Buying my first trad bow? . . .

[game4lunch]

Living inCheyenne has so many outdoors benefits. But having a selection of trad bows is not one of them. I am forced to buy on-line and am asking for help.

I'll probably be buying from Hunter's Friend or Cabellas or equivelant so the brands available are somewhat limited. Bear, Martin, PSE are the most recognizable brands.

I've been shooting/hunting with a70#compound for almost 20 years. 27.5" draw. I want a bow that I can shoot recreationally/competition/hunt with. I hunt elk, deer, lopes, and bear mostly with a bow.

But what length is recomended? Do I get a take down, recurve, or longbow? I like the looks of the recurve take down by Martin . . . X-200. About $300.00 with shipping. Would be a comfortable price range.
What arrows shoud you get. I'm using the ST Axis carbons now.

Thanking you in advance . . .

[PAstew]

Hey game4,

Buying a trad bow is like buying a car or clothes. It's all about what feels comfortable to YOU. It's a personal thing.

The Martin X200 is a mid quality bow. It will do the job. With a 27.5" draw on a compound, you will drop to 26" with a trad bow. Which is fine. But, that 70#'s you pull with a compound is totally different than a stickbow. Start with a lower weight. Struggeling to draw a stickbow to anchor will destroy your shooting form. If you get a 50# at 28" bow. You subtract 2#'s for every inch under 28". So you'll draw 45 to 46#'s at 26".

The axis arrows will be way over spined for a traditional bow. If you get one that 50#'s at your draw length ( so 55 at 28 ) you'll need to drop to 35/55 at 29" bop with 150 grains up front. Or, a 1916 or 2016 alluminum at 28" BOP. Remember, a trad bow likes a heavy arrow. 9 to 11 grains per pound of draw weight is typical. So 50# draw = 500 grain arrow.

A longer bow will draw smoother. But, with a 26" draw you can go 58 to 60" in bow length. Both will be comfortable for you. What type is a personal choice A take down is great for traveling, a recurve will be more forgiving and accept a broader range of arrow spines and shoot a bit faster. A longbow is quieter and needs a well matched arrow for proper arrow flight.

Best of luck.