Recurve vs Longbow

[BBrakke]

I was just wondering what everyone prefers and why? Also, any suggestions on one of them for hunting/target shooting?

[cahaba]

It all comes down to preference and confidence. Shoot what you hit best with and like to shoot. Shoot what you have confidence in IMO.
I prefer stringfollow longbows with straight handles cause I shoot them best and they just have more stability for my style of shooting.

[sawtoothscream]

I like them all.  I own a one piece recurve, one piece r/d longbow, 3 piece r/d longbow, and a ILF set up with a set of long TT carbon/wood recurve limbs and short Dryad epic static limbs. Have to say I love all in there own ways.

Lately I due tend to shoot the ILF set up more then the others. They are very adjustable and being able to adjust weight, tiller and play with limbs from multiple companies makes tuning and finding what works best for you a breeze. Plus the performance is awsome.  You can have a longbow or recurve with the same riser and have a short bow or a longer recurve by buying just limbs that are ILF. Its a awsome system IMO

If I could buy another hunting set up right now I would get a 17" TT titan II riser and dryad epics medium limbs with the bamboo core. The titan risers are nice and the dryads are so smooth to draw and whip out an arrow.

As for longbows im happy with my hunterbow, Idaho curt on here makes them and they are really nice and look so good.

If you want a high performance longbow that wont break the bank check out omega longbows, this bow flat out shoots heavy arrows, fastest shooting bow I own and accurate as well. He makes one and 3 piece bows 62-66".

Cant go wrong with hitman longbows as well, they look like a cross between a longbow and recurve and are real shooters, I wouldnt mind owning one of his bows and he has some skill.

[GRINCH]

You'll have to pull my ACS long bow from my dead hands,I'm kinda partial.  

[slivrslingr]

I shoot and love them both!

[LongStick64]

To be fair this is too generic of a comparison to make. There are many different types of longbows and recurves to make a fair comparison. I used to think longbows were more difficult to shoot, but that was just my bad form talking. Now I can shoot both equally well including my self bows. I just finished up a bamboo bow kit from Mike Yancy and it shoots as well as anything I have, including several high priced bows.

[bulldog18]

I prefer longbows over recurves. I have 64 inch d-shaped longbow and a 58 inch reflex/deflex longbow. Both are Bamabows and the ones I shoot the most.

[WRV]

I have and shoot both, however I seem to shoot my recurves better....

[Archie]

I'm a "both" guy, and shoot one Black Widow of each.  The BW bows have similar performance, it's just a different experience to shoot one or the other.

[mike g]

Hill and Ferguson used Longbows....
Enough said....

[Blue Tick]

I have and really like both. When I first started shooting trad, I could not shoot a recurve well. For a while it was only longbows. I recently picked up a Dryad Orion recurve and seem to shoot it well so far. It is shooter preference though.

[GreyGoose]

Longbow - it's the Sherwood Forest factor, mostly.  When I did archery/bowhunting in my teens in the early to mid 70s, almost all of the commercially available bows were recurves. Coming back all these years later, I'm satisfying my itch to master and hunt with longbows.

[Igor]

I like them both and have mine tuned so I don't have to make much of an adjustment to hit what I'm shooting at....

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Glenn

[Butch Speer]

I like them all but, I'm more comfortable with the longbow types. I like the handles, quietness & stability  of the longbows. Recurves are some of the most beautiful bows made. Longbows have their own simple beauty the is hard to describe.

[7 Lakes]

I like the simplicity of a longbow; no worries about twisted limbs, no stringers to forget, light weight and a delight to carry.

[Bldtrailer]

I'm Recurve guy    and look of long bows.
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But if you're coming from Wheel bows to REAL bows, a recurve with the pistol grip sometimes feels more familier

[KentuckyTJ]

I have both. If you made me choose one or the other it would be recurves though do to better maneuverability in your thick foliage while hunting.

[Mongo]

I have both, in fact I have many of each and just grab whatever suits my fancy as I head out of the house.  IF, I had to choose I would probably go with one of my recurves.

[Shakes.602]

LongBow .... Hands Down!!     Why? Because Not Just Everybody can Shoot a LongBow and Be Good at It!!  

[Bowwild]

First I admit I've shot only one Longbow and didn't like it. That bow rattled the tar out of my bow arm elbow and it was noisy, not something you hear much about Longbows. That bow is no longer manufacturered.

I really had no interest in LBs even before shooting that one. I like recurves. First and foremost I like the look of recurves and not just any recurve. I prefer more mass in the riser than many of the ones made or modeled after those from the 1950's and eariler.

I love the graceful curve of the recurve limb tips before and throughout the draw. I like the grip and the balance.  I appreciate beautiful handiwork and nicely grained woods. The recurve has more "room" for such wood in the riser than most LBs.  

Of course now some of the best recurve TDs also have longbow limb option. I avoid them. I am too attached to my curves and I don't want to risk thinking less of them.

I know, very little of what I feel and just wrote makes any practical sense at all.  But I took the impractical fork in the road way back in the 1960's when I chose the bow over other equipment.