Recurves that perform "better than average"?

[threeunder]

I've been doing some reading the past few nights.  Been looking at all the previous posts about the BW KB recurve.  Something I saw that came up repeatedly was that BW's were often described as providing "less than average" performance.
That shocked me.  I use to have a PSA and thought its performance was pretty spectacular.  So, what recurves provide "better than average" performance?

[Marc B.]

I've owned a bunch including several Widows. The
Hummingbirds I've owned have performed best. I love Silvertips and still have two. My biggest surprise has been the Bear T/D, it does very well and has become my favorite T/D bow.

[Jerry Bellmyer]

Marc  would that be a modern bear TD or an older one?

[Shedrock]

Herb Meland, Pronghorn Custom Bows, builds a better than average performance recurve. Ask Randy, aka Ferret WYO about his latest. If I recall, he said it shot a 500 and some grain arrow at 197, and that is a 57# bow. Herb's "Ferret" recurves are darn nice.

[amar911]

Morrison Cheyenne -- foam/carbon. Brackenbury Quest.

Allan

[Orion]

Check out Blacky Swhwartz bow tests.  He has a web site.  I believe the Predator is one of the fastest he's tested.  A while back, Norb Mulaney found the Fedora 560 to be quite the screamer.  Probably still ranks near the top.

[ron w]

I'm very pleased with my Zipper, and my Holm-Made River Runner. Both bows perform very well. I like to shoot heavy arrows, 575-625 gr from bows that are under 50#'s. 46-49#'s are where these 2 bows fall and they really send an arrow with gusto!!

[Rick Richard]

Toelke and Morrison

[Jim Wright]

Dan Toelke has built a reputation with his D/R Whip longbows but his recurves are exceptional. I personally shoot his longbows but I have owned Dan's recurves to shoot in 3d competition, a one piece Chinook and more recently a t.d. Curlew. I have shot his little 52" Kestral as well and each of them have been beautifully mannered, very fast and like all Toelkes QUIET!

[kill shot]

1965 Bear polar. 45#@28" 66" long. That thing shot great even by todays standards.

[Sixby]

Bigfoot, Whippenstick, New Morrison, Dryad, Caribows, if performance is judged by very fast.
These bows all are very nice in every other respect too. Judging a bow by every aspect of performance is so subjective and perhaps that is why there are so many opinions.
The first two I mentioned would be very hard to beat in an out and out un biased speed contest IMHO. The new Yeti of Sasquatch Bows is so fast Kirk won't tell his best frineds how fast it is. Lol. However he keeps them in a fireproof shed so they won't burn his shop down.
I am sure I left some really great bows that are super high performance out. Certainly do not take offence if you are one of those bowyers.

God bless you all and Happy New Year, Steve

[mwosborn]

Have not shot them all, but the best performing I have shot are RER -  I like the retro the best.  Quietest fastest bow I have shot.  The static tip make them real quick.

[wapitirod]

I've found that individual bows can excel even when identical to other bows from the same bowyer. I haven't owned a ton of bows like some of you but I've had a few.  I have a couple of stealths and both shoot great but I have a 72# that will run 700gr arrows at 200fps and I have an identical Brack Drifter in 72# that runs about 180.

[akaboomer]

I have shot a few and have also found that bows vari individually. I have my own ideas on best performing and it's not just speed. I love them stable, smooth and easy to shoot above speed. I found, for me, the best performing is my Roy Hall Navajo Chief. There are some faster but I shoot it the best. Mine averaged 187fps through the crono for six shots.

That's my take on the best performing recurve.

Chris

[threeunder]

Sixby,
That's part of my point.  I'm not sure what those that made the statements meant by performance.  To me, performance is the entire package.....speed, quietness, ergonomics, draw cycle, etc.
That's what confused me so much about BW bows in general.  I'm a longbow guy who "dabbles" in recurves. Iwas impressed with everything with my PSA except the mass (that's why I got rid of it).

[3arrows]

What wapitirod said was true 50 years ago and is still true today.

[Festivus]

Originally posted by Shedrock:
Herb Meland, Pronghorn Custom Bows, builds a better than average performance recurve. Ask Randy, aka Ferret WYO about his latest. If I recall, he said it shot a 500 and some grain arrow at 197, and that is a 57# bow. Herb's "Ferret" recurves are darn nice.

I thought that the Ferret recurves have not been available for many years, he only builds takedown longbows now.

[manitou1]

According to Blacky Shwartz's site, the BW was one of the top 4 performers last time I saw the numbers.  Not sure which model though.  My Predator is a bit faster, but I shoot the Widows better.

[wapitirod]

I should have mentioned on my Wes Wallace Stealth it's also very quiet and both of my Stealths are great shooters.  There are tons of great bowyers out there but every once in a while they build a bow that my be identical but there is something different about it.  It's kind of like the movie "Winchester 73" and the rifle that was 1 of 1000.

[Dan Adair]

I love how we have these threads pop up about every 3 months.

But apparently nobody here has a scale, and chronograph.

My 60# limbs on my Silvertip shoot arrows that weigh this much
 
This fast
 
at my stumpy 27" draw.

My 3D setup, 52# limbs shoot a 480 grain arrow 198 FPS (I didn't take pictures, but I could   :D   )

I've shot a lot of other bows, and get my hands on as many as possible.  I still haven't met a faster, more stable, and quiet bow than a Silvertip recurve.