece?

Joe

[Ray Hammond]

Often a 3pc TD bow will have forward set limbs vs a one piece or a two pc td, which offers some performance enhancement if the bowyer uses it to his advantage.

[Dalebow]

You cant tell my 2 piece wes wallace or fox longbows are takedowns, my 3 piece bows are faster and a little easier to shoot, I like takedowns because I may want to travel with a bow and it makes it easier, but not a necessity

[LBR]

The take-down version of the Crusader longbow is a 2-piece, and other than being a bit heavier in mass weight (due to the td hardware and phenolic riser) it looks, shoots, and feels like a one-piece.  I'm picky about longbows--I don't much care for the ones that, to me anyway, feel like a recurve.

Chad

[Orion]

Know exactly what you mean.  I feel the same way.  One advantage not yet mentioned is that one-piece bows are usually physically lighter.  I've never found it terribly difficult to travel with one-piece longbows.  A piece of 4-inch PVC pipe did an excellent job of protecting them.  When traveling with a hunting partner, we just duct taped our tubes together, along with arrow tubes, so it was regarded as just one bag by the airlines. Some of the newer hybrids would probably require a 5- or 6-inch diameter pipe.

[Jeff Strubberg]

Stuck on one piece, myself.

two and three-piece bows are handy when travelling, but to me it just isn't worth the tradeoff in higher mass weight, bulkier risers and potential problems (had a two piece blow up on me at full draw.  That'll wake you up in the morning!).

Honestly, I've been in one travel situation in the last fifteen years where a takedown would have made things easier.  If you aren't using airfare pretty regularly, it just ain't an issue.

[Wampus]

I like shooting the lighter one-piece recurve and traveling with it hasn't been a problem so far.  I have to admit though that it was pretty cool to show up at deer camp with my 3 piece Bighorn stuffed in a small backpack with my jacket when all my compound shooting buddies had their huge bow cases stacked everywhere.  

[Todd Alexander]

A sleeved takedown (mines a Howard Hill Wesley Special) still has those beautiful lines and you can pack it in a suitcase. Maybe a touch heavier but not much, and shoots like a one piece. Ahhh the best of both worlds.  The only down side I can think of is that Craig Ekin likes a straight grip on takedowns to allow for the sleeve.  I'm not sure if you an get an dish or locator grip sleeved. I doubt it.  A little more expensive too.

[joe skipp]

I have 2 T/D recurves for travelling out west or into Canada but for whitetails here at home, I prefer my one piece Mikuta Longbow and one piece Groves Spitfire. I just love the simplicity and lightness of the one piece bows.

[Mike Bolin]

I much prefer the look of a 1 p. or 2 pc. longbow. There definite advantages to the portability of a 2 pc. bow......horsback travel, airplanes ect. The same goes for a 3 pc. with added advantage of extra limbs. If someone could make a 3 pc. longbow that maintained the lines of a 1 pc. longbow, I'd buy it. I can't justify spending the extra money for a 2 pc. because if I do something stupid, which I have in the past and will again in the future, like break the bow, a 2 pc. is just a broken bow. If it was a 3 pc. I could most likely bolt on the spare limbs and keep hunting. When I travel, I have had no problem transporting a 1 pc. bow, but I haven't done a horseback hunt...Yet!. Mike

[Frank V]

I mostly shoot longbows, & my favorite traveling bow is a Fox 2 piece sleeved takedown. You can't tell it's a takedown unless it's taken down. I really like it. Frank

[bjk]

Hey Joe,

You prefer the one piece Groves over my 2 two pieces...    

I like portability, regardless of when I might need it.  That said, I do prefer the two piece type td's with nicer lines.  Sometimes the extra mass in the riser is nice.

[mcgroundstalker]

This is kind of a side bar story:

 Using my Black Widow TFV "one- piece" at a 3D shoot, walking up hill along a wet rocky area I lost my footing and... :eek: ...Holding my bow in my left hand, fell hard pushing the riser into the rocks... ...With all 200#s of me pressing down on that bow I thought this guy was gonna have a "three-piece"!!!

Well...All was O.K...And this guy loves his STILL ONE PIECE Black Widow... :D ...

>>-----> mike <-----<<

[joe skipp]

That fall couldn't have been to far Mikey....200 lbs????? Oh my....

Brian...that 2 pc would be my travelling backup bow.....by the way...Scott said you were making apple fritters for the next time we hunt. Bring plenty...

[woodchucker]

I like my 1 piece Mikuta longbow. Although I don't fly,I do travel alot.
 
I have never had a problem traveling with my 1 piece bows  

[AkDan]

I kind of need takedowns from time to time, mainly due to small planes.    

I have shot and loved a checkmate crusader.  

I've since switched over to 3 thunderstick III's, all 2 piece Td's.  

You also can't see it very easily.  It adds only ounces to the bow.  You don't need tools to take it apart (BIG PLUS).   It doesnt inhance shooting or speed anyway, it also doesnt detract from it.   It's nice when traveling not to have to tote around a fish rod tube instead I can use a much smaller tube in my duffle, along with my arrows being in my duffle.  

I really dislike the looks of a 3 piece longbow.  Not to mention you'll need tools to get it apart, other then just a couple of the 3 piece longbows on the market today, the rest are just plain ugly.  I'm sure they're nice for packability as they pack even smaller yet.  

Just my take on it.   I'd highly recommend one of Jims tsIII's with the robertson hinge, you wont see it with the grip on.   You may rarely use it, the one time you'll really need/want it you'll be glad you have it.

[bjk]

Skipper  

[SlowBowinMO]

I'll take a one piece everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.  I have one take down, it gets used less and less as time goes by.

[Dalebow]

You guys would have no clue my wes wallace or fox longbows where takedowns unless I told ya:-)

[OH at work]

Dale,   please send those bows on up here to Ohio for a month or so and I'll try them out to see if you're right        


Joe