Chopping down some limbs on a recurve...?

[zze86]

Hello! I believe this is my first post so a little introduction. I just took up archery about 3 months ago and I chose to buy a 50lb Martin Jaguar takedown recurve, not the prettiest bow but I didn't want to spend big bucks on something I wasn't sure if I would like and I'm a poor college student. Everybody I know shoots compounds so I'm kind of on my own island but I didn't want to shoot compounds simply because of aesthetic reasons: the bows aren't as pretty and you don't look as cool shooting those as you do a traditional bow.        

Turns out I really like it and I've been shooting pretty much everyday but I've come to believe that the bow is just too tall for me. I'm a short, small guy and at first I thought I'd become used to the length but after trying out a custom 48" bow I realize how much more comfortable my shooting would be if the bow was shorter.

Alas, I cannot afford a new custom T/D bow so I was thinking of chopping the limbs on the Martin down to make it shorter. Limbs for this bow are fairly cheap so I was thinking about buying an extra set of limbs and bringing it from a 60" bow down to 50"-52" bow. Has anybody done anything like this? Good idea/bad idea (other than the bow might blow up in your face)? Will the draw weight change? shooting characteristics change?

Sorry if this is not the right forum but thanks in advance.

[Hot Hap]

Hi there-Welcome-If you chop that much off those limbs you would probably add 30-40# to the draw weight. Hap

umm,...thats probobly a bad idea. get a shorter bow.

[bryan r]

Could do what I recently did and build yourself a short riser... In my opinion that would probably be a better option than chopping the limbs.

[flippnsticks]

Originally posted by arrow30:
umm,...thats probobly a bad idea. get a shorter bow.

X2  

[TSchirm]

If you don't mind my asking, how tall are you?  I am only 5 08 or 09 and shoot a 62" recurve.  At first I thought it was a little long, but it is smoother drawing than most shorter bows I ahve shot (although I must admit I haven't shot a lot of different short bows).

[David Yukon]

Sale that one and buy one of the classified for the sa,e price and get what you are looking for!!

[AndrewArcher]

Welcome, brother. Lots of good advice on here.

Not that I'm an expert, far from it. But bow size doesn't have everything to do with how comfortable the bow is to shoot. Granted, it does have a lot to do with it. But how the bow was crafted has much to do with whether its comfortable or not.

Was this bow a horse bow?

I wouldn't suggest getting smaller limbs. If it were me, I would ditch the bow you have now, and keep a close eye on the classifieds on here. Lots of good deals.

Again, welcome

[kennym]

If you cut 4 or 5 inches off each limb, you have eliminated much of the recurve , you now have a short really stiff semi straight limbed bow. I wouldn't do it.

Good advice on hitting the classifieds!

[Zradix]

!!DON'T DO THAT!!

Either get used to the length or get another bow....

There are some great deals on used bows in the classys.

60" isn't all that long, but everybody's wants are different.

You might well find that a shorter bow isn't quite as comfortable to shoot.

Mostly because the string angle at your fingers when drawing gets tighter at full draw.

Don't be afraid to try something with a little less # either.

Maybe someone better educated on this bow will know of a shorter set of limbs that will work on your riser.

I do know that for a shorter set that much shorter you might be looking for 35-40# limbs

[last arrow]

I wouldn't do it.  Three months into your shooting career is no time to start playing with extremes such as short bows or heavy bows.  It will take you at least a year to develop and become comfortable with your personal style and shooting mechanics. Take the time to develop truly good form and then start trying out things you are interested in.  You will then know what you like and need in a bow.  A 60 or 62 inch recurve bow is a great starting point for most adults. A short bow will make the learning process more difficult, especially if you cannot afford a well designed short bow built to your unique shooting characteristics. (I believe poorly matched longer bow will create less problems for you in the future than a poorly matched short bow because longer bows of a given design will be more forgiving of shooters flaws.)

The only reason I can see for a short bow is if you are hunting from a tent or box blind that is to small to accommodate your bow. I am 5 8 and have always hunted with a 60 or 62 inch recurve bow. In 40 years of hunting, I don't think I have been in a situation where I needed or wanted a shorter bow. I don't hunt from man-made enclosed blinds but do hunt from treestands, tree saddles, brush blinds and do some stalking.

[last arrow]

I just wanted to add that I started shooting at age 9 (in 1969) with a 62" Bear Cub recurve I got used from the local archery shop. I remember the Owner of the shop saying, after my mother expressed concern that the bow was taller than me, the only reason to buy a shorter bow was if the tip hit the ground when you shoot.

At that time Bear was marketing the Cub as a beginners bow for youth and adults, male and female.  I am sure Mr. Bear put a lot of thought into what a good beginners bow should be and came up with a 62" recurve.

[Bladepeek]

I have to agree with the other posts here. I'm not in the same league with a lot of these shooters, but I have shot enough to want to add my $.02. I stand 5' 10" and have shot everything from a 70" Ben Pearson to a 54" Super Necadah. The length was never an issue for me. I didn't experience the dreaded finger pinch with the shorty (it was only 40#) and the limbs of the 70" were never in the way. They would have been inside my pop-up ground blind, though. You say you are short. I doubt if you are much more than 3 - 5" shorter than I am. The difference between your grip and the ground is only 1/2 the total difference in length of the bow. Before you trade that bow off, I would make an effort to locate some trad shooters near your school (WI must have lots of them) and shoot every bow I could get my hands on. THEN, start looking for the bow you feel most comfortable with. Different subject, but parallel thought: I teach pistol classes. Seems everyone wants a little 2" snub nose. Many of these people will never carry the gun, but want it for home defense. If you're carrying (or sitting in a tree stand) short is handy. Long is usually a whole lot easier to hit with. Sometimes, bigger is better  

[Night Wing]

I'm only 5'9" and I shoot 66" recurves for bowhunting and informal backyard target shooting.

On a side note, I shot a 69" target bow, with white limbs, when I was 14 years old. I was about 5'5" back then. I also took my first deer with that bow when I was 16 years old and was 5'7" at that age.

If I could find a custom bowyer who could make me a 68" or 70" recurve with a 19" riser, I'd buy one.

[donw]

Originally posted by kennym:
If you cut 4 or 5 inches off each limb, you have eliminated much of the recurve , you now have a short really stiff semi straight limbed bow. I wouldn't do it.

Good advice on hitting the classifieds!

+2...

as i recall, "Spiking" your bow (cutting off the limb tips) will net you per inch, a gain in poundage. you actually stiffen the limbs so it will increase the poundage dramatically

i "Spiked" a long bow i made and it went from 37# to 50# by taking off 1" of each limb tip.

keep/sell/trade your jaguar and get a lighter draw weight bow.

[Pete W]

Just a bad Idea any way you look at it.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

There are a lot of bows out there to be had at reasonable prices. I know you are tight on funds, maybe you could trade limbs.  

Do not alter your bow, you will be greatly dissapointed or injured unless you know exactly what you are doing.  Even then its a lot of work, and you will need materials.  It's not worth it in my opinion.  When you can find other bows for 50 bucks or less, why not?

Put a WTB add in the classifieds about looking for something, My guess is that someone has something laying around that was meant for you.

Good luck!

[BWD]

Just say no...

[jhg]

Shorten the riser, not the limbs which are designed to be as good as they can be at their current length.

[7 Lakes]

The good thing about buying used is you can get most of your money back out of it when sold. (At least you'll know how good a deal you got on the bow).  

Sell the one you have and try another.  

PS
The others are correct, do not cut the curve out of your recurve.  Cutting one of my longbows down 4 inches will increase wt. by 32 pounds.